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

• US 10,520,938 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2019
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• 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:
  US16/372,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20190227541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• 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;

a motor; and

a propulsion system coupled with the motor and configured to enable the respective UAV to move itself; and

wherein a first UAV control circuit of a first UAV of the multiple UAVs is configured to identify a first tool system to be used by the first UAV to enable the first UAV to perform a first function provided by the first tool system, cause a notification to be communicated to a second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system to the first UAV, activate a universal coupler of the first UAV to decouple a second tool system from the first UAV wherein the second tool system is configured to perform a second function that is different than the first function, and control the first UAV to align and couple the universal coupler of the first UAV 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 causing the notification to be communicated to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system comprises notifying 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 causing the notification to be communicated to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the first tool system comprises notifying the second UAV to hover at a defined location and altitude;

and

the first UAV control circuit controls 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 control the first tool system to 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 that 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 to 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 universal coupler comprises:

a universal coupler coupling systems configured to interchangeably couple with a corresponding coupling system of one of multiple different tool systems, including the first tool system and the second tool system, and secure the one of the multiple different tool systems with the universal coupler; and

a universal coupler communication interface configured to communicatively couple with a corresponding communication interface of the one of the multiple different tool systems.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a tool system database storing tool system parameter data associated with each of the multiple tool systems and defining functional capabilities and current locations 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.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the universal coupler, in coupling with the first tool system is configured to secure the first tool system with the first UAV while communicatively and electrically coupling with the first tool system to enable the first UAV control circuit to communicate with a tool system control circuit of the first tool system.

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

by a first UAV control circuit of a first UAV;

identifying, through the first UAV control circuit accessing a tool system database, a first tool system to be used by the first UAV to enable the first UAV to perform a first function provided by the first tool system;

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

activating a universal coupler of the first UAV to decouple a second tool system from the first UAV wherein the second tool system is configured to perform a second function that is different than the first function; and

controlling the first UAV to align and couple the universal coupler of 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 implement the first function provided through the first tool system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the causing the notification to be communicated to the second UAV to transfer the first tool system comprises notifying the second UAV to release the first tool system at a location where a task is to be performed using the first tool system.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the causing the notification to be communicated to the second UAV comprises notifying the second UAV to hover at a defined location and altitude;

and

wherein the controlling the first UAV 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.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

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

controlling the first UAV to continue implementing the task using the first tool system.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying that 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.

16. The method of claim 11, 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.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

accessing the tool system database storing tool system parameter data associated with each of multiple tool systems defining the 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.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the coupling the universal coupler of the first UAV with the first tool system comprises communicatively coupling the universal coupler with a corresponding communication interface of the first tool system and establish a communicatively coupling of the first UAV control circuit with the first tool system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying the first tool system comprises accessing the tool system database storing tool system parameter data associated with each of multiple different tool systems and defining functional capabilities and current locations of each of the multiple tool systems, and identifying 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.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the coupling the first universal coupler with the first tool system comprises securing the first tool system with the first universal couple and the first UAV while communicatively and electrically coupling the first UAV with the first tool system and enabling the first UAV control circuit to communicate with a tool system control circuit of the first tool system.