Patent Publication Number: US-2023133184-A1

Title: Aerial vehicle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The embodiments disclosed herein relate to aerial vehicles and, more particularly, to wirelessly charging an aerial vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Aerial vehicles can include various different types of vehicles, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), quadcopters, rotocraft, etc. Many of these types of vehicles are configured to be wirelessly charged by a wireless charging transmitter pad. 
     SUMMARY 
     Disclosed herein are embodiments of an aerial vehicle. 
     In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle includes a body and a wireless charging receiver pad connected to the body, whereby the aerial vehicle is configured to be wirelessly charged when parked above a wireless charging transmitter pad. The aerial vehicle also includes landing gear connected to the body and extending underneath the body. The landing gear is configured for actuation to control the location of the receiver pad with respect to the transmitter pad. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to wireless charging system for an aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle includes a body and a wireless charging receiver pad connected to the body, whereby the aerial vehicle is configured to be wirelessly charged when parked above a wireless charging transmitter pad. The aerial vehicle also includes landing gear connected to the body and extending underneath the body. The landing gear is configured for actuation relative to the body to control the location of the receiver pad with respect to the transmitter pad. The wireless charging system for the aerial vehicle also includes a computing device. The computing device is configured to determine an optimal location of the receiver pad with respect to the transmitter pad and actuate the landing gear based on the optimal location of the receiver pad with respect to the transmitter pad. 
     In yet another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for wirelessly charging an aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle includes a body and a wireless charging receiver pad connected to the body, whereby the aerial vehicle is configured to be wirelessly charged when parked above a wireless charging transmitter pad. The aerial vehicle also includes landing gear connected to the body and extending underneath the body. The landing gear is configured for actuation to control the location of the receiver pad with respect to the wireless charging transmitter pad. The method includes determining an optimal location of the receiver pad with respect to the transmitter pad, and actuating the landing gear based on the optimal location of the receiver pad with respect to the transmitter pad. 
     These and other aspects will be described in additional detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The various features, advantages and other uses of the present embodiments will become more apparent by referring to the following detailed description and drawing in which: 
         FIG.  1 A  is an example of an aerial vehicle including landing gear being parked above a wireless charging transmitter pad. 
         FIG.  1 B  is an example of an aerial vehicle including landing gear parked above a wireless charging transmitter pad. 
         FIG.  2 A  is a first example of the landing gear of the aerial vehicle. 
         FIG.  2 B  is a second example of the landing gear of the aerial vehicle. 
         FIG.  3    is an example of an aerial vehicle wireless charging system. 
         FIG.  4    is an example of a method of wirelessly charging an aerial vehicle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This disclosure teaches a system and method for wirelessly charging an aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle includes landing gear for parking above a wireless charging transmitter pad, which is configured to wirelessly charge the aerial vehicle through a wireless charging receiver pad connected to the aerial vehicle. The landing gear is configured for actuation to control the location of the aerial vehicle above the transmitter pad. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B , an example of an aerial vehicle  10  is shown. The aerial vehicle  10  can be any type of aerial vehicle, for example, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a drone, a rotocraft, a quadcopter, etc. Among other components typical of aerial vehicles, the aerial vehicle  10  includes a body  12  with rotors  14  having motors and propellers. In some implementations, the aerial vehicle  10  can be configured to be remotely controlled. In other implementations, the aerial vehicle  10  can be autonomously controlled. 
     In addition to the body  12  and rotors  14 , the aerial vehicle  10  includes landing gear  16 . The landing gear  16  is connected to the body  12  and extends underneath the body  12 , and is configured to support the body  12  on a landing surface  18 . In some arrangements, the landing gear  16  can include one or more legs  20 . As shown in  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B , the landing gear  16  can include one or more springs  22 , which can serve as the legs  20 . In other arrangements, the landing gear  16  can include any suitable combination of leg(s)  20  and spring(s)  22 , and in some arrangements, the spring(s)  22  can form a part of the leg(s)  20 . 
     The aerial vehicle  10  is configured to be wirelessly charged using a wireless charging receiver pad  24 , an electrical energy storage device  26  (e.g., a battery), and a wireless charging transmitter pad  28 . The receiver pad  24  can be connected to the body  12 , for example, underneath the body  12  or inside the body  12 , and the electrical energy storage device  26  can be located in or on the body  12 . The receiver pad  24  is configured to wirelessly charge the electrical energy storage device  26 , for example, through magnetic induction, when placed above the transmitter pad  28 . The transmitter pad  28  can be any suitable type of transmitter pad. For example, the transmitter pad  28  can be formed from magnetic coils that are configured in various patters (e.g., rectangles, circles, double DD orientation, etc.). The transmitter pad  28  can be located anywhere. For example, the transmitter pad  28  can be part of a network of transmitter pads placed throughout a city or other public spaces. For example, the transmitter pads  28  can be placed on various landing surfaces  18 , including tops of buildings, in public parks, or underneath parking lots or sidewalks. Accordingly, the aerial vehicle  10  can be configured to wirelessly charge whenever power is needed using any transmitter pad  28  located in these various areas. 
     The aerial vehicle  10  can be configured to park above the transmitter pad  28  in order to be charged. For example, the aerial vehicle  10  can park (e.g., land) directly on the transmitter pad  28 , on a landing surface  18  surrounding the transmitter pad  28 , or on a landing surface  18  above the transmitter pad  28 , such as a parking lot or sidewalk. In other examples, the aerial vehicle  10  can park (e.g., fly) above the transmitter pad  28  during charging. When the aerial vehicle  10  parks above the transmitter pad  28  using the landing gear  16 , the receiver pad  24  is located at a height H above the transmitter pad  28 . As the height H increases above a certain threshold, or decreases below a certain threshold, the efficiency of the wireless charging may decrease. Accordingly, there is an optimal height H at which wireless charging is most efficient. The optimal height H may vary based on the type of transmitter pad  28  the aerial vehicle  10  is parked above and/or the type of receiver pad  24  located on the aerial vehicle  10 . In some arrangements, the optimal height H is a range substantially between 100 millimeters (mm) and 170 mm above the transmitter pad  28 . In other arrangements, the optimal height H is a range that can be up to substantially 250 mm above the transmitter pad  28 . If the height is over 250 mm or under 100 mm above the transmitter pad  28 , wireless charging may be ineffective. 
     Accordingly, the aerial vehicle  10  can be configured to adjust the height H of the receiver pad  24  above the transmitter pad  28 . In order to adjust the height H, the landing gear  16  is configured for actuation. More specifically, the landing gear  16  is configured for extension and retraction relative to the body  12 . For example, the landing gear  16  can be configured to rest on the landing surface  18  and lower the aerial vehicle  10  toward the landing surface  18  to control the height of the receiver pad  24  to the optimal height H above the transmitter pad  28 . For example, the landing gear  16  can include legs  20  that are configured for extension and retraction relative to the body  12  in any suitable manner. In another example, as shown, the landing gear  16  can include springs  22  that are configured for actuation and for extension and retraction relative to the body  12 . The springs  22  can be configured for extension and retraction in any suitable manner. For example, with reference to  FIG.  2 A , the springs  22  can be gas springs  30 . In another example, with reference to  FIG.  2 B , the springs  22  can be electrically-controlled springs  32  or magnetically-controlled springs  34 . The springs  22  can be extended and retracted after the aerial vehicle  10  parks above the transmitter pad  28  and before charging, or the springs  22  can be extended and retracted while the aerial vehicle  10  is parked above the transmitter pad  28  during charging. 
     In another implementation, the landing gear  16  can be configured to attach to the landing surface  18  and pull the aerial vehicle  10  toward the landing surface  18  to control the height of the receiver pad  24  to the optimal height H above the transmitter pad  28 . For example, the landing gear  16  can attach to the transmitter pad  28 , a landing surface  18  near the transmitter pad  28 , or a landing surface  18  above the transmitter pad  28 . In this implementation, the aerial vehicle  10  may be hovering or flying while charging, and the landing gear  16  (e.g., the springs  22 ) are configured to pull the aerial vehicle  10  towards the landing surface  18  to the control the height of the receiver pad  24  to the optimal height H above the transmitter pad  28 . 
     As described above, the optimal height H may depend on the type of receiver pad  24  and/or transmitter pad  28  used during charging. Accordingly, the aerial vehicle  10  includes an aerial vehicle wireless charging system  36  configured to determine the optimal height H. Referring to  FIG.  3   , the aerial vehicle wireless charging system  36  can include a sensor system  38 . The sensor system  38  can include a camera  40 . The camera  40  can be configured to view the transmitter pad  28  and determine information about the transmitter pad  28 , such as the type of transmitter pad  28  and/or where the transmitter pad  28  is located (e.g., above the landing surface  18  or underneath the landing surface  18 ). The sensor system  38  can also include a distance sensor  42  configured to determine the distance from the receiver pad  24  to the transmitter pad  28 . 
     The aerial vehicle wireless charging system  36  can also include a navigation system  44 . The navigation system  44  can be located on the aerial vehicle  10  or separate from the aerial vehicle  10  and can include, for example, a GPS system  46 , map data  48 , etc. The navigation system  44  can be configured to store and/or receive information about the network of transmitter pads, for example, where each transmitter pad  28  is located and what type of transmitter pad  28  the aerial vehicle  10  is parked above. In some arrangements, the transmitter pad  28  can also be configured to transmit information about the transmitter pad  28  to the aerial vehicle  10 . Accordingly, the aerial vehicle  10  includes a computing device  50 . The computing device  50  is communicatively connected to one or more components of the aerial vehicle wireless charging system  36 , for example, the sensor system  38 , the navigation system  44 , etc. 
     The computing device  50  can be dedicated to actuating the landing gear  16 , or could additionally support the operation of other systems of the aerial vehicle  10 . The computing device  50  may include one or more processors communicatively coupled with a memory. The processor(s) may include any device capable of executing machine-readable instructions, which may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, for example, the memory. The processor(s) may include a controller, an integrated circuit, a microchip, a computer, and/or any other computing device. 
     The memory may include any type of computer readable medium suitable for storing data and algorithms. For example, the memory may include RAM, ROM, a flash memory, a hard drive, and/or any device capable of storing machine readable instructions. Various algorithms and data for actuating the landing gear  16  and/or for operating the sensor system  38  and/or the navigation system  44  may reside in whole or in part in the memory. The computing device  50  may, for instance, have a module residing in memory for actuating the landing gear  16  to control the height H at which the receiver pad  24  is located above the transmitter pad  28 . 
     The module may be configured to receive and analyze data, signals, and/or other information from sensor system  38 , the navigation system  44 , and/or the computing device  50 , and determine an optimal height H at which to position the receiver pad  24  above the transmitter pad  28 . The module may include instructions for actuating the landing gear  16  based on the optimal height H. For example, if the aerial vehicle  10  parks above the transmitter pad  28  such that the receiver pad  24  is 100 mm above the transmitter pad  28 , and the computing device  50  determines that the optimal height H is 170 mm, the computing device  50  can extend the landing gear  16  to increase the height H of the aerial vehicle  10 , and thus the receiver pad  24 , above the transmitter pad  28 . In another example, if the aerial vehicle  10  parks above the transmitter pad  28  such that the receiver pad  24  is 170 mm above the transmitter pad  28 , and the computing device  50  determines that the optimal height H is 140 mm, the computing device  50  can retract the landing gear  16  to decrease the height H of the aerial vehicle  10 , and thus the receiver pad  24 , above the transmitter pad  28 . 
     Now that the various potential systems, devices, elements, and/or components have been described, a method, including various possible steps of such method, will now be described. The method described may be applicable to the arrangements described above, but it is to be understood that the method can be carried out with other suitable systems and arrangements. Moreover, the method may include other steps that are not shown here, and in fact, the method is not limited to including every step shown. The blocks that are illustrated here as part of the method are not limited to the particular chronological order. Indeed, some of the blocks may be performed in a different order than what is shown and/or at least some of the blocks shown can occur simultaneously. 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , an example of a method  52  for wirelessly charging the aerial vehicle  10  is shown. In operation  54 , the aerial vehicle  10  can determine information about the receiver pad  24  and/or the transmitter pad  28 . For example, the aerial vehicle  10  can use the sensor system  38 , the navigation system  44 , and/or the computing device  50  to determine information about the receiver pad  24  and/or the transmitter pad  28 . Based on this information, the computing device  50  can determine the optimal height H at which the receiver pad  24  should be located above the transmitter pad  28 . In operation  56 , based on the optimal height H, the aerial vehicle  10  can be configured to actuate the landing gear  16 . For example, the computing device  50  can cause the legs  20  and/or the springs  22  of the landing gear  16  to be extended and/or retracted to control the height H of the receiver pad  24  to the optimal height H above the transmitter pad  28 . 
     While recited characteristics and conditions of the invention have been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.