US 12,545,447 B1Granted

Aerial vehicle landing pad with sensors

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsLarry Joe Robb, Christopher Semanda Musoke, Dianne Anderson, Kristina Freismuth

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Abstract

Described is an aerial vehicle landing pad configured to capture various metrics regarding landing of an aerial vehicle thereon. The landing pad may be formed of layers, such as one or more sensors layers enclosed in protective layers. The landing pad may include elements with force sensors to sense a force of a landing of an aerial vehicle on the landing pad. The landing pad may include elements with pressure sensors to determine elements subject to pressure from landing structures of the aerial vehicle on the landing pad. Locations of the elements that indicate a pressure signal may be used determine a location of the aerial vehicle on the landing pad, an orientation of the aerial vehicle, and/or a type of aerial vehicle.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

an aerial vehicle landing pad including:
a plurality of elements, each element including at least a pressure sensor and a force sensor configured to measure physical interaction with an aerial vehicle during and after landing of the aerial vehicle on the aerial vehicle landing pad, the plurality of elements arranged in a grid, wherein an individual element of the plurality of elements further includes:
a first layer including a water resistant material and indicia indicating at least a target landing location on the grid;
a second layer including the pressure sensor configured to output a pressure signal in response to pressure applied to a portion of the second layer;
a third layer coupled to the second layer, the third layer comprising the force sensor configured to output a force signal in response to force applied to a portion of the third layer;
and
a fourth layer coupled to a perimeter of the first layer, the fourth layer including a water resistant material forming a protective base;
and
a sensor hub coupled to each of the plurality of elements, wherein each of the plurality of elements is configured to output the pressure signal and the force signal via the sensor hub for a corresponding element at least in response to detection of a force applied to the corresponding element during landing of the aerial vehicle;
one or more processors in communication with the sensor hub;
and
a memory storing program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least:
receive force signals and pressure signals from the sensor hub;
determine a landing location of the aerial vehicle on the aerial vehicle landing pad based at least in part on a location of elements in the grid that indicate a received pressure signal greater than a threshold pressure value;
and
determine a landing force for the aerial vehicle based at least in part on the force signals;
and
output at least the landing location and the landing force.

15 more elements

An apparatus, comprising:

an aerial vehicle landing pad including a plurality of elements, individual elements of the plurality of elements including at least a pressure sensor and a force sensor configured to measure physical interaction with an aerial vehicle during and after landing of the aerial vehicle on the aerial vehicle landing pad, the plurality of elements arranged in a grid, wherein an individual element of the plurality of elements further includes:
a first layer including a water resistant material and indicia indicating at least a target landing location on the grid;
a second layer including the pressure sensor configured to output a pressure signal in response to pressure applied to a portion of the second layer;
a third layer coupled to the second layer, the third layer comprising the force sensor configured to output a force signal in response to force applied to a portion of the third layer;
and
a fourth layer coupled to a perimeter of the first layer, the fourth layer including a water resistant material forming a protective base;
and
a sensor hub coupled to the plurality of elements, wherein individual elements of the plurality of elements are configured to output the pressure signal and the force signal via the sensor hub for a corresponding element at least in response to detection of a force applied to the corresponding element during landing of the aerial vehicle.

5 more elements

A system, comprising:

an aerial vehicle landing pad including a plurality of elements, individual elements of the plurality of elements including at least a pressure sensor and a force sensor configured to measure physical interaction with an aerial vehicle during and after landing of the aerial vehicle on the aerial vehicle landing pad, the plurality of elements arranged in a grid, wherein an individual element of the plurality of elements further includes:
a first layer including a water resistant material and indicia indicating at least a target landing location on the grid;
a second layer including the pressure sensor configured to output a pressure signal in response to pressure applied to a portion of the second layer;
a third layer coupled to the second layer, the third layer comprising a force sensor configured to output the force signal in response to force applied to a portion of the third layer;
and
a fourth layer coupled to a perimeter of the first layer, the fourth layer including a water resistant material forming a protective base;
a sensor hub coupled to the plurality of elements, wherein the individual elements of the plurality of elements are configured to output the pressure signal and the force signal using the sensor hub for a corresponding element at least in response to detection of a force applied to the corresponding element during landing of the aerial vehicle;
one or more processors in communication with the sensor hub;
and
a memory storing program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least:
receive force signals and pressure signals from the sensor hub;
determine a landing location of the aerial vehicle on the aerial vehicle landing pad based at least in part on a location of elements in the grid that indicate a received pressure signal greater than a threshold pressure value;
and
determine a landing force for the aerial vehicle based at least in part on the force signals;
and
output at least the landing location and the landing force.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.