Distributed unmanned aerial vehicle architecture
AssigneeUnmanned Innovation, Inc.
InventorsJonathan Downey, Bernard J. Michini, Brian Richman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a distributed system architecture for unmanned air vehicles. One of the methods includes obtaining information identifying flight information of a UAV, with the flight information including flight phase information or a contingency condition associated with a flight critical module included in the UAV. The obtained information is analyzed, and one or more first payload modules are determined to enter a modified power state. Requests to enter the modified power state are caused to be transmitted to each determined payload module in the one or more first payload modules.
Claims21
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight processing system comprising:
- said interface configured to communicate with one or more payload modules;
- an interface configured to communicate with one or more flight critical modules;
- one or more processors comprising hardware, the one or more processors configured to at least:
- obtain information identifying flight information of the UAV, the flight information comprising flight phase information or a contingency condition associated with a flight critical module;
- analyze the identified flight information;
- based at least in part on the analysis of the identified flight information, determine at least one or more first payload modules to enter a respective modified power state;
- and
- cause, at least in part, requests to enter the respective modified power state to be transmitted to each of the determined payload modules in the one or more first payload modules.
A method comprising:
- obtaining, by a system comprising hardware included in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and in communication with one or more payload modules and one or more flight critical modules included in the UAV, information identifying flight information of the UAV, wherein the flight information comprises flight phase information or a contingency condition associated with a flight critical module;
- analyzing, by the system, the identified flight information;
- based at least in part on the analysis of the identified flight information, determining, by the system, one or more first payload modules to enter a respective modified power state;
- and
- causing, at least in part, requests to enter the respective modified power state to be transmitted to each of the determined payload modules in the one or more first payload modules.
A system included in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the system comprising:
- a flight system connected, via one or more flight critical power buses and one or more flight critical data buses, to one or more flight critical modules, the flight system comprising one or more processors configured to at least:
- determine power requirements of the flight critical modules;
- determine, from the power requirements, an acceptable power usage by a payload system to enforce, wherein the payload system is connected to the flight system via a shared power bus that provides power to the payload system, and via a shared data bus, respectively isolated from the flight critical power buses and flight critical data buses, and
- provide, from the flight system to the payload system, information identifying the acceptable power usage;
- and
- the payload system connected, via one or more payload power buses and one or more payload data buses, to one or more payload modules, the payload system comprising one or more processors configured to at least:
- receive, from the flight system, the information identifying the acceptable power usage,
- determine, from the acceptable power usage, one or more payload modules to enter a respective modified power state, and
- provide, to each of the determined payload modules, a request to enter the respective modified power state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.