Method and system to dynamically and intelligently enable access to UAVs in any location

• US 10,291,764 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dowlatkhah, Sangar, Cui, Zhi, Shaw, Venson
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Application Number:
  US15/193,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20170374190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A method and system for enabling access to an unmanned aerial vehicle are disclosed. The method includes receiving a request from a user for access to an unmanned aerial vehicle through a control system. The method further includes making a determination of whether to grant access to the control system. If the determination is made to grant access the control system then receiving alternate mission parameters for an alternate mission from the user. The method also includes making a decision about whether to implement the alternate mission based on a set of predetermined policies. If the decision is to implement the alternate mission then implementing the alternate mission and saving the alternate mission parameters.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at an unmanned aerial vehicle control system in an unmanned aerial vehicle that is implementing a first mission under control of a first user using a first user device, a request from a second user using a second user device for access to the unmanned aerial vehicle to perform an alternate mission;

verifying in an authentication management module an identity of the second user;

determining in an authorization management module, a determination of whether the second user is permitted to provide input to the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the alternate mission, identity of the second user, authentication of the second user and authorization of the second user;

if the determination is made to grant access then receiving alternate mission parameters for the alternate mission from the second user device;

accessing an environment subsystem having an unmanned aerial vehicle state module, an unmanned aerial vehicle environment module and a user environment module;

accessing an artificial intelligence module that develops relationships between mission parameters to perform and improve assessments, diagnoses, simulations, forecasts, and predictions that form a mission profile;

determining in a mission decision engine in the unmanned aerial vehicle control system a decision of whether to implement the alternate mission based on a set of predetermined policies, data from the artificial intelligence module a state of the unmanned aerial vehicle, information about where the unmanned aerial vehicle is operating, and information about where the second user is operating;

if the decision is to implement the alternate mission then instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle control system to implement the alternate mission under control of the second user;

saving the alternate mission parameters; and

if the decision is not to implement the alternate mission, then continuing with the first mission.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of predetermined policies comprise one or more parameters selected from among a group comprising:

location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, target location, user preferences, status of the unmanned aerial vehicle, next mission on a list, and available resources.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the second user is permitted to provide input to the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises determining whether the second user has authorization based on at least one criteria selected from among a role of the second user, a membership of the second user in a group, a location of the second user, a time, and a transaction type.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the state of the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises information about power, payload capacity, distance to the second user and location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information about where the unmanned aerial vehicle is operating comprises information about weather, location, terrain, and threat level.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein saving the alternate mission parameters comprises saving the alternate mission parameters in a data store accessible by the artificial intelligence module.

7. A system comprising:

an unmanned vehicle;

an unmanned vehicle control system disposed in the unmanned vehicle that controls the unmanned vehicle and that while the unmanned vehicle is under control of a first user, is configured to receive a request from a second user for access to the unmanned vehicle to perform an alternate mission;

an access management system disposed in the unmanned vehicle that controls access by the second user to the unmanned vehicle control system; and

a mission policy management system coupled to the unmanned vehicle control system comprising;

a mission information subsystem having;

a checklist module that stores and processes checklists to ensure that the unmanned vehicle is performing correctly;

a policies module having a set of policies related to a level of control to be provided to a user;

an environment information subsystem having;

a vehicle state module;

a vehicle environment module; and

a user environment module;

an artificial intelligence module including an inference engine, a memory for storing heuristic rules and network information; and

a mission decision engine coupled to the mission information subsystem, the environment information subsystem, and the artificial intelligence module configured to determine whether to implement the alternate mission based on a set of predetermined policies, data from the artificial intelligence module, state of the unmanned vehicle, information about where the unmanned vehicle is operating, and information about where the second user is operating.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the mission information subsystem comprises a mission profile module that stores and processes mission profile information.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the mission decision engine is configured to receive mission parameters from the mission information subsystem.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle state module stores information about power, payload capacity, distance to user and location.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle environment module stores information about an environment in which the unmanned vehicle is operating.

12. A method of controlling an unmanned vehicle controlled by a first user comprising:

determining at a control system in the unmanned vehicle whether a second user has authorization to control the unmanned vehicle;

if the second user has authorization, then receiving alternate mission parameters from the second user;

determining in a mission decision engine whether to perform an alternate mission based on input from an artificial intelligence module coupled to the mission decision engine, the alternate mission parameters, a set of policies, information about a state of the unmanned vehicle, information about where the unmanned aerial vehicle is operating, and information about where the second user is operating;

if it is determined that the alternate mission should be performed, then;

performing the alternate mission; and

storing the alternate mission parameters; and

if it is determined that the alternate mission should not be performed then determining in the mission decision engine whether there is a second unmanned vehicle that may be capable of performing the alternate mission.

13. The method of controlling an unmanned vehicle of claim 12 wherein the set of policies comprise a set of hierarchical security policies.

14. The method of controlling an unmanned vehicle of claim 12 wherein the information about the state of the unmanned vehicle comprises information about available power, payload capacity, and distance to user.

15. The method of controlling an unmanned vehicle of claim 12 further comprising storing information from the step of determining whether to perform the alternate mission.

16. The method of controlling an unmanned vehicle of claim 15 wherein determining whether to perform the alternate mission comprises accessing a store of information about prior decisions to perform other missions and determining whether to perform the alternate mission based on stored information about prior decisions to perform other missions.

17. The method of controlling an unmanned vehicle of claim 16 wherein determining whether to perform the alternate mission based on stored information about prior decisions to perform other missions is performed by the artificial intelligence module.