BASE STATION MULTI-VEHICLE COORDINATION

• US 20140172194A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Lord, Richard T., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,540,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• 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 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/30 with arrangements for data transmission
• 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: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

Disclosed herein are example embodiments for base station multi-vehicle coordination. For certain example embodiments, at least one machine, such as a base station, may: (i) effectuate one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV; or (ii) transmit to a first UFV at least one command based at least partially on one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth.

Claims

1. A method for hazard handling by coordinating at least one unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), the method being at least partially implemented by at least one machine, the method comprising:

effectuating one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV; and

transmitting to the first UFV at least one command based at least partially on the one or more communications with at least the first UFV and the second UFV.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the effectuating one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one hazard discovered by the second UFV.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one hazard discovered by the second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV at least one code representative of the at least one hazard discovered by the second UFV.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one hazard discovered by the second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV a location of at least one object that is detected by the second UFV.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one hazard discovered by the second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV at least one message including at least one atmospheric harbinger indicative of one or more weather elements that are detected by the second UFV.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the effectuating one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one status of the second UFV.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one status of the second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV the at least one indication of at least one heading of the second UFV.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one status of the second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV the at least one indication of a fuel level associated with the second UFV.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one status of the second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV the at least one indication of at least one mission status associated with the second UFV.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving from the second UFV the at least one indication of at least one mission status associated with the second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV the at least one indication of at least one estimated delay for a mission associated with the second UFV.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the effectuating one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV at least one indication of at least one mission objective.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the effectuating one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV comprises:

receiving from the second UFV at least one indication of at least one status of a third UFV.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one command based at least partially on the one or more communications with at least the first UFV and the second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV at least one flight control command.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one flight control command comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one flight control command to instruct the first UFV to adjust at least one flight path.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one flight control command comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one flight control command responsive at least partially to at least one indication of at least one flight path of the second UFV.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one command based at least partially on the one or more communications with at least the first UFV and the second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command to update at least one mission associated with the first UFV.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command to update at least one mission associated with the first UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command to utilize one or more identified sensors of the first UFV as part of at least one mission associated with the first UFV.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one command based at least partially on the one or more communications with at least the first UFV and the second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command via routing the at least one command through at least a third UFV.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one command based at least partially on the one or more communications with at least the first UFV and the second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to at least one message from the second UFV.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to at least one message from the second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to the at least one message from the second UFV, the at least one message indicative of at least a partial mission success.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to at least one message from the second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to the at least one message from the second UFV, the at least one message indicative of at least one assistance status for the second UFV.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to at least one message from the second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to the at least one message from the second UFV, the at least one message indicative of at least a partial mission failure.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to at least one message from the second UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV the at least one command responsive at least partially to the at least one message from the second UFV, the at least one message indicative of confirmed clearance for at least a portion of at least one joint mission associated with the first UFV and the second UFV.

42. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to the first UFV at least one update command to update instruction code on the first UFV.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one update command to update instruction code on the first UFV comprises:

wirelessly transmitting to the first UFV the at least one update command to update the instruction code on the first UFV while the first UFV is airborne.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one update command to update instruction code on the first UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV at least one dissemination command to order the first UFV to send instruction code to at least one other UFV during flight deployment.

46. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to the first UFV at least one update command to update at least one security protocol of the first UFV.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one update command to update at least one security protocol of the first UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV at least one malware indicator to be included in at least one updated security protocol of the first UFV.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the transmitting to the first UFV at least one update command to update at least one security protocol of the first UFV comprises:

transmitting to the first UFV at least one dissemination indicator to inform the first UFV to share the at least one security protocol with one or more other UFVs during flight.

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51. A base station for hazard handling by coordinating at least one unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), the base station comprising:

circuitry for effectuating one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV; and

circuitry for transmitting to the first UFV at least one command based at least partially on the one or more communications with at least the first UFV and the second UFV.

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101. A system for hazard handling by coordinating at least one unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), the system comprising:

means for effectuating one or more communications with at least a first UFV and a second UFV; and

means for transmitting to the first UFV at least one command based at least partially on the one or more communications with at least the first UFV and the second UFV.

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