UAV Gesture Recognition Control for Reliable Taxiing Commands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) rely on ground control stations for communication and command inputs, which can be unreliable due to environmental interference and lack direct interaction with humans outside the control system, limiting their operational efficiency during taxiing operations.
Innovation Solution
Equipping UAVs with forward-facing optical sensors and processor circuits to detect and interpret human gestures, authorize commands based on uniform elements or signals, and execute vehicle commands independently of the ground control station, enhancing direct human-UAV interaction and operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UAVs rely on ground control stations for communication and command inputs, then centralized control can be maintained, but communication reliability deteriorates due to environmental interference and signal degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the command input function from the ground control station and relocates it to the UAV itself through onboard optical sensors and gesture recognition systems. This allows the UAV to independently receive and interpret human gestures directly, eliminating the need for continuous communication links to the ground control station and thereby improving communication reliability while reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The UAV is equipped with onboard optical sensors and gesture recognition capabilities that enable it to autonomously detect and interpret human gestures without requiring external ground control station intervention. This self-service capability allows the UAV to independently process command inputs, reducing dependency on vulnerable communication channels and improving operational reliability.
2Productivity
If ground control stations are used for all command inputs, then centralized monitoring is maintained, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to lack of direct human-UAV interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical sensors and gesture recognition algorithms as intermediaries between humans and the UAV control system. These intermediaries enable direct human-UAV interaction by translating human gestures into command signals, eliminating the need for ground control station mediation and thereby improving operational efficiency while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical communication system (radio links between ground control station and UAV) with an optical system that directly detects human gestures. This substitution enables more efficient and direct human-UAV interaction, improving operational efficiency while maintaining user-friendly control.
3Ease of operation
If forward-facing optical sensors are added to detect human gestures, then direct human-UAV interaction improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the optical sensor system to perform multiple functions: detecting human gestures for command input, monitoring the environment, and providing situational awareness. By making the sensor system multi-functional, the patent improves direct human-UAV interaction without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same hardware serves multiple purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the gesture detection function with the UAV's existing optical sensor suite, merging multiple functions into a single integrated system. This approach allows direct human-UAV interaction to improve while minimizing the increase in device complexity by reusing existing hardware components for multiple purposes.
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 solution allows UAVs to operate more reliably and efficiently by enabling direct interaction with humans, reducing reliance on ground control stations and overcoming communication limitations, thereby improving situational awareness and reducing the need for towing vehicles during taxiing.
Implementation Method 1
detecting, by an optical sensor, a movement of at least one object in a field of view of the optical sensor
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
A method of controlling a vehicle includes detecting, by an optical sensor, a movement of at least one object in a field of view of the optical sensor. The method further includes identifying, by a processor circuit, a pattern based on the movement of the at least one object. The method further includes determining, by the processor circuit based on the pattern, a vehicle command to be performed by the vehicle.