IP Library Granted Patent US 11,816,999
Granted Patent B2
US 11,816,999 · App. 15/734,227 · Granted Nov 14, 2023

Unmanned aerial vehicle control system, unmanned aerial vehicle control method, and program

Inventors: Toshiaki Tazume (Tokyo, JP); Hayato Mizukami (Tokyo, JP); Qingnan Zhou (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
G08G5/0073B64C39/024G05D1/0653G05D1/101G08G5/0069B64U2201/10B64U2201/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,816,999
App. No.
15/734,227
Granted
Nov 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Detection means of an unmanned aerial vehicle control system is configured to detect an object existing at a location at which at least one of landing or takeoff of an unmanned aerial vehicle is to be performed. Type identification means is configured to identify a type of the object based on a result of detection by the detection means. Restriction means is configured to restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the type identified by the type identification means.

Claims (65)

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle control system, comprising at least one processor configured to:

detect an object existing at a location at which at least one of landing or takeoff of an unmanned aerial vehicle is to be performed;

identify a type of the object based on a result of detection;

restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the identified type;

identify a positional relationship between the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight and the location;

transmit information that depends on the identified positional relationship to a transmission destination that depends on the positional relationship;

identify, as the positional relationship, a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight and the location,

transmit information that depends on the identified distance to a transmission destination that depends on the distance;

transmit first information to a first transmission destination when the distance has become smaller than a first threshold value; and

transmit second information to a second transmission destination when the distance has become smaller than a second threshold value, which is smaller than the first threshold value.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify, as the type, whether the object is still, or whether the object is moving or is movable, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on whether the object is still or whether the object is moving or is movable.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of carrying a package,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify, as the type, whether the object is a package or whether the object is something other than a package, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on whether the object is a package or whether the object is something other than a package.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1 ,

wherein an area for enabling the unmanned aerial vehicle to perform at least one of landing or takeoff is determined in advance as the location, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to detect at least one of an object existing in the area or an object existing near the area.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify a position of the object, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle based further on the identified position.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 5 ,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the identified type is a predetermined restriction target type, and

wherein the predetermined restriction target type is set in accordance with the identified position.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 5 ,

wherein an area for enabling the unmanned aerial vehicle to perform at least one of landing or takeoff is determined in advance as the location,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify whether the position is in the area or near the area, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on whether the object is in the area or near the area.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the identified type is a predetermined restriction target type,

wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to fly based on any one of a plurality of flight modes,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify a flight mode of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and

wherein the predetermined restriction target type is set in accordance with the flight mode.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the identified type is a predetermined restriction target type, and

wherein the predetermined restriction target type is set depending on whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is to perform landing or takeoff.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 9 ,

wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of carrying a package,

wherein the predetermined restriction target type is a package,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to avoid restricting takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is to take off and a package has been identified, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict landing of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is to land and a package has been identified.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

transmit a predetermined message to a user terminal when the distance has become smaller than the first threshold value; and

transmit a control signal that is based on the restriction to the unmanned aerial vehicle when the distance has become smaller than the second threshold value.

12. An unmanned aerial vehicle control method, comprising:

detecting an object existing at a location at which at least one of landing or takeoff of an unmanned aerial vehicle is to be performed;

identifying a type of the object based on a result of detection performed in the detection step;

restricting at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the identified type;

identifying a positional relationship between the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight and the location;

transmitting information that depends on the identified positional relationship to a transmission destination that depends on the positional relationship;

identifying, as the positional relationship, a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight and the location,

transmitting information that depends on the identified distance to a transmission destination that depends on the distance;

transmitting first information to a first transmission destination when the distance has become smaller than a first threshold value; and

transmitting second information to a second transmission destination when the distance has become smaller than a second threshold value, which is smaller than the first threshold value.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium for storing a program for causing a computer to:

identify, based on a result of detection for an object existing at a location at which at least one of landing or takeoff of an unmanned aerial vehicle is to be performed, a type of the object;

restrict at least one of landing or takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the identified type;

identify a positional relationship between the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight and the location;

transmit information that depends on the identified positional relationship to a transmission destination that depends on the positional relationship;

identify, as the positional relationship, a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight and the location,

transmit information that depends on the identified distance to a transmission destination that depends on the distance;

transmit first information to a first transmission destination when the distance has become smaller than a first threshold value; and

transmit second information to a second transmission destination when the distance has become smaller than a second threshold value, which is smaller than the first threshold value.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 13, 2021
From: RAKUTEN, INC.
To: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 056845/0831 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2020
From: TAZUME, TOSHIAKI; MIZUKAMI, HAYATO; ZHOU, QINGNAN
To: RAKUTEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 054522/0916 →
Continuity (1)
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