Field of Invention
[001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a kite and particularly to a flying kite designed for conducting a surveillance of a landscape.
Description of Related Art
[002] There are various types of airborne surveillance devices, which have been designed to capture images of a landscape. Moreover, there are few surveillance devices that are designed to be unrecognized and made in different shapes such as a bird, kites, and so forth.
[003] Kite aerial photography is a type of photography in which a camera is lifted using a kite and is triggered either remotely or automatically to take aerial photographs. At present, the kites are made to be controlled using strings. Therefore, there is always a limitation of a distance for the surveillance in such kites. Further, there are chances of the strings to be broken while flying the kites due to reasons such as, environmental changes, a weight of the kite, and so forth. Once the strings broke, the kite becomes untraceable and all efforts made for the surveillance go in vain.
[004] There is thus a need for an improved and advanced flying kite that can administer the drawbacks faced by the conventional flying kites.
SUMMARY
[005] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a flying kite. The flying kite comprising: a frame designed to provide a rigid support to components of the flying kite. The flying kite further comprising: rotors to be rotated by motors in a pre-defined direction. The flying kite further comprising: flaps adapted to be opened and/or closed. The flying kite further comprising: a camera configured on a bottom of the frame, to capture images and/or videos of a landscape. The flying kite further comprising: a control unit positioned at a center of the frame, to actuate the motors to rotate the rotors.
[006] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention further provide a method for conducting a surveillance of a landscape by using a flying kite. The method comprising steps of: transmitting a signal from a control unit to actuate motors installed in the flying kite; enabling rotors to rotate by getting a mechanical energy from the motors; allowing flaps to be opened and/or closed using a motorized belt arrangement; enabling a frame of the flying kite to take off from stands for flying, and capturing images and/or videos of the landscape after the take off for conducting the surveillance using a camera.
[007] Embodiments of the present invention may provide a number of advantages depending on its particular configuration.
[008] First, embodiments of the present application provide a flying kite for conducting a surveillance of a landscape.
[009] Next, embodiments of the present application provide a flying kite which is capable of taking a flight without a need of strings.
[0010] Next, embodiments of the present application provide a flying kite which is configured for exhibiting high-performance characteristics in terms of a maneuverability, a speed, and a responsiveness.
[0011] Next, embodiments of the present application provide a flying kite which is configured to fly with a motor and a rechargeable battery.
[0012] Next, embodiments of the present application provide a flying kite which is a high-end gadget provided with a joystick and a display screen.
[0013] These and other advantages will be apparent from the present application of the embodiments described herein.
[0014] The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present invention and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the present invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The above and still further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a rear view of the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a closed position of flaps of the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates an opened position of the flaps of the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 5 illustrates a left side view of the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates a right-side view of the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0025] FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart of a method for conducting a surveillance of a landscape by using the flying kite, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures. Optional portions of the figures may be illustrated using dashed or dotted lines, unless the context of usage indicates otherwise.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
[0028] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.
[0029] As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.
[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flying kite 100 may be a high-end gadget that may be designed to conduct a surveillance of a landscape. The flying kite 100 may comprise a frame 102 that may be designed to provide a rigid support to components of the flying kite 100. The components may be, rotors 104a-104c (hereinafter referred to as the rotors 104), motors 106a-106c (hereinafter referred as to the motors 106), flaps 108a-108n (hereinafter referred to as the flaps 108), a camera 110, stands 112a-112b (hereinafter referred to as the stands 112), a power supply unit 114, and a control unit 116.
[0031] As depicted in the FIG.1, the frame 102 may be in a shape of a parallelogram that may have two pairs of equal-length sides, opposite to each other instead of being adjacent, in an embodiment of the present invention. In another embodiment of the present invention, the frame 102 may be in a quadrilateral shape with four sides that may be grouped into two adjacent pairs of the equal-length sides.
[0032] The frame 102 may be made up of a material such as, but not limited to, a metal, a fiber, an engineering plastic, a paper board, and alike. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material of the frame 102 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates a rear view of the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, a first rotor 104a of the rotors 104 may be located on a top of the frame 102. Further, the second rotor 104b of the rotors 104 and the third rotor 104c of the rotors 104 may be located on corresponding wingtips of the frame 102. The rotors 104 may be rotated in a pre-defined direction, in an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the flying kite 100 may comprise the motors 106 that may be configured with the rotors 104 to rotate the rotors 104 in the pre-defined direction based on a signal received from the control unit 116 (as shown in the FIG. 1).
[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, the motors 106 may be, but not limited to, Direct Current (DC) motors, Alternate Current (AC) motors, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motors 106 may be brushed DC motors. In another embodiment of the present invention, the motors 106 may be brushless DC motors. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the motors 106 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a closed position of the flaps 108 of the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the flaps 108 may be arranged horizontally on the frame 102 to be closed with a wind. In an embodiment of the present invention, the flying kite 100 may comprise a motorized belt arrangement 302 that may close the flaps 108, in an embodiment of the present invention. The motorized belt arrangement 302 may comprise a flap motor (not shown) that may be operated to open or close the flaps 108 at a time. This may give flexibility to the flying kite 100 to move with wind when the flaps 108 may be in the closed position, in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 4 illustrates an opened position of the flaps 108 of the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flaps 108 may be arranged horizontally on the frame 102 to be opened with the wind, in an embodiment of the present invention. The motorized belt arrangement 302 that may be operated with the flap motor, may be installed to open the flaps 108, in an embodiment of the present invention. This may give flexibility to the flying kite 100 to hover at one place when the flaps 108 may be in the opened position.
[0037] FIG. 5 illustrates a left side view of the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The stands 112 may be attachable on a bottom of the frame 102, for enabling an easy landing and a takeoff of the frame 102 of the flying kite 100. As depicted in the FIG. 5, the frame 102 may be easily separable from the stands 112 to take a flight. In an embodiment of the present invention, once the surveillance is concluded, the frame 102 may land back on the stands 112 and may remain in an inactive state till a next command is received from a user. The stands 112 may be made up of a material such as, but limited to, a metal, a fiber, an engineering plastic, a paper board, and alike. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the stands 112 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0038] FIG. 6 illustrates a right-side view of the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The power supply unit 114 may be attached at the bottom of the frame 102, to supply a power to the components of the frame 102. In an embodiment of the present invention, the power supply unit 114 may comprise a balanced position of rechargeable batteries such as, but not limited to, nickel cadmium batteries, lead acid batteries, and so forth for supplying the power to the components such as, motors 106 of the frame 102. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the power supply unit 114 may comprise lithium-ion batteries. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the rechargeable batteries including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0039] FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The camera 110 may be configured on the bottom of the frame 102 for conducting the surveillance of the landscape. In an embodiment of the present invention, the camera 110 may be provided to capture images and/or videos of the landscape. In an embodiment of the present invention, upon capturing the images and/or videos of the landscape, the flying kite 100 may mitigate forthcoming menaces. In an embodiment of the present invention, the camera 110 may be activated manually by the user. In another embodiment of the present invention, the camera 110 may be activated remotely by the user by sending a command to the control unit 116 (as shown in the FIG. 1). In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the camera 110 may be capable to capture the images and/ or videos in 360 degrees.
[0040] In an embodiment of the present invention, the camera 110 may be a dome camera. In another embodiment of the present invention, the camera 110 may be a bullet camera, a C-mount camera, a day/night camera, a piezo-electric camera, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the camera 110 including known, related art, and/or later developed in technologies.
[0041] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the flying kite 100 may also be equipped with sensors (not shown) to identify the forthcoming menaces by detecting physical parameters, such as, but not limited to, a gas leak, a smoke, a faulty solar panel, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the physical parameters.
[0042] FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flying kite 100 may be adapted to take a flight for conducting the surveillance of the landscape. In an embodiment of the present invention, the flying kite 100 may be adapted for conducting the surveillance of properties, public events, sensitive industrial and/or domestic installations, oil and gas pipelines, railroads, power generation sites, loading/unloading terminals, warehouses, traffic areas, and so forth.
[0043] FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 116 may be positioned at a center of the frame 102, in an embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 116 may be configured to control an operability of the components of the flying kite 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 116 may be configured to receive an initiation command from the user, in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 116 may be configured to execute computer readable instructions stored in a non-transitory storage (not shown) upon receiving the initiation command from the user. The control unit 116 may be configured to execute the computer readable instructions to generate the signal to actuate the motors 106, which in turn enables a rotation of the rotors 104, in an embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 116 may be, but not limited to, a microcontroller, a development board, and so forth. In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 116 may be a conventional processor, a controller, or a state machine. The control unit 116 may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) core, or any other such configuration. In further embodiments of the present invention, the control unit 116 may be a microcontroller that may be attuned with breadboards and a microchip technology.
[0045] The flying kite 100 may comprise a display screen 902, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the display screen 902 may be configured to display messages and/or notifications. The display screen 902 may be, but not limited to, an Electroluminescent (ELD) display, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED), a backlit LCD, a Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) LCD, an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display, an Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode (AMOLED) display, a Plasma (PDP) display, and/or Quantum dot (QLED) display. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the display screen 902 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In an embodiment of the present invention, the flying kite 100 may comprise a joystick (not shown) for controlling an angle and/or a direction of the flying kite 100.
[0046] FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart of a method 1000 for conducting the surveillance of the landscape by using the flying kite 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0047] At step 1002, the flying kite 100 may transmit the signal from the control unit 116 to actuate the motors 106.
[0048] At step 1004, the flying kite 100 may enable the rotors 104 to rotate by receiving a mechanical energy from the motors 106.
[0049] At step 1006, the flying kite 100 may allow the flaps 108 to be opened and/or closed using the motorized belt arrangement 302.
[0050] At step 1008, the flying kite 100 may allow the frame 102 to take off from the stands 112 for flying.
[0051] At step 1010, the flying kite 100 may capture the images and/or videos of the landscape using the camera 110 for conducting the surveillance of the landscape.
[0052] Embodiments of the invention are described above with reference to schematic illustrations of methods and systems according to embodiments of the invention. While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
[0053] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined in the claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements within substantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

CLAIMS

I/We Claim:
1. A flying kite (100) comprising:
a frame (102) designed to provide a rigid support to components of the flying kite (100);
rotors (104a-104c) to be rotated by motors (106a-106c) in a pre-defined direction;
flaps (108a-108n) adapted to be opened and/or closed;
a camera (110) configured on a bottom of the frame (102), to capture images and/or videos of a landscape; and
a control unit (116) positioned at a center of the frame (102), to actuate the motors (106a-106c) for enabling a rotation of the rotors (104a-104c) of the flying kite (100).
2. The flying kite (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising stands (112a-112b) attachable on the bottom of the frame (102), for enabling an easy landing of the flying kite (100).
3. The flying kite (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit (114) configured to provide an operating power to the motors (106a-106c).
4. The flying kite (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the power supply unit (114) comprises rechargeable batteries.
5. The flying kite (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flaps (108a-108n) are adapted to be opened and/or closed by using a motorized belt arrangement (302).
6. The flying kite (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display screen (902) attached to the frame (102) of the flying kite (100), to display messages and/or notifications.
7. The flying kite (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motors (106a-106c) are Direct Current (DC) motors.
8. The flying kite (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flaps (108a-108n) are arranged horizontally on the frame (102).
9. The flying kite (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera (110) is capable to capture the images and/or the videos in 360 degrees.
10. A method (1000) for conducting a surveillance of a landscape by using a flying kite (100), wherein the method (1000) comprising steps of:
transmitting a signal from a control unit (116) to actuate motors (106a-106c);
enabling rotors (104a-104c) to rotate by getting a mechanical energy from the motors (106a-106c);
enabling flaps (108a-108n) to be opened and/or closed using a motorized belt arrangement (302);
enabling a frame (102) of the flying kite (100) to take off from stands (112a-112b) for flying; and
capturing images and/or videos of the landscape for conducting the surveillance using a camera (110).