SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING AND MANAGING THE UNAUTHORIZED USE OF AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT

• US 20160016672A1
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey A. Matos
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey A. Matos
• Inventors: MATOS, JEFFREY A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,138,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0034 by ground-control override
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0051 by monitoring passengers or crew on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0808 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/003 Flight plan management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• 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 5/0078 : for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

A method for policing and managing the operation of a flying, unmanned aircraft in the event of usurpation of control of, malfunction of, or ill-intentioned use of, this aircraft includes the steps of (a) detecting inappropriate operation of the aircraft; (b) transmitting a takeover command to the aircraft to interrupt control of the operation of this aircraft by a first pilot and relinquish control of the aircraft to a second pilot; and (c) transmitting control commands to the aircraft to control its operation by the second pilot, until the need for alternate pilot control of the aircraft has ended or until the aircraft has landed safely.

Claims

1-116. -116. (canceled)

117. A method of confirming the identification of a pilot of an unmanned, remotely controlled vehicle (“

UV”

), said method comprising the steps of;

(1) certifying that both alphanumeric and biologic identification information of a person who wishes to be considered a registered UV pilot, each pertain to the same person;

(2) storing said certified identification information as the person'"'"'s identification information in a computer memory of registered UV pilots (“

stored II”

);

(3) transmitting a request from a UV police authority to a UV for the presentation of identification information pertaining to the pilot (“

pilot II”

) of said UV;

(4) transmitting said request from said UV to a remote control station (“

RCS”

) in which is located the pilot who controls said UV;

(5) transmitting said pilot II from said RCS to said UV;

(6) transmitting said pilot II from said UV to said UV police authority;

(7) said police authority utilizing a computational device to compare said received pilot II with said stored II of registered pilots in said computer memory; and

(8) indicating to said police authority whether or not said UV pilot is a registered pilot.

118. The method of claim 117, further including a step (9) of taking a police action selected from the group consisting of (a) destroying the UV, (b) escorting the UV, and (c) taking control of the UV, if said step (8) indicates that said pilot is not a registered pilot.

119. The method defined in claim 117, wherein said biologic identification information is selected from the group:

(a) an image of a face;

(b) an image of a retina;

(c) an image of an iris;

(d) an image of at least one fingerprint;

(e) an image of a palm print;

(f) a voice print; and

(g) a DNA sample.

120. The method defined in claim 117, wherein

(A) said step (5) further includes transmitting a plurality of images showing:

(i) a hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device for controlling said UV,

(ii) at least one biologic identifier selected from the group consisting of;

a face, a retina, an iris, a fingerprint and a palm print of said UV pilot, and

(iii) contiguous body parts situated between said hand and said biologic identifier;

wherein, an analysis of the combination of said images (i), (ii) and (iii) allow an Identification of said UV pilot actuating said input device;

(B) said step (5) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said RCS to said UV;

(C) said step (6) further includes transmitting said images and said instruction from said UV to said police authority;

(D) said step (7) further includes utilizing said computational device to determine an inputted control instruction from said at least one image of the hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device;

and further comprising

a step (10) of comparing the received control instruction with said determined control instruction of said step (7), and

a step (11) said police authority determining whether the vehicle under observation is being piloted by the pilot whose biologic identification has been inputted, in dependence upon whether said received control instruction substantially matches said determined control instruction.

121. The method defined in claim 117, wherein

said step (3) further comprises transmitting a request to said UV for said UV pilot to input a first police-requested instruction (“

PI”

) to said RGS input device;

said step (4) further comprises transmitting said first requested PI from said UV to said RCS;

said step (5) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said RCS to said UV;

said step (6) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said UV to said police authority; and

further comprising

a step (12) comparing said received control instruction with said first requested PI; and

a step (13) said police authority determining if said first requested PI was inputted by said UV pilot.

123. The method defined in claim 117, wherein

(A) said step (5) further includes transmitting a plurality of images showing:

(i) a hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device for controlling said UV, (ii) at least one biologic identifier selected from, the group consisting of;

a face, a retina, an iris, a fingerprint and a palm print of said UV pilot, and (iii) contiguous body parts situated between said hand and said biologic identifier;

wherein said images allow an identification of said UV pilot actuating said input device;

(B) said step (5) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said RCS to said UV;

(C) said step (6) further includes transmitting telemetry signals from said UV, indicating the results of said control instruction, to said police authority;

(D) said step (7) further includes utilizing said computational device to perform a first determination of an inputted control instruction by analyzing the results of said inputted instruction on a motion of said UV; and

said step (7) further includes utilizing said computational device to perform a second determination of an inputted control instruction from said at least one image of the hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device; and

further comprising a step (15) of comparing said first determination based on said resulting UV motion with said second determination of an inputted control instruction based on an analysis of said at least one image of the hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device tor controlling said UV; and

a step (16) said police authority determining whether the vehicle under observation is being piloted by the pilot whose biologic identification has been inputted, in dependence upon whether said first determination substantially matches said second determination.

124. The method defined in claim 117, wherein

said step (3) further comprises transmitting a request to said UV for said pilot to input a second police-requested instruction (“

PI”

) to said RCS input device;

said step (4) former comprises transmitting said second requested PI from said UV to said RCS; and

said step (6) further includes transmitting a telemetry signals from said UV, indicating the results of said requested instruction to said police authority;

said step (7) further includes utilizing said computational device to perform a first determination of an inputted control instruction by analyzing the results of said inputted instruction on a motion of said UV; and

further comprising

(17) comparing said first determination based on said resulting UV motion with said second requested PI;

whereby said police authority determines if said second requested PI was inputted by said UV pilot.

126. The method defined in claim 117, wherein said UV is selected from the group consisting of an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned ground vehicle, and unmanned underwater vehicle, an unmanned space vehicle.

127. The method defined in claim 123, wherein said telemetry signals convey vehicle information including at least one of:

an altitude, a latitude, a longitude, GPS coordinates, a velocity, a rate of climb, a rate of descent, a horizontal acceleration, a vertical acceleration, an attitude, a pitch, a yaw, a rate of roll, a rate of change of pitch, and a rate of change of yaw.

180. The method of claim 120, wherein said step (7) further comprises utilizing said computational device to analyze said combination of images (i), (ii) and (iii) to determine whether or not said hand and said biologic identifier belong to the same person,

thereby to determine whether the person identified by said biologic identifier is the person inputting said control instruction.

181. The method defined in claim 117, wherein

said step (3) further comprises transmitting a request to said UV for said UV pilot to input a first police-requested instruction (“

PI”

) to said RCS input device;

said step (4) further comprises transmitting said first requested PI from said UV to said RCS; and

said step (5) further includes transmitting a plurality of images showing;

(i) a hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device for controlling said UV, (ii) at least one biologic identifier selected from the group consisting of;

a face, a retina, an iris, a fingerprint and a palm print of said UV pilot, and (iii) contiguous body parts situated between said hand and said biologic identifier;

wherein said images allow an identification of said UV pilot actuating said input device;

said step (7) further includes utilizing said computational device to determine an inputted control instruction from said at least one image of the hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device;

and further comprising

a step (14) comparing said determined control instruction of said step (7) with said first requested PI;

whereby said police authority determines if said first requested PI was inputted by said UV pilot.

182. The method of claim 181, wherein said step (7) further comprises utilizing said computational device to analyze said combination of images (i), (ii) and (iii) to determine whether or not said hand and said biologic identifier belong to the same person,

thereby to determine whether the person identified by said biologic identifier is the person inputting said control instruction.

183. The method of claim 123, wherein said step (7) further comprises utilizing said computational device to analyze said combination of images (i), (ii) and (iii) to determine whether or not said hand and said, biologic identifier belong to the same person,

thereby to determine whether the person identified by said biologic identifier is the person inputting said control instruction.

184. The method defined in claim 117, wherein

said step (5) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said RCS to said UV;

said step (6) further comprises transmitting

(i) said control instruction from said UV to said police authority, and

(ii) telemetry signals from said UV, indicating the results of said control instruction, to said police authority;

said step (7) further includes utilizing said computational device to perform a first determination of an inputted control instruction by analyzing the results of said inputted instruction on a motion of said UV; and

further comprising

a step (18) comparing said first determination based on said resulting UV motion with said received control instruction;

whereby said police authority determines if said inputted control instruction is controlling said UV.

122. (canceled)

125. (canceled)

128. A method of confirming the identification of a pilot of an unmanned, remotely controlled vehicle (“

UV”

), said method comprising the steps of;

(1) certifying that both alphanumeric and biologic identification information of a person who wishes to be considered a registered UV pilot, each pertain to the same person;

(2) storing said certified identification information as the person'"'"'s identification information in a computer memory of registered UV pilots (“

stored II”

);

(3) transmitting a request from a UV police authority to a remote control station (“

RCS”

) which controls said UV for the presentation of the identification information pertaining to the pilot (“

pilot II”

) of said UV;

(4) transmitting said pilot II from said RCS to said UV police authority;

(5) said police authority utilizing a computational device to compare said received pilot II with said stored II of registered pilots in said computer memory; and

(6) based on the results of said step (5), indicating to said police authority whether or not said UV pilot is a registered pilot.

185. The method defined in claim 128, wherein said biologic identification information is selected from the group;

(a) an image of a face;

(b) an image of a retina;

(c) an image of an iris;

(d) an image of at least one fingerprint;

(e) an image of a palm print;

(f) a voice print; and

(g) a DNA sample.

186. The method defined in claim 128, wherein:

said step (4) further includes transmitting a plurality of images showing;

(i) a hand of said UV pilot actuating art input device for controlling said UV,

(ii) at least one biologic identifier selected from the group consisting of;

a face, a retina, an iris, a fingerprint and a palm print of said UV pilot, and

(iii) contiguous body parts situated between said hand and said biologic identifier;

wherein an analysis of the combination of said images (i), (ii) and (iii) allow an identification of said UV pilot actuating said input device; and

said step (4) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said RCS to said UV, and to said UV police authority;

and further comprising;

a step (7) utilizing said computational device to determine an inputted control instruction from said at least one image of the hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device;

a step (8) comparing the received control instruction with said determined control instruction of said step (7) and

a step (9) said police authority determining whether the vehicle under observation is being piloted by the pilot whose biologic identification has been inputted, in dependence upon whether said received control instruction substantially matches said determined control instruction.

187. The method of claim 186, wherein said step (7) further comprises utilizing said computational device to analyze said combination of images (i), (ii) and (iii) to determine whether or not said hand and said biologic identifier belong to the same person,

thereby to determine whether the person identified by said biologic identifier is the person inputting said control instruction.

188. The method defined in claim 128, wherein

said step (3) further comprises transmitting a request to said RCS for said UV pilot to input a first police-requested instruction (“

PI”

) to said RCS input device;

said step (4) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said RCS to said UV, and to said UV police authority;

and further comprising

a step (10) comparing said received control instruction with said first requested PI; and

a step (11) said police authority determining if said first requested PI was inputted by said UV pilot.

189. The method defined in claim 128, wherein

said step (3) further comprises transmitting a request to said UV for said UV pilot to input a first police-requested instruction (“

PI”

) to said RCS input device;

said step (4) further comprises transmitting said first requested PI from said UV to said RCS; and

said step (5) further includes transmitting a plurality of images showing;

(i) a hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device for controlling said UV,

(ii) at least one biologic identifier selected from the group consisting of;

a face, a retina, an iris, a fingerprint and a palm print of said UV pilot, and

(iii) contiguous body parts situated between said hand and said biologic identifier;

wherein said images allow an identification of said UV pilot actuating said input device;

and further comprising

a step (12) utilizing said computational device to determine an inputted control instruction from said at least one image of the hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device; and

a step (13) comparing said determined control instruction of said step (12) with said first requested PI;

whereby said police authority determines if said first requested PI was inputted by said UV pilot.

190. The method of claim 189, wherein said step (12) further comprises utilizing said computational device to analyze said combination of images (i), (ii) and (iii) to determine whether or not said hand and said biologic identifier belong to the same person,

thereby to determine whether the person identified by said biologic identifier is the person inputting said control instruction.

191. The method defined in claim 128, wherein

said step (4) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said RCS to said UV;

and

said step (4) further includes transmitting a plurality of images to said UV police authority, showing;

(i) a hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device for controlling said UV,

(ii) at least one biologic identifier selected from the group consisting of;

a face, a retina, an iris, a fingerprint and a palm print of said UV pilot, and

(iii) contiguous body parts situated between said hand and said biologic identifier;

wherein said images allow an identification of said UV pilot actuating said input device;

and further comprising

a step (14) transmitting telemetry signals from said UV, indicating the results of said control instruction, to said police authority;

a step (15) utilizing said computational device to perform a first determination of an inputted control instruction by analyzing the results of said inputted instruction on a motion of said UV;

a step (16) utilizing said computational device to perform a second determination of an inputted control instruction from said at least one image of the hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device;

a step (17) of comparing said first determination based on said resulting UV motion with said second determination of an inputted control instruction based on an analysis of said at least one image of the hand of said UV pilot actuating an input device for controlling said UV; and

a step (18) said police authority determining whether the vehicle under observation is being piloted by the pilot whose biologic identification has been inputted, in dependence upon whether said first determination substantially matches said second determination.

192. The method of claim 191, wherein said step (16) further comprises utilizing said computational device to analyze said combination of images (i), (ii) and (iii) to determine whether or not said hand and said biologic identifier belong to the same person,

thereby to determine whether the person identified by said biologic identifier is the person inputting said control instruction.

193. The method defined in claim 128, wherein

said step (3) further comprises transmitting a request to said RCS for said pilot to input a second police-requested instruction (“

PI”

) to said RCS input device;

and further comprising;

a step (19) transmitting telemetry signals from said UV, indicating the results of said requested instruction, to said police authority;

a step (20) utilizing said computational device to perform a first determination of an inputted control instruction by analyzing the results of said inputted instruction on a motion of said UV; and

a step (21) comparing said first determination based on said resulting UV motion with said second requested PI;

whereby said police authority determines if said second requested PI was inputted by said UV pilot.

194. The method defined in claim 128, wherein

said step (4) further includes transmitting a control instruction from said RCS to said UV;

and further comprising;

a step (22) transmitting said control instruction from said UV to said UV police authority;

a step (23) transmitting telemetry signals from said UV, indicating the results of said control instruction, to said police authority;

a step (24) utilizing said computational device to perform a first determination of an inputted control instruction by analyzing the results of said inputted instruction on a motion of said UV; and

a step (25) comparing said first determination based on said resulting UV motion with said received control instruction;

whereby said police authority determines if said inputted control instruction is controlling said UV.

195. The method defined in claim 128, wherein said UV is selected from the group consisting of an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned ground vehicle, and unmanned underwater vehicle, an unmanned space vehicle.

196. The method of claim 128, wherein said step (3) comprises the transmission of information directly from said police authority to said RCS.

197. The method of claim 128, wherein said step (3) comprises the transmission of information from said police authority to said UV, followed by the transmission of said information from said UV to said RCS.

198. The method of claim 128, wherein said step (4) comprises the transmission of information directly from said RCS to said police authority.

199. The method of claim 128, wherein said step (4) comprises the transmission of information from said RCS to said UV, followed by the transmission of said information from said UV to said police authority.

129-178. -178. (canceled)

179. An unmanned vehicle system, which is remotely controllable from a control source with police apparatus located remotely from each of said vehicle and said control source, comprising:

(A) a remotely controlled vehicle comprising;

(1) a vehicle receiving device, for receiving instruction signals from each of said control source and said police apparatus;

(2) a vehicle processor, coupled to said vehicle receiving device, for receiving instructions specified by said instruction signals, and producing operational control signals for the vehicle in response to said instructions;

(3) at least one actuator, coupled to said processor, responsive to said operational control signals, for actuating at least one of;

(i) at least one device for controlling an orientation of said vehicle, and (ii) at least one device for controlling at least one of (a) a velocity, and (b) an acceleration, of said vehicle;

(4) at least one sensing device, coupled to said vehicle processor, for sensing vehicle data and supplying sensed vehicle data signals to said vehicle processor representing said sensed vehicle data; and

(5) a vehicle transmitting device, coupled to said vehicle processor, for transmitting said signals representing said sensed vehicle data;

(B) a remote control unit for providing at least one biologic identifier signal and said instruction signals, said remote control unit comprising;

(1) a remote control transmitting device, for transmitting said instruction signals and said at least one biologic identifier signal;

(2) a remote control receiving device for receiving said sensed vehicle data signals;

(3) a first remote control input device for manually inputting instructions;

(4) a second remote control input device for inputting biologic identification information pertaining to a pilot using the remote control unit;

(5) a display device for-displaying information; and

(6) a remote control processor, coupled to each of said remote control transmitting device, said remote control receiving device, said first remote control input device, said second remote control input device and said display device, for

(i) generating instruction signals representing said inputted instructions and causing said remote control transmitting device to transmit said signals to said vehicle receiving device,

(ii) processing signals representing said sensed vehicle data received by said remote control receiving device and supplying said signals to said remote control display device, and

(iii) generating said at least one biologic identifier signal representing said inputted biologic Identification information;

(C) a police unit for communicating with said unmanned vehicle comprising;

(1) a police transmitting device, for transmitting an interrogation signal to said remote control receiving device;

(2) a police receiving device, for receiving said at least one biologic identifier signal;

(3) a memory device, for storing and providing certified biologic identification information and respective alphanumeric identification information pertaining to each of a plurality of persons; and

(4) a police processor, coupled to each of said police transmitting device, said police receiving device, and said memory device, for

(i) storing said certified biologic and said respective alphanumeric identification information in said memory and retrieving it therefrom, and

(ii) generating an interrogation signal for transmission to said remote control receiving device,

wherein

(I) said vehicle processor is further operative to supply said signals representing said sensed vehicle data to said vehicle transmitting device, and to cause said transmitting device to transmit said signals to said remote control receiving device;

(II) said remote control unit display device is operative to display a representation of said sensed vehicle data;

(III) said remote control receiving device is operative to receive said interrogation signal;

(IV) in response to said received interrogation signal, said remote control processor is operative to cause said remote control transmitting device to transmit said at least one biologic identifier signal to said police receiving device; and

(V) said police processor is further operative to receive said biologic identification information from said police receiving device and to compare it to said stored certified biologic identification information, and indicate a match between said stored certified biologic identification information and said received biologic identification information;

whereby

(a) the motion of said unmanned vehicle is controlled by said pilot by inputting instructions to said vehicle input device, in response to a representation of vehicle data displayed by said display device; and

(b) said interrogation signal is transmitted from said police unit to said remote control unit, and in response thereto, said biologic identification information is transmitted horn said remote control unit to said police unit;

thereby to allow said police unit to determine the identity of the person controlling an unmanned vehicle.