Unmanned aerial vehicle coupling apparatus for drone coupling with vehicles

• US 10,287,014 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2016
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Erickson, Thomas D., Gordon, Michael S., Pickover, Clifford A., Vukovic, Maja
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US15/178,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20170355459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 3/00 Aircraft adaptations to facilitate towing or being towed B64D39/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/40 Maintaining or repairing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle coupling apparatus for drone coupling. The unmanned aerial vehicle coupling apparatus includes a processor-based monitoring device to monitor values for each of a plurality of functions provided by a unmanned aerial vehicle and to detect when a value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a vehicle selector to receive travel routes from each of a plurality of secondary vehicles and to select a secondary vehicle based on a travel route of the secondary vehicle when the value exceeds the predetermined threshold value, and a coupling mechanism to fasten and unfasten the unmanned aerial vehicle to the secondary vehicle.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle coupling apparatus, comprising:

a processor-based monitoring device to monitor values for each of a plurality of functions provided by a unmanned aerial vehicle and to detect when at least one value exceeds a predetermined threshold value;

a vehicle selector to receive travel routes and an availability of a secondary vehicle to perform services concerning the at least one value that exceeds the predetermined threshold from each of a plurality of secondary vehicles and to select at least one secondary vehicle based on a travel route of the at least one secondary vehicle and the availability of the secondary vehicle to perform the services concerning the at least one value that exceeds the predetermined threshold when the at least one value exceeds the predetermined threshold value;

a coupling mechanism to fasten and unfasten the unmanned aerial vehicle to the at least one secondary vehicle, and a risk assessment device configured to estimate a risk level associated with each of the unmanned aerial vehicle and secondary vehicle;

wherein the risk assessment device generates an instruction to the coupling mechanism to unfasten the unmanned aerial vehicle when the risk level associated with each of the unmanned aerial vehicle and secondary vehicle exceeds a predetermined level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a recharging device to recharge or replace a power supply on the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is fastened to the at least one secondary vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a repair device to repair one or more of the plurality of functions on the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is fastened to the at least one secondary vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more user input components to activate a communications module on the unmanned aerial vehicle to provide communications for the at least one secondary vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is fastened to the at least one secondary vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the risk assessment device monitors a plurality of environmental variables traversed by the unmanned aerial vehicle to estimate the risk level, the plurality of environmental variables being selected from the group consisting of rain, sleet, snow, hail, and excessive wind.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the risk assessment device monitors a plurality of speeds of the secondary vehicle to estimate aerodynamic drag to the at least secondary vehicle.

7. A method for providing drone coupling, the method comprising:

detecting, by a processor-based monitoring device, values for each of a plurality of functions provided by a unmanned aerial vehicle and at least one value that exceeds a predetermined threshold value;

receiving via a vehicle selector, travel routes and an availability of a secondary vehicle to perform services concerning the at least one value that exceeds the predetermined threshold from each of a plurality of secondary vehicles;

selecting via the vehicle selector, at least one secondary vehicle based on a travel route of the at least one secondary vehicle and the availability of the secondary vehicle to perform the services concerning the at least one value that exceeds the predetermined threshold when the at least one value exceeds the predetermined threshold value;

coupling via a coupling mechanism, the unmanned aerial vehicle to the at least one secondary vehicle; and

estimating via a risk assessment device, a risk level associated with each of the unmanned aerial vehicle and secondary vehicle;

generating via the risk assessment device, an instruction to unfasten the unmanned aerial vehicle when the risk level associated with each of the unmanned aerial vehicle and secondary vehicle exceeds a predetermined level.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising recharging or replacing a power supply on the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is coupled to the at least one secondary vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising repairing one or more of the plurality of functions on the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is coupled to the at least one secondary vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising activating a communications module on the unmanned aerial vehicle to provide communications for the at least one secondary vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is coupled to the at least one secondary vehicle.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein estimating the risk level includes monitoring a plurality of environmental variables traversed by the unmanned aerial vehicle, the plurality of environmental variables being selected from the group consisting of rain, sleet, snow, hail, and excessive wind.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein estimating the risk level includes monitoring a plurality of speeds of the secondary vehicle to estimate aerodynamic drag to the at least secondary vehicle.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for providing drone coupling, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to execute:

detecting, by a processor-based monitoring device, values for each of a plurality of functions provided by a unmanned aerial vehicle and at least one value that exceeds a predetermined threshold value;

receiving via a vehicle selector, travel routes and the availability of a secondary vehicle to perform services concerning the at least one value that exceeds the predetermined threshold from each of a plurality of secondary vehicles;

selecting via the vehicle selector, at least one secondary vehicle based on a travel route of the at least one secondary vehicle and the availability of the secondary vehicle to perform the services concerning the at least one value that exceeds the predetermined threshold when the at least one value exceeds the predetermined threshold value; and

coupling via a coupling mechanism, the unmanned aerial vehicle to the at least one secondary vehicle; and

estimating via a risk assessment device, a risk level associated with each of the unmanned aerial vehicle and secondary vehicle;

generating via the risk assessment device, an instruction to unfasten the unmanned aerial vehicle when the risk level associated with each of the unmanned aerial vehicle and secondary vehicle exceeds a predetermined level.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising recharging or replacing a power supply on the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is coupled to the at least one secondary vehicle.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising activating a communications module on the unmanned aerial vehicle to provide communications for the at least one secondary vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is coupled to the at least one secondary vehicle.