Systems and methods for satellite-based on-board autonomous device deactivation

• US 10,175,690 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Darren
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US15/255,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20180067485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• 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: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

Various arrangements relating to on-board autonomous device deactivation systems are presented. In some embodiments, a status signal is output to a transceiver and transmitted via a satellite antenna to a satellite. A timer is executed that indicates a time duration that has elapsed since receiving a previous permissible operation message via the transceiver and the satellite antenna. The time duration is compared with a stored deactivation time. Prior to the time duration reaching or exceeding the stored deactivation time, a permissible operation message indicative of the autonomous device being permitted to continue operation is received. In response to the receipt of such a permissible operation message, the time duration of the timer is reset such that operation of the autonomous device is uninterrupted. In some embodiments, if such a permissible operation message is not received, the autonomous device is disabled.

Claims

1. An on-board autonomous device deactivation system comprising:

a satellite antenna that allow for bidirectional communication with one or more satellites;

transceiver equipment that receives and transmits encrypted message via the satellite antenna with the one or more satellites;

one or more operation-control processors that are in communication with the transceiver equipment and one or more components of an autonomous device on which the on-board autonomous device deactivation system resides, the one or more operation-control processors being configured to;

output a status signal to the transceiver equipment for transmission via the satellite antenna to the one or more satellites, wherein the status signal is encrypted and comprises an identifier indicative of the autonomous device and an indication of a status of the autonomous device;

execute a timer that indicates a time duration that has elapsed since receiving a previous permissible operation message via the transceiver equipment and the satellite antenna;

compare the time duration with a stored deactivation time;

prior to the time duration reaching or exceeding the stored deactivation time, receive, via the satellite antenna and the transceiver equipment, a permissible operation message indicative of the autonomous device being permitted to continue operation, wherein the permissible operation message comprises the identifier; and

in response to the permissible operation message, reset the time duration of the timer such that operation of the autonomous device is uninterrupted.

2. The on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more operation-control processors are further configured to, after resetting the time duration:

execute the timer that indicates the time duration has elapsed since receiving the permissible operation message;

compare the time duration with the stored deactivation time;

determine that the time duration has reached or exceeded the stored deactivation time prior to receiving a second permissible operation message; and

in response to determining that the time duration has reached or exceeded the stored deactivation time prior to receiving the second permissible operation message, deactivate functionality of the autonomous device.

3. The on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 2, wherein the one or more operation-control processors being configured to deactivate functionality of the autonomous device comprises the one or more operation-control processors transmitting a deactivation message to a control system of the autonomous device.

4. The on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 2, wherein the one or more operation-control processors being configured to deactivation functionality of the autonomous device comprises the one or more operation-control processors activating a battery disconnect circuit that causes the one or more components of the autonomous device to deactivate.

5. The on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 2, wherein the autonomous device is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the one or more operation-control processors being configured to deactivation functionality of the autonomous device comprise the one or more operation-control processors to initiate a controlled landing process.

6. The on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver equipment is configured to receive and transmit messages using S-Band or L-Band satellite frequencies.

7. The on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more operation-control processors are further configured to:

receive a maintenance indication as part of the permissible operation message; and

in response to the maintenance indication, initiate a maintenance timer that defines an amount of time which the autonomous device has to visit a maintenance device.

8. The on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing that isolates the transceiver equipment and the one or more operation-control processors from componentry of the autonomous device.

9. The on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 8, further comprising:

an electrical communication path between the satellite antenna and the transceiver equipment which passes through the housing; and

an electrical output communication path from the one or more operation-control processors to the one or more components of the autonomous device, wherein the electrical output communication path passes through the housing.

10. A method for using an on-board autonomous device deactivation system, comprising:

outputting a status signal to a transceiver for transmission via a satellite antenna to a satellite, wherein the status signal is encrypted and comprises an identifier indicative of an autonomous device on which the on-board autonomous device deactivation system is installed and an indication of a status of the autonomous device;

executing a timer that indicates a time duration that has elapsed since receiving a previous permissible operation message via the transceiver and the satellite antenna;

comparing the time duration with a stored deactivation time;

prior to the time duration reaching or exceeding the stored deactivation time, receiving, via the transceiver from the satellite, a permissible operation message indicative of the autonomous device being permitted to continue operation, wherein the permissible operation message comprises the identifier; and

in response to the permissible operation message, resetting the time duration of the timer such that operation of the autonomous device is uninterrupted.

11. The method for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 10, further comprising:

executing the timer that indicates the time duration has elapsed since receiving the permissible operation message;

comparing the time duration with the stored deactivation time;

determining that the time duration has reached or exceeded the stored deactivation time prior to receiving a second permissible operation message; and

in response to determining that the time duration has reached or exceeded the stored deactivation time prior to receiving the second permissible operation message, deactivating functionality of the autonomous device.

12. The method for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 11, wherein deactivating functionality of the autonomous device comprises transmitting a deactivation message to a control system of the autonomous device.

13. The method for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 11 wherein deactivating functionality of the autonomous device comprises activating a battery disconnect circuit that causes one or more components of the autonomous device to power down.

14. The method for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 11, wherein the autonomous device is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and deactivating functionality of the autonomous device comprises initiating a controlled landing process.

15. The method for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 10, further comprising transmitting, by the transceiver, the status signal using S-Band or L-Band satellite communication frequencies.

16. The method for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 10, wherein the on-board autonomous device deactivation system is housed in a housing that isolates the transceiver and one or more processors from componentry of the autonomous device.

17. The method for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a maintenance indication as part of the permissible operation message; and

in response to the maintenance indication, initiating a maintenance timer that indicates an amount of time that has elapsed since receiving the maintenance indication requesting the autonomous device visit a maintenance device.

18. The method for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 17, further comprising:

determining that the amount of time of the maintenance timer has reached or exceeded a maintenance threshold time period; and

in response to determining that the time of the maintenance timer has reached or exceeded the maintenance threshold time period, deactivating functionality of the autonomous device.

19. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for using an on-board autonomous device deactivation system, comprising processor-readable instructions that cause one or more processors of the on-board autonomous device deactivation system to:

output a status signal to a transceiver for transmission via a satellite antenna to a satellite, wherein the status signal is encrypted and comprises an identifier indicative of an autonomous device on which the on-board autonomous device deactivation system is installed and an indication of a status of the autonomous device;

execute a timer that indicates a time duration that has elapsed since receiving a previous permissible operation message via the transceiver and the satellite antenna;

compare the time duration with a stored deactivation time;

prior to the time duration reaching or exceeding the stored deactivation time, receive, via the transceiver from the satellite, a permissible operation message indicative of the autonomous device being permitted to continue operation, wherein the permissible operation message comprises the identifier; and

in response to the permissible operation message, reset the time duration of the timer such that operation of the autonomous device is uninterrupted.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for using the on-board autonomous device deactivation system of claim 19, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

execute the timer that indicates the time duration has elapsed since receiving the permissible operation message;

compare the time duration with the stored deactivation time;

determine that the time duration has reached or exceeded the stored deactivation time prior to receiving a second permissible operation message; and

in response to determining that the time duration has reached or exceeded the stored deactivation time prior to receiving the second permissible operation message, deactivate functionality of the autonomous device.