Method and system on dynamic control of UAVs using software defined networks

• US 10,204,521 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cui, Zhi, Dowlatkhah, Sangar, Shaw, Venson
• Primary Examiner(s): Patton, Spencer D
• Application Number:
  US15/252,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20180061249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• 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 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A system for in-flight communications with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a software defined command and control center, a cell broadcast center in communication with the command and control center and also in communication with the UAV, wherein the UAV is associated with a software defined user equipment (UE) category and a message generated by the cell broadcast center identifies the UAV based on the UE category.

Claims

1. A system for in-flight communications with a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a software defined command and control center in communication with the first UAV;

wherein the first UAV is associated with a software defined user equipment (UE) category and is associated with a plurality of UAVs in an area and a message transmitted by the command and control center identifies the first UAV based on the UE category and instructs the plurality of UAVs in the area to alter routing of packets within a mesh network based on information comprising a weather condition, wherein the mesh network is a communication network among the plurality of UAVs.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the command and control center is configured to receive an input from an external source and to generate the message as a function of the input.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the input comprises an emergency.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the message comprises an identification of the input and the first UAV is configured to change its flight plan based on the message.

5. The system of claim 2 further comprising a policy generator and wherein the command and control center is configured to receive policy updates from the policy generator and to create the message as a function of the policy updates.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the command and control center is configured to receive policies and to change its configuration dynamically based on one of a policy generator, the type of UAV, or an external event.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of UAVs is associated with a UE category;

a cell broadcast center in communication with the command and control center and also in communication with the first UAV and wherein the cell broadcast center is configured to relay the message only to the plurality of UAVs having the UE category identified in the message.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the UE category is at least one of government, transport and surveillance.

9. A system comprising:

a first unmanned airborne vehicle (UAV) associated with a software defined user equipment (UE) category; and

a software defined command and control center in communication with the first UAV, the command and control center having a processor; and

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

receiving an input from an external source, wherein the input comprises information associated with a weather condition affecting a plurality of UAVs in an area, wherein the first UAV is one of the plurality of UAVs in the area; and

transmitting an in-flight message to the first UAV based on the input, wherein the message includes the UE category and instructions to alter routing of packets within a mesh network based on the input, wherein the mesh network is a communication network among the plurality of UAVs.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the message causes the first UAV to alter its flight plan based on the message.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of UAVs has a UE category associated therewith and a cell broadcast center in communication with the command and control center and wherein the message is transmitted from the command and control center to the plurality of UAVs through the cell broadcast center.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein only the UAVs having a UE category that matches the UE category in the message is configured to interpret the message.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of the UAVs has a UE category associated therewith and wherein each of the plurality of the UAVs are configured to relay the message to other UAVs having the same UE category over the mesh network.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of UAVs reacts to the message based on the UE category of each of the plurality of the UAVs.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the UE categories comprise transport and surveillance.

16. A method comprising:

receiving at a software defined command and control center, an input from an external source, wherein the input comprises information associated with a weather condition affecting a plurality of UAVs in an area, wherein a first UAV is one of the plurality of UAVs in the area; and

transmitting, by the command and control center, an in-flight message to the first UAV based on the input, wherein the message includes a user equipment (UE) category and instructions to alter routing of packets within a mesh network based on the input, wherein the mesh network is a communication network among the plurality of UAVs.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmitting step causes the first UAV to act based on the UE category.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmitting step includes a cell broadcast to the plurality of UAVs, each of the plurality of UAVs has a UE category associated therewith, and wherein the cell broadcast causes the each of the plurality of UAVs to act based on the UE category associated with the each of the plurality of UAVs.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the message is further relayed from one of the plurality of UAVs to another UAV in a similar UE category.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the UE categories comprise government and surveillance.