DYNAMIC SELECTION OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

• US 20150379874A1
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: UBHI, Gurpreet, SRIVASTAVA, Ashok N., PASKO, Douglas M., BATLA, Hani, KANTOR, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 9,354,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/66 Ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/42 by adaptive correction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 : for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 : Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/005 : for aircraft positioning relative to other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 : of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 : Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 : Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 : Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 : with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 : Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 : Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 : Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 : in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 : in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 : for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 : for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 : Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A device receives a request for a flight path from a first location to a second location in a region, and calculates the flight path based on the request and based on one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, regulatory information, or historical information associated with the region. The device determines required capabilities for the flight path based on the request, and selects, from multiple UAVs, a particular UAV based on the required capabilities for the flight path and based on a ranking of the multiple UAVs. The device generates flight path instructions for the flight path, and provides the flight path instructions to the particular UAV to permit the particular UAV to travel from the first location to the second location via the flight path.

Claims

1. A method for enabling unmanned aerial vehicles to traverse flight paths from origination locations to destination locations, the method comprising:

receiving, by a device, a request for a flight path from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in a region;

calculating, by the device, the flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location based on the request for the flight path and based on one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, regulatory information, or historical information associated with the region;

determining, by the device, required capabilities for the flight path based on the request for the flight path;

selecting, by the device and from a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, a particular unmanned aerial vehicle based on the required capabilities for the flight path and based on a ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

generating, by the device, flight path instructions for the flight path; and

providing, by the device, the flight path instructions to the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from the first geographical location to the second geographical location via the flight path.

2. The method of claim 1, where determining the required capabilities for the flight path comprises at least one of:

determining the required capabilities for the flight path based on the first geographical location and the second geographical location;

determining the required capabilities for the flight path based on component requirements associated with the flight path;

determining the required capabilities for the flight path based on physical requirements associated with the flight path;

or

determining the required capabilities for the flight path based on the one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, the regulatory information, or the historical information associated with the region.

3. The method of claim 1, where the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles is determined prior to receiving the request for the flight path.

4. The method of claim 1, where selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle comprises:

assigning weights to capability information associated with the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

calculating a score, for each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the assigned weights; and

selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the calculated scores and based on the required capabilities for the flight path.

5. The method of claim 4, where selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle comprises:

determining the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles based on the calculated scores; and

selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles.

6. The method of claim 4, where different weights are assigned to different types of the capability information.

7. The method of claim 1, where the particular unmanned aerial vehicle includes a mobile hotspot component that permits the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to generate a mobile hotspot at the second geographical location.

8. A system for enabling unmanned aerial vehicles to traverse flight paths from origination locations to destination locations, the system comprising:

one or more devices to;

receive a request for a flight path from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in a region;

calculate the flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location based on the request for the flight path and based on;

one or more of air traffic information, regulatory information, or historical information associated with the region, and

one or more of weather information or obstacle information;

determine required capabilities for the flight path based on the request for the flight path;

select, from a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, a particular unmanned aerial vehicle based on the required capabilities for the flight path and based on a ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

generate flight path instructions for the flight path; and

provide the flight path instructions to the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from the first geographical location to the second geographical location via the flight path.

9. The system of claim 8, where, when determining the required capabilities for the flight path, the one or more devices are to at least one of:

determine the required capabilities for the flight path based on the first geographical location and the second geographical location;

determine the required capabilities for the flight path based on component requirements associated with the flight path;

determine the required capabilities for the flight path based on physical requirements associated with the flight path;

or

determine the required capabilities for the flight path based on the one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, the regulatory information, or the historical information associated with the region.

10. The system of claim 8, where the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles is determined prior to receiving the request for the flight path.

11. The system of claim 8, where, when selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, the one or more devices are to:

assign weights to capability information associated with the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

calculate a score, for each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the assigned weights; and

select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the calculated scores and based on the required capabilities for the flight path.

12. The system of claim 11, where, when selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, the one or more devices are to:

determine the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles based on the calculated scores; and

select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles.

13. The system of claim 11, where different weights are assigned to different types of the capability information.

14. The system of claim 8, where the particular unmanned aerial vehicle includes a mobile hotspot component and the one or more devices are to:

instruct the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to travel to the second geographical location and generate a mobile hotspot at the second geographical location.

15. A computer-readable medium for storing instructions for enabling unmanned aerial vehicles to traverse flight paths from origination locations to destination locations, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a request for a flight path from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in a region;

calculate the flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location based on the request for the flight path and based on one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, regulatory information, or historical information associated with the region;

determine required capabilities for the flight path based on the request for the flight path;

select, from a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, a particular unmanned aerial vehicle based on the required capabilities for the flight path and based on a ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

generate flight path instructions for the flight path; and

provide the flight path instructions to the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from the first geographical location to the second geographical location via the flight path.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions to determine the required capabilities for the flight path comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least one of;

determine the required capabilities for the flight path based on the first geographical location and the second geographical location;

determine the required capabilities for the flight path based on component requirements associated with the flight path;

determine the required capabilities for the flight path based on physical requirements associated with the flight path;

or

determine the required capabilities for the flight path based on the one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, the regulatory information, or the historical information associated with the region.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles is determined prior to receiving the request for the flight path.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions to select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

assign weights to capability information associated with the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

calculate a score, for each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the assigned weights; and

select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the calculated scores and based on the required capabilities for the flight path.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, where the instructions to select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

determine the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles based on the calculated scores; and

select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least one of;

instruct the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to travel to the second geographical location and generate a mobile hotspot at the second geographical location.