Geographic area monitoring systems and methods through interchanging tool systems between unmanned vehicles

• US 10,274,952 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Cantrell, Robert L., Thompson, John P., Winkle, David C., Atchley, Michael D., High, Donald R., Mattingly, Todd D., McHale, Brian G., O'Brien, John J., Simon, John F., Jones, Nathan G., Taylor, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US15/699,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20180074488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station

Abstract

In some embodiments, unmanned aerial task systems are provided that comprise multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) each comprising: a UAV control circuit; a motor; and a propulsion system coupled with the motor and configured to enable the respective UAVs to move themselves; and wherein a first UAV control circuit of a first UAV of the multiple UAVs is configured to identify a second UAV carrying a first tool system configured to perform a first function, cause a notification to be communicated to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system to the first UAV, and direct a first propulsion system of the first UAV to couple with the first tool system being transferred from the second UAV.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial task system, comprising:

multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) each comprising;

a UAV control circuit accessing a tool system database;

a motor; and

a propulsion system coupled with the motor and configured to enable the respective UAVs to move themselves; and

wherein a first UAV control circuit of a first UAV of the multiple UAVs is configured to identify a second UAV carrying a first tool system configured to perform a first function, cause a notification to be communicated to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system to the first UAV, cause the first UAV to decouple from a second tool system configured to perform a second function that is different than the first function, and direct a first propulsion system of the first UAV to couple using a universal coupler with the first tool system being transferred from the second UAV enabling the first UAV to switch between the second tool system and the first tool system and implement the first function provided through the first tool system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV control circuit in directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system is configured to direct the second UAV to release the first tool system at a location where a task is to be performed using the first tool system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV control circuit in directing the second UVA to transfer the first tool system is configured to direct the second UAV to hover at a defined location and altitude;

and

the first UAV control circuit in directing the first propulsion system is configured to cause the first UAV to position the first UAV adjacent the second UAV and couple with the first tool system while the first UAV and the second UAV are in flight.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first UAV control circuit is configured to identify a task being performed by the second UAV using the first tool system is to continue to be performed, and direct the first propulsion system to couple with the first tool system and continue implementing the task using the first tool system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV control circuit is configured to identify a power level of the second UAV is less than a threshold power level and to communicate the notification to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system based on the power level of the second UAV being less than the threshold power level.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV control circuit is configured to confirm a power level of the first tool system is greater than a tool system power level threshold prior to causing the notification to be communicated to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a tool system database storing tool system parameter data associated with each of multiple tool systems defining functional capabilities and current location of each of the multiple tool systems, wherein the first UAV control circuit is configured access the tool system database, identify the first tool system has a functionality to be used to perform a task, and identify that the first tool system is within a threshold distance of the first UAV.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV control circuit, in identifying the second UAV, is configured to identify the second UAV is predicted to complete a first task being performed using the first tool system within a threshold period of time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV control circuit is configured to identify a task, which was being performed by the second UAV using the first tool system, is to continue to be performed by the first UAV, and direct the first propulsion system and activate the first tool system to continue implementing the task using the first tool system.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a universal coupler communicatively coupled with the UAV control circuit and a coupling system, wherein the universal coupler is configured to interchangeably couple with and decouple from the second tool system and further interchangeably couple with and decouple with the first tool system.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a tool system database storing tool system parameter data associated with each of multiple tool systems defining functional capabilities and current location of each of the multiple tool systems, wherein the first UAV control circuit is configured access the tool system database, identify the first tool system has a functionality to be used to perform a task, and identify that the first tool system is within a threshold distance of the first UAV.

12. A method of performing tasks through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) each comprising a UAV control circuit, comprising:

a first UAV control circuit of a first UAV accessing a tool system database and performing the steps of;

identifying, through the first UAV control circuit of the first UAV of the multiple UAVs, a second UAV carrying a first tool system configured to perform a first function;

causing a notification to be communicated to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system to the first UAV;

causing the first UAV to decouple from a second tool system configured to perform a second function that is different than the first function; and

directing a first propulsion system of the first UAV to position the first UAV relative to the first tool system aligning the first UAV with the first tool system and to couple using a universal coupler the first UAV with the first tool system transferred from the second UAV enabling the first UAV to switch between the second tool system and the first tool system and to implement the first function provided through the first tool system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system comprises directing the second UAV to release the first tool system at a location where a task is to be performed using the first tool system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the directing the second UVA to transfer the first tool system comprises directing the second UAV to hover at a defined location and altitude;

and

wherein the directing the first propulsion system comprises positioning the first UAV adjacent the second UAV and causing a coupling of the first UAV with the first tool system while the first UAV and the second UAV are in flight.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying a task being performed by the second UAV using the first tool system is to continue to be performed, and

directing the first propulsion system to couple with the first tool system and continue implementing the task using the first tool system.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying a power level of the second UAV is less than a threshold power level; and

communicating the notification to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system based on the power level of the second UAV being less than the threshold power level.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

confirming a power level of the first tool system is greater than a tool system power level threshold prior to causing the notification to be communicated to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

accessing a tool system database storing tool system parameter data associated with each of multiple tool systems defining functional capabilities and current location of each of the multiple tool systems;

identifying the first tool system has a functionality to be used to perform a task; and

identifying that the first tool system is within a threshold distance of the first UAV.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifying the second UAV comprises identifying the second UAV is predicted to complete a first task being performed using the first tool system within a threshold period of time.