UAV control system, control method and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a drone control system, a control method and a vehicle, belonging to the field of vehicle control technology. The drone control system is arranged on a vehicle and includes: a touch device, arranged at an armrest box, the touch device includes a touch panel, the touch panel is used to sense touch actions and generate corresponding touch information; a central control display; a controller, connected to both the touch panel and the central control display, the controller is used to generate corresponding drone control instructions according to the currently received touch information when entering the drone control mode, and send the drone control instructions to the drone to control the drone. The present invention also provides a control method for the above-mentioned drone control system, and a vehicle including the drone control system. The drone control system, control method and vehicle of the present invention can achieve the convenience and safety of vehicle control of drones.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of vehicle control, and in particular relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle control system, a control method and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the methods of controlling drones on the market include remote controls, handles, and touch screens. The above methods require holding with both hands to ensure stable control, and the left and right hands perform different control actions. Usually, the left hand controls the direction and the right hand controls the speed, and one-handed control is impossible.

[0003] With the good market development trend of drones, more and more vehicles on the market are integrated with drone functions. The existing cockpit drone control method is basically to realize the drone's following, moving, shooting and other functions through the drone application integrated in the central control system. This control method needs to be completed through the touch screen of the central control system. Touch screen control of the drone requires looking at the screen and using fingers to achieve it. This will cause the eyes to leave the safe area in front of the car while driving, increasing the risk of driving accidents. Summary of the invention

[0004] An object of the first aspect of the present invention is to provide a drone control system that can achieve the convenience and safety of vehicle control of the drone.

[0005] A further object of the present invention is to ensure the operating comfort of the driver.

[0006] An object of the second aspect of the present invention is to provide a control method including a method for controlling the above-mentioned drone control system.

[0007] An object of the third aspect of the present invention is to provide a vehicle comprising the above-mentioned drone control system.

[0008] In particular, the present invention provides a drone control system, which is arranged on a vehicle and comprises:

[0009] A touch device, disposed at the armrest box, the touch device comprising a touch panel, the touch panel being used to sense touch actions and generate corresponding touch information;

[0010] Central control display;

[0011] A controller is connected to both the touch panel and the central control display. The controller is used to generate corresponding drone control instructions according to the currently received touch information when entering the drone control mode, and send the drone control instructions to the drone to control the drone.

[0012] Optionally, the touch device further includes:

[0013] A plurality of physical buttons, each of which is used to generate a corresponding module switching instruction when operated, and send the module switching instruction to the controller, so that the controller enters a corresponding control mode.

[0014] Optionally, the multiple physical buttons include a custom button, and when the custom button is pressed, option display information is generated and sent to the controller. The controller controls the central control display to display multiple sub-option virtual buttons according to the option display information. The multiple sub-option virtual buttons include a drone virtual button. The touchpad is used to generate a drone mode entry instruction and send it to the controller when the central control display displays multiple sub-option virtual buttons and senses a touch action of selecting the drone virtual button. The controller enters the drone control mode upon receiving the drone mode entry instruction.

[0015] Optionally, the plurality of physical buttons are integrated on the periphery of the touch panel.

[0016] Optionally, the central control display displays a plurality of sub-option virtual keys and a movable cursor at the same time, and the touchpad is used to generate a control instruction for controlling the movement of the movable cursor when a moving touch action is sensed, and to generate an entry instruction for the corresponding mode when a click touch action is sensed when the movable cursor is located at the sub-option virtual key.

[0017] In particular, the present invention further provides a drone control method for controlling any of the drone control systems described above, characterized in that the method comprises:

[0018] Sensing touch actions through the touch panel and generating corresponding touch information;

[0019] The controller is used to generate corresponding drone control instructions according to the currently received touch information when entering the drone control mode;

[0020] The drone control instruction is sent to the drone to control the drone.

[0021] Optionally, the controller is used to, when entering the drone control mode, before the step of generating a corresponding drone control instruction according to the currently received touch information, further comprises:

[0022] When the custom button is pressed, option display information is generated and sent to the controller;

[0023] The controller controls the central control display to display a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons according to the option display information, wherein the plurality of sub-option virtual buttons include a drone virtual button;

[0024] When the central control display displays a plurality of the sub-option virtual buttons and the touch panel senses a touch action of selecting the drone virtual button, a drone mode entry instruction is generated and sent to the controller;

[0025] The controller enters the drone control mode when receiving the drone mode entry instruction.

[0026] Optionally, when the central control display displays a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons and the touch panel senses a touch action of selecting the drone virtual button, the step of generating a drone mode entry instruction includes:

[0027] The central control display displays a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons and a movable cursor at the same time;

[0028] The touch panel generates a control instruction for controlling the movement of the movable cursor when sensing a moving touch action;

[0029] When the movable cursor is located at the drone virtual button, the drone mode entry instruction is generated when the touch panel senses a click touch action.

[0030] In particular, the present invention also provides a vehicle, comprising any of the above-mentioned drone control systems.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a drone control system is disposed on a vehicle, and a touch device for driver operation is disposed on the armrest box of the vehicle. The drone is controlled by touching the touch panel. This control method can be achieved through single-handed operation, thereby solving the problem of requiring both hands to control the drone.

[0032] Furthermore, by controlling the drone through the touchpad, blind control can be achieved after the user is familiar with the control method, so as to ensure that the driver can still control the vehicle while controlling the drone, without the need to use both eyes to determine the position of the control buttons, thus ensuring the safety of driving control.

[0033] Furthermore, the touch control method simplifies the steps of the traditional operation method and ensures the comfort of the driver's operation.

[0034] Furthermore, unlike a touch screen that integrates operation and display functions, when the control task of the drone needs to be switched, it is necessary to first zoom out the image or switch the operation interface on the touch screen. In this embodiment, a touch action is directly applied to the touch pad in a blind operation, which can improve operation efficiency and enhance user experience.

[0035] Based on the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will become more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in an exemplary and non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0037] Figure 1 is a connection block diagram of a drone control system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a touch device of a drone control system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a drone control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] 100-UAV control system, 10-touch device, 11-touchpad, 12-physical buttons, 121-custom buttons, 20-central control display, 30-controller DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] Figure 1 1 is a connection block diagram of a drone control system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention provides a drone control system 100, which is arranged on a vehicle, such as Figure 1As shown, in one embodiment, the drone control system 100 includes a touch device 10, a central control display 20 and a controller 30. The touch device 10 is arranged at the armrest box, which can be the top surface of the armrest box, as long as it is easy for the driver to operate. The touch device 10 includes a touch pad 11, which is used to sense touch actions and generate corresponding touch information. The touch pad 11 mentioned here is a device for sensing touch actions, not a touch screen that can display content on a tablet or mobile phone. The central control display 20 here refers to the display of the vehicle multimedia system, which is used to display content related to vehicle control, such as virtual control buttons for maps, audio, broadcasting, etc. The controller 30 is connected to both the touch pad 11 and the central control display 20. The controller 30 is used to generate corresponding drone control instructions according to the currently received touch information when entering the drone control mode, and send the drone control instructions to the drone to control the drone. The controller 30 here can be a controller of the vehicle multimedia system. The drone control instructions here can be the protocol of the drone remote control application, and the drone remote control application realizes the remote control of the drone through the control protocol between the drone and the remote control handle. In one embodiment, after the controller 30 enters the drone control mode, the correspondence between each touch action on the touch panel 11 and the drone control command is shown in Table 1 below:

[0043] Table 1

[0044] Touch Actions Drone control instructions Single finger↑ Moving forward Single finger↓ Move Backward Two-finger↑ Rising upward Two fingers ↓ Lower Single finger← Move Left One finger → Move right Press twice with one finger Photograph Two-finger double-press Start the camera Press three times with one finger Fly with the car Press three times with two fingers Drone recovery

[0045] The arrows in Table 1 indicate the sliding direction, for example, "single finger ↑" indicates sliding up on the touchpad 11 with one finger. Table 1 is only an example. In other embodiments, the touch action may also be other actions or a combination of actions, as long as they do not interfere with each other, and the drone control instructions are not limited to the contents in the above table. The correspondence between each touch action and the drone control instruction can be set and stored in advance for the controller 30 to call. The touch action can be set according to the user's habits, and the touch action and the drone control instruction can be updated and supplemented according to the new functions of the drone. In one embodiment, the drone control system 100 can also set a custom module for receiving user-defined touch actions and the relationship between the touch action and the drone control instruction for subsequent use by the controller 30. If the touch action received by the touchpad 11 after entering the drone control mode is not a pre-stored touch action, the controller 30 will issue a warning instruction to control the output device of the vehicle to issue a warning message, such as voice or light warning information.

[0046] The drone control system 100 of this embodiment is arranged on a vehicle, and a touch device 10 for driver operation is arranged on the armrest box of the vehicle. The drone is controlled by touching the touch panel 11. This control method can be achieved by single-handed operation, thereby solving the problem of controlling the drone with both hands.

[0047] Furthermore, by controlling the drone through the touch pad 11, blind control can be achieved after the user is familiar with the control method, so as to ensure that the driver can still control the vehicle while controlling the drone, without the need to use both eyes to determine the position of the control buttons, thereby ensuring the safety of driving control.

[0048] Furthermore, the touch control method simplifies the steps of the traditional operation method and ensures the comfort of the driver's operation.

[0049] Furthermore, unlike a touch screen that integrates operation and display functions, when the control task of the drone needs to be switched, it is necessary to first zoom out the image or switch the operation interface on the touch screen. In this embodiment, a touch action is directly applied to the touch pad 11 in a blind operation, which can improve operation efficiency and enhance user experience.

[0050] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a touch device 10 of a drone control system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the touch device 10 also includes a plurality of physical buttons 12, such as a cockpit control button, an intelligent driving mode control button, a mode button and a custom button 121. Each physical button 12 is used to generate a corresponding module switching instruction when operated, and send the module switching instruction to the controller 30, so that the controller 30 enters the corresponding control mode. For example, when the cockpit control button is pressed, the controller 30 enters the cockpit control mode, and thereafter the touch action sensed by the touch pad 11 will trigger the control of the cockpit. When the mode button is pressed, the controller 30 enters the driving mode control mode, and thereafter the touch action sensed by the touch pad 11 will trigger the control of the switching of the driving mode. The driving mode may include normal, energy-saving and sports modes. Optionally, a plurality of physical buttons 12 are integrated on the peripheral side of the touch pad 11.

[0051] In a further embodiment, the plurality of physical buttons 12 include a custom button 121. When the custom button 121 is pressed, option display information is generated and sent to the controller 30. The controller 30 controls the central control display 20 to display a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons according to the option display information. The plurality of sub-option virtual buttons include a drone virtual button. The touchpad 11 is used to generate a drone mode entry instruction and send it to the controller 30 when the central control display 20 displays a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons and senses a touch action of selecting a drone virtual button. The controller 30 enters the drone control mode upon receiving the drone mode entry instruction.

[0052] In one embodiment, the central control display 20 displays a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons and a movable cursor at the same time. The touchpad 11 is used to generate a control instruction for controlling the movement of the movable cursor when a moving touch action is sensed, and to generate an entry instruction for the corresponding mode when a click touch action is sensed when the movable cursor is located at the sub-option virtual button. For example, when the cursor is at the drone virtual button, applying a click action through the touchpad 11 will control the controller 30 to enter the drone control mode, and thereafter, the touch action of the touchpad 11 will trigger the corresponding drone control instruction.

[0053] In one embodiment, the sub-option virtual keys may also include virtual keys such as remote control car virtual keys, gimbal camera virtual keys, etc.

[0054] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a drone control method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention also provides a drone control method for controlling the drone control system 100 in any one of the above embodiments or combinations of embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the method includes:

[0055] Step S100, sensing a touch action and generating corresponding touch information through the touch panel 11. The touch action may be a click, press, slide, etc., and a single-finger or double-finger touch action is distinguished.

[0056] Step S200, the controller 30 is used to generate corresponding drone control instructions according to the currently received touch information when entering the drone control mode. When the controller 30 is in different modes, the control instructions corresponding to the touch information are different. For example, when the controller 30 is in the cockpit control mode, the touch information corresponds to various instructions for controlling the cockpit. In one embodiment, the correspondence between the touch action and the drone control instruction can be seen in Table 1.

[0057] Step S300: Send the drone control command to the drone to control the drone. The drone control command here may be a protocol of the drone remote control application, and the drone remote control application realizes remote control of the drone through a control protocol with the remote control handle.

[0058] The drone control method of this embodiment realizes the control of the drone by touching the touch panel 11. This control method can be realized by one-handed operation, thereby solving the problem that the drone can only be controlled by both hands.

[0059] Furthermore, by controlling the drone through the touch pad 11, blind control can be achieved after the user is familiar with the control method, so as to ensure that the driver can still control the vehicle while controlling the drone, without the need to use both eyes to determine the position of the control buttons, thereby ensuring the safety of driving control.

[0060] Furthermore, the touch control method simplifies the steps of the traditional operation method and ensures the comfort of the driver's operation.

[0061] Furthermore, unlike a touch screen that integrates operation and display functions, when the control task of the drone needs to be switched, it is necessary to first zoom out the image or switch the operation interface on the touch screen. In this embodiment, a touch action is directly applied to the touch pad 11 in a blind operation, which can improve operation efficiency and enhance user experience.

[0062] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a drone according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, before step S200, the following steps are also included:

[0063] Step S150 , when the custom button 121 is pressed, option display information is generated and sent to the controller 30 .

[0064] Step S152, the controller 30 controls the central control display 20 to display multiple sub-option virtual buttons according to the option display information, and the multiple sub-option virtual buttons include a drone virtual button. In one embodiment, the sub-option virtual buttons may also include a remote control car virtual button, a gimbal camera virtual button, and other virtual buttons.

[0065] Step S154 , when the central control display 20 displays a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons and the touchpad 11 senses a touch action of selecting a drone virtual button, a drone mode entry instruction is generated and sent to the controller 30 .

[0066] In step S156 , the controller 30 enters the drone control mode upon receiving the drone mode entry instruction.

[0067] Step S154 includes:

[0068] The central control display 20 displays a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons and a movable cursor at the same time;

[0069] The touch panel 11 generates a control instruction for controlling the movement of the movable cursor when sensing a moving touch action;

[0070] When the movable cursor is located at the drone virtual button, the touch panel 11 generates a drone mode entry instruction when sensing a click touch action.

[0071] In a further embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, after step S156, the following steps are also included:

[0072] Step S202, determining whether the currently received touch information is the preset standard touch information, if so, proceeding to step S204, otherwise, proceeding to step S206.

[0073] Step S204: Generate corresponding drone control instructions according to the touch information.

[0074] Step S206, generate a warning instruction and send it to the target device. The target device can be a speaker of the vehicle, an indicator light on the dashboard, a central control display 20, etc., which is used to output a warning message to the user to remind the user that the touch action is wrong. In one embodiment, the corresponding relationship between each standard touch information and the control instruction can also be displayed on the central control display 20 to facilitate the user to operate.

[0075] The present invention also provides a vehicle, comprising the drone control system 100 in any one of the above embodiments or combinations of embodiments.

[0076] At this point, those skilled in the art should recognize that, although multiple exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications that conform to the principles of the present invention can still be directly determined or derived based on the content disclosed in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all these other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A drone control system, characterized in that: The drone control system is arranged on a vehicle and comprises: A touch device, disposed at the armrest box, the touch device comprising a touch panel, the touch panel being used to sense touch actions and generate corresponding touch information; Central control display; A controller connected to the touch panel and the central control display, wherein the controller is used to generate a corresponding drone control instruction according to the currently received touch information when entering the drone control mode, and send the drone control instruction to the drone to control the drone; The touch device further comprises: A plurality of physical buttons, each of which is used to generate a corresponding module switching instruction when operated, and send the module switching instruction to the controller so that the controller enters a corresponding control mode; The multiple physical buttons include a custom button. When the custom button is pressed, option display information is generated and sent to the controller. The controller controls the central control display to display multiple sub-option virtual buttons according to the option display information. The multiple sub-option virtual buttons include a drone virtual button. The touchpad is used to generate a drone mode entry instruction and send it to the controller when the central control display displays the multiple sub-option virtual buttons and senses a touch action of selecting the drone virtual button. The controller enters the drone control mode when receiving the drone mode entry instruction.

2. The drone control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of physical buttons are integrated on the periphery of the touch panel.

3. The drone control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central control display displays a plurality of sub-option virtual keys and a movable cursor at the same time. The touchpad is used to generate a control instruction for controlling the movement of the movable cursor when a moving touch action is sensed, and to generate an entry instruction for the corresponding mode when a click touch action is sensed when the movable cursor is located at the sub-option virtual key.

4. A method for controlling a drone, for controlling the drone control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The method comprises: Sensing touch actions through the touch panel and generating corresponding touch information; The controller is used to generate corresponding drone control instructions according to the currently received touch information when entering the drone control mode; The drone control instruction is sent to the drone to control the drone.

5. The drone control method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The controller is used to generate a corresponding drone control instruction according to the currently received touch information when entering the drone control mode, and also includes: When the custom button is pressed, option display information is generated and sent to the controller; The controller controls the central control display to display a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons according to the option display information, wherein the plurality of sub-option virtual buttons include a drone virtual button; When the central control display displays a plurality of the sub-option virtual buttons and the touch panel senses a touch action of selecting the drone virtual button, a drone mode entry instruction is generated and sent to the controller; The controller enters the drone control mode when receiving the drone mode entry instruction.

6. The drone control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of generating a drone mode entry instruction when the central control display displays a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons and the touch panel senses a touch action of selecting the drone virtual button comprises: The central control display displays a plurality of sub-option virtual buttons and a movable cursor at the same time; The touch panel generates a control instruction for controlling the movement of the movable cursor when sensing a moving touch action; When the movable cursor is located at the drone virtual button, the drone mode entry instruction is generated when the touch panel senses a click touch action.

7. A vehicle, characterized in that: A drone control system comprising any one of claims 1-3.

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