Systems and methods for providing UAV-based digital escort drones in visitor management and integrated access control systems

• US 10,074,226 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Meganathan, Deepak Sundar
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/467,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20170287242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/24 for use as flying displays, e.g. advertising or billboards
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/70 for use inside enclosed spaces, e.g. in buildings or in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing UAV-based digital escort drones in visitor management and access control systems are provided. A visitor management and access control system can identify a need for escorting a visitor through a region and transmit a signal to a drone that identifies a starting location and a destination location in the region. Responsive to receiving the signal, the drone can escort the visitor along a path from the starting location to the destination location, and an access privilege device carried by the drone can open a secured door or access a secured area along the path.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a drone;

a transceiver device carried by the drone;

an access privilege device carried by the drone;

a programmable processor carried by the drone; and

executable control software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium carried by the drone,

wherein the transceiver device receives a first signal indicating a need for escorting a visitor and identifying a starting location, a destination location, a path through a region between the starting location and the destination location, and access point locations of controlled access points along the path,

wherein, responsive to the transceiver device receiving the first signal, the programmable processor and the executable control software instruct the drone to rendezvous with the visitor at the starting location and to guide the visitor to the destination location by traversing the path from the starting location to the destination location, and

wherein the access privilege device opens the controlled access points at the access point locations along the path.

2. The system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a location sensing device,

wherein the location sensing device receives a plurality of second signals from location sensors along the path, and

wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software identify a current location of the drone based on the plurality of second signals.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software confirm that the drone is following the path as the current location changes.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a SLAM device or a GPS device,

wherein the SLAM device or the GPS device receives a plurality of second signals, and

wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software identify a current location of the drone based on the plurality of second signals.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software identify an optimal height for flying the drone along the path.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a memory device carried by the drone that stores location details for the region and the access point locations.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a two-way audio device carried by the drone,

wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software instruct the two-way audio device to emit audio signals addressed to the visitor,

wherein the two-way audio device receives audio communication from the visitor, and

wherein programmable processor and the executable control software transmit the audio communication to an operator of a visitor management and access control system of the region or to an intended host of the visitor in the region.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface device carried by the drone,

wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software instruct the user interface device to display visual information to the visitor.

9. A method comprising:

a transceiver device carried by a drone receiving a first signal indicating a need for escorting a visitor and identifying a starting location, a destination location, a path through a region between the starting location and the destination location, and access point locations of controlled access points along the path;

responsive to the transceiver device receiving the first signal, a programmable processor carried by the drone and executable control software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium carried by the drone instructing the drone to rendezvous with the visitor at the starting location and to guide the visitor to the destination location by traversing the path from the starting location to the destination location; and

an access privilege device carried by the drone opening the controlled access points at the access point locations along the path.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

a location sensing device carried by the drone receiving a plurality of second signals from location sensors along the path; and

the programmable processor and the executable control software identifying a current location of the drone based on the plurality of second signals.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the programmable processor and the executable control software confirming that the drone is following the path as the current location changes.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

a SLAM device carried by the drone or a GPS device carried by the drone receiving a plurality of second signals; and

the programmable processor and the executable control software identifying a current location of the drone based on the plurality of second signals.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the programmable processor and the executable control software identifying an optimal height for flying the drone along the path.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising a memory device carried by the drone storing location details for the region and the access point locations.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the programmable processor and the executable control software instructing a two-way audio device carried by the drone to emit audio signals addressed to the visitor;

the two-way audio device receiving audio communication from the visitor; and

the programmable processor and the executable control software transmitting the audio communication to an operator of a visitor management and access control system of the region or to an intended host of the visitor in the region.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising the programmable processor and the executable control software instructing a user interface device carried by the drone to display visual information to the visitor.

17. A system comprising:

a visitor management and access control system installed in a region;

a drone; and

an access privilege device carried by the drone,

wherein the visitor management and access control system identifies a need for escorting a visitor through the region and transmits a signal to the drone that indicates the need and identifies a starting location, a destination location, a path through the region between the starting location and the destination location, and access point locations of controlled access points along the path,

wherein, responsive to receiving the signal, the drone rendezvouses with the visitor at the starting location and escorts the visitor to the destination location by traversing the path from the starting location to the destination location, and

wherein the access privilege device opens the controlled access points at the access point locations along the path.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the visitor management and access control system identifies the need responsive to the visitor providing registration information to the visitor management and access control system, and wherein the visitor management and access control system identifies the starting location and the destination location based on the registration information.