Multi-part navigation process by an unmanned aerial vehicle for navigation
First Claim
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
- a non-transitory computer readable medium; and
a control system comprising at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is operable to execute program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium to;
determine an approximate target area associated with a target;
use a first navigation process to navigate the UAV from a first location to the approximate target location of the target, wherein the target is located at a ground location within the approximate target area, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals for the UAV based on a predetermined location of the target;
make a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target area;
in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target area, switch to use of a second navigation process to locate, and navigate the UAV to, a position hovering above the ground location of the target, wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals for the UAV using a real-time localization process that is based at least in part on real-time sensor data generated by one or more sensors on the UAV; and
determine that the UAV is positioned above the ground location of the target and responsively, while hovering above the ground location, operate a winch system to lower a payload from the UAV to the ground location of the target.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments described herein may relate to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigating to a target in order to provide medical support. An illustrative method involves a UAV (a) determining an approximate target location associated with a target, (b) using a first navigation process to navigate the UAV to the approximate target location, where the first navigation process generates flight-control signals based on the approximate target location, (c) making a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, and (d) in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, using a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to the target, wherein the second navigation process generates flight-control signals based on real-time localization of the target.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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a non-transitory computer readable medium; and a control system comprising at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is operable to execute program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium to; determine an approximate target area associated with a target; use a first navigation process to navigate the UAV from a first location to the approximate target location of the target, wherein the target is located at a ground location within the approximate target area, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals for the UAV based on a predetermined location of the target; make a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target area; in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target area, switch to use of a second navigation process to locate, and navigate the UAV to, a position hovering above the ground location of the target, wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals for the UAV using a real-time localization process that is based at least in part on real-time sensor data generated by one or more sensors on the UAV; and determine that the UAV is positioned above the ground location of the target and responsively, while hovering above the ground location, operate a winch system to lower a payload from the UAV to the ground location of the target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising:
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determining, by a computing system of a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an approximate target area associated with a target, wherein the target is located at ground location within the approximate target area, and wherein the computing system comprises at least one processor; using, by the computing system, a first navigation process to navigate the UAV from a first location to the approximate target area of the target, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals based on the approximate target area of the target; making, by the computing system, a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target area; in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target area, using, by the computing system, a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to a position hovering above the ground location of the target, wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals using a real-time localization process based at least in part on real-time sensor data generated by one or more sensors on the UAV; and determining, by the computing system, that the UAV is positioned above the ground location of the target and responsively operating a winch system to lower a payload from the UAV to the ground location of the target. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions that are executable by at least one processor to cause a computing to perform functions comprising:
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determining an approximate target area associated with a target, wherein the target is located at a ground location within the approximate target area; using a first navigation process to navigate an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a first location to the approximate target area of the target, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals based on the approximate target area of the target; making a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target area; in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target area, using a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to a position hovering over the ground location of the target, wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals using a real-time localization based on real-time sensor data generated by one or more sensors on the UAV; and determining that the UAV is positioned over the target and responsively operating a winch system to lower a payload from the UAV to the target. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
- determining, by a computing system of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an approximate target area associated with a target, wherein the target is located at ground location within the approximate target area;
using, by the computing system, a first navigation process to navigate the UAV from a first location to the approximate target area, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals based on the approximate target area; either;
(a) making a determination, by the computing system, that the UAV is located at the approximate target area or (b) receiving, by the computing system, local target-location data that is usable to navigate to a position over the ground location of the target;in response to either (a) or (b), using, by the computing system, a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to a position hovering over the ground location of the target, wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals using a real-time localization of the target based at least in part on real-time sensor data generated by one or more sensors on the UAV; and determining that the UAV is positioned over to the ground location of the target and responsively operate a winch system to lower a payload from the UAV to the to the ground location of target. - View Dependent Claims (20)
- determining, by a computing system of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an approximate target area associated with a target, wherein the target is located at ground location within the approximate target area;
Specification