3D Touch UAV Target Selection With Orientation-Matched Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing UAV control systems lack intuitive and reliable methods for remote controlling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to interact with complex physical environments, leading to challenges in selecting targets or waypoints and navigating without collisions.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented UAV control method that utilizes a touch-sensitive display to overlay a moveable target indicating symbol in a 3D-view of the UAV's environment, dynamically changing its appearance to match the orientation of the underlying face, providing real-time feedback for target selection and navigation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional 2D control interface is used for UAV navigation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in intuitively selecting targets in 3D environment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintuitiveness of target selectionVSAvoidcomplexity of control interface
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dimensionality change by displaying a 3D representation of the physical environment on a 2D touch-sensitive display. The 3D-view allows users to interact with spatial data as if it were three-dimensional, enabling intuitive target selection by directly touching locations on the displayed 3D environment rather than using complex coordinate inputs or manual navigation controls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a visual copy of the physical environment in 3D format that can be manipulated through touch inputs. This copied representation includes spatial relationships and terrain features that mirror the real world, allowing users to select targets by touching the displayed 3D scene rather than interpreting abstract control commands.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If repeated touch inputs are required for accurate target selection, then the reliability of target selection improves, but the loss of time increases due to multiple adjustment attempts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of target selectionVSAvoidtime for target selection
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by displaying a target indicator symbol that moves in real-time as the user drags their finger across the touch-sensitive display. The system continuously updates the position of the target indicator based on the user's touch movements, providing immediate visual feedback about which target will be selected. This eliminates the need for repeated attempts by showing the exact selection outcome during the input process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by calculating and displaying the target selection result in advance, during the drag operation itself. Rather than waiting for the user to complete the input and then showing the result, the system continuously determines and displays the intended target position based on the current touch location, allowing users to see the outcome before finalizing the selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If a 3D-view is displayed on a 2D display plane, then the ease of operation improves through intuitive spatial representation, but the loss of information occurs due to potential distortion of depth perception

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintuitiveness of environment representationVSAvoiddepth information accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses dimensionality change techniques to represent 3D spatial data on a 2D display while preserving depth information through perspective projection. The 3D-view rendering engine transforms three-dimensional coordinates into two-dimensional screen coordinates while maintaining spatial relationships, allowing users to perceive depth and distance intuitively despite the flat display medium.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3926432B1Touch control of unmanned aerial vehicles
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 HEXAGON GEOSYSTEMS SERVICES AG
  • EP3926432B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3926432B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a computer implemented UAV control method comprising, in a target selection mode, the steps of displaying on a touch sensitive display a 3D-view of an environment of a UAV; Overlaying a moveable target indicating symbol to the 3D-view of the environment, wherein the target indicating symbol is moveable in the 3D-view by a touch input; While moving the target indicating symbol, continuously determining a location of the target indicating symbol in the 3D-view and dynamically changing the appearance of the target indicating symbol such that it creates the impression of being displayed in an orientation matching the orientation of a face over which the target indicating symbol is located wherein the orientation of the respective face is derived from stored 3D-data or from the 3D-view; And selecting a target based on the location of the target indicating symbol.