Adaptive communication mode switching

Abstract

Calculations are performed, based on a switching criterion, to select at least one of a direct communication link or an indirect communication link to transmit data between a movable object and a remote terminal. The data is transmitted using the at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link selected based on the calculations. During at least a portion of a duration for the transmission of the data using the at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link, backup data is transmitted using a backup communication link to ensure connectivity between the movable object and the remote terminal in event of interruption in the selected at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link occurs. The backup data including at least a portion of the data transmitted between the movable object and the remote terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A data transmission method between a movable object and a remote terminal, the method comprising:
 performing calculations, based on a switching criterion, to select at least one of a direct communication link or an indirect communication link to transmit data between the movable object and the remote terminal, wherein:
 the direct communication link is based on a direct connection, without an intermediate network node, between the movable object and the remote terminal, 
 the indirect communication link is based on an indirect connection with one or more intermediate network nodes arranged in a communication path between the movable object and the remote terminal, and 
 the direct communication link and the indirect communication link are simultaneously available; 
   transmitting the data using the at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link selected based on the calculations; and   during at least a portion of a duration for the transmission of the data using the selected at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link, transmitting backup data using a back communication link to ensure connectivity between the movable object and the remote terminal in event of interruption in the selected at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link occurs, the backup data including at least a portion of the data transmitted between the movable object and the remote terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the data is first data;   the method further comprising, in response to second data to be transmitted from the movable object to the remote terminal being image data:
 selecting a communication link, between two available communication links between the movable object and the remote terminal, based on a transmission criterion for the image data, the selected communication link having a maximum communication distance smaller than a maximum communication distance of another one of the two available communication links; and 
 transmitting, via the selected communication link, the image data. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the movable object includes a plurality of communication modules;   the remote terminal includes a plurality of communication modules;   the plurality of communication modules of the movable object and the plurality of communication modules of the remote terminal are based on one-to-one correspondences to establish a plurality of communication links including the backup communication link and the at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link; and   the plurality of communication links are simultaneously available.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing the direct communication link and the indirect communication link, wherein the movable object includes a first communication module and a second communication module, the remote terminal includes a third communication module and a fourth communication, the direct communication link is established between the first communication module and the third communication module, and the indirect communication module is established between the second communication module and the fourth communication module; and   maintaining connections of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link during the transmission of the data between the movable object and the remote terminal.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the backup communication link is configured to apply an indirect communication protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the backup data is identical to the data transmitted between the movable object and the remote terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the backup data is heartbeat data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switching criterion is associated with properties of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link, the properties including at least one a signal strength, a latency, a bandwidth, a quality, a range, or a cost. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switching criterion is a user input or a preconfigured instruction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switching criterion is determined continuously, periodically, or dynamically based on one or more dynamically updating parameters. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dynamically updating parameters comprise state information of the movable object, relative information of the movable object and the remote terminal, state information of a payload coupled to the movable object, or state information of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes image data and non-image data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the non-image data includes at least one of control data configured to control the movable object or status data indicative of a state of the movable object. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the movable object is coupled to an image capturing device configured to capture the image data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the image data includes one or more image parameters indicative of at least one of a file size, a resolution, a frame rate, or a format associated with the image data. 
     
     
         16 . A vehicle for data transmission with a remote terminal, the vehicle comprising:
 a first communication module configured to establish a direct communication link with the remote terminal using a direct connection, without an intermediate network node;   a second communication module configured to establish an indirect communication link with the remote terminal via one or more intermediate network nodes, the one or more intermediate network nodes being arranged in a communication path between the vehicle and the remote terminal, wherein the direct communication link and the indirect communication link are simultaneously available; and   one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to:
 perform calculations, based on a switching criterion, to select at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link to transmit data between the vehicle and the remote terminal; 
 control to enable transmission of the data using the at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link selected based on the calculations; and 
 during at least a portion of a duration for the transmission of the data using the selected at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link, control to enable transmission of backup data via a backup communication link for ensuring connectivity between the vehicle and the remote terminal in event of interruption in the selected at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link occurs, the backup data including at least a portion of the data transmitted between the vehicle and the remote terminal. 
   
     
     
         17 . A system for data transmission between a movable object and a remote terminal, the system comprising one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to:
 perform calculations, based on a switching criterion, to select at least one of a direct communication link or an indirect communication link to transmit data between the movable object and the remote terminal, wherein:
 the direct communication link is based on a direct connection, without an intermediate network node, between the movable object and the remote terminal, 
 the indirect communication link is based on an indirect connection with one or more intermediate network nodes arranged in a communication path between the movable object and the remote terminal, and 
 the direct communication link and the indirect communication link are simultaneously available; 
   control to enable transmission of the data using the at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link selected based on the calculations; and   during at least a portion of a duration for the transmission of the data using the selected at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link, control to enable transmission of backup data using a backup communication link to ensure connectivity between the movable object and the remote terminal in event of interruption in the selected at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link occurs, the backup data including at least a portion of the data transmitted between the movable object and the remote terminal.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the data is first data;   the one or more processors being further configured to, in response to second data to be transmitted from the movable object to the remote terminal being image data:
 select a communication link, between two available communication links between the movable object and the remote terminal, based on a transmission criterion for the image data, the selected communication link having a maximum communication distance smaller than a maximum communication distance of another one of the two available communication links; and 
 control to enable transmission of the image data via the selected communication link. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of communication modules, wherein:
 the plurality of communication modules are based on one-to-one correspondences to establish a plurality of communication links, including the backup communication link and the at least one of the direct communication link or the indirect communication link, between the movable object and the remote terminal; and   the plurality of communication links are simultaneously available.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 establish the direct communication link and the indirect communication link, wherein the movable object includes a first communication module and a second communication module, the remote terminal includes a third communication module and a fourth communication, the direct communication link is established between the first communication module and the third communication module, and the indirect communication module is established between the second communication module and the fourth communication module; and   maintain connections of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link during the transmission of the data between the movable object and the remote terminal.