UAV charging and discharging system, method and UAV

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a drone charging and discharging system, method, and drone, comprising: an intelligent battery, a charging switch, a discharging switch, a first communication unit, a second communication unit, a charging interface, a flight control unit, and a control unit. In the system, when the drone charging and discharging system is in a powered-on state, the flight control unit obtains the operating status of the intelligent battery through the second communication unit and sends the operating status to the control unit. The control unit outputs a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively according to the operating status, so that the charging switch is disconnected and the first communication unit is closed, thereby preventing simultaneous charging and discharging, resolving charging and discharging conflicts, and improving the safety and reliability of the charging and discharging system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and in particular to a UAV charging and discharging system, method, and UAV. Background Art

[0002] With the trend toward miniaturization of consumer drones and the 250g regulatory constraint, more and more manufacturers are turning to miniaturization research and development. As drones shrink, their batteries become smaller, reducing the charging power required. This means that standard mobile phone chargers can now meet the charging power requirements of drone batteries.

[0003] To facilitate user convenience or maximize space, manufacturers are turning to charging drone batteries directly on the drone itself. However, compared to the traditional method of removing the battery for separate charging, this method is more complex and often requires an intelligent charging and discharging system. When designing such a system, resolving charging and discharging conflicts is a pressing issue. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a drone charging and discharging system, method, and drone, which prevents simultaneous charging and discharging, resolves the conflict between charging and discharging, and thus improves the safety and reliability of the charging and discharging system.

[0005] In a first aspect, a technical solution adopted by an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a drone charging and discharging system, comprising: a smart battery, a charging switch, a discharging switch, a first communication unit, a second communication unit, a charging interface, a flight control unit, and a control unit; wherein the charging end of the smart battery is connected to the first end of the charging switch, the discharging end of the smart battery is connected to the first end of the discharging switch, the smart battery is communicatively connected to the control unit via the first communication unit, and the smart battery is also communicatively connected to the flight control unit via the second communication unit; the second end of the charging switch is connected to the charging interface, the control end of the charging switch is connected to the first end of the control unit, the second end of the discharging switch is respectively connected to the power supply end of the control unit and the power supply end of the flight control unit, and the control end of the discharging switch is connected to the second end of the control unit; the flight control unit is also communicatively connected to the control unit; wherein, when the drone charging and discharging system is in a powered-on state, the flight control unit is configured to obtain the operating status of the smart battery via the second communication unit and transmit the operating status to the control unit, and the control unit outputs a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively according to the operating status, so as to disconnect the charging switch and shut down the first communication unit.

[0006] In some embodiments, the drone charging and discharging system further includes a button; the button is respectively connected to the control end of the charging switch, the control end of the discharging switch, the control end of the first communication unit, and the control end of the second communication unit; the button is used to generate a power-on signal or a power-off signal when triggered, the power-on signal is used to instruct the discharge switch to be turned on and the second communication unit to be opened, so that the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-on state, and the power-off signal is used to instruct the charging switch to be disconnected, the discharging switch to be disconnected, the first communication unit to be turned off, and the second communication unit to be turned off, so that the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-off state.

[0007] In some embodiments, the power supply end of the control unit is also connected to the charging interface, and the third end of the control unit is also connected to the control end of the second communication unit; the control unit is used to output an opening signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit, and to output the closing signal to the discharge switch and the second communication unit, respectively, when the drone charging and discharging system is in the shutdown state and the charging interface is connected to an external power supply, so as to put the smart battery in a charging state.

[0008] In some embodiments, the UAV charging and discharging system further includes a buck-boost unit; the buck-boost unit is connected between the charging interface and the second end of the charging switch, and the control end of the buck-boost unit is connected to the fourth end of the control unit.

[0009] In some embodiments, the control unit is further configured to obtain battery information of the smart battery through the first communication unit, and control the buck-boost unit to operate according to the battery information.

[0010] In some embodiments, the battery information includes battery power, battery voltage, battery model, charging voltage, charging current and / or charging cut-off current.

[0011] In some embodiments, the control unit is also used to control the charging switch to turn on and the buck-boost unit to operate within a second preset time to activate the smart battery and obtain the battery information when the battery information cannot be obtained through the first communication unit within a first preset time.

[0012] In some embodiments, the charging switch includes a first switch tube, a second switch tube, and a third switch tube; the first end of the first switch tube is connected to the charging end of the smart battery, the second end of the first switch tube is connected to the first end of the second switch tube, the second end of the second switch tube is connected to the charging interface, the control end of the first switch tube and the control end of the second switch tube are both connected to the first end of the third switch tube, and the control end of the third switch tube is respectively connected to the first end of the control unit and the charging end of the smart battery.

[0013] In some embodiments, the discharge switch includes a fourth switch tube, a fifth switch tube, and a sixth switch tube; the first end of the fourth switch tube is connected to the discharge end of the smart battery, the second end of the fourth switch tube is connected to the first end of the fifth switch tube, the second end of the fifth switch tube is respectively connected to the power supply end of the control unit and the power supply end of the flight control unit, the control end of the fourth switch tube and the control end of the fifth switch tube are both connected to the first end of the sixth switch tube, and the control end of the sixth switch tube is respectively connected to the second end of the control unit and the discharge end of the smart battery.

[0014] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a drone, comprising a drone charging and discharging system as described in any one of the first aspects above.

[0015] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a drone charging and discharging method, which is applied to the flight control unit in the drone charging and discharging system described in any one of the first aspects above, and the method includes: when the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-on state, obtaining the working status of the smart battery, and sending the working status to the control unit, wherein the working status is used to instruct the control unit to output a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit to disconnect the charging switch and turn off the first communication unit.

[0016] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a drone charging and discharging method, which is applied to the control unit in the drone charging and discharging system described in any one of the first aspects above, and the method includes: when the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-on state, obtaining the working status sent by the flight control unit; outputting a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit according to the working status, so that the charging switch is disconnected and the first communication unit is turned off.

[0017] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the drone charging and discharging system is in a shutdown state and is powered by an external power supply, outputting an on signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively, and outputting an off signal to the discharging switch and the second communication unit respectively, so that the charging switch is turned on, the first communication unit is turned on, the discharging switch is disconnected, and the second communication unit is turned on, thereby putting the smart battery in a charging state.

[0018] In some embodiments, the step of outputting the activation signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively includes:

[0019] outputting the activation signal to the first communication unit;

[0020] acquiring battery information of the smart battery through the first communication unit;

[0021] Controlling the buck-boost unit to operate according to the battery information;

[0022] The on signal is output to the charging switch.

[0023] In some embodiments, the battery information includes battery power, battery voltage, battery model, charging voltage, charging current and / or charging cut-off current.

[0024] In some embodiments, obtaining the battery information of the smart battery through the first communication unit includes: if the battery information cannot be obtained through the first communication unit within a first preset time, controlling the charging switch to be turned on and controlling the buck-boost unit to operate within a second preset time to activate the smart battery and obtain the battery information.

[0025] In some embodiments, the method further includes: after the smart battery is fully charged, outputting a shutoff signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively, so as to stop charging the smart battery.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: different from the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention provide a drone charging and discharging system, method and drone, including: an intelligent battery, a charging switch, a discharging switch, a first communication unit, a second communication unit, a charging interface, a flight control unit and a control unit; in this system, when the drone charging and discharging system is in the on state, the flight control unit obtains the working status of the intelligent battery through the second communication unit and sends the working status to the control unit, and the control unit outputs a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively according to the working status, so that the charging switch is disconnected and the first communication unit is turned off, and the situation of simultaneous charging and discharging will not occur, thereby resolving the conflict between charging and discharging, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the charging and discharging system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] One or more embodiments are exemplarily described by pictures in the corresponding drawings. These exemplified descriptions do not constitute limitations on the embodiments. Elements / modules and steps with the same reference numerals in the drawings are represented as similar elements / modules and steps. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute a scale limitation.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a UAV charging and discharging system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural block diagram of another UAV charging and discharging system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural block diagram of another UAV charging and discharging system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 1 is a schematic diagram of a circuit structure of a charging switch provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 1 is a schematic diagram of a circuit structure of a discharge switch provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a processing flow of a flight control unit in a charging and discharging method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 1 is a schematic diagram of a processing flow of a control unit in a charging and discharging method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a processing flow of a flight control unit in a charging and discharging method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic flow chart of step S230 in FIG.

[0037] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A schematic flow chart of step S232 in FIG.

[0038] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a partial processing flow of a flight control unit in a charging and discharging method provided by an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. The following embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but are not intended to limit the present invention in any form. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. These all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] For ease of understanding of the present application, the present application will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art in the field of the present application. The terms used in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. The term "and / or" used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0041] It should be noted that, unless they conflict, the various features of the embodiments of the present invention may be combined with each other and are all within the scope of protection of this application. Furthermore, although the functional modules are divided in the device schematic, in some cases, the module division may be different from that in the device. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and the like used herein do not limit the order of data or execution; they are merely used to distinguish between identical or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects.

[0042] In the first aspect, the embodiment of the present invention provides a UAV charging and discharging system, see Figure 1 The UAV charging and discharging system includes: an intelligent battery 10, a charging switch 21, a discharging switch 22, a first communication unit 31, a second communication unit 32, a charging interface 40, a flight control unit 50 and a control unit 60.

[0043] The charging terminal of the smart battery 10 is connected to the first terminal of the charging switch 21, and the discharging terminal of the smart battery 10 is connected to the first terminal of the discharging switch 22. The smart battery 10 is in communication with the control unit 60 via the first communication unit 31, and is also in communication with the flight control unit 50 via the second communication unit 32. The second terminal of the charging switch 21 is connected to the charging interface 40, the control terminal of the charging switch 21 is connected to the first terminal of the control unit 60, the second terminal of the discharging switch 22 is connected to the power supply terminal of the control unit 60 and the power supply terminal of the flight control unit 50, respectively, and the control terminal of the discharging switch 22 is connected to the second terminal of the control unit 60. The flight control unit 50 is also in communication with the control unit 60.

[0044] Among them, the flight control unit 50 is used to obtain the working status of the smart battery 10 through the second communication unit 32 when the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-on state, and send the working status to the control unit 60. The control unit 60 outputs a shutdown signal to the charging switch 21 and the first communication unit 31 according to the working status, so that the charging switch 21 is disconnected and the first communication unit 31 is closed.

[0045] Specifically, the smart battery 10 includes at least one battery cell. If the drone battery has multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells are connected in series or parallel. Furthermore, the smart battery 10 also integrates corresponding detection circuits and logic processing chips, enabling communication and data exchange with the control unit 60 or flight control unit 50.

[0046] In the charging and discharging system, when the drone charging and discharging system is in the on state, the discharge switch 22 is turned on, and the second communication unit 32 is turned on, that is, the connection between the discharge end of the smart battery 10 and the power supply end of the control unit 60 is connected, the connection between the discharge end of the smart battery 10 and the power supply end of the flight control unit 50 is connected, and the communication connection between the smart battery 10 and the flight control unit 50 is connected; then, the smart battery 10 will power the control unit 60 and the flight control unit 50 through the discharge switch 22. After the flight control unit 50 is powered, it obtains the working status of the smart battery 10 through the second communication unit 32, that is, obtains the smart battery 10 Then, the flight control unit 50 sends the information that the smart battery 10 is in the discharging state to the control unit 60; based on the information that the smart battery 10 is in the discharging state, the control unit 60 outputs a shutdown signal to the charging switch 21 and the first communication unit 31, respectively, thereby disconnecting the charging switch 21 and shutting down the first communication unit 31. In this way, even if the charging interface 40 is connected to an external power supply, the control unit 60 will not turn on the discharge switch 22, ensuring that the smart battery 10 is only in the discharging state, and will not be discharged and charged at the same time, thereby resolving the conflict between charging and discharging, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the charging and discharging system.

[0047] In some embodiments, the drone charging and discharging system further includes a button. The button is respectively connected to the control end of the charging switch, the control end of the discharging switch, the control end of the first communication unit, and the control end of the second communication unit. The button is used to generate a power-on signal or a power-off signal when triggered. The power-on signal is used to instruct the discharge switch to be turned on and the second communication unit to be turned on, so that the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-on state. The power-off signal is used to instruct the charging switch to be turned off, the discharging switch to be turned off, the first communication unit to be turned off, and the second communication unit to be turned off, so that the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-off state. In practical applications, the button can be a mechanical button, a touch button, or any other suitable button type. The button can be respectively connected to the control end of the charging switch, the control end of the discharging switch, the control end of the first communication unit, and the control end of the second communication unit through a hardware circuit. The circuit structure of the hardware circuit can refer to the circuit structure in the prior art and is not limited here.

[0048] In some of these examples, see Figure 2 The power supply terminal of the control unit 60 is also connected to the charging interface 40, and the third terminal of the control unit 60 is also connected to the control terminal of the second communication unit 32. The control unit 60 is configured to output an on signal to the charging switch 21 and the first communication unit 31, and output an off signal to the discharging switch 22 and the second communication unit 32, respectively, when the drone's charging and discharging system is in the off state and the charging interface 40 is connected to an external power source, so as to keep the smart battery 10 in the charging state.

[0049] Then, in the drone charging and discharging system, when the drone charging and discharging system is in the shutdown state, the charging switch 21 is disconnected, the discharging switch 22 is disconnected, the first communication unit 31 is turned off, and the second communication unit 32 is turned off; if the charging interface 40 is connected to an external power supply at this time, then the external power supply will power the control unit 60, and the control unit 60 will start working after being powered. At this time, the flight control unit 50 is not powered, and the control unit 60 cannot obtain the communication information of the flight control unit 50, then the control unit 60 determines that the drone charging and discharging system is in the shutdown state; then, the control unit 60 outputs an opening signal to the charging switch 21 and the first communication unit respectively. 31, the charging switch 21 is turned on and the first communication unit 31 is turned on, that is, the control unit 60 establishes a communication connection with the smart battery 10, the connection between the charging interface 40 and the charging end of the smart battery 10 is turned on, and the external power supply charges the smart battery 10, so that the smart battery 10 is in a charging state; at the same time, the control unit 60 also outputs a shutdown signal to the discharge switch 22 and the second communication unit 32 respectively, so that the discharge switch 22 is turned off and the second communication unit 32 is turned off, ensuring that the smart battery 10 is only in a charging state and does not cause simultaneous charging and discharging. This further resolves the conflict between charging and discharging, thereby further improving the safety and reliability of the drone charging and discharging system.

[0050] In some of these examples, see Figure 3 The drone charging and discharging system also includes a buck-boost unit 70. The input of the buck-boost unit 70 is connected to the charging interface 40, the output of the buck-boost unit 70 is connected to the second terminal of the charging switch 21, and the control terminal of the buck-boost unit 70 is connected to the fourth terminal of the control unit 60. The buck-boost unit 70 can control the output voltage or current of the output terminal based on a control signal from the control terminal. The circuit structure of the buck-boost unit 70 can be a DC-DC circuit or any other suitable buck-boost circuit structure known in the art, and is not limited here.

[0051] In some embodiments, the control unit 60 is further configured to obtain battery information of the smart battery 10 via the first communication unit 31 and control the operation of the buck-boost unit 70 based on the battery information. In this drone charging and discharging system, upon receiving power from an external power source, the control unit 60 activates the first communication unit 31. Then, through the first communication unit 31, the control unit 60 obtains battery information of the smart battery 10. Specifically, the battery information includes battery level, battery voltage, battery model, charging voltage, charging current, and / or charging cutoff current. The control unit 60 then controls the buck-boost unit 70 based on the battery information so that the output current and output voltage of the buck-boost unit 70 meet the requirements of the smart battery 10. In this manner, the control unit 60 adjusts the charging power based on the battery type. Compared to conventional charge and discharge management systems, the drone charging and discharging system provided by the present invention can intelligently adjust the charging voltage and charging current of the smart battery 10, making it suitable for drones with different battery types. This improves compatibility and adaptability, making the drone charging and discharging system more intelligent.

[0052] In some embodiments, the control unit 60 is further configured to, if the battery information cannot be obtained via the first communication unit 31 within a first preset time, control the charging switch 21 to conduct and the buck-boost unit 70 to operate within a second preset time to activate the smart battery 10 and obtain the battery information. After the control unit 60 receives power from an external power source, if the battery information of the smart battery 10 cannot be obtained via the first communication unit 31 within the first preset time, for example, when the smart battery 10 is extremely low in power and cannot communicate with the control unit 60, the control unit 60 may turn on the charging switch 21 within the second preset time and control the buck-boost unit 70 to output an appropriate voltage to briefly charge the smart battery 10 to activate the smart battery 10. The control unit 60 may then obtain the battery information of the smart battery 10 via the first communication unit 31. The control unit 60 may then adjust the buck-boost unit 70 based on the obtained battery information so that the buck-boost unit 70 outputs a charging voltage and current that meet the requirements of the smart battery 10 and turn on the charging switch 21 until charging is complete.

[0053] In some of these examples, see Figure 4 The charging switch 21 includes a first switching transistor Q1, a second switching transistor Q2, and a third switching transistor Q3. The first end of the first switching transistor Q1 is connected to the charging terminal of the smart battery 10, the second end of the first switching transistor Q1 is connected to the first end of the second switching transistor Q2, and the second end of the second switching transistor Q2 is connected to the output terminal of the buck-boost unit 70. The control end of the first switching transistor Q1 and the control end of the second switching transistor Q2 are both connected to the first end of the third switching transistor Q3, and the control end of the third switching transistor Q3 is respectively connected to the first end of the control unit 60 and the charging terminal of the smart battery 10.

[0054] Specifically, the first switching transistor is a first PMOS transistor Q1, the second switching transistor is a second PMOS transistor Q2, and the third switching transistor is a first NMOS transistor Q3. The drain of the first PMOS transistor Q1 is connected to the charging terminal of the smart battery 10, the source of the first PMOS transistor Q1 is connected to the source of the second PMOS transistor Q2, and the drain of the second PMOS transistor Q2 is connected to the output of the buck-boost unit 70. The gates of the first PMOS transistor Q1 and the second PMOS transistor Q2 are both connected to the drain of the first NMOS transistor Q3. The gate of the first NMOS transistor Q3 is connected to the first terminal of the control unit 60 and the charging terminal of the smart battery 10, respectively. The source of the first NMOS transistor Q3 is grounded. In practical applications, the switching transistors may also be other types of MOS transistors, triodes, or any other suitable switching devices.

[0055] In some of these examples, please see Figure 4The charging switch 21 also includes a first current-limiting resistor R1, a second current-limiting resistor R2, and a third current-limiting resistor R3. The first current-limiting resistor R1 is connected between the source of the first PMOS transistor Q1 and the drain of the first NMOS transistor. The second current-limiting resistor R2 is connected between the charging terminal of the smart battery 10 and the gate of the first NMOS transistor. The third current-limiting resistor R3 is connected between the gate of the first NMOS transistor and the source of the first NMOS transistor. By providing the first current-limiting resistor R1, the second current-limiting resistor R2, and the third current-limiting resistor R3, each MOS transistor can be ensured to be in normal working condition and the magnitude of the signal during transmission can be limited.

[0056] In some embodiments, the discharge switch 22 similarly includes a fourth switch Q4, a fifth switch Q5, and a sixth switch Q6. A first terminal of the fourth switch Q4 is connected to the discharge terminal of the smart battery 10, a second terminal of the fourth switch Q4 is connected to the first terminal of the fifth switch Q5, a second terminal of the fifth switch Q5 is connected to the power supply terminal of the control unit 60 and the power supply terminal of the flight control unit 50, respectively, a control terminal of the fourth switch Q4 and a control terminal of the fifth switch Q5 are both connected to the first terminal of the sixth switch Q6, and a control terminal of the sixth switch Q6 is connected to the second terminal of the control unit 60 and the discharge terminal of the smart battery 10, respectively.

[0057] Specifically, the fourth switching transistor is a third PMOS transistor Q4, the fifth switching transistor is a fourth PMOS transistor Q5, and the sixth switching transistor is a second NMOS transistor Q6. The drain of the third PMOS transistor Q4 is connected to the discharge terminal of the intelligent battery 10, the source of the third PMOS transistor Q4 is connected to the source of the fourth PMOS transistor Q5, the drain of the fourth PMOS transistor Q5 is connected to the power supply terminal of the control unit 60 and the power supply terminal of the flight control unit 50, respectively. The gates of the third PMOS transistor Q4 and the fourth PMOS transistor Q5 are both connected to the drain of the second NMOS transistor Q6, the gate of the second NMOS transistor Q6 is connected to the first terminal of the control unit 60 and the discharge terminal of the intelligent battery 10, respectively, and the source of the second NMOS transistor Q6 is grounded. In practical applications, each switching transistor may also be other types of MOS transistors, triodes, or any other suitable switching devices.

[0058] In some of these examples, please see Figure 4The charging switch 21 further includes a fourth current-limiting resistor R4, a fifth current-limiting resistor R5, and a sixth current-limiting resistor R6. The fourth current-limiting resistor R4 is connected between the source of the third PMOS transistor Q3 and the drain of the second NMOS transistor. The fifth current-limiting resistor R5 is connected between the charging terminal of the smart battery 10 and the gate of the second NMOS transistor. The sixth current-limiting resistor R6 is connected between the gate of the second NMOS transistor and the source of the second NMOS transistor. By providing the fourth current-limiting resistor R4, the fifth current-limiting resistor R5, and the sixth current-limiting resistor R6, each MOS transistor can be ensured to operate normally and the magnitude of the signal during transmission can be limited.

[0059] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention further provide an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising the UAV charging and discharging system described in any one of the first aspects. In this UAV, when the UAV charging and discharging system is powered on, the flight control unit obtains the operating status of the smart battery via the second communication unit and transmits the operating status to the control unit. The control unit then outputs a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit, respectively, based on the operating status, thereby disconnecting the charging switch and shutting down the first communication unit. This prevents simultaneous charging and discharging, resolves charging and discharging conflicts, and improves the safety and reliability of the charging and discharging system.

[0060] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for charging and discharging a drone, which is applied to the flight control unit in the drone charging and discharging system described in any one of the first aspects. Figure 6 , the method comprising:

[0061] Step S100: When the UAV charging and discharging system is in the power-on state, the working status of the smart battery is obtained and sent to the control unit. The working status is used to instruct the control unit to output a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit to disconnect the charging switch and turn off the first communication unit.

[0062] In this charging and discharging system, when the drone charging and discharging system is powered on, the discharge switch is turned on and the second communication unit is turned on. This means that the connection between the discharge end of the smart battery and the power supply end of the control unit, the connection between the discharge end of the smart battery and the power supply end of the flight control unit, and the communication connection between the smart battery and the flight control unit are both established. The smart battery then supplies power to the control unit and the flight control unit via the discharge switch. After receiving power, the flight control unit obtains the operating status of the smart battery, i.e., information indicating that the smart battery is in a discharge state, via the second communication unit. The flight control unit then transmits the discharge state information to the control unit. Based on the discharge state information, the control unit outputs a shutdown signal to the charge switch and the first communication unit, respectively, thereby disconnecting the charge switch and shutting down the first communication unit. This ensures that the smart battery is only in a discharge state, preventing simultaneous discharge and charging. This resolves the charge-discharge conflict and improves the safety and reliability of the charging and discharging system.

[0063] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for charging and discharging a drone, which is applied to a control unit in the drone charging and discharging system described in any one of the first aspects, see Figure 7 , the method comprising:

[0064] Step S210: When the UAV charging and discharging system is in the power-on state, obtaining the working status sent by the flight control unit;

[0065] Step S220: Outputting a shutoff signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit according to the working state, so as to disconnect the charging switch and shut down the first communication unit.

[0066] Specifically, in this charging and discharging system, when the UAV charging and discharging system is in the on state, the smart battery will power the control unit and the flight control unit through the discharge switch. After the flight control unit is powered, it obtains the working status of the smart battery through the second communication unit, that is, obtains the information that the smart battery is in the discharging state; then, the flight control unit sends the information that the smart battery is in the discharging state to the control unit; the control unit outputs a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively according to the information that the smart battery is in the on state, thereby disconnecting the charging switch and turning off the first communication unit. In this way, even if the charging interface is connected to an external power supply, the control unit will not turn on the discharge switch, ensuring that the smart battery is only in the discharging state, and there will be no situation of discharging and charging at the same time, thereby solving the conflict between charging and discharging, and thus improving the safety and reliability of the charging and discharging system.

[0067] In some of these examples, see Figure 8 , the method further comprises:

[0068] Step S230: When the UAV charging and discharging system is in the shutdown state and is powered by an external power supply, an on signal is output to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively, and an off signal is output to the discharging switch and the second communication unit respectively, so that the charging switch is turned on, the first communication unit is turned on, the discharging switch is turned off, and the second communication unit is turned on, thereby putting the smart battery in a charging state.

[0069] In the UAV charging and discharging system, when the UAV charging and discharging system is in the shutdown state, the charging switch is disconnected, the discharging switch is disconnected, the first communication unit is turned off, and the second communication unit is turned off. If the charging interface is connected to an external power supply at this time, the external power supply will power the control unit, and the control unit will start working after receiving power. At this time, the flight control unit is not powered and the control unit cannot obtain communication information from the flight control unit. In this case, the control unit determines that the smart battery is in the shutdown state. Then, the control unit outputs an opening signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively, turning on the charging switch and turning on the first communication unit. That is, the control unit establishes a communication connection with the smart battery, the connection between the charging interface and the charging end of the smart battery is connected, and the external power supply charges the smart battery, so that the smart battery is in the charging state. At the same time, the control unit also outputs a closing signal to the discharge switch and the second communication unit respectively, turning off the discharge switch and turning off the second communication unit, ensuring that the smart battery is only in the charging state and does not charge and discharge at the same time, further resolving the conflict between charging and discharging, thereby further improving the safety and reliability of the UAV charging and discharging system.

[0070] In some of these examples, see Figure 9 , the outputting of the activation signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively includes:

[0071] Step S231: outputting the activation signal to the first communication unit;

[0072] Step S232: Acquire battery information of the smart battery through the first communication unit;

[0073] Step S233: controlling the buck-boost unit to operate according to the battery information;

[0074] Step S234: outputting the activation signal to the charging switch.

[0075] Specifically, in this drone charging and discharging system, after receiving power from an external power source, the control unit turns on the first communication unit; then, through the first communication unit, it obtains battery information of the smart battery. Specifically, the battery information includes battery level, battery voltage, battery model, charging voltage, charging current, and / or charging cut-off current; then, the control unit controls the buck-boost unit to operate according to the battery information so that the output current and output voltage of the buck-boost unit meet the requirements of the smart battery. In this way, the control unit can adjust the charging power according to the type of battery. Compared with conventional charging and discharging management systems, the drone charging and discharging system provided by the present invention can intelligently adjust the charging voltage and charging current of the smart battery, and can be used with drones of different types of batteries, thereby improving compatibility and adaptability and making the drone charging and discharging system more intelligent.

[0076] In some of these examples, see Figure 10 , step S232 includes:

[0077] Step S2321: If the battery information cannot be obtained through the first communication unit within the first preset time, the charging switch is controlled to be turned on and the buck-boost unit is controlled to operate within the second preset time to activate the smart battery and obtain the battery information.

[0078] After the control unit is powered by an external power supply, if the battery information of the smart battery cannot be successfully obtained through the first communication unit within the first preset time, for example, when the smart battery cannot communicate with the control unit when the power is extremely low; then the control unit can turn on the charging switch within the second preset time, and control the buck-boost unit to output a suitable voltage to briefly charge the smart battery to activate the smart battery. Then, the control unit can obtain the battery information of the smart battery through the first communication unit. Then, the control unit can adjust the buck-boost unit according to the obtained battery information, so that the buck-boost unit outputs a charging voltage and charging current that meet the requirements of the smart battery, and turn on the charging switch until charging is completed.

[0079] In some of these examples, see Figure 11 , the method further comprises:

[0080] Step S240: After the smart battery is charged, output a shutoff signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively to stop charging the smart battery.

[0081] In order to improve system reliability, when the smart battery is fully charged, the smart battery sends a charging completion message to the control unit. The control unit is also used to receive the charging completion message and output a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit based on the charging completion message to disconnect the charging circuit and turn off the first communication unit, thereby controlling the external power supply to stop charging the smart battery.

[0082] An embodiment of the present invention provides a drone charging and discharging system, method, and drone, comprising: an intelligent battery, a charging switch, a discharging switch, a first communication unit, a second communication unit, a charging interface, a flight control unit, and a control unit. In the system, when the drone charging and discharging system is in a powered-on state, the flight control unit obtains the operating status of the intelligent battery through the second communication unit and sends the operating status to the control unit. The control unit outputs a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively according to the operating status, so that the charging switch is disconnected and the first communication unit is closed, thereby preventing simultaneous charging and discharging, resolving charging and discharging conflicts, and improving the safety and reliability of the charging and discharging system.

[0083] It should be noted that the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative, wherein the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules may be selected based on actual needs to achieve the objectives of this embodiment.

[0084] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Under the concept of the present invention, the technical features in the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations in different aspects of the present invention as described above. For the sake of simplicity, they are not provided in detail. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, ordinary technicians in this field should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A UAV charging and discharging system, characterized in that: include: An intelligent battery, a charging switch, a discharging switch, a first communication unit, a second communication unit, a charging interface, a flight control unit, and a control unit; the charging end of the intelligent battery is connected to the first end of the charging switch, the discharging end of the intelligent battery is connected to the first end of the discharging switch, the intelligent battery is communicatively connected to the control unit via the first communication unit, and the intelligent battery is also communicatively connected to the flight control unit via the second communication unit; the second end of the charging switch is connected to the charging interface, the control end of the charging switch is connected to the first end of the control unit, the second end of the discharging switch is respectively connected to the power supply end of the control unit and the power supply end of the flight control unit, and the control end of the discharging switch is connected to the second end of the control unit; the flight control unit is also communicatively connected to the control unit; wherein, when the unmanned aerial vehicle charging and discharging system is in the on state, the flight control unit is configured to obtain the operating status of the intelligent battery via the second communication unit and send the operating status to the control unit, and the control unit is configured to output a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively according to the operating status, so as to disconnect the charging switch and shut down the first communication unit; The charging switch includes a first switching tube, a second switching tube and a third switching tube; The first end of the first switch tube is connected to the charging end of the smart battery, the second end of the first switch tube is connected to the first end of the second switch tube, the second end of the second switch tube is connected to the charging interface, the control end of the first switch tube and the control end of the second switch tube are both connected to the first end of the third switch tube, and the control end of the third switch tube is respectively connected to the first end of the control unit and the charging end of the smart battery; The discharge switch includes a fourth switch tube, a fifth switch tube and a sixth switch tube; A first end of the fourth switch tube is connected to the discharge terminal of the smart battery, a second end of the fourth switch tube is connected to the first end of the fifth switch tube, a second end of the fifth switch tube is connected to the power supply terminal of the control unit and the power supply terminal of the flight control unit, respectively, a control end of the fourth switch tube and a control end of the fifth switch tube are both connected to the first end of the sixth switch tube, and a control end of the sixth switch tube is connected to the second end of the control unit and the discharge terminal of the smart battery, respectively; The control unit is further configured to control the charging switch to be turned on and the buck-boost unit to operate within a second preset time if the battery information cannot be obtained through the first communication unit within a first preset time, so as to activate the smart battery and obtain the battery information, thereby preventing the battery from being unable to communicate with the control unit when the battery power is extremely low.

2. The UAV charging and discharging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drone charging and discharging system also includes a button; the button is respectively connected to the control end of the charging switch, the control end of the discharging switch, the control end of the first communication unit and the control end of the second communication unit; the button is used to generate a power-on signal or a power-off signal when triggered, the power-on signal is used to instruct the discharging switch to be turned on and the second communication unit to be opened, so that the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-on state, and the power-off signal is used to instruct the charging switch to be disconnected, the discharging switch to be disconnected, the first communication unit to be turned off, and the second communication unit to be turned off, so that the drone charging and discharging system is in the power-off state.

3. The UAV charging and discharging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power supply end of the control unit is also connected to the charging interface, and the third end of the control unit is also connected to the control end of the second communication unit; the control unit is used to output an opening signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit respectively when the drone charging and discharging system is in the shutdown state and the charging interface is connected to an external power supply, and to output the closing signal to the discharge switch and the second communication unit respectively, so as to put the smart battery into a charging state.

4. The UAV charging and discharging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The UAV charging and discharging system further includes a buck-boost unit; the buck-boost unit is connected between the charging interface and the second end of the charging switch, and the control end of the buck-boost unit is connected to the fourth end of the control unit.

5. The UAV charging and discharging system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control unit is further configured to obtain battery information of the smart battery through the first communication unit, and control the buck-boost unit to operate according to the battery information.

6. The UAV charging and discharging system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The battery information includes battery capacity, battery voltage, battery model, charging voltage, charging current and / or charging cut-off current.

7. A drone, characterized in that: The invention comprises a UAV charging and discharging system as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method for charging and discharging a drone, characterized in that: The method applied to the flight control unit in the UAV charging and discharging system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 includes: when the UAV charging and discharging system is in a powered-on state, obtaining the working status of the smart battery, and sending the working status to the control unit, wherein the working status is used to instruct the control unit to output a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit, so that the charging switch is disconnected and the first communication unit is turned off.

9. A method for charging and discharging a drone, characterized in that: A control unit applied to the drone charging and discharging system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the method comprising: when the drone charging and discharging system is in a powered-on state, obtaining a working status sent by the flight control unit; and outputting a shutdown signal to the charging switch and the first communication unit according to the working status, so as to disconnect the charging switch and shut down the first communication unit.

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