AUTHENTICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING FLIGHT REGULATIONS

• US 20160292403A1
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Gong, Ming, Dai, Jin, Cui, Hao, Wang, Xiaodong, Huang, Han, Wu, Jun, Fan, Wei, Ma, Ning, Rong, Xinhua, Lin, Xingsen
• Granted Patent: US 9,792,613 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: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/226 Communication links with the remote-control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• 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 5/0052 : 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: G08G 5/0082 : for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• 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: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 : Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Systems and methods for UAV safety are provided. An authentication system may be used to confirm UAV and/or user identity and provide secured communications between users and UAVs. The UAVs may operate in accordance with a set of flight regulations. The set of flight regulations may be associated with a geo-fencing device in the vicinity of the UAV.

Claims

1. A method for regulating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), said method comprising:

transmitting a software update to the UAV and/or a device configured to operably communicate with the UAV only when the UAV and/or a user of the UAV are registered with a control entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update is transmitted wirelessly to the UAV and/or the device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining prior to said transmission whether the UAV and/or the user are registered with the control entity.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the software update on the UAV and/or the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update comprises an update to an operating system of the UAV and/or the device, an update to an application running on the UAV and/or the device, and/or an update to one or more flight restrictions.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more flight restrictions include a geo-fencing or a fly-zone restriction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV is registered with the control entity by:

obtaining UAV information, wherein the UAV is owned or to be operated by the registered user; and

associating a UAV identifier with corresponding UAV information, wherein the UAV identifier uniquely identifies the UAV.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the UAV identifier is required to permit the registered user to operate the UAV.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is registered with the control entity by:

obtaining user information, wherein the user is an owner or operator of the UAV; and

associating a user identifier with corresponding user information, wherein the user identifier uniquely identifies the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising associating the user identifier with the UAV to permit the registered user to operate the UAV.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising storing the UAV information and the UAV identifier in one or more registration databases that are owned, operated, or accessed by the control entity.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the user information and the user identifier in one or more registration databases that are owned, operated, or accessed by the control entity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the control entity is a government agency, an operator authorized by a government agency, a manufacturer of the UAV, and/or a distributor of the UAV.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the UAV identifier is issued prior to or concurrently with the manufacture of the UAV, and/or prior to sale or distribution of the UAV.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is registered as an owner or operator of the UAV when the user purchases or receives the UAV.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the UAV information comprises at least one of the following parameters:

a mass or weight of the UAV, a maximum speed of the UAV, and an impact energy calculated based on the mass and the maximum speed of the UAV.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the weight of the UAV is less than or equal to 250 grams.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the weight of the UAV ranges from 250 grams to more than 2000 grams.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the maximum speed of the UAV is less than or equal to 50 mph.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the impact energy is less than or equal to 80 joules.

21. The method of claim 9, further comprising evaluating the user information to determine whether the user is eligible to be registered with the control entity.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the user information comprises a plurality of attributes of the user, said attributes comprising at least one or more of the following:

nationality, citizenship, aviation experience, level of education, and level of aviation training.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the user is allowed to register as an owner or operator of the UAV independent of the nationality or citizenship of the user.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the user is allowed to register as an owner or operator of the UAV regardless whether the user possesses any aviation experience or training.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update is transmitted via a process implemented with aid of the one or more processors.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the process is performed on the UAV and/or the device.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the process is performed on a server remote from the UAV and/or the device.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the process is performed by an application, and wherein said application is a smart phone application and/or a web-based application.

29. A system for regulating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), said system comprising one or more processors configured to individually or collectively:

transmit a software update to the UAV and/or or a device configured to operably communicate with the UAV only when the UAV and/or a user of the UAV are registered with a control entity.

30. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for regulating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), said method comprising:

transmitting a software update to the UAV and/or or a device configured to operably communicate with the UAV only when the UAV and/or a user of the UAV are registered with a control entity.