# US 2021/0240205 A1 · Measuring method using unmanned aerial robot and device for supporting same in unmanned aerial system

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- Number: US 2021/0240205 A1
- Document ID: US20210240205A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/931,894
- Filed: 2020-07-17
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-31
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Pilwon KWAK; Jeongkyo SEO; Hyunjai SHIM
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240205A1

## CPC

- G05D 1/0607: {specially adapted for aircraft}
- B64D 45/08: optical
- B64U 10/16: with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
- G01C 5/00: Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels (G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence)
- G01C 5/06: by using barometric means
- G05D 1/0094: {involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target}
- G05D 1/0816: {to ensure stability}
- B64U 50/14: ducted or shrouded
- B64U 60/50: with landing legs
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- B64U 2201/104: using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)

## Abstract

An altitude measuring method of an unmanned aerial robot is provided. The robot adjusts a level of the unmanned aerial robot so that the robot is at a horizontal state with respect the ground to measure the altitude. The robot generates a plurality of laser beams to the ground, and photographs the ground through the camera. The robot calculates a vertical distance from the ground to the robot based on the photographed image of the ground and the plurality of laser beams.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A height measuring method of a robot, comprising:
adjusting the robot to be level with a surface;
providing, by the robot, a plurality of laser beam spots on the surface;
capturing, by a camera of the robot, an image of the surface; and
determining, by the robot, a vertical distance from the surface to the robot based on the captured image and the plurality of laser beam spots on the surface,
wherein the vertical distance is determined based on a horizontal surface distance from a position of the robot on the surface to a first end point of the image and a specific angle,
wherein the specific angle is an angle between the vertical distance and the surface distance between the robot and the first end point of the image, and
wherein the surface distance is determined based on a reference distance.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein when the plurality of laser spots are two laser beam spots, the reference distance is half of a distance between the two laser beam spots on the surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein when the reference distance is different from the surface distance by a specific multiple, the surface distance is determined by multiplying the reference distance by the specific multiple.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein when the surface distance is Wd, the specific multiple is K, and the reference distance is W1, the surface distance is determined based on the following equation.
Wd=K*W1

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the vertical distance is determined based on a trigonometric function between the surface distance and the angle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein when the vertical distance is hd, the surface distance is Wd, and the angle is θ, the vertical distance hd is determined based on the following equation.
Wd=hd*tan θ

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
comparing the vertical distance with a target height of the robot; and
adjusting the vertical distance to the target height when the vertical distance is not the same as the target height.

### Claim 8

A robot for determining a height, the robot comprising:
a main body;
a camera provided at the main body;
a plurality of light sources for generating a plurality of laser beams;
at least one motor;
at least one propeller connected to each of the at least one motor; and
a processor electrically connected to the at least one motor to control the at least one motor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
adjust the robot to be level with a surface;
provide, on the surface, a plurality of laser beam spots based on the plurality of light sources;
capture, by the camera, an image of the surface; and
determine a vertical distance from the surface to the robot based on the captured image of the surface and the plurality of laser beam spots,
wherein the vertical distance is determined based on a horizontal surface distance from a position of the robot on the surface to a first end point of the image and a specific angle,
wherein the specific angle is an angle between the vertical distance and the surface distance between the robot and the first end point of the image, and
wherein the surface distance is determined based on a reference distance.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The robot of claim 8, wherein when the plurality of laser beam spots are two laser beam spots, the reference distance is half of a distance between the two laser beam spots on the surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The robot of claim 9, wherein when the reference distance is different from the surface distance by a specific multiple, the surface distance is determined by multiplying the reference distance by the specific multiple.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The robot of claim 10, wherein when the surface distance is Wd, the specific multiple is K, and the reference distance is W1, the surface distance is determined based on the following equation.
Wd=K*W1

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The robot of claim 8, wherein the vertical distance is determined based on a trigonometric function between the surface distance and the angle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The robot of claim 8, wherein when the vertical distance is hd, the surface distance is Wd, and the angle is θ, the vertical distance hd is determined based on the following equation.
Wd=hd*tan θ

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The robot of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:
compare the vertical distance with a target height of the robot; and
adjust the vertical distance to the target height when the vertical distance is not the same as the target height.

### Claim 15

A measuring method of a robot, comprising:
providing, by the robot, a plurality of laser beam spots on the surface;
capturing, by a camera of the robot, an image of the surface; and
determining, by the robot, a vertical distance from the surface to the robot based on the captured image and the plurality of laser beam spots on the surface,
wherein the vertical distance is determined based on a surface distance and a specific angle between the vertical distance and the surface distance, and
wherein the surface distance is determined based on a reference distance.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the surface distance is determined based on a position of the robot on the surface and a first end point of the image.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein when the plurality of laser spots are two laser beam spots, the reference distance is half of a distance between the two laser beam spots on the surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein when the reference distance is different from the surface distance by a specific multiple, the surface distance is determined by multiplying the reference distance by the specific multiple.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the vertical distance is determined based on a trigonometric function between the surface distance and the angle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
comparing the vertical distance with a target height of the robot; and
adjusting the vertical distance to the target height when the vertical distance is not the same as the target height.