Vehicle Control System for Transitioning Between Mediums
AssigneeThe John Hopkins University
InventorJoseph L. Moore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle for aerial-aquatic locomotion is provided. The vehicle may include a propeller, an electric motor operably coupled to the propeller and configured to rotate the propeller, a maneuvering assembly configured to change an attitude and altitude of the vehicle, and a controller operably coupled to the electric motor and the maneuvering assembly. The controller may be configured to receive a command for the vehicle to exit a first medium and enter a second medium, compute or retrieve a hybrid trajectory, and control the electric motor and the maneuvering assembly to maneuver the vehicle in accordance with the hybrid trajectory.
Claims20
A vehicle for aerial-aquatic locomotion, the vehicle comprising:
- a propeller;
- an electric motor operably coupled to the propeller and configured to rotate the propeller;
- a maneuvering assembly configured to change an attitude and altitude of the vehicle;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the electric motor and the maneuvering assembly, the controller being configured to:
- receive a command for the vehicle to exit a first medium and enter a second medium;
- compute or retrieve a hybrid trajectory for transitioning the vehicle from the first medium to the second medium;
- control the electric motor and the maneuvering assembly to maneuver the vehicle in accordance with the hybrid trajectory;
- and
- track a state of the vehicle and, based on the state indicating that the vehicle is in a medium transitional mode, make maneuvering adjustments to maintain compliance with the hybrid trajectory;
- or based on the state indicating that the vehicle has completed entry into the second medium and the vehicle is in a non-transitional mode, make maneuvering adjustments for operation in the second medium,
- wherein the state of the vehicle includes one or more of a mode, an altitude, an attitude, and a speed of the vehicle.
A method for controlling the movement of an aerial-aquatic vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving a command, at a controller, for the vehicle to exit a first medium and enter a second medium;
- computing or retrieving a hybrid trajectory for transitioning the vehicle from the first medium to the second medium;
- controlling an electric motor and a maneuvering assembly of the vehicle to maneuver the vehicle in accordance with the hybrid trajectory;
- and
- tracking a state of the vehicle and, based on the state indicating that the vehicle is in a medium transitional mode, making maneuvering adjustments to maintain compliance with the hybrid trajectory;
- or based on the state indicating that the vehicle has completed entry into the second medium and the vehicle is in a non-transitional mode, making maneuvering adjustments for operation in the second medium,
- wherein the state of the vehicle includes one or more of a mode, an altitude, an attitude, and a speed of the vehicle.
A control system for a vehicle capable of travelling through medium transitions, the control system comprising a controller and a plurality of sensors providing inputs to the controller, the controller being configured to:
- receive a command for the vehicle to exit a first medium and enter a second medium;
- compute or retrieve a hybrid trajectory for transitioning the vehicle from the first medium to the second medium;
- control the electric motor and a maneuvering assembly operably coupled to the controller to maneuver the vehicle in accordance with the hybrid trajectory;
- and
- track a state of the vehicle,
- wherein the state of the vehicle includes one or more of a mode, an altitude, an attitude, and a speed of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.