Drone Assisted Mesh Network For First Responders

• US 20180007518A1
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Inventors: O'Berry, David T., Hunt, Simon
• Application Number:
  US15/201,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• 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: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/26 by agreed or negotiated communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A flock of drones provide a drone-assisted mesh network for first responders. Network modules attached to the drones interconnect with other network modules and provide network access points for first responder devices, allowing the first responder devices to communicate with each other via the drone-assisted mesh network. The drones may autonomously reposition themselves to create a desired network coverages area, including adjusting the network coverage area as instructed via a drone controller. The network modules may communicate with a gateway to an external network, allowing first responder devices to communicate with the external network via the drone-assisted mesh network. Network modules may be selected for field-attachment to the drones based on characteristics of the first responder devices.

Claims

1. A drone-assisted mesh network, comprising:

a plurality of drones;

a plurality of network modules, attached to the plurality of drones,

wherein in operation the plurality of network modules form a wireless mesh network,

wherein the plurality of network modules comprise network access points for first responders, and provide communication between users via the meshed network.

2. The drone-assisted mesh network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of drones are programmed to position themselves to provide network coverage over a predetermined area.

3. The drone-assisted mesh network of claim 2, wherein the plurality of drones are programmed to automatically position themselves to provide network coverage over the predetermined area.

4. The drone-assisted mesh network of claim 1, further comprising:

a gateway node, programmed to provide a gateway between the plurality of drones and an external network.

5. The drone-assisted mesh network of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller, programmed to instruct the plurality of drones to position themselves to provide network coverage to a predetermined area.

6. The drone-assisted mesh network of claim 1, wherein the wireless mesh network is a self-healing wireless mesh network.

7. The drone-assisted mesh network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network modules are removably attached to the plurality of drones.

8. The drone-assisted mesh network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network modules are selected based on information about devices used by the first responders.

9. A method of providing a drone-assisted mesh network, comprising:

attaching a plurality of network modules to a plurality of drones;

launching the plurality of drones;

positioning the plurality of drones based on a desired network coverage area;

forming a wireless mesh network with the plurality of network modules; and

communicating between user devices via the wireless mesh network.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising:

selecting the plurality of network modules based on the user devices.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein attaching a plurality of network modules comprises removably attaching the plurality of network modules to the plurality of drones.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein positioning the plurality of drones comprises:

positioning the plurality of drones autonomously.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein positioning the drones comprises:

moving each of the plurality of drones to an initial position; and

adjusting a position of at least some of the drones because of a change in the desired network coverage area.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

gatewaying between the drone-assisted mesh network and an external network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the external network is a cellular telephone network.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

authenticating the first responder devices to the drone-assisted mesh network.

17. A network module for creating a drone-assisted mesh network for first responders, comprising:

a processing element;

a memory coupled to the processing element, on which is stored instructions that when executed program the processing element to;

make inter-connections with other drone-attached network modules, forming the drone-assisted mesh network for first responders;

reposition a drone to which the network module is attached to maintain coverage of the drone-assisted mesh network across a predetermined coverage area; and

provide a network access point for first responder devices, allowing the first responder devices to communicate with other first responder devices via the network module.

18. The network module of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that when executed program the processing element to:

authenticate the first responder devices to the drone-assisted mesh network.

19. The network module of claim 17, wherein the network module is removably attachable to a body of a drone.

20. The network module of claim 17, wherein the instructions that when executed program the processing element to reposition the drone comprise instructions that when executed program the network module to reposition the drone autonomously to maintain coverage of the drone-assisted mesh network across the predetermined coverage area.

21. The network module of claim 17, wherein instructions further comprise instructions that when executed program the processing element to make a network connection between the drone-assisted mesh network to an external network via a gateway.

22. The network module of claim 17, wherein instructions further comprise instructions that when executed program the processing element to communicate with a drone controller.

23. The network module of claim 22, wherein the instructions that when executed program the processing element to communicate with the drone controller comprise instructions that when executed cause the network module to receive positioning instructions from the drone controller.

24. The network module of claim 17, further comprising an antenna, coupled to the processing element, wherein the processing element communicates to the first responder devices and other network modules via the antenna.

25. The network module of claim 17, wherein the drone-assisted mesh network is a self-healing mobile ad hoc network.