METHOD FOR FLIGHT CONTROL BY HOW A DEVICE IS THROWN
An autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle, such as a drone, and method for controlling the same, the method including sensing a physical manipulation or an aspect of a physical manipulation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle, selecting an action and/or modifying an aspect of the action according to the sensed physical manipulation or physical manipulation aspect, and instructing the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle to perform the action.
1 . A control system for controlling an autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle, the control system comprising:
a sensor mounted on the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle, the sensor being configured to sense a physical manipulation or an aspect of the physical manipulation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device; and
a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor being configured to:
select an action or modify an aspect of the action according to the sensed physical manipulation or physical manipulation aspect; and
instruct the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle to perform the action.
2 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the physical manipulation is a throw, toss, push, or roll of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle.
3 . The control system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor and the physical manipulation aspect is at least one of a grip location and a grip pressure during the throw or roll.
4 . The control system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is an accelerometer or motion sensor and the physical manipulation aspect is at least one of a throw or roll intensity, a rotation direction, a rotation speed, a throw or roll launch angle, a throw or roll launch direction, and a throw or roll type.
5 . The control system of claim 4 , wherein the throw or roll launch direction is relative to compass directions, another object, or a GPS coordinate system.
6 . The control system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor and the physical manipulation aspect is a position of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle at a release point of the throw or roll.
7 . The control system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensors comprising a pressure sensor, an accelerometer, and a proximity sensor, the physical manipulation aspect including a plurality of physical manipulation aspects including a) at least one of a grip location and a grip pressure during the throw, toss, push, or roll; b) at least one of a throw, toss, push, or roll intensity, a rotation direction, a rotation speed, a throw, toss, push, or roll launch angle, and a throw, toss, push, or roll type; and c) a position of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle at a release point of the throw, toss, push, or roll, the action or an aspect of the action being determined based on a combination of values of a), b), and c).
8 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the action is at least one of flying, hovering, diving, homing, rotating, turning, rolling, obtaining a payload, and releasing a payload.
9 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the action is a pattern, combination, or sequence of flying, hovering, diving, rolling, homing, rotating, turning, obtaining a payload, and releasing a payload.
10 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the action aspect is at least one of a start delay, duration, intensity, speed, linear direction, rotational direction, and path.
11 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to select or modify the action and instruct the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle to perform the action only if a predetermined condition is met.
12 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to instruct the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle to avoid colliding with other autonomous or semi-autonomous devices or vehicles.
13 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust motion of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle after the physical manipulation has ended according to at least one of orientation, spin, position, and velocity of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device so that the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle follows a desired path or pattern without further user input.
14 . A method of controlling an autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
sensing a physical manipulation or an aspect of the physical manipulation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device via a sensor mounted on the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle;
selecting an action or modifying an aspect of the action according to the sensed physical manipulation or physical manipulation aspect; and
instructing the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle to perform the action.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the physical manipulation is a throw, toss, push, or roll of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor and the physical manipulation aspect is at least one of a grip location and a grip pressure during the throw or roll.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is an accelerometer or motion sensor and the physical manipulation aspect is at least one of a throw or roll intensity, a rotation direction, a rotation speed, a throw or roll launch angle, a throw or roll launch direction, and a throw or roll type.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the throw or roll launch direction is relative to compass directions, another object, or a pre-selected directional framework.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor and the physical manipulation aspect is a position of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle at a release point of the throw or roll.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensors comprising a pressure sensor, an accelerometer, and a proximity sensor, the physical manipulation aspect including a plurality of physical manipulation aspects including a) at least one of a grip location and a grip pressure during the throw, toss, push, or roll; b) at least one of a throw, toss, push, or roll intensity, a rotation direction, a rotation speed, a throw, toss, push, or roll launch angle, and a throw, toss, push, or roll type; and c) a position of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle at a release point of the throw, toss, push, or roll, the action or an aspect of the action being determined based on a combination of values of a), b), and c).
21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the action is at least one of flying, hovering, diving, homing, rotating, turning, rolling, obtaining a payload, and releasing a payload.
22 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the action is a pattern, combination, or sequence of flying, hovering, diving, rolling, homing, rotating, turning, obtaining a payload, and releasing a payload.
23 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the action aspect is at least one of a start delay, duration, intensity, speed, linear direction, rotational direction, and path.
24 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the steps of selecting the action or modifying the action aspect and instructing the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle to perform the action is performed only if a predetermined condition is met.
25 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of instructing the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle to avoid colliding with other autonomous or semi-autonomous devices or vehicles.
26 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of adjusting motion of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle after the physical manipulation has ended according to at least one of orientation, spin, position, and velocity of the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle so that the autonomous or semi-autonomous device or vehicle follows a desired path or pattern without further user input.