UNMANNED DEVICE UTILIZATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20140025234A1
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 10,019,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/00 Type of UAV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/26 for manufacturing, inspections or repairs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/32 generated by fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/76 Arrangements for rearranging, permuting or selecting data according to predetermined rules, independently of the content of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for configuring an unmanned aerial device to perform a task, alone or in combination with other entities, or for using data resulting from such a configuration or performance.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

circuitry for obtaining first position data from a first entity, by a second entity, the first entity being a first unmanned aerial device; and

circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to perform a first observation of a particular task in a first zone and a second unmanned aerial device to perform a second observation of the particular task in a second zone.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to capture normalcy-indicative data relating to a human subject, at least some of the normalcy-indicative data being indicative of a speech rate or a movement rate of the human subject, the second entity including the human subject.

10. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for presenting navigation guidance via a display aboard the first unmanned aerial device while a primary motor of the first unmanned aerial device is not moving the first unmanned aerial device.

12. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for identifying an operating mode of the first unmanned aerial device audibly or visibly while a primary motor of the first unmanned aerial device is not moving the first unmanned aerial device.

16. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device not to be equipped with any light sensors, the circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device not to be equipped with any light sensors being operably coupled with a releasable mechanical linkage, the releasable mechanical linkage being configured to support a data handling unit, the data handling unit including at least one light sensor.

21. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to transmit a wireless signal indicative of having performed a particular task and not to store any indication of having performed the particular task.

25. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data, comprises:

circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to reserve the first resource by associating the first resource with a specific person, the second entity including the specific person, the decision being an affirmative decision to reserve the first resource, the first resource including at least one of a space or a material.

26. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data, comprises:

circuitry for responding to an indication of the first unmanned aerial device becoming within a proximity of a mobile device by signaling the decision whether or not to omit a record of the first unmanned aerial device completing a delivery task as an automatic and conditional response to an operator-selectable tracking mode of the delivery task of the first unmanned aerial device, the second entity including the mobile device.

29. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data, comprises:

circuitry for causing a modular observation unit to be lifted and activated within at most about an hour of the modular observation unit becoming part of the first unmanned aerial device.

34. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for causing the first unmanned aerial device to fly toward a home station in response to an indication of a specific person moving at least a threshold distance away from the first unmanned aerial device, the second entity including the specific person.

35. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture comprise:

a second unmanned aerial device, including the circuitry for signaling the decision whether or not to allocate the first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data.

105. The system of claim 1 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data, comprises:

circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to reserve the first resource by associating the first resource with a specific person, the second entity including the specific person, the decision being an affirmative decision to reserve the first resource, the first resource including at least one of a space or a material;

circuitry for responding to an indication of the first unmanned aerial device becoming within a proximity of a mobile device by signaling the decision whether or not to omit a record of the first unmanned aerial device completing a delivery task as an automatic and conditional response to an operator-selectable tracking mode of the delivery task of the first unmanned aerial device, the second entity including the mobile device; and

circuitry for causing a modular observation unit to be lifted and activated within at most about an hour of the modular observation unit becoming part of the first unmanned aerial device.

106. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

a vehicle having one or more wheels, the vehicle configured to support the circuitry for signaling the decision whether or not to allocate the first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data;

circuitry for presenting navigation guidance via a display aboard the first unmanned aerial device while a primary motor of the first unmanned aerial device is not moving the first unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for overriding a first task being performed by the first unmanned aerial device by transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a second task to the first unmanned aerial device; and

circuitry for determining whether or not an operator of the first unmanned aerial device has indicated a tracking mode of the first unmanned aerial device.

107. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to capture normalcy-indicative data relating to a human subject, the second entity including the human subject;

circuitry for causing the first unmanned aerial device to fly toward a home station in response to an indication of another human subject moving at least a threshold distance away from the first unmanned aerial device; and

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device not to be equipped with any light sensors, the circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device not to be equipped with any light sensors being operably coupled with a releasable mechanical linkage, the releasable mechanical linkage being configured to support a data handling unit, the data handling unit including at least one light sensor.

108. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to transmit a wireless signal indicative of having performed a particular task and not to store any indication of having performed the particular task;

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to perform a first observation of the particular task in a first zone and a second unmanned aerial device to perform a second observation of the particular task in a second zone; and

circuitry for transmitting navigation guidance via a speaker of the first unmanned aerial device while a primary motor of the first unmanned aerial device is not moving the first unmanned aerial device.

109. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for identifying an operating mode of the first unmanned aerial device audibly or visibly while a primary motor of the first unmanned aerial device is not moving the first unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to capture normalcy-indicative data relating to a human subject, at least some of the normalcy-indicative data being indicative of a biometric, the biometric being an abnormal or normal rate, the abnormal or normal rate being a respiration rate or a heart rate of the human subject, the second entity including the human subject; and

circuitry for causing another unmanned aerial device to capture delivery data relating to the first unmanned aerial device, the delivery data relating to the first unmanned aerial device depicting at least one of the first unmanned aerial device or a vicinity of the first unmanned aerial device.

3-6. -6. (canceled)

8-9. -9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

13-15. -15. (canceled)

17-20. -20. (canceled)

22-24. -24. (canceled)

27-28. -28. (canceled)

30-33. -33. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. A system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

means for obtaining first position data from a first entity, by a second entity, the first entity being a first unmanned aerial device; and

means for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data.

40. The system of claim 37 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

means for causing the first unmanned aerial device to undertake a performance observation task of a job that includes a performance task and the performance observation task.

38-39. -39. (canceled)

41-61. -61. (canceled)

62. A method comprising:

obtaining first position data from a first entity, by a second entity, the first entity being a first unmanned aerial device; and

invoking circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

configuring the first unmanned aerial device to perform a first observation of a particular task in a first zone and a second unmanned aerial device to perform a second observation of the particular task in a second zone.

64. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

configuring the first unmanned aerial device to capture normalcy-indicative data relating to a human subject, the second entity including the human subject.

68. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a delivery of a package to a device associated with a recipient of the package, the wireless signal indicating at least one of the first unmanned aerial device or the package or a sender of the package, the wireless signal being a radio frequency signal indicating the sender of the package and also indicating at least one of the first unmanned aerial device or the package.

77. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

configuring the first unmanned aerial device not to be equipped with any light sensors, the first unmanned aerial device being operable to navigate without any light sensors.

90. The method of claim 62 in which the invoking circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data, comprises:

causing a modular observation unit to be lifted and activated within at most about an hour of the modular observation unit becoming part of the first unmanned aerial device, the modular observation unit being activated responsive to an indication of the modular observation unit becoming part of the first unmanned aerial device.

91. The method of claim 62 in which the invoking circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data, comprises:

signaling a decision whether or not to configure the first unmanned aerial device to continue observing a first person responsive to a prior observation of the first person, the second entity including the first person.

100. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

responding to a determination of whether or not a received signal expresses a first name of the first unmanned aerial device and whether or not the received signal expresses a second name of the first unmanned aerial device.

65-67. -67. (canceled)

69-76. -76. (canceled)

78-89. -89. (canceled)

92-99. -99. (canceled)

101. An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more physical media configured to bear a device-detectable implementation of a method including at least

obtaining first position data from a first entity, by a second entity, the first entity being a first unmanned aerial device; and

signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data.

102. The article of manufacture of claim 101 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for

causing the first unmanned aerial device to undertake a performance observation task of a job that includes a performance task and the performance observation task.

103. An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable outcome indicating an occurrence of

obtaining first position data from a first entity, by a second entity, the first entity being a first unmanned aerial device; and

signaling a decision whether or not to allocate a first resource to the second entity after the first position data passes from the first unmanned aerial device to the second entity, the first resource being associated with the first position data.

104. The article of manufacture of claim 103 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable output indicating an occurrence of

signaling a decision whether or not to configure the first unmanned aerial device to continue observing a first person responsive to a prior observation of the first person, the second entity including the first person.