Directional Antenna Blind-Zone Tracking for Continuous UAV Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional blind area tracking methods for directional antennas in motion tracking systems fail to maintain continuous communication and tracking of unmanned aerial vehicles when they enter and exit tracking blind areas, leading to potential loss of the tracking target.

Innovation Solution

A blind area tracking method and apparatus that switches to a preset guidance mode when the unmanned aerial vehicle enters a blind area, adjusting the directional antenna's azimuth and pitch to ensure continuous tracking and communication by calculating critical times and velocities to maintain alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a one-time guidance policy is adopted to directly drive the azimuth of the tracking platform to rotate to the other end of the blind area, then the directional antenna can quickly move out of the blind area, but the tracking target may be lost within the tracking blind area and continuous tracking cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speed of directional antennaVSAvoidtracking continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by predicting the future position of the tracking target within the blind area using its velocity and acceleration information. The guidance command is calculated in advance to ensure the directional antenna will be positioned correctly when the target emerges from the blind area, preventing target loss and maintaining continuous tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the actual position of the tracking target and comparing it with the predicted position. The guidance commands are adjusted in real-time based on this feedback to compensate for any deviations in target motion, ensuring the directional antenna maintains accurate tracking throughout the blind area transition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If the tracking target is allowed to move freely within the blind area, then the system can handle dynamic scenarios, but the existing guidance manner requires the moving state of the tracking target to remain unchanged which limits adaptability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling of dynamic target motionVSAvoidguidance control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by incorporating the velocity and acceleration of the tracking target into the guidance calculation. The system dynamically adjusts the guidance command based on the target's motion state, allowing it to handle various dynamic scenarios while maintaining automated control without requiring manual intervention or simplifying assumptions about target motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If conventional blind area tracking methods are used, then the system structure remains simple, but the tracking target is temporarily lost within the tracking blind area and continuous communication cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance system structureVSAvoidcommunication continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary prediction mechanism that calculates the future position of the tracking target within the blind area. This intermediary calculation layer bridges the gap between the simple existing guidance structure and the requirement for continuous tracking, enabling communication continuity without fundamentally restructuring the entire guidance system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3734760B1Blind zone tracking method for directional antenna, device therefor, and mobile tracking system
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 AUTEL ROBOTICS CO LTD
  • EP3734760B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3734760B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3734760B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a blind area tracking method and apparatus for a directional antenna and a motion tracking system. The method includes: acquiring a position and a velocity of a tracking target relative to the directional antenna; determining, according to the position and the velocity, whether the tracking target is located in a tracking blind area of the directional antenna; and driving, in a preset blind area guidance mode and when the tracking target is located in the tracking blind area, the directional antenna to rotate. The method may help switch to a corresponding blind area guidance mode when an unmanned aerial vehicle enters a tracking blind area, to implement all-the-way tracking of a tracking target without temporarily losing the tracking target within the tracking blind area. In this way, a better tracking effect is ensured.