System, mobile base station and umbilical cabling and tethering (UCAT) assist system

• US 10,011,352 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Working Drones, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Working Drones, Inc.
• Inventors: Dahlstrom, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Abby Y
• Application Number:
  US14/853,606
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/08 responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material to be discharged, of ambient medium or of target ; responsive to condition of spray devices or of supply means, e.g. pipes, pumps or their drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/16 Dropping or releasing powdered, liquid, or gaseous matter, e.g. for fire-fighting jettisoning fuel B64D37/26
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/80 UAVs characterised by their small size, e.g. micro air vehicles [MAV]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/83 Electronic components structurally integrated with aircraft elements, e.g. circuit boards carrying loads
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/25 for manufacturing or servicing
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/40 for agriculture or forestry operations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/95 Means for guiding the landing UAV towards the platform, e.g. lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/97 Means for guiding the UAV to a specific location on the platform, e.g. platform structures preventing landing off-centre
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/30 with arrangements for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 Airborne vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 : Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00

Abstract

An aspect of the embodiments includes a system comprising a mobile base station having a power supply, a fluid medium source; and processors operable to generate control signals to control a first unmanned self-propelled (FUSP) vehicle, having a tool with a dispended tool output, and to affect the dispensed tool output; and an umbilical cabling and tethering (UCAT) apparatus to interconnect the USP vehicle and the mobile base station. Cords connect to the FUSP vehicle, one or more of the power supply, the control signals and fluid medium source. The system includes a UCAT assist device comprising a second unmanned self-propelled (SUSP) vehicle having a fastener member, removably coupled to a fastener member of the UCAT apparatus. The UCAT assist device when attached to the UCAT apparatus assists a portion of the cords of the UCAT apparatus. Embodiments include a UCAT assist system.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a mobile base station having a mobile platform, the mobile base station comprising;

a power supply;

a medium source; and

one or more processors operable to generate control signals to control a first aerial robotic (FAR) vehicle, having a tool with a dispended tool output, and to affect the dispensed tool output from the tool; and

an umbilical cabling and tethering (UCAT) apparatus comprising at least one cord configured to interconnect the FAR vehicle to the mobile base station and communicate one or more of power from the power supply, the control signals and medium from the medium source, at least one first assist fastener member, and sensors being coupled along a length of the at least one cord and being configured to sense at least one parameter associated with at least one of a current functionality status of the medium and a position of the at least one cord during flight of the FAR vehicle; and

a UCAT assist device comprising a second aerial robotic (SAR) vehicle having a second assist fastener member, the second assist fastener removably coupled to the at least one first assist fastener member of the UCAT apparatus, wherein the UCAT assist device, when attached to the UCAT apparatus, configured to support a weight of and move and maneuver a portion of the at least one cord, to which the UCAT assist device is coupled, in response to the at least one parameter sensed by the sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the FAR vehicle and the SAR vehicle comprise one of a multi-rotor rotorcraft and a waterproof aerial vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first assist fastener member and the second assist fastener member comprise one of hooks and hook and loop fasteners.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first assist fastener member and the second assist fastener member are fastened together via a magnetic force.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of UCAT assist devices, wherein each UCAT assist device comprising:

an individual SAR vehicle having an individual second assist fastener member, the individual second assist fastener removably coupled to the at least one first assist fastener member of the UCAT apparatus, wherein the UCAT assist device configured to support a weight of and move and maneuver an associated portion of the at least one cord to which the individual SAR vehicle is coupled.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile base station comprising a landing pad for the SAR vehicle to land thereon, wherein the landing pad includes a charging mechanism to charge the SAR vehicle when landed.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the landing pad comprises machine readable markings or beacons detectable by the SAR vehicle during landing.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the UCAT apparatus further comprises:

computational hardware configured to;

determine at least one of the position of the at least one cord and the current functionality status of the medium based on the at least one parameter sensed by the sensors;

cause a display to a user of at least one of the functionality status of the medium and the position of the at least one cord based on the sensed at least one parameter; and

autonomously control aerial movement of the UCAT assist device based on the sensed at least one parameter.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more cords comprises at least two cords;

and further comprising a UCAT system, the UCAT system comprising a plurality of UCAT assist devices, each individual UCAT assist device being configured to;

support the portion of the weight of any cord of the at least two cords to which the individual UCAT assist device is coupled;

wherein a first cord of the at least two cords includes a length to limit flight of the FAR vehicle and a second cord of the at least two cords comprises an intake tube or a discharge tube for the flow of the medium, being separate from the first cord;

wherein a respective first individual UCAT assist device coupled to the first cord being configured to move and maneuver the first cord, in response to the at least one parameter sensed by the sensors related to the first cord; and

wherein a respective second individual UCAT assist device configured to move and maneuver the second cord, in response to the at least one parameter sensed by the sensors related to the second cord.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of interchangeable tools, wherein the UCAT assist device is configured to interchange the tool on the FAR vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the UCAT assist device comprises a tool having a dispensed tool output.

12. A system for use with a mobile base station having a mobile platform, the mobile base station comprising an umbilical cabling and tethering (UCAT) apparatus to interconnect a first aerial robotic (FAR) vehicle and the mobile base station via at least one cord comprising at least one first assist fastener member, the at least one cord communicating to the FAR vehicle one or more of power and the control signals and, the system comprising:

sensors connected along a length of the at least one cord of the UCAT apparatus to sense a position of the at least one cord during flight of the FAR vehicle; and

a UCAT assist device comprising a second aerial robotic (SAR) vehicle having a second assist fastener member, the second assist fastener removably coupled to the at least one first assist fastener member of the UCAT apparatus, wherein the UCAT assist device configured to support a weight of and move and maneuver at least one portion of the at least one cord, to which the UCAT assist device is coupled, in response to the sensed position by the sensors.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the SAR vehicle is waterproof.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one first assist fastener member and the second assist fastener member comprise one of hooks and hook and loop fasteners.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one first assist fastener member and the second assist fastener member are fastened together via a magnetic force.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a landing pad to land the SAR vehicle thereon.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the landing pad comprises machine readable markings to assist the SAR vehicle during landing, wherein the landing pad includes a charging mechanism to charge the SAR vehicle when landed.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more cords comprises at least two cords;

and further comprising a plurality of UCAT assist devices, each individual UCAT assist device being independently controlled and configured to;

support the portion of the weight of any cord of the at least two cords to which the individual UCAT assist device is coupled;

wherein a first cord of the at least two cords includes a length to limit flight of the FAR vehicle and a second cord of the at least two cords comprises an intake tube or a discharge tube for the flow of a medium from a medium source, being separate from the first cord;

wherein a respective first individual UCAT assist device coupled to the first cord being configured to move and maneuver the first cord, in response to the sensed position by those sensors coupled along the length of the first cord; and

wherein a respective second individual UCAT assist device configured to move and maneuver the second cord, in response to at least one of the sensed position sensed by those sensors coupled along the length of the second cord and a current functional status of the medium in the second cord.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of interchangeable tools, wherein the UCAT assist device is configured to interchange the tool on the FAR vehicle.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the UCAT assist device comprises a tool having a dispensed tool output.

21. A system to control placement of an umbilical cabling and tethering (UCAT) apparatus extending between a mobile base station and a first aerial robotic (FAR) vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one processor located on at least one of the UCAT apparatus, the mobile base station and the FAR;

sensors, on the UCAT apparatus, configured to sense at least one parameter associated with a position of at least one cord of the UCAT apparatus, the at least one parameter is communicated to the at least one processor; and

a second aerial robotic (SAR) vehicle configured to be removably coupled to and be detached from the UCAT apparatus and, when coupled to the at least one cord, the SAR vehicle further being configured to support a weight of and move and maneuver a portion of the at least one cord of the UCAT apparatus, in response to the at least one parameter sensed by the sensors.