Method and apparatus for positioning an unmanned robotic vehicle

• US 10,198,954 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Holtzman, Guy, Hason, Baruh, Serfaty, Salomon
• Primary Examiner(s): Melton, Todd M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roberson, Jason R
• Application Number:
  US14/985,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20170193828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 50/11 using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/17 taken from planes or by drones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for positioning an unmanned robotic vehicle (URV). The URV captures a set of one or more of image and non-image information of an object while positioned at a first position, provides the set of image/non-image information to a server entity, in response to providing the set of image/non-image information, receives a three-dimensional (3D) model associated with the object, autonomously determines a second position based on the 3D model, and autonomously navigates to the second position. At the second position, the URV may capture further image and/or non-image information and, based on the further captured image/non-image information, autonomously determine, and navigate to, a third position. The steps of capturing further image and/or non-image information and, based on the captured image and/or non-image information, autonomously determining and navigating to further positions may be repeated indefinitely, or until otherwise instructed.

Claims

1. A method for positioning an unmanned robotic vehicle (URV) for capture of additional vehicular object information, the method comprising:

capturing, by the URV via an image capture device, first image information of a vehicular object of interest while positioned at a first position;

providing, by the URV, the first image information, or non-image information extracted from the first image information, to a server entity;

in response to the providing, receiving, by the URV, a three-dimensional model of a same make and model of the vehicular object;

autonomously determining, by the URV, a second position proximate to a window of the vehicular object based on the received three-dimensional model;

autonomously navigating the URV to the second position; and

capturing, by the URV via the image capture device while at the second position, second image information of the vehicular object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the server entity is a component of the URV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the server entity is an infrastructure-based server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first image information comprises an image of a license plate on the vehicular object and wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the server, the vehicle make and model of the vehicular object based on the first image information;

obtaining, by the server via a license plate database, the three-dimensional model based on the determined vehicle make and model; and

conveying, by the server to the URV, the obtained three-dimensional model.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image information comprises one or more of a three-dimensional image of the vehicular object, a two-dimensional image of the vehicular object, and an image of a license plate on the vehicular object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein autonomously determining the second position based on the three-dimensional model comprises determining the second position for capturing an image of a vehicle occupant via the window of the vehicular object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

autonomously determining, by the URV, a third position based on the second image information; and

autonomously navigating the URV to the third position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

conveying, by the URV to one or more of a public safety agency and a public safety responder, the second image information;

in response to conveying the second image information, receiving, by the URV from the one or more of the public safety agency and the public safety responder, an instruction regarding a next behavior for the URV; and

executing, by the URV, the next behavior included in the instruction.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the URV, a conflict between one or more images captured by the URV and information determined based on the one or more images; and

in response to determining the conflict, performing one or more of;

conveying an alert to one or more of a public safety agency and a public safety responder; and

autonomously altering a behavior that is one of being performed or is planned to be subsequently performed.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the URV while at the second position, one or more of a weapon, an explosive device, an environmental condition, and a physical substance associated with the vehicular object; and

conveying, by the URV to one or more of a public safety agency and a public safety responder, information concerning the detected one or more of the weapon, the explosive device, the environmental condition, and the physical substance associated with the vehicular object.

11. An unmanned robotic vehicle (URV) for capturing additional vehicular object information, the URV comprising:

a processor;

a propulsion system;

one or more wireless interfaces;

one or more sensors;

an image capture device; and

an at least one memory device that is configured to store a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a set of functions including;

capture, via the image capture device, first image information of a vehicular object of interest while positioned at a first position;

provide the first image information, or non-image information extracted from the first image information, to a server entity;

in response to the providing, receive a three-dimensional model of a same make and model of the vehicular object;

autonomously determine a second position proximate to a window of the vehicular object based on the received three-dimensional model;

autonomously navigate, via the propulsion system, the URV to the second position; and

capture, via the image capture device while at the second position, second image information of the vehicular object.

12. The URV of claim 11, wherein the URV further comprises the server entity, wherein the first image information comprises an image of a license plate on the vehicular object, and wherein the server is configured to:

determine the vehicle make and model of the vehicular object based on the first image information;

obtain, via a license plate database, the three-dimensional model based on the determined vehicle make and model.

13. The URV of claim 11, wherein the first image information comprises one or more of a three dimensional image of the vehicular object, a two-dimensional image of the vehicular object, and an image of a license plate on the vehicular object.

14. The URV of claim 13, wherein the set of functions further include autonomously determine the second position for capturing an image of a vehicle occupant via the window of the vehicular object.

15. The URV of claim 11, wherein the set of functions further comprise:

autonomously determine a third position based on the second image information; and

autonomously navigate the URV to the third position.

16. The URV of claim 11, wherein the set of functions further comprise:

convey, to one or more of a public safety agency and a public safety responder, the second image information;

in response to conveying the second image information, receive, from the one or more of the public safety agency and the public safety responder, an instruction regarding a next behavior for the URV; and

execute the next behavior included in the instruction.

17. The URV of claim 11, wherein the set of functions further comprise:

determine a conflict between one or more images captured by the URV and information determined based on the one or more images; and

in response to determining the conflict, perform one or more of;

convey an alert to one or more of a public safety agency and a public safety responder; and

autonomously alter a behavior that is one of being performed or is planned to be subsequently performed.

18. The URV of claim 11, wherein the set of functions further comprise:

detect, while at the second position, one or more of one or more of a weapon, an explosive device, an environmental condition, and a physical substance associated with the vehicular object; and

convey, to one or more of a public safety agency and a public safety responder, information concerning the detected one or more of the weapon, the explosive device, the environmental condition, and the physical substance associated with the vehicular object.