Using a Smartphone to Autonomously Control a Vehicle's Direction

This patent describes a system where a smartphone, rigidly mounted to a vehicle, uses its internal sensors to track the vehicle's orientation and then autonomously sends signals to control the vehicle's movement.

What it covers

The system connects a smartphone to a vehicle's control electronics. A special mount holds the smartphone firmly to the vehicle (Claim 1), ensuring that any movement the vehicle experiences is also felt by the phone. This setup allows the smartphone's internal sensors, like its accelerometer and gyroscope (Claim 17), to continuously track the vehicle's orientation in three-dimensional space. The smartphone then autonomously calculates control signals based on how the vehicle's orientation changes from a starting point (Claim 1). These signals are sent to the vehicle's directional devices, such as flight surfaces or throttles on an airframe (Claim 9), through electromechanical control devices, allowing the phone to steer the vehicle. For example, a drone could use a smartphone mounted this way to automatically maintain a level flight path.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover systems where a smartphone is used only as a remote control or display, without autonomously tracking and controlling the vehicle's orientation.
• —Does not cover systems where the smartphone is not rigidly secured to the vehicle, preventing its internal sensors from accurately reflecting vehicle motion.
• —Does not cover vehicles where the smartphone's internal reference frame is not substantially aligned with the vehicle's own reference frame.
• —Does not cover control systems that rely on external sensors or dedicated vehicle flight controllers for primary orientation tracking, rather than the smartphone's internal sensors.
• —Does not cover systems where the smartphone does not autonomously generate control signals based on continuous orientation tracking.

The clever bit

The real innovation is using an off-the-shelf smartphone's built-in sensors (like accelerometers and gyroscopes) and processing power to autonomously track and control a vehicle's precise 3D orientation, rather than relying on dedicated, often more expensive, custom control units.

Why it matters

This patent explores how common smartphone technology, with its powerful processors and built-in sensors, can be repurposed for complex tasks like vehicle control. By using a smartphone as the "brain" for navigation, it could potentially reduce the cost and complexity of creating autonomous vehicles, especially for smaller or hobbyist applications. This approach leverages widely available hardware for sophisticated real-time 3D orientation control.

Real-world examples

• 1.Hobbyist drones using smartphone-based flight controllers
• 2.Autonomous model airplanes
• 3.Robotics platforms integrating smartphones for navigation
• 4.DIY autonomous ground vehicles