Implementing a restricted-operation region for unmanned vehicles

• US 10,162,059 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ashoori, Maryam, Connell, II, Jonathan H., Ellis, Jason B., Farrell, Robert G., Soroker, Danny
• Primary Examiner(s): Ismail, Mahmoud S
• Application Number:
  US14/672,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/08 Systems for determining direction or position line
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a system for implementing a restricted-operation region. The system includes an instruction development module configured to be utilized in the development of a set of instructions that implement an operation policy of the restricted-operation region. The set of instructions is configured to, when interpreted, implement the operation policy by controlling at least one function of a vehicle that attempts to operate within the restricted-operation region. The system further includes a first transmitter configured to transmit the set of instructions to the vehicle, wherein a processor of the vehicle is configured to interpret the set of instructions based at least in part on a determination that the vehicle is attempting to operate within the restricted-operation region.

Claims

1. An information processing system for implementing a restricted-operation region, the information processing system comprising:

a memory;

a first processor device communicatively coupled to the memory;

a computer program instruction development module communicatively coupled to the memory and the first processor device, wherein the computer program instruction development module is configured to develop a set of computer readable program instructions configured such that, based at least in part on being downloaded by a second processor device of a vehicle, the set of computer readable program instructions modify operation of the vehicle in a manner that enables the second processor device of the vehicle to interpret control instructions and process data that implement an operation policy of the restricted-operation region by controlling at least one function of the vehicle based at least in part on the vehicle attempting to operate within the restricted-operation region;

wherein the second processor device of the vehicle cannot interpret the control instructions and process the data without having downloaded the set of computer readable program instructions; and

a first transmitter device configured to transmit said set of computer readable program instructions to said vehicle;

wherein said set of computer readable program instructions are further configured to, based at least in part on a determination that the vehicle is attempting to operate within the restricted operation region, be downloaded by the second processor of the vehicle to modify operation of the vehicle in a manner that enables the second processor device of the vehicle to interpret control instructions and process data that implement the operation policy of the restricted-operation region.

2. The information processing system of claim 1, wherein:

the set of computer readable program instructions modify operation of the vehicle by modifying an operating system of the vehicle to generate a modified operating system of the vehicle configured to enable an interpreter of the modified operating system to run the control instructions.

3. The information processing system of claim 2, wherein:

the restricted operation region is defined by a beacon;

said beacon is transmitted by a second transmitter device; and

a single unit comprises said first transmitter device and said second transmitter device.

4. The information processing system of claim 3, wherein at least one of said first transmitter device and said second transmitter device comprises a node of a cloud computing system.

5. The information processing system of claim 1, wherein:

the restricted-operation region comprises a space component, a range component and a time component.

6. The information processing system of claim 1, wherein said first transmitter device comprises a remote computer configured to download said set of computer readable program instructions to said vehicle.

7. The information processing system of claim 1, wherein said at least one function of said vehicle comprises a surveillance function.

8. The information processing system of claim 1, wherein said restricted-operation region further comprises a plurality of sub-regions.

9. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of sub-regions comprises a notification sub-region; and

said at least one function comprises a notification communication function of said vehicle.

10. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of sub-regions comprises a warning sub-region; and

said at least one function comprises a warning communication function of said vehicle.

11. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of sub-regions comprises a limited-operation sub-region; and

said at least one function comprises a limited-operation function of said vehicle.

12. A computer program product for implementing a restricted-operation region, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being readable by a first processor circuit to cause the first processor circuit to perform a method comprising;

initiating, by the first processor circuit, a transmission to a vehicle a set of computer readable program instructions configured such that, based at least in part on being downloaded by a second processor circuit of a vehicle, the set of computer readable program instructions modify operation of the vehicle in a manner that enables the second processor circuit of the vehicle to interpret control instructions and process data that implement an operation policy of the restricted-operation region by controlling at least one function of the vehicle based at least in part on the vehicle attempting to operate within the restricted-operation region;

wherein the second processor circuit of the vehicle cannot interpret the control instructions and process the data without having downloaded the set of computer readable program instructions; and

transmitting said set of computer readable program instructions to said vehicle;

wherein said set of computer readable program instructions are further configured to, based at least in part on a determination that the vehicle is attempting to operate within the restricted operation region, be downloaded by the second processor of the vehicle to modify operation of the vehicle in a manner that enables the second processor circuit of the vehicle to interpret control instructions and process data that implement the operation policy of the restricted-operation region.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the set of computer readable program instructions modify operation of the vehicle by modifying an operating system of the vehicle to generate a modified operating system of the vehicle configured to enable an interpreter of the modified operating system to run the control instructions.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said transmission of said set of computer readable program instructions comprises a download of said set of instructions to said vehicle from a remote computer.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

said restricted-operation region further comprises a plurality of sub-regions;

at least one of said plurality of sub-regions comprises at least one of a notification sub-region, a warning sub-region and a limited-operation region;

wherein said at least one function comprises at least one of;

a notification communication function of said vehicle;

a warning communication function of said vehicle; and

a limited-operation function of said vehicle.

16. A system for implementing a restricted-operation region, the system comprising:

a communication channel between a first transmitter device and a vehicle attempting to operate within the restricted-operation region; and

a set of computer readable program instructions configured to be transmitted over the communication channel to the vehicle;

wherein the set of computer readable program instructions are further configured to, based at least in part on a determination that the vehicle is attempting to operate within the restricted operation region, be downloaded by a processor device of the vehicle to modify operation of the vehicle in a manner that enables the processor device of the vehicle to interpret control instructions and process data that implement the operation policy of the restricted-operation region.

17. The system for implementing a restricted-operation region of claim 16, wherein:

said restricted-operation region further comprises a plurality of sub-regions;

at least one of said plurality of sub-regions comprises at least one of a notification sub-region, a warning sub-region and a limited-operation region;

wherein said at least one function of said vehicle comprises at least one of;

a notification communication function of a vehicle attempting to operate within said notification sub-region;

a warning communication function of a vehicle attempting to operate within said warning sub-region; and

a limited-operation function of a vehicle attempting to operate within said limited-operation sub-region.

18. A vehicle for implementing at least one restricted-operation region, the vehicle comprising:

a receiver system comprising at least one receiver device;

said receiver system configured to receive a first set of computer readable program instructions configured to be downloaded by the receiver system of the vehicle to modify operation of the vehicle in a manner that enables a processor of the receiver system of the vehicle to interpret control instructions and process data that implement a first operation policy of a first restricted-operation region by controlling at least one of a plurality of functions of the vehicle.

19. The vehicle for implementing at least one restricted-operation region of claim 18, wherein:

said receiver system is further configured to receive a second set of computer readable program instructions configured to be downloaded by the receiver system of the vehicle to modify operation of the vehicle in a manner that enables the processor of the vehicle to interpret control instructions and process data that implement a second operation policy of a second restricted-operation region by controlling said at least one of the plurality of functions of the vehicle.