UAV Flight Path Planning for Continuous Cellular Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current technologies lack a fast handover solution for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in cellular networks, which hinders the provision of continuous network services and affects the mobility of UAVs.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for determining a flight path of UAVs that adjusts the initial flight path by identifying non-coverage areas and acquiring a second group of accessible base stations capable of providing continuous cellular network services, ensuring satisfactory network services are maintained.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the initial flight path is configured without considering base station coverage and load, then the flight path planning is simple and fast, but the cellular network cannot provide continuous services to the UAV

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous network service provisionVSAvoidflight path determination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary determination of the first group of accessible base stations and evaluates their coverage areas and load information before finalizing the flight path. This advance preparation ensures that the flight path can be adjusted to maintain continuous network service without adding significant complexity during actual flight operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The flight path is made dynamic by introducing a second group of accessible base stations that can provide continuous cellular network services. The system dynamically adjusts the flight path based on real-time base station coverage and load conditions, allowing the UAV to switch between different base stations to maintain uninterrupted service.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the flight path is adjusted to ensure continuous network coverage, then network service reliability improves, but the handover speed and mobility performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork service continuityVSAvoidhandover speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines the first and second groups of accessible base stations in advance before handover is needed. By pre-evaluating base station coverage areas and load information, the system prepares potential handover targets ahead of time, enabling faster execution when handover becomes necessary without compromising service continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors base station load information and coverage conditions, using this feedback to optimize handover decisions. By incorporating real-time feedback on base station status, the system can make informed handover choices that maintain network service reliability while minimizing handover time and improving mobility performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If base station load information is considered in flight path determination, then network service quality improves, but the information acquisition and processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork service qualityVSAvoidinformation acquisition time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system acquires base station load information and coverage area data in advance during the flight path planning phase. By gathering this information before finalizing the flight path, the system eliminates the need for real-time data collection during flight, thus maintaining high network service quality without incurring additional time delays during critical flight operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3731056B1Method and device for determining flight path of unmanned aerial vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.09.21 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3731056B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3731056B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3731056B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

This disclosure relates to a method and a device for determining a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method for determining the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle includes: acquiring an initial flight path configured by an unmanned aerial vehicle management platform for the unmanned aerial vehicle; determining based on the initial flight path, a first group of accessible base stations of the unmanned aerial vehicle on the initial flight path, the first group of accessible base stations are base stations capable to be accessed when the unmanned aerial vehicle flies based on the initial flight path; if the first group of accessible base stations cannot provide continuous cellular network services for the unmanned aerial vehicle, acquiring a second group of accessible base stations capable of providing continuous cellular network services for the unmanned aerial vehicle; and determining the flight path corresponding to the second group of accessible base stations as a target flight path. According to the technical solution of the present disclosure, the initial flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle can be reasonably adjusted when it is determined that the core network device cannot provide satisfactory network services for the unmanned aerial vehicle flying according to the initial flight path, so as to enable the cellular network to provide satisfactory network services for the unmanned aerial vehicle.