COLLISION TARGETING FOR HAZARD HANDLING

• US 20140249741A1
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Published: 09/04/2014
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,405,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/302
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/15 for conventional or electronic warfare
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/00 Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles flight control B64C, G05D1/00 ; counter-measures against guided missiles F41H11/02; spin-stabilised missiles F42B10/26; self-propelled or guided missiles having direction control systems only installed aboard F42B15/01; rocket torpedoes F42B17/00; marine torpedoes or sea-mines having self-propulsion means F42B19/00; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; computing aspects G06
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/12 Target-seeking control

Abstract

Disclosed herein are example embodiments for collision targeting for hazard handling. For certain example embodiments, at least one machine, such as a base station, may: (i) ascertain at least one target for at least one collision to include an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV); or (ii) transmit at least one command to execute at least one maneuver to divert a UFV at least toward at least one target to induce at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth.

Claims

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

ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV; and

transmitting at least one command to execute at least one maneuver to divert the UFV at least toward the at least one target to induce the at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV comprises:

selecting at least one other UFV as the at least one target for the at least one collision.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting at least one other UFV as the at least one target for the at least one collision comprises:

selecting the at least one other UFV as the at least one target based at least partially on at least one value of the at least one other UFV.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting at least one other UFV as the at least one target for the at least one collision comprises:

selecting the at least one other UFV as the at least one target based at least partially on a likelihood of recoverability from the at least one collision.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting at least one other UFV as the at least one target for the at least one collision comprises:

selecting the at least one other UFV as the at least one target based at least partially on the at least one other UFV having at least one of a related ownership or a related operator as that of the UFV.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting at least one other UFV as the at least one target for the at least one collision comprises:

selecting the at least one other UFV as the at least one target in lieu of a pilot-occupied flying vehicle (POFV).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV comprises:

selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision based at least partially on an amount of harm likely to result from the at least one collision.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision based at least partially on an amount of harm likely to result from the at least one collision comprises:

selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision based at least partially on an amount of monetary harm likely to result from the at least one collision.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision based at least partially on an amount of harm likely to result from the at least one collision comprises:

selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision based at least partially on an amount of harm to one or more humans likely to result from the at least one collision.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision based at least partially on an amount of harm likely to result from the at least one collision comprises:

selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision based at least partially on a risk of danger associated with one or more potential collision targets.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV comprises:

selecting at least one man-made object as the at least one target.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selecting at least one man-made object as the at least one target comprises:

selecting a man-made object that is unlikely to be materially damaged by the at least one collision to include the UFV.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV comprises:

receiving from the UFV at least one indication of the at least one target for the at least one collision.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV comprises:

receiving from another UFV at least one indication of the at least one target for the at least one collision.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV comprises:

selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision using at least one map.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision using at least one map comprises:

selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision using the at least one map that is indicative of at least relative population levels.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision using at least one map comprises:

selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision using the at least one map that is indicative of one or more designated crashing zones.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision using at least one map comprises:

selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision using the at least one map that is indicative of at least relative danger levels.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the selecting the at least one target for the at least one collision using at least one map comprises:

prioritizing one or more indications related to target collision selection that are associated with the at least one map.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting at least one command to execute at least one maneuver to divert the UFV at least toward the at least one target to induce the at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target comprises:

transmitting the at least one command to accelerate toward the at least one target.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting at least one command to execute at least one maneuver to divert the UFV at least toward the at least one target to induce the at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target comprises:

transmitting the at least one command to adjust a flight path of the UFV to reduce a probability that the UFV will collide with an object that is not the at least one target.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting at least one command to execute at least one maneuver to divert the UFV at least toward the at least one target to induce the at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target comprises:

transmitting the at least one command to adjust a flight path of the UFV so that the at least one target is substantially along at least a spatial aspect of an adjusted flight path of the UFV.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting at least one command to execute at least one maneuver to divert the UFV at least toward the at least one target to induce the at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target comprises:

broadcasting at least one message indicative of an identity of the at least one target of the at least one collision.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a potential collision to include the UFV and at least one object is likely imminent.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the determining that a potential collision to include the UFV and at least one object is likely imminent comprises:

determining that the potential collision is to occur absent action by the UFV to avoid the potential collision.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the determining that a potential collision to include the UFV and at least one object is likely imminent comprises:

determining that a likelihood associated with the potential collision meets at least one threshold likelihood.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reporting the at least one collision automatically.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the reporting the at least one collision automatically comprises:

transmitting at least one collision report prior to occurrence of the at least one collision.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the reporting the at least one collision automatically comprises:

transmitting at least one collision report after occurrence of the at least one collision.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the reporting the at least one collision automatically comprises:

reporting an identification of the UFV.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the reporting the at least one collision automatically comprises:

reporting at least one identifying characteristic of the at least one target.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the reporting the at least one collision automatically comprises:

reporting at least one identifying characteristic of an object for which impact was avoided by execution of the at least one maneuver to induce the at least one collision.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the reporting the at least one collision automatically comprises:

reporting at least one identifying characteristic for one or more potential targets that are not selected as the at least one target for the at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target.

10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

37. A base station for hazard handling in conjunction with an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), the base station comprising:

circuitry for ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV; and

circuitry for transmitting at least one command to execute at least one maneuver to divert the UFV at least toward the at least one target to induce the at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target.

38-72. -72. (canceled)

73. A system for hazard handling for an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), the system comprising:

means for ascertaining at least one target for at least one collision to include a UFV; and

means for transmitting at least one command to execute at least one maneuver to divert the UFV at least toward the at least one target to induce the at least one collision to include the UFV and the at least one target.

74-108. -108. (canceled)