UAV TOF Ranging with Dual-Frequency Phase Distance Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles using Time of Flight (TOF) technology face instability and outlier issues when measuring distances at high frame rates, leading to inaccurate ranging and potential flight risks due to data fluctuations and interference from out-of-range signals.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using multiple modulation frequencies to measure to-ground distances, combining integer and decimal portions from different frequency measurements to generate a final accurate distance, thereby avoiding outlier interference and improving data stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If enhanced filtering processing is applied to TOF data, then data stability is improved, but ranging delay increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the TOF measurement process into multiple frequency measurements (first frequency and second frequency) and processes integer and decimal portions separately. This segmentation allows the system to achieve stable ranging results without requiring excessive filtering iterations, thereby reducing ranging delay while maintaining data stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary classification of measurement results into integer portions and decimal portions before final combination. This preliminary action enables the system to quickly identify valid ranging data and eliminate outliers without requiring multiple filtering iterations, thus reducing delay while ensuring stability.
2Productivity
If fixed frequency TOF measurement is used, then measurement speed is maintained, but outlier errors occur at critical range positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the measurement parameter by using multiple frequencies (first frequency and second frequency) instead of a fixed frequency. This allows the system to maintain high measurement speed while avoiding outlier errors at critical range positions, as different frequencies have different sensitivity characteristics at various distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs measurements at multiple frequencies and then selectively combines only the valid portions (integer and decimal parts) to achieve accurate results. This partial action approach maintains measurement speed by not requiring full re-measurement, while improving precision by eliminating outlier data.
3Measurement precision
If multiple frequency measurements and integer/decimal portion combination are implemented, then ranging accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex multi-frequency measurement process into manageable parts: measuring at first frequency, measuring at second frequency, separating integer portions, separating decimal portions, and combining results. This segmentation reduces system complexity by making each step independent and straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary separation of integer and decimal portions from each frequency measurement before combination. This preliminary action simplifies the final combination step and reduces the overall computational complexity of the system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for quick and accurate measurement of to-ground data, enhancing the stability and precision of altitude data for unmanned aerial vehicles, reducing the risk of flight instability and ensuring reliable distance information.
Implementation Method 1
A sensor transmits a modulated near infrared light or laser that is reflected after arriving at an object, so that a time difference or a phase difference between light transmission and light reflection is calculated to convert a distance
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations of the present invention disclose an unmanned aerial vehicle ranging method, apparatus and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method includes: controlling, by the unmanned aerial vehicle, to transmit, to a ground, a first modulated light whose frequency is a first modulation frequency, acquiring a first phase deviation between a received first modulated light and the transmitted first modulated light, and calculating a first to-ground distance of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the first phase deviation and the first modulation frequency; controlling to transmit, to the ground, a second modulated light whose frequency is a second modulation frequency, acquiring a second phase deviation between a received second modulated light and the transmitted second modulated light and a second modulated frequency, and calculating a second to-ground distance of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the second phase deviation; and calculating a final to-ground distance of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the first to-ground distance and the second to-ground distance.