UNMANNED DEVICE INTERACTION METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20140067167A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• 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 9,713,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• 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: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• 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 1/005 by providing the operator with signals other than visual, e.g. acoustic, haptic
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for configuring an unmanned aerial device to participate in the performance of tasks, for using data resulting from such a configuration or performance, or for facilitating other interactions with such devices.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

circuitry for obtaining photographic data depicting a first unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for obtaining an indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as an automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

2-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

means for obtaining photographic data depicting a first unmanned aerial device;

means for obtaining an indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for signaling a decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as an automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

36. The system of claim 35 in which the means for obtaining an indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously comprises:

means for obtaining an indication that the first unmanned aerial device is performing a particular task; and

means for selectively generating a result of comparing the particular task against a task list of one or more tasks that the first unmanned aerial device performs as the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

37. The system of claim 35 in which the means for obtaining an indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously comprises:

means for obtaining an indication that the first unmanned aerial device is in a specific zone; and

means for selectively generating a result of comparing an identifier of the first unmanned aerial device against an entity list identifying one or more entities that are normally in the specific zone as the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

38. The system of claim 35 in which the means for signaling a decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as an automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously comprises:

means for transmitting the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device selectively in response to an indication that the first unmanned aerial device has not been identified.

39. The system of claim 35 in which the means for signaling a decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as an automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously comprises:

means for transmitting the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device selectively in response to an indication that the first unmanned aerial device has not been identified; and

means for transmitting the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device selectively in response to an indication that the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously and otherwise generally not transmitting the photographic data.

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

means for configuring a second unmanned aerial device to perform a first observation of the first unmanned aerial device in a first zone and a third unmanned aerial device to perform a second observation of the first unmanned aerial device in a second zone.

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

a handheld device, including the means for obtaining the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device and including the means for obtaining the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously and including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

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

a wearable device, including the means for obtaining the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device and including the means for obtaining the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously and including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

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

a second unmanned aerial device having one or more propellers and configured to support the means for obtaining the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device and to support the means for obtaining the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously and to support the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for obtaining the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device and including the means for obtaining the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously and including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for configuring the second unmanned aerial device to capture normalcy-indicative data relating to a human subject.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

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

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for configuring the second 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.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously, the second unmanned aerial device including means for 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 second unmanned aerial device or the package or a sender of the package.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for signaling a decision whether or not to reserve a specific resource by associating the specific resource with a specific device or with a specific person.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously, the second unmanned aerial device including means for responding to an indication of the second unmanned aerial device becoming within a proximity of the first unmanned aerial device.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously, the second unmanned aerial device including means for transmitting navigation guidance via a speaker of the second unmanned aerial device while a primary motor of the second unmanned aerial device is not moving the second unmanned aerial device.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously, the second unmanned aerial device including means for identifying an operating mode of the second unmanned aerial device audibly or visibly while a primary motor of the second unmanned aerial device is not moving the second unmanned aerial device.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously, the second unmanned aerial device including means 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 second unmanned aerial device.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

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

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for causing a third unmanned aerial device to capture delivery data relating to the second unmanned aerial device.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for configuring the second unmanned aerial device not to be equipped with any light sensors.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for causing a data handling device aboard the second unmanned aerial device to contain a task schedule indicating a first future delivery of a first object to a first destination and a second future delivery of a second object to a second destination.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for causing the second unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a single dose of a therapeutic material to a human hand within one minute of an image capture of a portion of the human hand.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously, the second unmanned aerial device including means for causing the second unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a particular object to a human recipient contemporaneously with an image capture of a portion of the human recipient.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

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

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for overriding a first task being performed by the second unmanned aerial device by transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a second task to the second unmanned aerial device.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

means for causing the second 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 second unmanned aerial device.

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

a second unmanned aerial device including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously, the second unmanned aerial device including means for responding to a determination of whether or not a received signal expresses a first name of the second unmanned aerial device and whether or not the received signal expresses a second name of the second unmanned aerial device.

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

a handheld device, including the means for obtaining the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device and including the means for obtaining the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously and including the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously;

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

means for configuring the second 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, the particular task not including the performance observation task;

means for causing a third unmanned aerial device to capture delivery data relating to the second unmanned aerial device;

means for determining whether or not an operator of the second unmanned aerial device has indicated a tracking mode of the second unmanned aerial device; and

means for causing the second 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 second unmanned aerial device, the specific person being the operator of the second unmanned aerial device.

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

a second unmanned aerial device having one or more propellers and configured to support the means for obtaining the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device and to support the means for obtaining the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously and to support the means for signaling the decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as the automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously;

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

means for configuring the second unmanned aerial device not to be equipped with any light sensors;

means for causing a data handling device aboard the second unmanned aerial device to contain a task schedule indicating a first future delivery of a first object to a first destination and a second future delivery of a second object to a second destination;

means for causing the second unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a single dose of a therapeutic material to a human hand within one minute of an image capture of a portion of the human hand, the delivery of the single dose of the therapeutic material not including the first future delivery and not including the second future delivery;

means for configuring the second unmanned aerial device to capture normalcy-indicative data relating to a human subject; and

means for signaling a decision whether or not to configure the second unmanned aerial device to continue observing a first person responsive to a prior observation of the first person, the first person being the human subject.

40. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

55. (canceled)

69. A method comprising:

obtaining photographic data depicting a first unmanned aerial device;

obtaining an indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

invoking circuitry configured for signaling a decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as an automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

70. The method of claim 69 further comprising:

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

71. An article of manufacture comprising:

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

obtaining photographic data depicting a first unmanned aerial device;

obtaining an indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

signaling a decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as an automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

72. The article of manufacture of claim 71 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 transmitting the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device selectively in response to an indication that the first unmanned aerial device has not been identified.

73. An article of manufacture comprising:

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

obtaining photographic data depicting a first unmanned aerial device;

obtaining an indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously; and

signaling a decision whether or not to transmit the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device as an automatic and conditional response to the indication whether or not the first unmanned aerial device behaved anomalously.

74. The article of manufacture of claim 73 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

the photographic data depicting the first unmanned aerial device.