EP-4741972-A1 - METHOD, DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING A MOBILITY DEVICE

EP4741972A1EP 4741972 A1EP4741972 A1EP 4741972A1EP-4741972-A1

Abstract

A method for remotely controlling a mobility device includes, from a first remote pilot station having control of a mobility device via a communication link with the mobility device, receiving, by a second remote pilot station, a lost link signal indicating a failure in the communication link, of the first remote pilot station, with the mobility device. The second remote pilot station is one of at least one neighboring remote pilot station, of the first remote pilot station, that has received the lost link signal. The method further includes: transmitting, by the second remote pilot station, a broadcast signal; receiving, by the second remote pilot station from the mobility device, a response signal requesting transfer of control of the mobility device; and remotely controlling, by the second remote pilot station and based on the response signal, one or more operations of the mobility device.

Inventors

LIM, JUN YOUNG

Assignees

Hyundai Motor Company
Kia Corporation

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20250825

Claims (15)

A method comprising: from a first remote pilot station having control of a mobility device via a communication link with the mobility device, receiving, by a second remote pilot station, a lost link signal indicating a failure in the communication link, of the first remote pilot station, with the mobility device, wherein the second remote pilot station is one of at least one neighboring remote pilot station, of the first remote pilot station, that has received the lost link signal; transmitting, by the second remote pilot station, a broadcast signal; receiving, by the second remote pilot station from the mobility device, a response signal requesting transfer of control of the mobility device; and remotely controlling, by the second remote pilot station and based on the response signal, one or more operations of the mobility device.
The method of claim 1, wherein the failure in the communication link comprises: at least a threshold time amount elapsing after receiving, from the mobility device, flight information, wherein the flight information comprises at least one of: a flight plan for the mobility device, a flight status of the mobility device, a last position of the mobility device, a heading of the mobility device, or a speed of the mobility device.
The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the receiving of the lost link signal comprises: receiving, by the second remote pilot station from the first remote pilot station, flight information that was most recently sent, before the failure, to the first remote pilot station from the mobility device.
The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting of the broadcast signal comprises: determining, by the second remote pilot station and based on the flight information, a predicted flight route of the mobility device; and transmitting, by the second remote pilot station, the predicted flight route to at least one other remote pilot station of the at least one neighboring remote pilot station of the first remote pilot station.
The method of anyone of claims 1-4, wherein the transmitting of the broadcast signal comprises: receiving, by the second remote pilot station from a plurality of remote pilot stations of the at least one neighboring remote pilot station of the first remote pilot station, a plurality of predicted flight routes of the mobility device; comparing, by the second remote pilot station, the plurality of predicted flight routes; and based on the plurality of predicted flight routes differing by more than a threshold amount, determining, by the second remote pilot station, a second predicted flight route based on a most commonly searched predicted point, which is selected from the plurality of predicted flight routes searched at a predetermined time interval.
The method of claim 5, wherein the broadcast signal comprises an address information associated with the second remote pilot station, wherein the response signal comprises an acknowledgement response signal, and wherein the method further comprises: transmitting, by the second remote pilot station and based on receiving the acknowledgement response signal, a mobility device detect signal to the plurality of remote pilot stations, wherein the mobility device detect signal is configured to cause the plurality of remote pilot stations to suspend predicting of one or more flight routes of the mobility device.
The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the remotely controlling of the one or more operations of the mobility device comprises: remotely controlling, by the second remote pilot station, the one or more operations of the mobility device further based on the second predicted flight route.
The method of anyone of claims 1-7, wherein the receiving the response signal comprises: taking over, by the second remote pilot station and based on the response signal, control of the mobility device from the first remote pilot station.
A remote pilot station comprising: a processor; and a memory storing at least one instruction that is configured, when executed by the processor communicating with the memory, to cause the remote pilot station to: detect a failure in a communication link between the remote pilot station and a mobility device; transmit, based on detecting the failure, a first lost link signal to at least one neighboring remote pilot station of the remote pilot station; transmit, based on receiving a second lost link signal, a broadcast signal; based on receiving, from the mobility device, a response signal requesting transfer of control of the mobility device, take over control of the mobility device; and remotely control, based on the response signal, one or more operations of the mobility device.
The remote pilot station of claim 9, wherein the at least one instruction is configured, when executed by the processor communicating with the memory, to cause the remote pilot station to detect the failure by: updating and storing flight information of the mobility device, wherein the flight information is received from the mobility device at predetermined time intervals, wherein the flight information comprises at least one of: a flight plan for the mobility device, a flight status of the mobility device, a last position of the mobility device, a heading of the mobility device, or a speed of the mobility device; and determining that at least a threshold time amount has elapsed since a last transmission of the flight information from the mobility device.
The remote pilot station of claim 10, wherein the at least one instruction is configured, when executed by the processor communicating with the memory, to further cause the remote pilot station to: determine, based on the flight information that was last received by the remote pilot station from the mobility device, a first predicted flight route; determine, based on the flight information and the first predicted flight route, an expected communication coverage area of the mobility device; and determine the at least one neighboring remote pilot station by selecting at least one remote pilot station that is located in the expected communication coverage area.
The remote pilot station of anyone of claims 9-11, wherein the at least one instruction is configured, when executed by the processor communicating with the memory, to further cause the remote pilot station to transmit the broadcast signal by: receiving, from another remote pilot station, flight information of the mobility device; determining, based on the flight information, a predicted flight route of the mobility device; and transmitting the predicted flight route to one or more other remote pilot stations.
The remote pilot station of anyone of claims 9-12, wherein the at least one instruction is configured, when executed by the processor communicating with the memory, to cause the remote pilot station to transmit the broadcast signal by: receiving, from a plurality of remote pilot stations, a plurality of predicted flight routes of the mobility device; comparing the plurality of predicted flight routes; and based on the plurality of predicted flight routes differing by more than a threshold value, determining a second predicted flight route based on a most commonly searched predicted point, which is selected from the plurality of predicted flight routes searched at a predetermined time interval.
The remote pilot station of claim 13, wherein the at least one instruction is configured, when executed by the processor communicating with the memory, to cause the remote pilot station to: remotely control the one or more operations of the mobility device further based on the second predicted flight route; and transmit, after transmitting the broadcast signal and based on receiving an acknowledge response from the mobility device, a mobility device detect signal.
A system, comprising: a first remote pilot station having at least one neighboring remote pilot station; a second remote pilot station located at a predetermined distance away from the first remote pilot station, wherein the second remote pilot station is one of the at least one neighboring remote pilot station of the first remote pilot station; and a mobility device configured to fly under control of the first remote pilot station, wherein the first remote pilot station is configured to: detect a failure in a communication link between the first remote pilot station and the mobility device; and transmit, based on detecting the failure, a lost link signal to the at least one neighboring remote pilot station, wherein the second remote pilot station is configured to: transmit, based on receiving the lost link signal, a broadcast signal, and wherein the mobility device is further configured to: send, to the second remote pilot station and based on receiving the broadcast signal, a response signal requesting transfer control of the mobility device; and fly, based on sending the response signal to the second remote pilot station, under control of the second remote pilot station.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0158451, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on November 8, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a method, a device, and a system for remotely controlling a mobility device. BACKGROUND With the advancement of technologies related to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, mobility devices are being utilized in various fields, including cargo transportation, crop protection, fire suppression, crime control, land surveying, port management, underwater drones, and so forth. A mobility device may refer to a system that includes aircraft that flies automatically or semi-automatically along a pre-programmed path from the ground without a human pilot on board, payload equipment, ground control equipment, communications equipment, support equipment, and/or personnel. Along the flight routes of mobility devices, remote control devices, such as a ground control system (GCS), ground radio station, or unmanned aircraft (UA), may be installed for remotely controlling the mobility devices. Each remote control device may support communication within a certain range. However, due to the characteristics of mobility device operation systems, a mobility device may fail to establish or maintain a communication link with the remote control device if the mobility device moves out of the communication coverage area or encounters issues with the aircraft's status or communication systems. A mobility device that is disconnected from the remote control station may face high-risk situations. SUMMARY The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art while advantages achieved by the prior art are maintained intact. An aspect of the present disclosure provides a method, a device, and a system for remotely controlling a mobility device, which maintain a communication link between a mobility device and a remote pilot station by transferring control of the mobility device to a neighboring remote pilot station if the communication link between the mobility device under the control of a remote pilot station and the remote pilot station has failed or is unstable. The technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned problems, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood from the following description by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include: from a first remote pilot station having control of a mobility device via a communication link with the mobility device, receiving, by a second remote pilot station, a lost link signal indicating a failure in the communication link, of the first remote pilot station, with the mobility device. The second remote pilot station may be one of at least one neighboring remote pilot station, of the first remote pilot station, that has received the lost link signal. The method may further include: transmitting, by the second remote pilot station, a broadcast signal; receiving, by the second remote pilot station from the mobility device, a response signal requesting transfer of control of the mobility device; and remotely controlling, by the second remote pilot station and based on the response signal, one or more operations of the mobility device. The failure in the communication link may include: at least a threshold time amount elapsing after receiving, from the mobility device, flight information. The flight information may include at least one of: a flight plan for the mobility device, a flight status of the mobility device, a last position of the mobility device, a heading of the mobility device, or a speed of the mobility device. Receiving the lost link signal may include: receiving, by the second remote pilot station from the first remote pilot station, flight information that was most recently sent, before the failure, to the first remote pilot station from the mobility device. Transmitting the broadcast signal may include: determining, by the second remote pilot station and based on the flight information, a predicted flight route of the mobility device; and transmitting, by the second remote pilot station, the predicted flight route to at least one other remote pilot station of the at least one neighboring remote pilot station of the first remote pilot station. Transmitting the broadcast signal may include: receiving, by the second remote pilot station from a plurality of remote pilot stations of the at least one neighboring remote pilot station of the first remote pilot station, a plurality of predicted flight routes of the mobility device; comparing, by the second remote pilot station, the plurality of predicted flight routes; and, based on the