Enabling services on a UAV

• US 20060167597A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Thorson, Derral Charles, Bodin, William Kress, Redman, Jesse
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are provided for enabling services on a UAV. Embodiments include determining a current position of the UAV, selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV, uploading the service module to the UAV, and executing the service module on the UAV. Selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV may include retrieving from a module database a module record in dependence upon the current position of the UAV. Typical embodiments also include selecting a flying pattern algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and piloting the UAV in accordance with the flying pattern algorithm. Many embodiments also include selecting a navigational algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and navigating the UAV in accordance with the navigational algorithm.

Claims

1. A method for enabling services on a UAV, the method comprising:

determining a current position of the UAV;

selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV;

uploading the service module to the UAV; and

executing the service module on the UAV.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV further comprises retrieving from a module database a module record in dependence upon the current position of the UAV.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a flying pattern algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and piloting the UAV in accordance with the flying pattern algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a navigational algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and navigating the UAV in accordance with the navigational algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising dispatching the UAV to a waypoint.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein dispatching the UAV to a waypoint further comprises:

receiving in a remote control device a user'"'"'s selection of a GUI map pixel that represents a waypoint for UAV navigation, the pixel having a location on the GUI;

mapping the pixel'"'"'s location on the GUI to Earth coordinates of the waypoint;

transmitting the coordinates of the waypoint to the UAV;

reading a starting position from a GPS receiver on the UAV; and

piloting the UAV, under control of a navigation computer, from the starting position to the waypoint in accordance with a navigation algorithm.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein mapping the pixel'"'"'s location on the GUI to Earth coordinates of the waypoint further comprises:

mapping pixel boundaries of the GUI map to Earth coordinates;

identifying a range of latitude and a range of longitude represented by each pixel; and

locating a region on the surface of the Earth in dependence upon the boundaries, the ranges, and the location of the pixel on the GUI map.

8. A system for enabling services on a UAV, the system comprising:

means for determining a current position of the UAV;

means for selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV;

means for uploading the service module to the UAV; and

means for executing the service module on the UAV.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein means for selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV further comprises means for retrieving from a module database a module record in dependence upon the current position of the UAV.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for selecting a flying pattern algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and means for piloting the UAV in accordance with the flying pattern algorithm.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for selecting a navigational algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and means for navigating the UAV in accordance with the navigational algorithm.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for dispatching the UAV to a waypoint.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein means for dispatching the UAV to a waypoint further comprises:

means for receiving in a remote control device a user'"'"'s selection of a GUI map pixel that represents a waypoint for UAV navigation, the pixel having a location on the GUI;

means for mapping the pixel'"'"'s location on the GUI to Earth coordinates of the waypoint;

means for transmitting the coordinates of the waypoint to the UAV;

means for reading a starting position from a GPS receiver on the UAV; and

means for piloting the UAV, under control of a navigation computer, from the starting position to the waypoint in accordance with a navigation algorithm.

14. A computer program product for enabling services on a UAV, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for determining a current position of the UAV;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for uploading the service module to the UAV; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for executing the service module on the UAV.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium for selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving from a module database a module record in dependence upon the current position of the UAV.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a flying pattern algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and means, recorded on the recording medium, for piloting the UAV in accordance with the flying pattern algorithm.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a navigational algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and means, recorded on the recording medium, for navigating the UAV in accordance with the navigational algorithm.

18. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for dispatching the UAV to a waypoint.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for dispatching the UAV to a waypoint further comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving in a remote control device a user'"'"'s selection of a GUI map pixel that represents a waypoint for UAV navigation, the pixel having a location on the GUI;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for mapping the pixel'"'"'s location on the GUI to Earth coordinates of the waypoint;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for transmitting the coordinates of the waypoint to the UAV;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for reading a starting position from a GPS receiver on the UAV; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for piloting the UAV, under control of a navigation computer, from the starting position to the waypoint in accordance with a navigation algorithm.