UNOCCUPIED FLYING VEHICLE (UFV) LOCATION ASSURANCE

• US 20160299233A1
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Published: 10/13/2016
• 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 9,810,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 33/00 Ornithopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/00 Type of UAV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/30 Lighter-than-air aircraft, e.g. aerostatic aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/215 issues related to spoofing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/396 Determining accuracy or reliability of position or pseudorange measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• 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 5/0086 : 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 63/14 : for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic

Abstract

Disclosed herein are example embodiments for unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) location assurance. For certain example embodiments, at least one machine, such as a UFV, may: (i) obtain one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV; or (ii) perform at least one analysis that uses at least one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth.

Claims

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

obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV; and

performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token.

2-50. -50. (canceled)

51. An apparatus for unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) location assurance, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV; and

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for obtaining the one or more SPS coordinates via one or more signals received from one or more satellites.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for calculating at least two SPS coordinates corresponding to the at least an apparent location.

55. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more SPS coordinates from at least one other UFV.

56. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for accepting the one or more SPS coordinates from at least one SPS chip.

61. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for obtaining the one or more SPS coordinates corresponding to at least an accurate location of the at least one UFV.

62. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for obtaining the one or more SPS coordinates corresponding to at least a falsified location of the at least one UFV.

63. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for obtaining the one or more SPS coordinates corresponding to at least a degraded location of the at least one UFV.

64. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for obtaining the one or more SPS coordinates corresponding to a location that comports with at least an expected level of accuracy absent at least one of malfunction or malfeasance.

65. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for obtaining the one or more SPS coordinates corresponding to a location that deviates from at least an expected level of accuracy as a result of at least one of malfunction or malfeasance.

66. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least one or more first SPS coordinates and at least one or more second SPS coordinates.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least one or more first SPS coordinates and at least one or more second SPS coordinates comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least one or more first SPS coordinates obtained for a first time and at least one or more second SPS coordinates obtained for a second time.

69. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least one or more first SPS coordinates and at least one or more second SPS coordinates comprises:

circuitry for detecting at least one change in location that is unsupported by at least one aspect of a velocity of the at least one UFV.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the circuitry for detecting at least one change in location that is unsupported by at least one aspect of a velocity of the at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for detecting if the at least one change in location fails to comport with at least one direction of the at least one UFV.

71. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the circuitry for detecting at least one change in location that is unsupported by at least one aspect of a velocity of the at least one UFV comprises:

circuitry for detecting if the at least one change in location fails to comport with at least one speed of the at least one UFV.

72. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least one or more first SPS coordinates and at least one or more second SPS coordinates comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes multiple SPS coordinates to identify at least one trend.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes multiple SPS coordinates to identify at least one trend comprises:

circuitry for detecting at least one discontinuity responsive to the at least one trend.

74. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one sensor value.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one sensor value comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least one inertial measurement value from at least one inertial measurement component.

78. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one sensor value comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least one compass value.

79. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one sensor value comprises:

circuitry for comparing at least one aspect of at least one velocity that is derived from the one or more SPS coordinates with at least one aspect of at least one velocity that is derived from the at least one sensor value.

80. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that includes at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one sensor value comprises:

circuitry for comparing at least one position that is related to the one or more SPS coordinates with at least one position that is derived from the at least one sensor value.

81. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least one signal strength associated with the one or more SPS coordinates.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least one signal strength associated with the one or more SPS coordinates comprises:

circuitry for detecting if the at least one signal strength associated with the one or more SPS coordinates increases.

83. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses one or more specification parameters associated with the at least one UFV and at least one flight path characteristic that is determined based at least partially on the one or more SPS coordinates.

84. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that compares a measured fuel usage to an expected fuel usage that is determined based at least partially on the one or more SPS coordinates.

85. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one warning of at least one detected SPS-based attack.

86. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one or more other SPS coordinates associated with at least one other UFV.

87. The apparatus of claim 86, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one or more other SPS coordinates associated with at least one other UFV comprises:

circuitry for performing the at least one analysis using at least one estimated distance between the at least one UFV and the at least one other UFV.

88. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token comprises:

circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one or more additional SPS coordinates obtained from one or more SPS signals that are acquired via at least one directional reception.

89. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the circuitry for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one or more additional SPS coordinates obtained from one or more SPS signals that are acquired via at least one directional reception comprises:

circuitry for acquiring the one or more SPS signals by directing reception upward.

90. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

circuitry for assigning at least one trust value to the one or more SPS coordinates based at least partly on the at least one analysis.

91. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the circuitry for assigning at least one trust value to the one or more SPS coordinates based at least partly on the at least one analysis comprises:

circuitry for assigning at least one reliance value.

93. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein the circuitry for assigning at least one reliance value comprises:

circuitry for assigning at least one confidence level.

94. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the circuitry for assigning at least one trust value to the one or more SPS coordinates based at least partly on the at least one analysis comprises:

circuitry for assigning at least one weighting value.

95. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

circuitry for determining if the one or more SPS coordinates are to be used in at least one navigational determination based at least partly on the at least one analysis.

96. The apparatus of claim 95, wherein the circuitry for determining if the one or more SPS coordinates are to be used in at least one navigational determination based at least partly on the at least one analysis comprises:

circuitry for determining at least a portion of at least one flight path for the UFV based at least partly on the one or more SPS coordinates.

98. The apparatus of claim 95, wherein the circuitry for determining if the one or more SPS coordinates are to be used in at least one navigational determination based at least partly on the at least one analysis comprises:

circuitry for determining to combine the one or more SPS coordinates with one or more other SPS coordinates to ascertain at least one location for the at least one UFV.

99. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

circuitry for signaling the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one associated trust value.

54. (canceled)

57-60. -60. (canceled)

68. (canceled)

76. (canceled)

77. (canceled)

92. (canceled)

97. (canceled)

100. (canceled)

101. A system for unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) location assurance, the system comprising:

means for obtaining one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV; and

means for performing at least one analysis that uses at least the one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token.

102-150. -150. (canceled)