Unmanned aerial vehicle docking and charging system and unmanned aerial vehicle docking and charging method

Abstract

The application relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging system and an unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging method, wherein the system comprises a control device, a nest charger and a charging circuit; the charging circuit comprises a charging control subcircuit and an anti-stopping detection subcircuit; the anti-stopping detection subcircuit is connected with the first pole contact and the second pole contact of the nest charger respectively; wherein the output contact of the unmanned aerial vehicle battery is connected with the first pole contact and the second pole contact respectively under the condition that the unmanned aerial vehicle is in contact with the nest charger; the anti-stopping detection subcircuit is used for detecting the output signals of the first pole contact and the second pole contact and generating a state detection result; the control device is connected with the charging circuit and is used for controlling the working state of the charging control subcircuit based on the received state detection result; wherein the charging control subcircuit is in the enabled working state, and the charging loop between the nest charger and the unmanned aerial vehicle battery is connected. Through the application, the problem of low safety of unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging is solved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles, in particular to an unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging system and an unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging method. BACKGROUND

[0002] An unmanned aerial vehicle is a flight vehicle without a human pilot, which is controlled by using radio remote control equipment and self-provided program control device. With the development of wireless communication technology, aerial remote sensing surveying and mapping technology, GPS navigation positioning technology and automatic control technology, unmanned aerial vehicles have developed rapidly and are widely used in many fields such as infrastructure planning, line inspection, emergency response and topographic survey. After use, small unmanned aerial vehicles need to be stored and charged by unmanned aerial vehicle nests. However, in the whole automatic charging control process of the unmanned aerial vehicle nest for the unmanned aerial vehicle, it is difficult to detect whether the unmanned aerial vehicle exists a reverse parking situation, thereby easily affecting the safety of the unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging.

[0003] At present, there is no effective solution to the problem of low safety of unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging in the related art. SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide an unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging system and an unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging method to at least solve the problem of low safety of unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging in the related art.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide an unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging system, comprising: a control device, a nest charger and a charging circuit;

[0006] The charging circuit comprises a charging control sub-circuit and a reverse parking detection sub-circuit;

[0007] The reverse parking detection sub-circuit is connected to the first pole contact and the second pole contact of the nest charger, respectively; wherein, in the case that the unmanned aerial vehicle contacts the nest charger, the output contact of the unmanned aerial vehicle battery is connected to the first pole contact and the second pole contact, respectively;

[0008] The reverse parking detection sub-circuit is configured to detect output signals of the first pole contact and the second pole contact and generate a state detection result;

[0009] The control device is connected to the charging circuit and configured to control a working state of the charging control sub-circuit based on the received state detection result; wherein, in the enabled working state, the charging control sub-circuit connects a charging loop between the nest charger and the unmanned aerial vehicle battery.

[0010] In some embodiments, the reverse parking detection sub-circuit comprises a first optocoupler and a second optocoupler;

[0011] The first end of the first optocoupler is connected to the first pole contact, and the second end of the first optocoupler is connected to the control device;

[0012] The first end of the second optocoupler is connected to the second pole contact, and the second end of the second optocoupler is connected to the control device;

[0013] When the drone battery is connected to the nest charger in positive, the first optocoupler outputs a first state value indicating a conduction state to the control device, and the second optocoupler outputs a second state value indicating an off state to the control device;

[0014] When the drone battery is connected to the nest charger in reverse, the first optocoupler outputs the second state value to the control device, and the second optocoupler outputs the first state value to the control device; wherein the state detection result includes the first state value and the second state value.

[0015] In some embodiments, the reverse stop detection sub-circuit further includes a first current limiting resistor group and a first anti-reverse connection module;

[0016] The first end of the first current limiting resistor group is connected to the first pole contact, and the second end of the first current limiting resistor group is connected to the first end of the first anti-reverse connection module; the second end of the first anti-reverse connection module is connected to the first end of the first optocoupler; and / or,

[0017] The reverse stop detection sub-circuit further includes a second current limiting resistor group and a second anti-reverse connection module;

[0018] The first end of the second current limiting resistor group is connected to the second pole contact, and the second end of the second current limiting resistor group is connected to the first end of the second anti-reverse connection module; the second end of the second anti-reverse connection module is connected to the first end of the second optocoupler.

[0019] In some embodiments, the reverse stop detection sub-circuit further includes a first indicator light; the first end of the first indicator light is connected to the second end of the first optocoupler, and the second end of the first indicator light is connected to the control device; and / or,

[0020] The reverse stop detection sub-circuit further includes a second indicator light; the first end of the second indicator light is connected to the second end of the second optocoupler, and the second end of the second indicator light is connected to the control device.

[0021] In some embodiments, the control device is further configured to, in a case where the state detection result indicates that the first optocoupler and the second optocoupler both output the second state value, control the nest charger to start working, and detect the output current of the nest charger in a charging state;

[0022] The control device is further configured to determine whether the UAV is in a parking state based on a detection result of the output current, and control the nest charger to charge the battery of the UAV if the UAV is in the parking state, or switch the nest charger from the charging state to an off state if the UAV is not in the parking state.

[0023] In some embodiments, the system further includes a nest body and a centering mechanism mounted on the nest body.

[0024] The control device is further configured to control the centering mechanism to perform a centering operation on a UAV parked on the nest body, and send an enable signal to the charging circuit in response to a centering-in-place signal of the UAV if the centering-in-place signal is detected.

[0025] The charging circuit enters an enabled working state in response to the enable signal.

[0026] In some embodiments, the control device is further configured to switch the working state of the nest charger from the charging state to the off state if a centering instruction is received.

[0027] The control device is further configured to control the nest charger to move to a position for accessing the UAV and detect a centering-in-place signal of the UAV after the working state of the nest charger is switched to the off state.

[0028] In some embodiments, the charging circuit further includes a switching sub-circuit, wherein the switching sub-circuit is in a conducting state if the enable signal sent by the control device is received.

[0029] In some embodiments, the charging control sub-circuit includes a charging switch module.

[0030] A first end of the charging switch module is connected to a nest charger power supply, and a second end of the charging switch module is connected to the second pole contact, wherein the nest charger power supply is also connected to the first pole contact.

[0031] In a second aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a UAV parking and charging method, applied to the UAV parking and charging system as described in the first aspect, and the method includes:

[0032] Receiving a state detection result output by a reverse parking detection sub-circuit.

[0033] Controlling a working state of a charging control sub-circuit based on the state detection result, wherein the charging control sub-circuit instructs the nest charger to charge the UAV in a conducting working state.

[0034] Compared with the related art, the embodiment of the present application provides a UAV parking charging system and a UAV parking charging method. The system comprises a control device, a nest charger and a charging circuit. The charging circuit comprises a charging control sub-circuit and an anti-stopping detection sub-circuit. The anti-stopping detection sub-circuit is connected to the first pole contact and the second pole contact of the nest charger respectively. In the case that the UAV contacts the nest charger, the output contacts of the UAV battery are connected to the first pole contact and the second pole contact respectively. The anti-stopping detection sub-circuit is used to detect the output signals of the first pole contact and the second pole contact and generate a state detection result. The control device is connected to the charging circuit and is used to control the working state of the charging control sub-circuit based on the received state detection result. When the charging control sub-circuit is in the enabled working state, the charging circuit between the nest charger and the UAV battery is connected. Based on this, the anti-stopping detection sub-circuit detects the contact voltage of the nest charger, outputs the state detection result, and the control device controls the conduction and cut-off of the charging circuit based on the state detection result, thereby avoiding the phenomenon that the related art cannot detect the UAV stopping and reversing situation, resulting in a large risk of reverse charging of the UAV. The problem of low safety of the UAV parking charging is effectively solved, and a safe and accurate UAV parking charging method is realized.

[0035] The details of one or more embodiments of the present application are presented in the following drawings and description to make other features, objects and advantages of the present application more apparent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0036] The drawings described herein are intended to provide further understanding of the present application, form a part of the present application, and the illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present application. In the drawings:

[0037] Figure 1 is a hardware structure block diagram of a terminal according to a UAV parking charging method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 2 is a structure block diagram of a UAV parking charging system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 3 is a top view schematic diagram of a nest body according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 4 is a circuit schematic diagram of a charging circuit according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a UAV parking charging method according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be described and explained below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain the present application and should not be used to limit the present application. Based on the embodiments provided by the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of the present application. In addition, it should be understood that, although the efforts made in this development process can be complex and lengthy, some design, manufacture or production changes made on the basis of the technical content disclosed in the present application by those of ordinary skill in the art related to the content disclosed in the present application are only routine technical means and should not be understood as insufficient disclosure of the present application.

[0043] In the present application, the term "embodiment" means that the specific features, structures or properties described in conjunction with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment to other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described in the present application can be combined with other embodiments without conflict.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms involved in the present application should be understood as the usual meaning understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present application belongs. The terms "one", "a", "an", "the", and the like similar words involved in the present application do not represent quantity limitation, but can represent singular or plural. The terms "include", "contain", "have", and any variations thereof involved in the present application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product or device including a series of steps or modules (units) is not limited to the listed steps or units, but can also include steps or units not listed, or can also include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices. The terms "connected", "connected", "coupled" and the like similar words involved in the present application are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The term "multiple" involved in the present application means greater than or equal to two. The term "and / or" describes the association between the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: A exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone. The terms "first", "second", "third" and the like involved in the present application are only to distinguish similar objects, and do not represent a specific order for the objects.

[0045] The method embodiments provided by the present embodiment can be executed in a terminal, a computer or a similar computing device. Taking the case of running on a terminal,Figure 1 is a hardware structure block diagram of a terminal of a method for unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1 , the terminal can include one or more (only one is shown in Figure 1 ) processors 102 (the processor 102 can include, but is not limited to, a processing device such as a microprocessor MCU or a programmable logic device FPGA) and a memory 104 for storing data. Optionally, the above terminal can also include a transmission device 106 for communication function and an input and output device 108. Those skilled in the art can understand that Figure 1 The structure shown is only schematic, which does not limit the structure of the above terminal. For example, the terminal can also include more or fewer components than those shown in Figure 1 , or have a different configuration from that shown in Figure 1 .

[0046] The memory 104 can be used to store computer programs, for example, software programs and modules of application software, such as the computer program corresponding to the method for unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging in the embodiments of the present application. The processor 102 performs various functional applications and data processing by running the computer program stored in the memory 104, that is, implements the above method. The memory 104 can include a high-speed random access memory, and can also include a non-volatile memory such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memories, or other non-volatile solid-state memories. In some examples, the memory 104 can further include a memory remotely arranged with respect to the processor 102, which can be connected to the terminal through a network. Examples of the above network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and a combination thereof.

[0047] The transmission device 106 is used to receive or send data via a network. The specific examples of the above network can include a wireless network provided by a communication provider of the terminal. In one example, the transmission device 106 includes a network adapter (Network Interface Controller, NIC) which can be connected to other network devices through a base station so as to communicate with the Internet. In one example, the transmission device 106 can be a radio frequency (Radio Frequency, RF) module which is used to communicate with the Internet in a wireless manner.

[0048] The present embodiment provides a method for unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging, Figure 2 is a structure block diagram of a system for unmanned aerial vehicle parking and charging according to an embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 2As shown, the system comprises a control device 21, a nest charger 22, and a charging circuit 23 integrated in the nest charger 22. The control device 21 refers to a hardware device for controlling the charging-in-place detection process, which can be implemented by a master control board provided in the nest of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The charging circuit 23 includes two key sub-circuits, namely a charging control sub-circuit 231 responsible for the on-off control of the actual charging circuit, and an anti-stop detection sub-circuit 232 for detecting the contact state and preventing reverse connection.

[0049] The anti-stop detection sub-circuit 232 is connected to the first and second poles of the nest charger 22, respectively. When the unmanned aerial vehicle contacts the nest charger 22, the output contacts of the unmanned aerial vehicle battery are connected to the first and second poles, respectively. The anti-stop detection sub-circuit 232 detects the output signals of the first and second poles and generates a state detection result.

[0050] Specifically, the nest charger 22, as the power output end of the charging system, can provide power for the unmanned aerial vehicle battery, and its core function is to convert the external power into a charging voltage and current suitable for the unmanned aerial vehicle battery. The nest charger 22 has two physical contacts, namely the first and second poles, corresponding to the positive and negative poles of the charger. The charging circuit 23 is integrated in the main circuit of the nest charger 22, and the anti-stop detection sub-circuit 232 in the charging circuit 23 is connected to the first and second poles of the nest charger 22, respectively, to detect the connection state of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the nest charger 22.

[0051] The process of detecting the anti-stop of the unmanned aerial vehicle is described below. In actual application, the unmanned aerial vehicle is automatically parked on the parking platform of the nest body or is placed on the parking platform by human. Please refer to Figure 3 , which shows the top view of the nest body, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is landed on the parking platform 30 of the nest body from the sky. After detecting that the unmanned aerial vehicle is centered, the control device 21 controls the nest charger 22 to automatically insert into the unmanned aerial vehicle battery charging port, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle battery contacts physically contact the nest charger 22 contacts, for example, a mechanical execution mechanism can be used, which drives the charging plug assembly to move and insert into the unmanned aerial vehicle battery charging port through a linear motor and a servo electric push rod.

[0052] It also needs to be explained that, since this charging access process is an automated process, the drone may be in a reverse stop state, causing the positive and negative poles of the drone battery to be reversely connected to the positive and negative poles of the nest charger 22. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of the charging process, in the present embodiment, when the nest charger 22 is automatically connected to the drone charging port, the charging circuit 23 starts to work, and the reverse stop detection sub-circuit 232 in the charging circuit 23 starts to detect the output state of the positive and negative pole contacts of the charger. Exemplarily, two optocouplers can be connected in parallel between the first and second pole contacts of the nest charger 22 to form a bidirectional detection channel. When connected in the positive direction, the first optocoupler U1 is turned on and the second optocoupler U2 is turned off; when connected in the reverse direction, the second optocoupler U2 is turned on and the first optocoupler U1 is turned off; the polarity can be determined by detecting the output state of the optocoupler. Alternatively, a reverse stop detection sub-circuit 232 composed of a single optocoupler, a relay or a MOS tube can also be used. When connected in the positive direction, the optocoupler is turned on, the relay coil is powered on, the contact is closed, and the charging path is established; when connected in the reverse direction, the optocoupler is turned off, the relay disconnects the charging circuit. Alternatively, the reverse stop detection sub-circuit 232 described above can also use a circuit structure in which the optocoupler is linked with a voltage comparator. When the reverse connection causes the divided voltage signal to be lower than the threshold, the comparator outputs a low level, the optocoupler is turned off, and the charging is cut off. Finally, the state detection result (including the optocoupler off or on state) output by the reverse stop detection sub-circuit 232 is output to the control device 21.

[0053] The control device 21 described above is connected to the charging circuit 23 and is used to control the working state of the charging control sub-circuit 231 based on the received state detection result; wherein the charging control sub-circuit 231, in the enabled working state, connects the charging circuit between the nest charger 22 and the drone battery.

[0054] The control device 21 can detect different parking states of the drone after receiving the state detection result output by the reverse stop detection sub-circuit 232 to determine whether the current drone is in a reverse stop state. In addition, it needs to be further explained that, for the determined drone reverse stop or drone positive stop state, the control device 21 can also generate corresponding drone access state information, and report the current drone access state information and the centering state information indicating whether the current drone is centered to the remote management system or the cloud server, so as to realize unified management of multiple drones; or send it to the terminal device for display, so that the staff can master the charging status of the drone in real time.

[0055] Next, if the control device 21 determines that the UAV is reversed based on the state detection result, the UAV is instructed to fly again, or the staff is reminded to intervene manually for correction in the form of a terminal device reminder or indicator light alarm. Otherwise, it means that the current UAV parking state is normal, and the subsequent charging process can be performed normally. At this time, the control device 21 sends an enable signal to the charging circuit 23, and the charging control subcircuit 231 in the charging circuit 23 turns on the charging contacts of the nest charger 22 and the positive and negative poles of the UAV battery after the control device 21 enable signal triggers, and the power supply of the nest charger 22 supplies power to the UAV battery, that is, normal charging begins. In addition, during normal charging, the anti-stop detection subcircuit 232 in the charging circuit 23 can also continuously monitor the state of the charger contacts. If it is abnormal (such as disconnection caused by UAV displacement), the control device 21 can immediately control the charging control subcircuit 231 to cut off the charging circuit and terminate charging.

[0056] In the above-mentioned UAV parking charging system, the anti-stop detection subcircuit 232 detects the voltage of the nest charger 22 contacts, outputs the state detection result, and the control device 21 controls the conduction and cut-off of the charging circuit based on the state detection result, thereby avoiding the phenomenon that the related art cannot detect the UAV reverse parking situation, resulting in a large risk of reverse charging of the UAV, effectively solving the problem of low safety of the UAV parking charging, and realizing a safe and accurate UAV parking charging method.

[0057] In some embodiments, the anti-stop detection subcircuit includes a first optocoupler and a second optocoupler; the first end of the first optocoupler is connected to the first pole contact, and the second end of the first optocoupler is connected to the control device; the first end of the second optocoupler is connected to the second pole contact, and the second end of the second optocoupler is connected to the control device. In other words, the anti-stop detection subcircuit is composed of a first optocoupler and a second optocoupler, which are respectively connected to the first pole contact (positive pole) and the second pole contact (negative pole) of the nest charger, and convert the contact state into a logic signal (such as high / low level) and transmit it to the control device.

[0058] When the UAV battery is connected to the nest charger in the correct direction, the first optocoupler outputs a first state value indicating the conduction state to the control device, and the second optocoupler outputs a second state value indicating the cut-off state to the control device; when the UAV battery is connected to the nest charger in the reverse direction, the first optocoupler outputs the second state value to the control device, and the second optocoupler outputs the first state value to the control device; wherein the state detection result includes the first state value and the second state value.

[0059] When the UAV is centered by the centering mechanism, the UAV battery charging port will theoretically contact the nest charger, and the UAV battery will output voltage to the first and second electrode contacts, and the above-mentioned reverse stop detection sub-circuit will detect the different parking states of the UAV. More specifically, when the polarity of the UAV battery and the nest charger is correct, the input end of the first optocoupler (LED) is forwardly conducted by the positive contact voltage, the output end of the optocoupler is turned on, and the output end sends a first state value to the control device. If the output end is low, the state value "0" indicates that it is turned on; the input end of the second optocoupler is reverse or does not reach the conduction threshold due to the negative contact voltage, and the output end sends a second state value. If the output end is high, the state value "1" indicates that it is cut off. The control device receives the state detection result (such as "01") containing the combination of the two state values, and judges that the UAV battery is normally connected.

[0060] Similarly, when the polarity of the UAV battery and the nest charger is reversed, the input end of the first optocoupler is not conductive due to the reverse voltage of the original positive electrode contact, the light-sensitive element is cut off, and the output end becomes the second state value. The input end of the second optocoupler is conductive due to the forward voltage of the original negative electrode contact, the light-emitting diode is conductive, the light-sensitive element is conductive, and the output end becomes the first state value. The control device receives the state combination (such as "01"), immediately identifies the reverse connection fault and reports it.

[0061] In addition, the above-mentioned state detection result also includes another case, that is, the first optocoupler and the second optocoupler both output the second state value, for example, the state value is represented as "11". For this case, the above-mentioned control device can control the nest charger. The control process and principle of this state detection result are described in detail below.

[0062] When it is detected that the first optocoupler and the second optocoupler both output the cut-off state, it may be due to the depletion of the UAV battery, at this time the electrode is uncertain, so when the control device program end detects this state, it can first control the nest charger power supply output voltage.

[0063] In theory, if the UAV is in the "11" state due to automatic shutdown caused by power consumption, since the UAV battery stores a certain amount of power at this time, the first pole contact and the second pole contact can be input with the voltage of the UAV, and then the state value detected by the above-mentioned reverse stop detection sub-circuit is switched from the "11" state to the "01" state. On the contrary, it means that the UAV cannot automatically start, and at this time the "11" state is still maintained. However, considering that if the UAV is in the reverse stop state, continuous charging of the UAV by the nest charger at this time will affect the safety of the charging-in-place detection, therefore, after detecting the "11" state and controlling the nest charger to charge the UAV by the control device, the output detection circuit integrated in the nest charger can directly detect whether the nest charger has output current; if the current is detected, it means that the UAV parking is normal at this time, and the charging can continue; if the current is not detected, it means that there may be abnormal conditions such as reverse parking of the UAV, poor contact, and non-existence of the UAV, and the nest charger power needs to be turned off immediately.

[0064] Through the above-mentioned embodiments, the reverse stop detection sub-circuit based on the double-optocoupler symmetric design is provided, which realizes reliable detection of battery reverse connection by using the reverse of the optocoupler conduction / cutoff state caused by polarity change, so as to accurately detect the UAV parking state, and helps to improve the accuracy and safety of the UAV parking and charging control.

[0065] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned reverse stop detection sub-circuit further includes a first current limiting resistor group and a first anti-reverse connection module; the first end of the first current limiting resistor group is connected to the first pole contact, and the second end of the first current limiting resistor group is connected to the first end of the first anti-reverse connection module; the second end of the first anti-reverse connection module is connected to the first end of the first optocoupler; and / or, the reverse stop detection sub-circuit further includes a second current limiting resistor group and a second anti-reverse connection module; the first end of the second current limiting resistor group is connected to the second pole contact, and the second end of the second current limiting resistor group is connected to the first end of the second anti-reverse connection module; the second end of the second anti-reverse connection module is connected to the first end of the second optocoupler. Wherein, the first current limiting resistor group and the second current limiting resistor group each include at least one resistor. The first anti-reverse connection module and / or the second anti-reverse connection module can be realized by diodes and other components, for protecting the optocoupler from being damaged when the electrodes are reversely connected for a long time.

[0066] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a charging circuit according to an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 4As shown, the lower right part of the figure shows the specific circuit structure of the reverse stop detection sub-circuit in the charging circuit. Among them, for the path where the first optocoupler U1 is located, the first current limiting resistor group includes the third resistor R3 and the fourth resistor R4. The first end of the third resistor R3 is respectively connected to the positive input end DI_BAT+_PLUG of the path where the first optocoupler U1 is located, and the first pin 1 of the first optocoupler U1. The second end of the third resistor R3 is respectively connected to the first end of the fourth resistor R4 and the second pin 2 of the first optocoupler U1; the second pin 2 of the first optocoupler U1 is also connected to the first end of the fourth resistor R4. The second end of the fourth resistor R4 is connected to the first end of the first anti-reverse connection diode D1, and the second end of the first anti-reverse connection diode D1 is respectively connected to the negative input end DI_BAT-_PLUG of the path where the first optocoupler U1 is located and the first end of the first isolation capacitor C1. The second end of the first isolation capacitor C1 is connected to the second pin 2 of the first optocoupler U1. Among them, the first pin 1 and the second pin 2 belong to the input end of the first optocoupler U1 (that is, the first end of the first optocoupler mentioned above).

[0067] It should be understood that the connection mode of the second current limiting resistor group (including the fifth resistor R5 to the sixth resistor R6), the second anti-reverse connection diode D2, and the second isolation capacitor C2 in the path where the second optocoupler U2 is located is similar to the path where the first optocoupler U1 is located, and will not be described here.

[0068] It should be understood that, in order to ensure the safety of the circuit control, Figure 4 In the charging circuit shown, the positive and negative two input ends of the reverse stop detection sub-circuit are respectively connected to the charging circuit through the first voltage dividing resistor R1 and the second voltage dividing resistor R2, and are connected to the first pole contact and the second pole contact of the battery charger.

[0069] Through the above embodiment, the current limiting circuit structure and the anti-reverse stop circuit structure are added to the paths where the two optocouplers in the reverse stop detection sub-circuit are located, thereby effectively ensuring the safety of the circuit structure.

[0070] In some embodiments, the reverse stop detection sub-circuit further includes a first indicator light; the first end of the first indicator light is connected to the second end of the first optocoupler, and the second end of the first indicator light is connected to the control device; and / or, the reverse stop detection sub-circuit further includes a second indicator light; the first end of the second indicator light is connected to the second end of the second optocoupler, and the second end of the second indicator light is connected to the control device.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 4, for the first light coupling U1 on the way, the third pin 3 of the first light coupling U1 is grounded, and the fourth pin 4 is connected to the first end of the seventh resistor R7; the second end of the seventh resistor R7 is respectively connected to +3.3V voltage and the first end of the eighth resistor R8; the second end of the eighth resistor R8 is connected to the first end of the first indicator lamp LED1, and the second end of the first indicator lamp LED1 is connected to the output end of the first light coupling U1 on the way, the fourth pin 4 of the first light coupling U1 is also grounded through the first grounding capacitor C3, and is connected to the output end of the first light coupling U1 on the way. The output end of the first light coupling U1 on the way is used to output the first control signal MOS_DI_BAT+_PLUG_N. Wherein, the third pin 3 and the fourth pin 4 of the first light coupling U1 belong to the output end (i.e. the second end of the above-mentioned first light coupling) of the first light coupling U1, and the signal output by the first light coupling U1 is output to the output end of the first light coupling U1 on the way, and finally the signal state is output to the control device. In addition, for the second light coupling U2 on the way, the connection mode of the ninth resistor R9, the tenth resistor R10, the second indicator lamp LED2 and the second grounding capacitor C4 is similar to the above-mentioned first light coupling U1 on the way, which will not be described here; the output end of the second light coupling U2 on the way is used to output the second control signal MOS_DI_BAT-_PLUG_N.

[0072] In the actual charging-in-place detection process, if the unmanned aerial vehicle is in the stop state, the electrode is connected in positive, and the first light coupling U1 and the second light coupling U2 output the state combination "01" in the reverse stop detection subcircuit, at this time the first indicator lamp LED1 is extinguished and the second indicator lamp LED2 is lighted. If the unmanned aerial vehicle is in the stop state, the electrode is connected in reverse, and the first light coupling U1 and the second light coupling U2 output the state combination "10", at this time the first indicator lamp LED1 is lighted and the second indicator lamp LED2 is extinguished. If the unmanned aerial vehicle is in the off state, the output state combination is "11", at this time both indicator lamps are lighted. As can be seen, through the above-mentioned embodiment, the indicator lamp designed in the circuit structure can directly show the different parking states of the unmanned aerial vehicle to the staff, so that the staff can master the situation of the unmanned aerial vehicle in real time.

[0073] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned unmanned aerial vehicle parking charging system further comprises a nest body and a centering mechanism installed on the nest body; wherein the nest body serves as a physical carrier for parking the unmanned aerial vehicle, and provides structural support and charging contact interface (such as BAT+ / BAT- electrode). The centering mechanism is a mechanical adjusting device (such as a motor-driven push rod, guide rail or pneumatic device) installed on the nest body, which can fine-tune the position of the parked unmanned aerial vehicle under the instruction of the control device, so as to accurately align the charging contact (eliminate the initial parking error).

[0074] The control device is also used to control the homing mechanism to perform a homing operation on the UAV parked on the nest body, and in the case that a homing-in-place signal for the UAV is detected, the control device sends an enable signal to the charging circuit in response to the homing-in-place signal; the charging circuit enters an enabled working state in response to the enable signal.

[0075] Specifically, when the UAV is parked on the nest body, the control device starts the homing mechanism to perform a homing operation. When the homing mechanism completes the adjustment, the in-place sensor (such as a limit switch or a magnetic induction sensor) is used to determine whether the UAV reaches the preset homing accuracy range. If the homing-in-place (such as the contact alignment error ≤1mm) is detected, the sensor sends a homing-in-place signal to the control device. After confirming the homing-in-place, the control device immediately sends an enable signal (such as a high level or a digital instruction) to the charging circuit. After receiving the enable signal, the charging circuit switches from the standby state to the enabled working state, and the anti-stop detection sub-circuit in the charging circuit starts to detect the UAV parking state.

[0076] Through the above embodiment, the control device triggers the enable signal when the UAV homing-in-place is detected, so that the charging circuit is powered on in response to the enable signal, thereby saving power consumption.

[0077] In some embodiments, the control device is also used to switch the working state of the nest charger from the charging state to the off state in the case that a homing instruction is received; and the control device is also used to control the nest charger to move to the position of accessing the UAV and detect the homing-in-place signal for the UAV after the working state of the nest charger is switched to the off state.

[0078] When the control device detects that the UAV is parked on the nest body, triggers the homing instruction, or receives the homing instruction input by the worker, the working state of the nest charger is first detected. If it is detected that the nest charger is currently turned on for charging, the nest charger is turned off, and the control device ensures that the enable signal output to the charging circuit is turned off. Of course, if it is detected that the nest charger is currently in the off state, the nest charger does not need to be controlled to switch the working state. Then, after confirming that the nest charger is turned off and the enable signal output to the charging circuit is turned off, the nest charger is controlled to automatically insert into the UAV battery charging port, and the charging circuit is enabled to be powered on.

[0079] Through the above embodiment, after the UAV is parked, the nest charger is automatically inserted into the UAV battery charging port before the nest charger is detected and turned off, thereby effectively preventing the safety hazard caused by the live insertion of the charger, and further effectively improving the safety of the UAV parking and charging process.

[0080] In some embodiments, the charging circuit further comprises a switching sub-circuit; wherein the switching sub-circuit is in an on state when receiving an enable signal sent by the control device. Specifically, the switching sub-circuit can be realized by a relay, a MOS tube or the like.

[0081] More specifically, referring to Figure 4 , a first end of the eleventh resistor R11 is connected to an enable end for receiving a first enable signal (MCU_MOS_EN) sent by the control device; a second end of the eleventh resistor R11 is grounded via a twelfth resistor R12 and a grounding capacitor C5, and the second end of the eleventh resistor R11 is also connected to a gate (G) of a switching element MOS1. A source (S) of the switching element MOS1 is grounded, and a drain (D) is respectively connected to a first end of a thirteenth resistor R13 and a second pin 2 of a third optocoupler U3. A second end of the thirteenth resistor R13 is respectively connected to a +3.3V power supply voltage via a fourteenth resistor R14, and connected to a first pin 1 of the third optocoupler U3. A third pin 3 of the third optocoupler U3 is grounded, and a fourth pin 4 delivers a second enable signal (MOS_EN_N) to the main loop of the charging circuit when the switching sub-circuit is on.

[0082] Through the above-mentioned embodiments, the charging switch control based on the switching sub-circuit is realized, thereby facilitating to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the charging control response.

[0083] In some embodiments, the charging control sub-circuit comprises a charging switch module; a first end of the charging switch module is connected to a machine nest charger power supply, and a second end of the charging switch module is connected to a second pole contact; wherein the machine nest charger power supply is also connected to a first pole contact.

[0084] Referring to Figure 4 , the charging control sub-circuit in the main loop of the charging circuit is mainly realized by a charging switch module comprising three MOS tubes. Among them, MOS2 to MOS4 are respectively connected to a charger power supply and a second pole contact (negative pole contact), responsible for controlling the on-off of the negative pole circuit. Based on this, a hardware implementation for the charging control sub-module is provided. In addition, it should be noted that the front-stage circuit of the reverse stop detection sub-circuit in the main loop of the charging circuit also comprises a TVS tube, a first filter capacitor C6 and a second filter capacitor C7 in parallel.

[0085] The embodiment provides a method for stopping and charging a UAV, applied to the UAV stopping and charging system in any of the above-mentioned embodiments, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0086] In step S201, a state detection result output by the reverse stop detection sub-circuit is received.

[0087] Step S202: Based on the status detection result, the working state of the charging control subcircuit is controlled; wherein, when the charging control subcircuit is in the on working state, it instructs the machine nest charger to charge the drone.

[0088] Through the above steps S201 to S202, the state detection result output by the reverse stop detection subcircuit is used to control the conduction and disconnection of the charging circuit, thereby avoiding the phenomenon in the related art that the reverse stop of the drone cannot be detected, resulting in a greater risk of reverse charging of the drone. This effectively solves the problem of low safety of docked charging of drones and realizes a safe and accurate docked charging method for drones.

[0089] The embodiments of the present application are described and illustrated below through preferred embodiments. Figure 5 This is a flow chart of a method for docking and charging a drone according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0090] Step S501: Receive a return-to-center instruction.

[0091] Step S502: Turn off the charger output of the machine nest and turn off the enable output of the 595-Q5Q7 chip (ie, the above-mentioned control device).

[0092] Step S503: The push rod is returned to the center and the charger plug of the drone is inserted into the battery charging port of the drone.

[0093] Step S504: Determine the status detection result output by the reverse stop detection subcircuit. The specific situations are as follows: Situation 1: When the drone is powered on and parked correctly, a positive voltage is input to the first contact BAT+ and the second contact BAT-, and the first and second optocoupler circuits will output a 0, 1 state. Situation 2: When the drone is powered on and parked in reverse, a negative voltage is input to the first contact BAT+ and the second contact BAT-, and the first and second optocoupler circuits will output a 1, 0 state. Situation 3: When the drone is powered off, does not exist, or has poor contact, the first and second optocoupler circuits will output a 1, 1 state. When the program detects this state, it will control the machine nest charger to output a 30V voltage to power the drone in subsequent steps. If the drone is parked correctly, the drone will be powered on, and the charger will detect the output current. At this time, it can also be determined that the drone is parked correctly. All other situations are abnormal. In addition, if the first and second optocoupler circuits output a 0, 0 state, it indicates that the circuit components are damaged.

[0094] In step S505, if the status detection result indicates that the status value is "10", it is determined that the drone is turned on and is in the reverse parking state; the drone insertion status is reported, and the return completion is reported, and the charging detection process ends.

[0095] Step S506, if the state detection result indicates that the state value is "01", it is determined that the UAV is powered on and in the stop-right state; the UAV insertion state is reported and the return-to-center completion is reported. At this time, the charging-in-place detection process is ended, and the subsequent charging process is continued.

[0096] Step S507, if the state detection result indicates that the state value is "11", it is determined that the UAV is powered off.

[0097] Step S508, turn on the 30V voltage output of the nest charger, and turn on the enable output of the 595-Q5Q7 chip.

[0098] Step S509, detect whether the nest charger has an output current.

[0099] Step S510, if the determination result of the above step S509 is no, it means that there are abnormal conditions such as UAV stop-reverse, poor contact, no UAV, etc.

[0100] Step S511, control the nest charger to be turned off, turn off the enable output of the 595-Q5Q7 chip, and report the UAV insertion state and report the return-to-center completion.

[0101] Step S512, if the determination result of the above step S509 is yes, it means that the UAV is stopped right, and the subsequent charging process can be normally executed to complete the charging.

[0102] It should be noted that the steps shown in the above process or the flowchart of the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a group of computer executable instructions, and although the logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be executed in an order different from that here.

[0103] The embodiment also provides an electronic device including a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to execute the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0104] Optionally, the above electronic device can further include a transmission device and an input-output device, wherein the transmission device is connected with the above processor, and the input-output device is connected with the above processor.

[0105] Optionally, in the embodiment, the above processor can be configured to execute the following steps through the computer program:

[0106] S1, receiving the state detection result output by the reverse stop detection sub-circuit.

[0107] S2, based on the state detection result, control the working state of the charging control sub-circuit; wherein, the charging control sub-circuit in the on working state, instructs the nest charger to charge the unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0108] It should be noted that the specific examples in this embodiment can refer to the examples described in the above embodiments and optional implementation manners, and this embodiment will not be described here.

[0109] In addition, in combination with the unmanned aerial vehicle parking charging method in the above embodiments, the present embodiment can provide a storage medium for implementation. The storage medium has a computer program stored thereon; the computer program is executed by a processor to implement any one of the unmanned aerial vehicle parking charging methods in the above embodiments.

[0110] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user equipment information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data for analysis, stored data, displayed data, etc.) involved in the present application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties.

[0111] Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be completed by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer readable storage medium, and when the computer program is executed, the processes of the above-mentioned embodiments of the methods can be included. Any reference to memory, database or other medium used in the embodiments provided in the present application can include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical storage, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive memory (ReRAM), magnetoresistive random access memory (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory, MRAM), ferroelectric memory (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory, FRAM), phase change memory (Phase Change Memory, PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM) or external cache memory, etc. As an illustration but not limitation, RAM can be in various forms, such as static random access memory (Static Random Access Memory, SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (Dynamic Random Access Memory, DRAM), etc. The database involved in the embodiments provided in the present application can include at least one of a relational database and a non-relational database. The non-relational database can include a distributed database based on a block chain, etc., without being limited thereto. The processor involved in the embodiments provided in the present application can be a general-purpose processor, a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a digital signal processor, a programmable logic device, a data processing logic device based on quantum computing, etc., without being limited thereto.

[0112] Those skilled in the art should understand that any combination of the technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be made. In order to make the description simple, all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are not described, however, as long as the combination of the technical features does not exist contradictory, it should be considered as the scope of the present application.

[0113] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation manners of the present application, and the description is more specific and detailed, but it should not be understood as a limitation on the scope of the patent. It should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, some modifications and improvements can be made, which are all within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent of the present application should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drone docking and charging system, characterized in that: include: A control device, a nest charger, a charging circuit, a nest body, and a centering mechanism installed on the nest body; The charging circuit includes a charging control subcircuit and an anti-stop detection subcircuit; The anti-stop detection subcircuit is connected to the first pole contact and the second pole contact of the nest charger respectively; wherein, when the drone is in contact with the nest charger, the output contacts of the drone battery are connected to the first pole contact and the second pole contact respectively; The anti-stop detection subcircuit is used to detect the output signals of the first pole contact and the second pole contact, and generate a status detection result; The control device is connected to the charging circuit and is used to control the working state of the charging control subcircuit based on the received state detection result; wherein, when the charging control subcircuit is in an enabled working state, the charging circuit between the machine nest charger and the drone battery is connected; The control device is further configured to control the centering mechanism to perform a centering operation on the UAV docked on the nest body, and upon detecting a centering in place signal for the UAV, send an enable signal to the charging circuit in response to the centering in place signal; The charging circuit enters an enabled working state in response to the enable signal; The control device is further configured to switch the working state of the machine nest charger from a charging state to an off state when receiving a return instruction; The control device is further configured to control the machine nest charger to move to a position for accessing the drone after switching the working state of the machine nest charger to the off state, and to detect a return-to-center position signal for the drone.

2. The UAV docking and charging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anti-stop detection subcircuit includes a first optical coupler and a second optical coupler; The first end of the first optocoupler is connected to the first pole contact, and the second end of the first optocoupler is connected to the control device; The first end of the second optocoupler is connected to the second pole contact, and the second end of the second optocoupler is connected to the control device; When the drone battery is positively connected to the nest charger, the first optical coupler outputs a first state value indicating a conducting state to the control device, and the second optical coupler outputs a second state value indicating an off state to the control device; When the drone battery is reversely connected to the nest charger, the first optocoupler outputs the second state value to the control device, and the second optocoupler outputs the first state value to the control device; wherein the state detection result includes the first state value and the second state value.

3. The UAV docking and charging system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The reverse stop detection subcircuit also includes a first current limiting resistor group and a first anti-reverse connection module; The first end of the first current limiting resistor group is connected to the first pole contact, the second end of the first current limiting resistor group is connected to the first end of the first anti-reverse connection module; the second end of the first anti-reverse connection module is connected to the first end of the first optocoupler; and / or, The reverse stop detection subcircuit also includes a second current limiting resistor group and a second reverse connection prevention module; The first end of the second current limiting resistor group is connected to the second pole contact, the second end of the second current limiting resistor group is connected to the first end of the second anti-reverse connection module; the second end of the second anti-reverse connection module is connected to the first end of the second optocoupler.

4. The UAV docking and charging system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The anti-stop detection subcircuit further includes a first indicator light; a first end of the first indicator light is connected to a second end of the first optical coupler, and a second end of the first indicator light is connected to the control device; and / or, The anti-stop detection subcircuit further includes a second indicator light; a first end of the second indicator light is connected to a second end of the second optocoupler, and a second end of the second indicator light is connected to the control device.

5. The UAV docking and charging system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control device is further configured to control the machine nest charger to start working and detect the output current of the machine nest charger in the charging state when detecting that the state detection result indicates that the first optocoupler and the second optocoupler both output the second state value; The control device is also used to determine whether the drone is in a parked state based on the detection result of the output current; if so, control the nest charger to charge the drone battery; otherwise, control the nest charger to switch from the charging state to the off state.

6. The UAV docking and charging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The charging circuit further includes a switch subcircuit; wherein, the switch subcircuit is in an on state when receiving the enable signal sent by the control device.

7. The UAV docking and charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The charging control subcircuit includes a charging switch module; The first end of the charging switch module is connected to the machine nest charger power supply, and the second end of the charging switch module is connected to the second pole contact; wherein, the machine nest charger power supply is also connected to the first pole contact.

8. A method for charging a drone while docking, characterized in that: The method applied to the UAV docking and charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 comprises: Receive a status detection result output by the anti-stop detection subcircuit; Based on the status detection result, the working state of the charging control subcircuit is controlled; wherein, when the charging control subcircuit is in the on working state, it instructs the machine nest charger to charge the drone.

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