US 12,330,722 B2
Synchronized multi-modal robot
Soon-Jo Chung, La Cañada, CA (US); Alireza Ramezani, Pasadena, CA (US); Elena Sorina Lupu, Pasadena, CA (US); Patrick Spieler, Pasadena, CA (US); and Kyunam Kim, Pasadena, CA (US)
Assigned to California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US)
Filed by California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/133,368.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/953,094, filed on Dec. 23, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0370733 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. B62D 57/04 (2006.01); B62D 57/032 (2006.01); B64U 10/70 (2023.01); B64U 60/50 (2023.01)
CPC B62D 57/04 (2013.01) [B62D 57/032 (2013.01); B64U 10/70 (2023.01); B64U 60/50 (2023.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-modal robot, comprising:
a body;
a plurality of control electronics disposed within the body portion, wherein the plurality of control electronics includes at least a leg controller and at least one flight controller;
a plurality of motor elements disposed within the body;
at least two leg elements each of the at least two leg elements connected to at least one of the plurality of motor elements and having a proximal portion and a distal portion where the proximal portion is move-ably coupled to the motor elements and disposed near a bottom portion of the body and wherein each of the two leg elements has a foot element disposed on the distal portion and having a top and a bottom surface wherein the foot element comprises a contact sensor disposed on the bottom surface, wherein the contact sensor is in communication with the at least one leg controller and the at least one flight controller;
a plurality of propellers disposed on a top portion of the body wherein each of the plurality of propellers are in communication with the at least one flight controller and the at least one leg controller and configured to generate a thrust force;
wherein the robot is configured to operate between at least a walking mode and at least a flight mode and wherein the control electronics operate to smoothly transition between the walking mode and the flight mode, wherein while in the walking mode the at least two leg elements are configured to support the weight of the robot and wherein each of the leg elements can move in a plurality of directions such that the movement of the legs enables the movement of the overall robot, and the plurality of propellers provide a sufficient amount of lift and orientation stabilization via the generated thrust force so as to provide stability of the robot during the walking mode;
wherein while in the flight mode the at least one flight controller is configured to operate the plurality of propellers such that the thrust force generated from the plurality of propellers generates sufficient lift to elevate the robot above the ground and wherein at least one flight controller controls the plurality of propellers to move the robot in any number of directions; and
wherein the contact sensor has an active position and an inactive position, wherein the active position communicates a signal to the leg controller and the at least one flight controller thus indicating the need to perform in the walking mode and wherein when the contact sensor is in the inactive position for an elongated period of time a signal is communicated to the at least one flight controller thus indicating the need to perform in the flight mode.