Communication system and communication method

Abstract

To confirm a position between mutual drones and avoid contact / collision, when a plurality of drones flies as swarms.SOLUTION: A first drone (100) receives a signal (311) indicating a position coordinate of the first drone (100) from a GPS satellite (310), and displays the position coordinate as a light pattern through a display panel (130). A second drone images the light pattern, and specifies the position of the first drone.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication system and method between a plurality of moving bodies, particularly a plurality of air vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, the implementation of unmanned aerial vehicles, such as drones, is widespread throughout society, and is expected to continue to expand exponentially in the future. Examples of drone uses in peacetime include delivery drones in the logistics industry and unmanned aerial taxis in the transportation industry. Drones have both peaceful and military uses, and in particular, they are becoming a key element in modern combat, replacing traditional weapons. For this reason, both sides in battle frequently use electronic warfare (EW) to destroy electronic devices and jamming to disable the drones' various functions against the enemy's military drones. Thus, as the use of drones increases, so does the need to precisely control drone operation – specifically, to prevent drone hacking (including EW and jamming).

[0003] For example, if an unmanned air taxi were to be hacked, it could pose a threat to the safety of passengers by dropping them off on highways or in the ocean. Alternatively, if a military drone is hacked, it could turn around and head towards its enemy, or it could cause the drones to collide with each other. In addition, drones, especially in military applications, are increasingly being used not as a single drone but as a swarm of multiple drones (dozens, hundreds, or even thousands). In a swarm, it is necessary to accurately grasp the relative positions of each drone to avoid contact or collisions between drones. As described above, future drones will need to be resistant to hacking and able to accurately determine the position of each drone, especially in a swarm.

[0004] An example of a system for determining the position of an aircraft is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-88033. In the communications system described in this publication, a helicopter is equipped with a mobile wireless communication device, which is used to determine the helicopter's own location, determine which area it is in, and store the station number of the base station corresponding to that area. In addition, Utility Model Registration No. 3224856 discloses a communication system consisting of a drone equipped with a radio and a ground station also equipped with a radio. The drone and the ground station can increase communication speed by performing two-way communication using a frequency band of 920 MHz. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-88033 A [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3224856 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As described above, conventionally, the location of the vehicle is generally determined via wireless communication. In addition, control of the position of each drone in a swarm to avoid contact and collisions between drones has traditionally been done wirelessly. However, wireless communications are easily disrupted or disabled by jamming. For this reason, the communication system between drones must be resistant to jamming and EW. This is a common issue not only between drones, but between all aerial vehicles or moving vehicles such as ground or water vehicles. The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems in conventional communication systems between mobile objects, and has an object to provide a communication system that is resistant to electromagnetic interference such as jamming and EW. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a communication system between communication targets including at least one first moving body (100) and at least one second moving body (200), the communication system comprising a position coordinate signal receiving device (110), a control device (120) and a display device (130) provided in the first moving body (100), and an imaging device (210) and a control device (220) provided in the second moving body (200), the position coordinate signal receiving device (110) being capable of communicating with a satellite (310), and receiving a signal (320) indicating the position coordinates of the first moving body (100) from the satellite (310). and the control device (110) of the first moving body (100) creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the first moving body (100) and other patterns, the display device (130) displays the pattern created by the control device (120), the imaging device (210) captures the pattern displayed by the display device (130), and the control device (220) of the second moving body (200) decodes the pattern captured by the imaging device (210) and controls the position of the second moving body (200) in accordance with instructions in the decoded pattern.

[0008] It is preferable that the control device (220B) of the second moving body (200B) creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the second moving body (200B) or other pattern, the second moving body (200B) is equipped with a display device (230) that displays the pattern, the first moving body (100B) is equipped with an imaging device (140) that images the pattern displayed by the display device (230) of the second moving body (200B), and the control device (120B) of the first moving body (100B) decodes the pattern imaged by the imaging device (140) of the first moving body (100B). It is preferable that the control device (220B) of the second moving body (200B) creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the second moving body (200B) or other pattern, the second moving body (200B) is equipped with a display device (230) for displaying the pattern, the other second moving body (200B) captures the pattern displayed by the display device (230) of the second moving body (200B) using the imaging device (210), and the control device (220B) of the other second moving body (200B) decodes the pattern captured by the imaging device (210).

[0009] For example, it is preferable that the first moving body (100A) is provided with six of the display devices (130A-130F), and the six display devices (130A-130F) are respectively installed in the front / back, left / right, and top / bottom in the movement direction of the first moving body (100A). The display device (130G) is preferably rotatable or pivotable about an axis (312) that attaches the display device (130G) to the first mover (100). It is preferable that the display device (130H) is movable on the body of the first moving body (100) along a predetermined path. It is preferable that the second moving body includes six of the imaging devices, and the six imaging devices are installed respectively on the front / rear, left / right, and top / bottom sides in the moving direction of the second moving body.

[0010] The imaging device is preferably pivotable about an axis that mounts the imaging device to the second mover. It is preferable that the imaging device is movable on the body of the second moving body along a predetermined path. It is preferable that, when the imaging device captures the pattern emitted from the display device of the first moving body, the control device of the second moving body transmits a confirmation pattern indicating that the pattern has been received from the display device of the second moving body to the first moving body, and the imaging device of the first moving body captures the confirmation pattern. It is preferable that when the control device of the first moving body does not receive the confirmation pattern from the second moving body within a predetermined time after transmitting a pattern from the display device of the first moving body, the control device increases the amount of light of the pattern emitted from the display device of the first moving body.

[0011] It is preferable that the display device is rotatable or pivotable around an axis attaching the display device to the first mobile body, and that the control device of the first mobile body rotates or pivots the display device of the first mobile body when it does not receive the confirmation pattern from the second mobile body within a predetermined time after transmitting a pattern from the display device of the first mobile body. It is preferable that the display device is movable on the body of the first moving body along a predetermined path, and that the control device of the first moving body moves the display device of the first moving body when it does not receive the confirmation pattern from the second moving body within a predetermined time after transmitting a pattern from the display device of the first moving body.

[0012] It is preferable that the control device of the first moving body reduces the amount of light of the pattern emitted from the display device of the first moving body when it receives the confirmation pattern from the second moving body within a predetermined time after transmitting the pattern from the display device of the first moving body. It is preferable that the control device of the first mobile body adjusts the transmission interval of the pattern depending on whether or not the confirmation pattern is received from the second mobile body after transmitting a pattern from the display device of the first mobile body. For example, it is preferable that the communication object further includes a third moving body (400) or a stationary body on land or water, and that the third moving body (400) or the stationary body is equipped with an imaging device (410) that images the pattern displayed by the display device (130) of the first moving body (100), and a control device (420) that decodes the pattern imaged by the imaging device (410).

[0013] It is preferable that the control device (420) of the third moving body (400) or the stationary body creates a pattern or other pattern indicating the position coordinates of the third moving body (400) or the stationary body, the third moving body (400) or the stationary body is equipped with a display device that displays the pattern, the first moving body (100) is equipped with an imaging device that captures the pattern displayed by the display device of the third moving body (400) or the stationary body, and the control device (120) of the first moving body (100) and the control device of the second moving body decode the patterns captured by the imaging devices of the first moving body and the second moving body. For example, the third vehicle (400) is preferably a land vehicle or a water vehicle. For example, it is preferable that both the first moving body 100 and the second moving body 200 are air vehicles. Examples of the air vehicles include drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles.

[0014] The present invention further provides a communication method between communication targets including at least one first moving body and at least one second moving body, comprising a step (S110) of the first moving body receiving a signal indicating the position coordinates of the first moving body from a satellite, a step (S120) of the first moving body creating a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the first moving body and other patterns, a step (S130) of the first moving body displaying the pattern to the outside, a step (S140) of the second moving body imaging the pattern, and a step (S160) of the second moving body deciphering the pattern (S150) and controlling the position of the second moving body in accordance with instructions in the deciphered pattern. It is preferable that the above method comprises the steps of: the second moving body creating a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the second moving body or other pattern; the second moving body displaying the pattern to the outside; the first moving body imaging the pattern; and the first moving body deciphering the pattern.

[0015] It is preferable that the above method comprises the steps of: the second moving body creating a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the second moving body or other pattern; the second moving body displaying the pattern toward the outside; another second moving body capturing an image of the pattern displayed by the second moving body; and the other second moving body deciphering the imaged pattern and controlling the position of the second moving body in accordance with the instructions of the deciphered pattern. The present invention further provides a drone (100) capable of communicating with other drones (200), comprising: a position coordinate signal receiving device (110) that receives a signal (311) indicating the position coordinates of the drone (100) from a satellite (310); a control device (120) that creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the drone (100) and other patterns; and a display device (130) that displays the pattern created by the control device (120) to the other drones (100).

[0016] It is preferable that the other drone (200B) is equipped with a display device (230) that displays a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the other drone (200B), and an imaging device (140) that images the pattern displayed by the display device (230) of the other drone (200B), and the control device (120B) decodes the pattern imaged by the imaging device. The present invention further provides a drone (200) capable of communicating with another drone (100), comprising: an imaging device (210) that captures a pattern displayed by the other drone (100) indicating the position coordinates of the other drone (100); and a control device (220) that decodes the pattern captured by the imaging device (210) and controls the position of the drone (200) in accordance with instructions in the decoded pattern. The control device (220B) preferably creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the drone (200B) or other patterns, and the drone (200B) preferably includes a display device (230) for displaying the patterns. The reference symbols in parentheses are added only to show the correspondence with the embodiments described later, and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Effect of the Invention

[0017] In the communication system according to the present invention, the position coordinates of the first drone obtained from a satellite are transmitted to the second drone via an optical signal (a fixed pattern of light emitted from a display device). Unlike radio signals (electromagnetic wave signals), optical signals are not affected by EW or jamming interference, so with this communications system, it is possible to reliably transmit the position coordinates of the first drone to the second drone, and the second drone can fly while knowing the position of the first drone, making it possible to avoid contact and collision between the first and second drones. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1]A longitudinal cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view seen from the front) showing the structure of a first drone in a communication system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] A longitudinal cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view seen from the front) showing the structure of a second drone in the communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] A longitudinal cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view seen from the front) showing the structure of a first drone in a communication system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] A longitudinal cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view seen from the front) showing the structure of a second drone in a communication system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] A diagram showing the relative positional relationship between each drone that forms a swarm in a communication system related to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] A diagram showing the relative positional relationship between each drone that forms a swarm in a communication system related to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] A longitudinal cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view seen from the front) showing the structure of a second drone in a communication system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] [Figure 9] A longitudinal cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view seen from the front) showing the structure of a first drone in a communication system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] A vertical cross-sectional view showing a first example of a display panel movably attached to the body of a first drone in a communication system relating to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] A vertical cross-sectional view showing a second example of a display panel movably attached to the body of a first drone in a communication system relating to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12]13 is a flowchart showing an operation of a communication system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 13 is a flowchart showing a process for adjusting the amount of light of a display panel in a communication system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an adjustment of a transmission time of a position coordinate pattern in a communication system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] First Embodiment The communication system according to the first embodiment is applied to a drone formation consisting of one first drone 100 and one second drone 200. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view seen from the front) showing the structure of the first drone 100. The first drone 100 is capable of communicating with GPS satellites 310 and is equipped with a position coordinate signal receiving device 110 that receives a position coordinate signal 311 (e.g., an optical pulse signal) indicating the position coordinates of the first drone 100 from the GPS satellites 310, a control device 120, and a display panel 130. The control device 120 controls the operation of the first drone 100 in accordance with instructions from an operator (e.g., a ground station on the ground) and also controls the operation of the display panel 130.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the display panel 130 is attached to the body of the first drone 100 so as to face to the right when viewed from the front in the flight direction of the first drone 100. The display panel 130 is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. The control device 120 creates a position coordinate pattern indicating the position coordinates of the first drone 100 indicated in the position coordinate signal 311 received by the position coordinate signal receiving device 110. The position coordinate pattern is, for example, a dot pattern consisting of white circles and black circles, a string or matrix of letters or numbers, a one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode, etc. The control device 120 displays the created position coordinate pattern on the display panel 130. The display panel 130 emits light of the position coordinate pattern continuously or intermittently.

[0022] In addition to receiving a position coordinate signal 311 from a GPS satellite 310 , the position coordinate signal receiving device 110 is also capable of transmitting a signal to the GPS satellite 310 . FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of the second drone 200. The second drone 200 is equipped with an imaging device 210 that captures the position coordinate pattern displayed on the display panel 130 of the first drone 100, and a control device 220 that decodes the position coordinate pattern captured by the imaging device 210 and controls the operation of the second drone 200 in accordance with the instructions of the decoded position coordinate pattern. The imaging device 210 is attached to the body of the second drone 200 so as to face left. In the communication system according to the present embodiment, the communication means is determined according to the distance to the communication partner. Specifically, light pulses are used for long-distance communication between the first drone 100 and the GPS satellite 310, and pattern emission from the display panel 130 is used for short-distance communication between the first drone 100 and the second drone 200.

[0023] The communication system of this embodiment is composed of a position coordinate signal receiving device 110, a control device 120, and a display panel 130 provided in a first drone 100 as a transmitting side, and an imaging device 210 and a control device 220 provided in a second drone 200 as a receiving side. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication system according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, the operation of the communication system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The second drone 200 is assumed to be flying to the right (the right in FIG. 1) of the first drone 100. Therefore, the display panel 130 of the first drone 100 and the imaging device 210 of the second drone 200 are in a state where they are substantially facing each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the position coordinate signal receiving device 110 of the first drone 100 receives a position coordinate signal 311 indicating the position coordinates of the first drone 100 from a GPS satellite 310 (step S110).

[0024] Next, the control device 120 of the first drone 100 converts the position coordinate signal 311 indicating the position coordinates of the first drone 100 into a position coordinate pattern according to a predetermined rule (step S120). The position coordinate pattern is composed of a dot pattern or any other arbitrary pattern. Next, the control device 120 of the first drone 100 displays this position coordinate pattern on the display panel 130 (step S130). The display panel 130 emits light according to the position coordinate pattern. Since the display panel 130 of the first drone 100 and the imaging device 210 of the second drone 200 are approximately facing each other, the position coordinate pattern displayed on the display panel 130 is captured by the imaging device 210 of the second drone 200 (step S140). After this, the control device 220 of the second drone 200 analyzes or decodes the captured position coordinate pattern and obtains the position coordinates of the first drone 100 (step S150).

[0025] Next, the control device 220 of the second drone 200 modifies the flight speed, flight direction and other flight-related parameters of the drone in accordance with the position coordinates of the first drone 100, maintains the distance between the drone and the first drone 100 at a predetermined distance, and controls the flight conditions of the drone to avoid contact or collision between the drone and the first drone 100 (step S160). As described above, in the communication system according to this embodiment, the position coordinates of the first drone 100 are transmitted to the second drone 200 via an optical signal (a fixed pattern of light emitted from the display panel 130). Unlike radio signals (electromagnetic wave signals), optical signals are not affected by EW or jamming interference, so according to the communication system of this embodiment, it is possible to reliably transmit the position coordinates of the first drone 100 to the second drone 200, and it is possible to prevent contact and collision between the first drone 100 and the second drone 200.

[0026] Electromagnetic signal transmitters use long waves with a wide directionality, which means they have the disadvantage of being easily detected from the outside and their own location easily detected. In contrast, optical signal transmitters use short waves with a narrow directionality, making them difficult to detect from the outside and making it difficult for one's location to be detected. Furthermore, the light used in optical communications, which is on the order of nanometers, has strong diffusion and absorption characteristics, making it impossible to detect over a certain distance, making it extremely difficult to find from the outside. Furthermore, since the frequency bands of the light used in optical communications and the electromagnetic waves used in electromagnetic wave communications are completely different, jamming techniques that are effective for electromagnetic waves cannot disrupt optical communications. The communication between the first drone 100 and the GPS satellite 310 is vertical communication, and the position coordinate signal receiving device 110 receives a position coordinate signal 311 (e.g., a laser pulse signal) from the GPS satellite 310 in the sky. Therefore, in order to jam the communication between the first drone 100 and the GPS satellite 310, it is necessary to transmit a high-intensity laser pulse from above the first drone 100, which is practically extremely difficult or impossible.

[0027] The communication system according to this embodiment is not limited to the above-described structure, and various modifications are possible. In this embodiment, the display panel 130 is attached to the body of the first drone 100 so as to face the right side when viewed from the front in the flight direction of the first drone 100, as shown in Fig. 1, but the position where the display panel 130 is attached is arbitrary. It is possible for the display panel 130 to face any of the above, below, front, back, left and right directions of the first drone 100. The display panel 130 emits light radially within a range of about 70 degrees from the vertical center line of the display panel. In this embodiment, the second drone 200 flies to the right of the first drone 100, but the second drone 200 can fly in any position as long as it is within the reach of the light emitted radially from the display panel 130. Drones come in a variety of types, including propeller-driven and rocket (missile) types, but the communication system according to this embodiment can be applied regardless of the type of drone.

[0028] Although this embodiment shows an example of application to a drone, the communication system according to this embodiment can be applied not only to unmanned aircraft such as drones, but also to helicopters and other manned aircraft. Furthermore, the communication system of this embodiment can be applied not only between aircraft flying in the air, but also between terrestrial moving bodies running on ground, aquatic moving bodies moving on water, and underwater moving bodies moving underwater (but only within the range reached by light). Alternatively, the communication system of this embodiment can be applied not only between the same types of moving bodies as described above, but also between different types of moving bodies, such as between an aircraft body and a ground moving body, between an aircraft body and a surface moving body, or between a surface moving body and an underwater moving body.

[0029] In this embodiment, the position coordinates of the first drone 100 are transmitted from the first drone 100 to the second drone 200 by optical signals, but the information transmitted from the first drone 100 to the second drone 200 is not limited to the position coordinates of the first drone 100. It is also possible to transmit other information (e.g., commands from the pilot (ground station), weather information, etc.) together with the position coordinates of the first drone 100 or instead of the position coordinates of the first drone 100. In this embodiment, a GPS satellite 310 is used as the satellite for acquiring the position coordinates of the first drone 100, but this is not limited to this, and other low-orbit satellites (satellites with an altitude of 2000 km or less from the Earth's surface) can also be used. It is also possible to receive position coordinate signals from other satellites in addition to receiving from the GPS satellite 310. By receiving multiple position coordinate signals 311 from multiple satellites, it becomes possible to correct the coordinate position of the first drone 100 based on the difference between each signal.

[0030] As described above, the position coordinate signal receiving device 110 can also transmit a signal to the GPS satellite 310. For example, an optical pulse signal is transmitted from the position coordinate signal receiving device 110, and the GPS satellite 310 or other low-orbit satellite captures the signal, allowing the GPS satellite 310 to obtain the position coordinates of the first drone 100. By transmitting the position coordinates of the first drone 100 calculated by the GPS satellite 310 to the first drone 100, the first drone 100 can obtain both the position coordinates of the first drone 100 calculated by the GPS satellite 310 and its own position coordinates calculated by itself, and by performing a correction process based on the difference between these two position coordinates, it becomes possible to obtain more accurate position information.

[0031] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, an example of a communication system applied between one first drone 100 and one second drone 200 has been shown, but the number of second drones 200 is not limited to 1. The communication system can also be applied between one first drone 100 and multiple second drones 200. The second embodiment described below shows an example of a communications system applied between one first drone 100A and six second drones 200A-200F, i.e., between multiple drones flying as a swarm. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of the first drone 100A in this embodiment. The first drone 100 in the first embodiment is configured to have one display panel 130, but the first drone 100A in the present embodiment is configured to have six display panels 130A-130F. Except for this point, the first drone 100A has the same structure as the first drone 100.

[0032] Display panels 130A and 130B are attached to the body of first drone 100A so as to face upward and downward relative to the flight direction of first drone 100A, display panels 130C and 130D (neither shown in FIG. 3) are attached to the body of first drone 100A so as to face forward and backward, and display panels 130E and 130F are attached to the body of first drone 100A so as to face left and right. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of the second drones 200A to 200F. The second drones 200A to 200F all have the same structure. The second drone 200 in the first embodiment is configured to have one imaging device 210, but each of the second drones 200A-200F in this embodiment is configured to have six imaging devices 210A-210F. Except for this point, each of the second drones 200A-200F has the same structure as the second drone 200.

[0033] Imaging devices 210A and 210B are attached to the body of each second drone 200A-200F so as to face upward and downward relative to the flight direction of the drone, imaging devices 210C and 210D (not shown in FIG. 5) are attached to the body of each second drone 200A-200F so as to face forward and backward, and imaging devices 210E and 210F are attached to the body of each second drone 200A-200F so as to face left and right. Figures 6 and 7 are diagrams showing the relative positional relationships between the drones that form the swarm, with Figure 6 showing the positional relationships when viewed from the left, and Figure 7 showing the positional relationships when viewed from above. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the seven drones forming the swarm are assumed to fly at the same speed in the right direction in Figures 6 and 7, as indicated by arrow 300.

[0034] Six second drones 200A-200F fly around the first drone 100A with the first drone 100A at the center. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, the second drones 200A and 200B are located above and below the first drone 100A, respectively, and the second drones 200C and 200D are located in front and behind the first drone 100A, respectively. The second drones 200E and 200F are located on the left and right of the first drone 100A, respectively, as shown in Fig. 7. For this reason, the six display panels 130A-130F of the first drone 100A approximately face the imaging devices 210A-210F of each of the six second drones 200A-200F. The communication system of this embodiment is composed of a position coordinate signal receiving device 110, a control device 120, and display panels 130A-130F equipped in the first drone 100A as the transmitting side, and imaging devices 210A-210F and a control device 220 equipped in each of the second drones 200A-200F as the receiving side.

[0035] The operation of the communication system according to this embodiment is the same as that of the communication system according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 3). In this embodiment, the first drone 100A emits a position coordinate pattern indicating the position coordinates of the first drone 100A to each of the second drones 200A-200F via the display panels 130A-130F, and the imaging devices 210A-210F of each of the second drones 200A-200F capture the position coordinate pattern. The communication system of this embodiment can also achieve the same effects as the communication system of the first embodiment for multiple second drones 200A-200F. The communication system according to this embodiment is not limited to the above-described structure, and various modifications are possible.

[0036] As described above, each display panel 130A-130F emits light radially within a range of about 70 degrees from the vertical center line of the display panel, so if the second drone is flown so as to be located within that range, it is possible to transmit position coordinate patterns to multiple second drones from one display panel, and multiple second drones can be covered by one display panel. Therefore, the number of second drones that can be flown around one first drone 100A is not limited to six, and any number (tens or hundreds) can be selected. Furthermore, when the swarm is composed of a large number (hundreds or thousands) of drones, it is also possible to fly multiple first drones 100A and place multiple second drones around each of the multiple first drones 100A. In the first embodiment, the first drone 100 and the second drone 200 are each equipped with a single display panel 130 and imaging device 210, so the first drone 100 and the second drone 200 need to fly so that the display panel 130 and imaging device 210 face each other. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the first drone 100A and each of the second drones 200A-200F are each equipped with six display panels 130A-130F and imaging devices 210A-210F, so the second drones 200A-200F can fly in any direction, above, below, left, right, front, back, or right of the first drone 100A.

[0037] Third embodiment In the first and second embodiments, one-way optical transmission is performed from the first drone 100, 100A to the second drone 200, 200A-200F, but two-way communication between the first drone and the second drone is also possible. In the communication system according to the third embodiment described below, in addition to transmission from the first drone to the second drone, a reply is also performed from the second drone to the first drone. FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of the second drone 200B in this embodiment. Compared to the second drone 200 (FIG. 2) in the first embodiment, the second drone 200B in this embodiment additionally includes a display panel 230 as a display device.

[0038] The control device 220B of the second drone 200B analyzes its own position coordinates based on the position coordinate pattern received from the first drone 100B (Figure 9), creates a position coordinate pattern indicating the position coordinates of its own drone, and displays this position coordinate pattern on the display panel 230 as an optical signal. FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of the first drone 100B in this embodiment. Compared to the first drone 100 (FIG. 1) in the first embodiment, the first drone 100B additionally includes an imaging device 140. The imaging device 140 captures the position coordinate pattern of the second drone 200B emitted from the display panel 230 of the second drone 200B. The control device 120B of the first drone 100B decodes the position coordinate pattern captured by the imaging device 140 and obtains the position coordinates of the second drone 200B.

[0039] In this way, by enabling communication from the second drone 200B to the first drone 100B, the first drone 100B can grasp the position of the second drone 200B, and can use this information to determine how to avoid contact or collision between the two. It is also possible to apply the communication system of this embodiment to the second embodiment and perform bidirectional communication between one first drone 100B and multiple second drones 200B. Furthermore, not only can bidirectional communication be performed between the first drone 100B and the second drone 200B, but bidirectional communication can also be performed between multiple second drones. In this case, the imaging device 210 of the second drone 200B captures the position coordinate pattern emitted by the other second drone, and the control device 220B decodes or interprets the position coordinate pattern to determine the position coordinates of the other second drone.

[0040] In this way, by exchanging position coordinates between multiple second drones, the position coordinates of the own drone can be corrected and the accuracy of the position coordinates of the own drone can be improved. In particular, the second drone 200B can determine its own position coordinates more accurately by transmitting and receiving position coordinate patterns between at least three other second drones 200B. For this reason, it is preferable that the first drone 100B sets the light amount (light intensity) of the display panel 130 to a light amount that can transmit position coordinate patterns to at least three nearby second drones 200B. Thus, in a swarm consisting of hundreds or thousands of drones, several first drones (approximately three or four) perform long-distance communication to obtain absolute position coordinates from GPS satellites 310 and other low-orbit satellites, and short-distance communication is performed between the first drone and the second drone or between multiple second drones to obtain relative position coordinates. This enables each drone to accurately grasp its own position coordinates and avoid contact and collision with other drones.

[0041] (Fourth embodiment) In the communication systems according to the first to third embodiments described above, the display panels 130, 130A-130F, 230 and the imaging devices 210, 210A-210F, 140 are all fixedly attached to the body of the first drone or the second drone, and the orientations of the display panels and the imaging devices are fixed; however, it is also possible to attach the display panels 130, 130A-130F, 230 and the imaging devices 210, 210A-210F, 140 so as to be movable relative to the body of the first drone or the second drone, and to make the orientations of the display panels and the imaging devices variable. FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a first example of a display panel 130G movably attached to the body 101 of the first drone 100. A shaft 131 is attached to the rear surface of the display panel 130G so as to be perpendicular to the rear surface of the display panel 130G, and the tip of the shaft 131 is formed into a sphere 132.

[0042] The body 101 of the first drone 100 is formed with a support base 102 having a hemispherical recess, and the sphere 132 is fitted into the hemispherical recess of the support base 102. A driving means (not shown) is connected to the display panel 130G or the shaft 131, and the operation of this driving means is controlled by the control device 120 (FIG. 1). The control device 120 can rotate or pivot the display panel 130G via the drive means. For example, the display panel 130G can be rotated around a perpendicular line 312 to the body 101 in an inclined state as shown by arrow 313, or the display panel 130G can be pivoted around the perpendicular line 312 in a vertical plane as shown by arrow 314.

[0043] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a second example of a display panel 130H movably attached to the body 101 of the first drone 100. 11, a plurality of wheels 133 are rotatably attached to the rear side of the display panel 130H. The wheels 133 are configured to be capable of running on rails (not shown) laid on the body 101 of the first drone 100, or in grooves or recesses provided in the body 101. A drive means (not shown) is connected to the wheel 133, and the operation of the drive means is controlled by the control device 120 (FIG. 1). In this way, the display panel 130H can move on the body 101 of the first drone 100. For example, it can move in the front-rear direction of the first drone 100, or can circle around the body 101 at any angle (up to 360 degrees).

[0044] As described above, by movably attaching the display panels 130G and 130H to the body 101 of the first drone 100, it is possible to transmit the position coordinate pattern to the adjacent second drone more accurately. Furthermore, by rotating or pivoting the display panel 130G, or by moving the display panel 130H, it becomes possible to transmit the position coordinate pattern to more second drones flying around the first drone 100. The above-mentioned combination of the wheels 133 and rails (grooves or recesses) is one example for moving the display panel 130H, and other mechanisms can also be used. Not only the display panel of the first drone 100, but also the imaging device 140 of the first drone (Figure 9), the imaging devices 210 (Figure 2), 210A-210F (Figure 5) of the second drone, and the display panel 230 of the second drone can be configured to be movable in the same manner as display panels 130G and 130H.

[0045] Fifth embodiment Even if a position coordinate pattern is transmitted from the display panel 130 of the first drone 100 to the second drone 200, it may happen that the optical signal of the position coordinate pattern does not reach the second drone 200 due to some reason (the second drone 200 is not within the transmission range, thick fog, heavy rain, or other bad weather, etc.). The fifth embodiment deals with such a case where the optical signal does not reach the second drone 200. In this embodiment, the control device 220 of the second drone 200 is configured to transmit a receipt confirmation signal indicating that the position coordinate pattern has been received back to the first drone 100 when the imaging device 210 captures the position coordinate pattern emitted from the display panel 130 of the first drone 100. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication system according to the fifth embodiment. Hereinafter, the operation of the communication system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0046] The first drone 100 optically transmits a position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 toward the second drone 200 (step S210). Next, the control device 120 of the first drone 100 determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds), i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S220). If a receipt confirmation signal is not received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S220) (if a receipt confirmation signal is received (YES in step S220) will be described later), the control device 120 determines that the position coordinate pattern has not reached the second drone 200 from the first drone 100, and increases the light emission intensity of the display panel 130 (step S240). After this, the control device 120 of the first drone 100 again determines whether or not a reception confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (step S250).

[0047] If a reception confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S250), the control device 120 determines that the position coordinate pattern has reached the second drone 200 from the first drone 100, and the reception confirmation operation ends (step S230). If a receipt confirmation signal is not received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S250), the control device 120 determines that the position coordinate pattern has not reached the second drone 200 from the first drone 100, and rotates or pivots the display panel 130 (FIG. 10) or moves the display panel 130 (FIG. 11) (step S260). For example, rotation or pivoting is performed at predetermined angular intervals (eg, 10 degrees) and translation is performed at predetermined distance intervals (eg, 50 cm).

[0048] After this, steps S220 to S260 are repeatedly executed until a reception confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200. As described above, according to the communication system of this embodiment, it is possible to maximize the probability that a position coordinate pattern can be transmitted from the first drone 100 to the second drone 200. Furthermore, if the first drone 100 receives a reception confirmation signal from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S220), there is no problem with transmission and reception between the first drone 100 and the second drone 200, but it is unclear whether the amount of light of the display panel 130 is appropriate. In other words, the amount of light of the display panel 130 may be too high. For this reason, control for adjusting the amount of light of the display panel 130 to an appropriate level is executed as follows.

[0049] If the first drone 100 receives a receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S220), the control device 120 of the first drone 100 reduces the amount of light on the display panel 130 by a predetermined amount (step S270). After this, the first drone 100 again optically transmits the position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 to the second drone 200 (step S280). Next, the control device 120 of the first drone 100 again determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S290).

[0050] If the first drone 100 receives a receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S290), steps S270 to S290 are repeatedly executed until the first drone 100 no longer receives a receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 within the predetermined time. If the first drone 100 no longer receives a receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S290), the control device 120 returns the light intensity of the display panel 130 to the previous light intensity (the light intensity when the position coordinate pattern reached the second drone 200), i.e., increases the light intensity by one step (step S300), and control of the light intensity adjustment ends (step S230). By implementing the above-described light intensity adjustment, it is possible to determine the minimum light intensity required to transmit the position coordinate pattern without increasing the light intensity of the display panel 130 more than necessary, thereby making it possible to reduce power consumption.

[0051] To further reduce power consumption, finer light adjustments are also possible. FIG. 13 is a flowchart for performing light amount adjustment. For example, assume that the control device 120 transmits a position coordinate pattern with the light level of the display panel 130 set to 5 (step S210 in FIG. 12), and receives a receipt confirmation signal within a certain period of time (YES in step S220 in FIG. 12). The control device 120 is preset to stepwise lower the light level of the display panel 130 by 1. Therefore, the control device 120 lowers the light level of the display panel 130 to 4 (step S270).

[0052] After this, the first drone 100 again optically transmits a position coordinate pattern with a light intensity level of 4 from the display panel 130 toward the second drone 200 (step S280). Next, the control device 120 of the first drone 100 again determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S290). If a reception confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S290), the control device 120 reduces the light level of the display panel 130 to 3 (step S270). After that, steps S280 and S290 are executed again. If the light level of the display panel 130 is 3, it is assumed that a reception confirmation signal has not been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S290).

[0053] If the control device 120 does not receive a reception confirmation signal from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, the control device 120 is preset to stepwise decrease the light level of the display panel 130 by 0.2. Therefore, the control device 120 decreases the light level of the display panel 130 from 3 to 2.8 (step S310). Next, the control device 120 again optically transmits a position coordinate pattern with a light level of 2.8 from the display panel 130 toward the second drone 200, and again determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S320).

[0054] If the control device 120 receives a receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S320), the control device 120 reduces the light level of the display panel 130 by 0.2 (step S310) and sets the light level to 2.6. Steps S310 and S320 are repeated several times, and it is assumed that no reception confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200 for the position coordinate pattern transmitted when the light level of the display panel 130 is 2.2 (NO in step S320). In this case, the control device 120 sets the light amount level of the display panel 130 to 2.4, which is one step higher than 2.2 (step S330), and completes the light amount adjustment (step S340). As described above, by adjusting the light amount more precisely, it is possible to further reduce power consumption.

[0055] The reduction range of the light amount level of the display panel 130 is not limited to 1 and 0.2, and any reduction range can be set. Instead of or in addition to adjusting the light level of the display panel 130, it is also possible to reduce power consumption by lengthening the interval between transmissions of the position coordinate pattern. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the adjustment of the transmission time of the position coordinate pattern. For example, in the initial setting, the location coordinate pattern is set to be transmitted at intervals of 30 seconds. The control device 120 optically transmits a position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 to the second drone 200 every 30 seconds (step S210).

[0056] Next, the control device 120 determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S220). If a receipt confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S220), the control device 120 changes the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern from 30 seconds to 60 seconds (step S350) and optically transmits the position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 to the second drone 200 every 60 seconds. Next, the control device 120 determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S360).

[0057] If a receipt confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S360), the control device 120 changes the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern from 60 seconds to 90 seconds (step S370) and optically transmits the position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 to the second drone 200 every 90 seconds. Next, the control device 120 determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S380). If a receipt confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S380), the control device 120 fixes the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern to 90 seconds (step S370), and thereafter transmits the position coordinate pattern at 90-second intervals.

[0058] If no confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S360, NO in step S380), the control device 120 returns the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern from 60 or 90 seconds to 30 seconds (step S210), and thereafter transmits the position coordinate pattern at 30-second intervals. On the other hand, if a receipt confirmation signal is not received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S220), the control device 120 changes (shortens) the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern from 30 seconds to 20 seconds (step S390), and optically transmits the position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 to the second drone 200 every 20 seconds. Next, the control device 120 determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S400).

[0059] If a receipt confirmation signal is not received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S400), the control device 120 changes (shortens) the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern from 20 seconds to 10 seconds (step S410), and optically transmits the position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 to the second drone 200 every 10 seconds. Next, the control device 120 determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S420). If a receipt confirmation signal is not received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S420), the control device 120 changes (shortens) the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern from 10 seconds to 5 seconds (step S430), and optically transmits the position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 to the second drone 200 every 5 seconds.

[0060] Next, the control device 120 determines whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time, i.e., whether or not the imaging device 140 (Figure 9) has captured an image of the receipt confirmation signal from the second drone 200 (step S440). Even if a receipt confirmation signal is not received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (NO in step S440), the control device 120 fixes the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern to 5 seconds (step S430) and thereafter transmits the position coordinate pattern at 5-second intervals. If a receipt confirmation signal is received from the second drone 200 within a predetermined time (YES in step S400, YES in step S420), the control device 120 changes the transmission time interval of the position coordinate pattern from 10 seconds to 30 seconds, then 20 seconds (step S210), and thereafter optically transmits the position coordinate pattern from the display panel 130 to the second drone 200 every 30 seconds.

[0061] As described above, it is possible to adjust the transmission interval of the position coordinate pattern to an appropriate value depending on the communication status between the first drone 100 and the second drone 200. In particular, when the communication status between the first drone 100 and the second drone 200 is stable, the power consumption can be reduced by lengthening the transmission interval of the position coordinate pattern compared to the case where this is not done. The adjustment of the transmission time of the position coordinate pattern is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible. For example, the change range (extension and shortening range) of the transmission time interval can be determined arbitrarily according to the surrounding environment. When the communication environment is good (e.g., on a clear day), the change range can be larger than the above example, or when the communication environment is poor (e.g., in thick fog or heavy rain) or in an emergency (e.g., when flying at high speed), the change range can be smaller than the above example.

[0062] The transmission time interval can be changed, for example, depending on whether or not a reception confirmation signal has been received for the first transmission of the position coordinate pattern. For example, if it is predicted that the second drone 200 is too far away from the first drone 100, the second and subsequent transmissions of the position coordinate pattern can be shortened immediately without transmitting the second and subsequent transmissions at the set time interval. Alternatively, the transmission time interval can be changed depending on whether or not a receipt confirmation signal has been received for the first three transmissions of the position coordinate pattern. For example, if it is predicted that the second drone 200 is near the limit distance at which the position coordinate pattern can be transmitted, it may be possible to prevent unnecessary changes to the transmission time interval by transmitting the position coordinate pattern three times regardless of the result of the first transmission of the position coordinate pattern.

[0063] (Sixth embodiment) As described above, the communication system according to the present invention can be applied not only between the same type of moving objects, but also between different types of moving objects. As an example, the following describes an example in which the communication system is applied between a swarm consisting of a first drone and a second drone and a ground moving object (e.g., a car, a tank, a train, etc.) as a third moving object. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to the sixth embodiment. The communication system according to this embodiment is applied between a first drone 100 (FIG. 1) and a ground vehicle 400. The ground moving body 400 is equipped with an imaging device 410 that captures the position coordinate pattern displayed on the display panel 130 of the first drone 100, and a control device 420 that decodes the position coordinate pattern captured by the imaging device 410 and controls the operation of the ground moving body 400 in accordance with the instructions of the decoded position coordinate pattern.

[0064] In terms of structure with regard to communication, the ground moving body 400 is identical to the second drone 200 (Figure 2). However, since the communication system of this embodiment is responsible for communication between the sky and the ground, the display panel 130 of the first drone 100 is mounted facing downward, and the imaging device 410 of the ground moving body 400 is mounted facing upward. The first drone 100 transmits a position coordinate pattern to the second drone 200, and also transmits a position coordinate pattern to the ground moving body 400. Therefore, the position of the ground moving body 400 is controlled by the first drone 100 in the same manner as the second drone 200. The communication between the first drone 100 and the ground moving body 400 is the same as the communication between the first drone 100 and the second drone 200. Therefore, the second to fifth embodiments described above can also be applied to the communication between the first drone 100 and the ground moving body 400.

[0065] In this embodiment, a ground moving body is selected as the third moving body, but it is also possible to select a water moving body (for example, a ship) instead of a ground moving body. It is also possible for the ground vehicle 400 to communicate directly with the GPS satellites 310 . In this embodiment, the third moving body is a ground moving body, but instead of the third moving body, a stationary body on the ground or on the water (e.g., one fixed on the ground or on the water) can be used. Examples of stationary bodies on the ground include land buildings and roads, and examples of stationary bodies on the water include observation equipment floating on the sea. For example, by installing a display panel 130, an imaging device 210, etc. on the roof of a building (a government building), when ground or underground communication networks (e.g., underground cable networks or ground base stations) become unusable, it is possible to ensure a means of communication by performing optical communication between the building and the first drone 100. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 100 First Drone 110 Position coordinate signal receiving device 120 Control device 130 Display Panel 140 Imaging Device 200 Second Drone 210 Imaging device 220 Control device 230 Display Panel 310 GPS satellites 400 Ground Vehicles 410 Imaging device 420 Control device

Claims

1. A communication system between communication targets including at least one first mobile unit and at least one second mobile unit, The communication system includes: a position coordinate signal receiving device, a control device, and a display device provided in the first moving object; an imaging device and a control device provided in the second moving object; It consists of: the position coordinate signal receiving device is capable of communicating with a satellite, and receives a signal indicating the position coordinates of the first moving object from the satellite; The control device of the first moving body creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the first moving body and other patterns, the display device displays the pattern created by the control device; the imaging device captures an image of the pattern displayed by the display device; A communication system characterized in that the control device of the second moving body decodes the pattern imaged by the imaging device and controls the position of the second moving body in accordance with instructions in the decoded pattern.

2. The control device of the second moving body creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the second moving body and other patterns, The second moving body is provided with a display device that displays the pattern, the first moving body includes an imaging device that captures the pattern displayed by the display device of the second moving body, 2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the control device of the first moving body decodes the pattern captured by the imaging device of the first moving body.

3. The control device of the second moving body creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the second moving body and other patterns, The second moving body is provided with a display device that displays the pattern, a second moving body captures an image of the pattern displayed by the display device of the second moving body using the imaging device; 2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the control device of the other second mobile object decodes the pattern captured by the imaging device.

4. The first moving body is provided with six of the display devices, The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the six display devices are installed on the front and rear, left and right, and top and bottom in the moving direction of the first moving body.

5. 2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the display device is rotatable or pivotable about an axis that attaches the display device to the first movable body.

6. 2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the display device is movable on the body of the first moving object along a predetermined path.

7. The communication system described in claim 1, characterized in that the second moving body is equipped with six of the imaging devices, and the six imaging devices are installed respectively in the front / back, left / right, and top / bottom in the direction of movement of the second moving body.

8. 2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is pivotable about an axis that attaches the imaging device to the second vehicle.

9. 2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is movable on a body of the second moving body along a predetermined path.

10. the control device of the second moving body, when the imaging device captures an image of the pattern emitted from the display device of the first moving body, transmits a confirmation pattern indicating that the pattern has been received from the display device of the second moving body to the first moving body; The communication system according to claim 2 , wherein the imaging device of the first moving object images the confirmation pattern.

11. The communication system described in claim 10, characterized in that when the control device of the first mobile body does not receive the confirmation pattern from the second mobile body within a predetermined time after transmitting the pattern from the display device of the first mobile body, the control device increases the amount of light of the pattern emitted from the display device of the first mobile body.

12. The display device is rotatable or pivotable about an axis that attaches the display device to the first moving body; The communication system of claim 10, characterized in that the control device of the first mobile body rotates or pivots the display device of the first mobile body when the confirmation pattern is not received from the second mobile body within a predetermined time after transmitting a pattern from the display device of the first mobile body.

13. the display device is movable on the body of the first moving object along a predetermined path; The communication system described in claim 10, characterized in that the control device of the first mobile body moves the display device of the first mobile body when the confirmation pattern is not received from the second mobile body within a predetermined time after transmitting a pattern from the display device of the first mobile body.

14. The communication system described in claim 10, characterized in that when the control device of the first moving body receives the confirmation pattern from the second moving body within a predetermined time after transmitting the pattern from the display device of the first moving body, the control device of the first moving body reduces the amount of light of the pattern emitted from the display device of the first moving body.

15. The communication system described in claim 10, characterized in that the control device of the first mobile body adjusts the transmission interval of the pattern depending on whether or not the confirmation pattern is received from the second mobile body after transmitting a pattern from the display device of the first mobile body.

16. The communication object further includes a third moving body or a stationary body on land or water, The third moving body or the stationary body, an imaging device that captures the pattern displayed by the display device of the first moving body; a control device that decodes the pattern captured by the imaging device; 2. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising:

17. The control device of the third moving body or the stationary body creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the third moving body or the stationary body or other patterns, The third moving body or the stationary body is provided with a display device that displays the pattern, the first moving body includes an imaging device that captures the pattern displayed by the display device of the third moving body or the stationary body; The communication system described in claim 16, characterized in that the control device of the first mobile body and the control device of the second mobile body decode the pattern imaged by the imaging device of the first mobile body and the second mobile body.

18. The communication system according to claim 16, characterized in that the third moving body is a land moving body or a water moving body.

19. 19. The communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the first moving body and the second moving body are both flying bodies.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the air vehicle is a drone or other unmanned aerial vehicle.

21. A method for communication between a plurality of mobile bodies including at least one first mobile body and at least one second mobile body, comprising: the first moving body receiving a signal from a satellite indicating a position coordinate of the first moving body; a step of the first moving body generating a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the first moving body and other patterns; the first moving body displays the pattern to the outside; a step of imaging the pattern; and the second moving body decodes the pattern and controls the position of the second moving body according to the instructions of the decoded pattern; A communication method comprising:

22. a step of the second moving body generating a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the second moving body and other patterns; the second moving body displays the pattern to the outside; a step of imaging the pattern; and the first mobile unit decoding the pattern; 22. The method of claim 21, comprising:

23. a step of the second moving body generating a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the second moving body and other patterns; the second moving body displays the pattern to the outside; a step of another second moving body capturing an image of the pattern displayed by the second moving body; a step of decoding the pattern captured by the other second moving body and controlling the position of the other second moving body according to an instruction of the decoded pattern; 22. The method of claim 21, comprising:

24. A drone capable of communicating with other drones, A position coordinate signal receiving device that receives a signal indicating the position coordinates of the drone from a satellite; A control device that creates a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the drone and other patterns; A display device that displays the pattern created by the control device to the other drones; A drone equipped with

25. The other drone is equipped with a display device that displays a pattern indicating the position coordinates of the other drone, An imaging device is provided to capture the pattern displayed by the display device of the other drone, The drone of claim 24, wherein the control device decodes the pattern captured by the imaging device.

26. A drone capable of communicating with other drones, An imaging device that captures a pattern displayed by the other drone, the pattern indicating the position coordinates of the other drone; A control device that decodes the pattern captured by the imaging device and controls the position of the drone according to instructions of the decoded pattern; A drone equipped with

27. The control device creates a pattern showing the position coordinates of the drone and other patterns, The drone of claim 26, wherein the drone is equipped with a display device that displays the pattern.

Images