System for identifying and controlling unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 10,061,311 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vigilent Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vigilent Inc.
• Inventors: Falk, John Mansfield, Sullivan, Mark Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US15/727,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20180046180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 235375, 235487, 235435
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/00 Scenes; Scene-specific elements control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

A beacon for attachment to an unmanned aerial vehicle that provides information needed to identify the owner of a particular unmanned vehicle. The beacon may also include a remote communications module configured to participate on wireless or optical communications networks and a beacon control system configured to issue commands compatible with the unmanned aerial vehicle. The beacon may further a beacon control system configured to translate multiple types of commands from different controls systems into commands compatible with the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle including a control system, a sensory system, and a communications module, the apparatus comprising:

an attachment mechanism configured to securely and removably attach the apparatus to the unmanned aerial vehicle;

a first indicia identifying an owner or responsible party;

a second indicia identifying a particular unmanned aerial vehicle;

wherein at least a portion of the first and second indicia together form a unique identifier associating the owner or responsible party with the particular unmanned aerial vehicle;

wherein the attachment mechanism is only removable by an authorized individual; and

wherein the unique identifier is readable by a detector spaced away from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein information obtained by the sensory system is encoded, prior to transmission or storage for later retrieval, with the unique identifier formed from the portions of the first and second indicia.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is readable by the detector while the vehicle is in motion relative to the detector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a remote communications module that wirelessly transmits data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the communications module of the unmanned aerial vehicle transmits data through said apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a remote communications module that optically transmits data.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the communications module of the unmanned aerial vehicle transmits data through said apparatus.

8. A beacon attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle including a control system, a sensory system, and a communications system, the beacon comprising:

an attachment mechanism configured to securely and removably attach the apparatus to the unmanned aerial vehicle;

an unmanned aerial vehicle communications module configured to provide commands and transmit and receive information to and from the unmanned aerial vehicle through the unmanned aerial vehicle communications system;

a remote communications module configured to participate on at least one wireless communications system, the remote communications module being configured to transmit and receive information across the at least one wireless communications system to and from a remote operator;

a beacon control system configured to receive information and commands from the remote communications module and to transform the information and commands for compatibility with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the beacon control system further being configured to transmit the transformed information and commands to the unmanned aerial vehicle through the unmanned aerial vehicle communications module;

wherein the beacon control system is further configured to receive information from the unmanned aerial vehicle through the unmanned aerial vehicle communications module and to transform the information for transmission over the at least one communications system; and

wherein the remote communications module transmits the transformed information to the remote operator.

9. The beacon of claim 8, wherein the remote communications module switches between wireless and optical communications systems during a flight plan based on a set of predetermined criteria.

10. The beacon of claim 8, wherein the beacon control system transforms the commands received by the remote communications module by mapping at least one of the received commands to at least one command compatible with the unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. The beacon of claim 8, wherein the beacon control system determine an appropriate mapping and utilize the determined appropriate mapping so that compatible commands are transmitted to the unmanned aerial vehicle control system.

12. The beacon of claim 8, wherein the at least one communications system is an optical communications system.

13. The beacon of claim 8, wherein the optical communications system includes one or more LED lights.

14. The beacon of claim 8, wherein the at least one communications system can form an ad hoc network with beacons attached to an unmanned aerial vehicles.