Unmanned vehicle morphing

• US 10,162,348 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Scott, Kade, Desai, Snehal, Graham, Richard Daniel, Flachsbart, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Ziaeianmehdizadeh, Navid
• Application Number:
  US15/422,771
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/003 Off the road or amphibian vehicles adaptable for air or space transport
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/99 Means for retaining the UAV on the platform, e.g. dogs or magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/80 by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00

Abstract

Unmanned vehicles may be terrestrial, aerial, nautical, or multi-mode. Unmanned vehicles may accomplish tasks by breaking out into sub-drones, re-grouping itself, changing form, or re-orienting its sensors. This morphing of the unmanned vehicle may happen based on the unmanned vehicle sensing certain conditions.

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle comprising:

a polymorphic material;

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory storing executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

detecting a condition, wherein the condition comprises reaching a threshold battery power of the unmanned vehicle; and

based on the detecting of the condition, providing instructions to induce a component associated with the polymorphic material to morph.

2. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises reaching a threshold moisture.

3. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises reaching a threshold temperature.

4. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises a weather condition.

5. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises a date or a time.

6. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises the unmanned vehicle reaching a threshold speed.

7. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, redirecting heat of a battery to induce the component associated with the polymorphic material to morph.

8. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the morph comprises telescoping a component of the unmanned vehicle.

9. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the morph comprises placing the unmanned vehicle into a vertical canister position.

10. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the morph comprises retracting a propeller blade of the unmanned vehicle.

11. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the morph comprises folding a propeller blade of the unmanned vehicle.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory storing executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

detecting a condition, wherein the condition comprises reaching a threshold battery power of an unmanned vehicle; and

based on the detecting of the condition, providing instructions to induce a component of the unmanned vehicle to morph.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the component of the unmanned vehicle is associated with a polymorphic material.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising programming a polymorphic material to transform based on the condition, wherein the component of the unmanned vehicle is associated with the polymorphic material.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is a server.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is another unmanned vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the condition further comprises reaching a threshold level of smoke.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the condition further comprises a trajectory of the unmanned vehicle.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the morph comprises folding a propeller blade of the unmanned vehicle, wherein the folded propeller blade is held in place by a magnetized strip.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the morph comprises placing the unmanned vehicle into a vertical canister position.