UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) COMPLIANCE USING STANDARD PROTOCOL REQUIREMENTS AND COMPONENTS TO ENABLE IDENTIFYING AND CONTROLLING ROGUE UAVS

• US 20180120829A1
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Price, Cecelia Anabel-Leigh
• Granted Patent: US 10,710,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• 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: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes: receiving, by a computer device, UAV data from a UAV; displaying, by the computer device, a representation of the UAV on a map based on the UAV data; receiving, by the computer device, a user input to control the UAV; and transmitting, by the computer device, an authenticated control signal to the UAV based on the received user input, wherein the control signal is configured to override control of the UAV from a UAV remote controller associated with the UAV.

Claims

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

receiving, by a computer device, UAV data from a UAV;

displaying, by the computer device, a representation of the UAV on a map based on the UAV data;

receiving, by the computer device, a user input to control the UAV; and

transmitting, by the computer device, an authenticated control signal to the UAV based on the received user input, wherein the control signal is configured to override control of the UAV from a UAV remote controller associated with the UAV,

wherein the UAV data comprises;

a Drone Identification Number (DIN) that is unique to the UAV, wherein the DIN is a unique addressable identifier by which the computer device addresses and directs messages to the UAV via SMS-PP transmission;

a current GPS location of the UAV; and

a current altitude of the UAV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed representation of the UAV includes the DIN of the UAV, the current GPS location of the UAV, and the current altitude of the UAV.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displayed representation of the UAV includes an indication of a direction of flight of the UAV and an indication of a speed of flight of the UAV.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the UAV data is received at a first communication frequency; and

the control signal is transmitted at a second communication frequency different from the first communication frequency.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first communication frequency and the second communication frequency are reserved frequencies.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the UAV data is received via Short Message Service-Cell Broadcast (SMS-CB) protocol; and

the control signal is transmitted via Short Message Service-Point to Point (SMS-PP) protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying plural selectable objects in a user interface that displays the map, wherein the user input is a selection of one of the plural selectable objects, wherein the plural selectable objects include:

a first button, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land in its current location in response to the user input being a selection of the first button;

a second button, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to hover at its current location and altitude for a specified time and land after the hovering in response to the user input being a selection of the second button;

a third button, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land at a location from which the UAV previously took off in response to the user input being a selection of the third button; and

a fourth button, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land at a user-specified location in response to the user input being a selection of the fourth button.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land in its current location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to hover at its current location and altitude for a specified time and land after the hovering, and the computer device permits a user to adjust the specified time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land at a location from which the UAV previously took off.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land at a user-specified location.

23. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the displayed representation of the UAV includes a line with an arrowhead displayed on the map;

the arrowhead points in a direction of flight of the UAV;

a length of the line indicates a relative flying speed of the UAV; and

the DIN of the UAV, the current GPS location of the UAV, and the current altitude of the UAV are each displayed on the map as respective alpha-numeric characters adjacent to the line and the arrowhead.

2. (canceled)

13. A computer program product for controlling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to:

receive UAV data from plural UAVs;

display representations of the plural UAVs on a map of a user interface;

receive a user selection of one of the representations of the plural UAVs on the map, the user selection defining a selected UAV that is one of the plural UAVs;

receive a user input to control the selected UAV; and

transmit a control signal that is authenticated by a digital signature to the selected UAV based on the received user input, wherein the control signal is configured to override control of the selected UAV from a UAV remote controller associated with the selected UAV,

wherein;

the UAV data is received at a first communication frequency; and

the control signal is transmitted at a second communication frequency different from the first communication frequency.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the UAV data for a respective one of the plural UAVs comprises:

a Drone Identification Number (DIN) that is unique to the respective one of the plural UAVs, the DIN being a unique addressable identifier by which the computer device addresses and directs messages to the respective one of the plural UAV via SMS-PP transmission;

a current GPS location of the respective one of the plural UAVs; and

a current altitude of the respective one of the plural UAVs.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein:

the UAV data is received via Short Message Service-Cell Broadcast (SMS-CB) protocol; and

the control signal is transmitted via Short Message Service-Point to Point (SMS-PP) protocol.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the selected UAV to perform one from the group consisting of:

land in a current location;

hover at a current location and altitude for a specified time and land after the hovering;

land at a location from which the selected UAV previously took off; and

land at a user-specified location.

24. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein:

the user interface is displayed on a touchscreen of the computing device;

the user interface simultaneously displays a view button with the map and four control buttons;

the view button is selectable via the touchscreen to cause the map to toggle between no background and a satellite earth view background; and

the four control buttons comprise;

a first button, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land in its current location in response to a selection of the first button via the touchscreen;

a second button, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to hover at its current location and altitude for a specified time and land after the hovering in response to a selection of the second button via the touchscreen;

a third button, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land at a location from which the UAV previously took off in response to a selection of the third button via the touchscreen; and

a fourth button, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the UAV to land at a user-specified location in response to a selection of the fourth button via the touchscreen.

15. (canceled)

18. A system, comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising;

a propulsion system;

a processor configured to control the propulsion system based on a control signal received from a UAV remote controller;

a read only memory programmed with a Drone Identification Number (DIN);

a GPS sensor configured to determine a GPS location of the UAV;

an altimeter configured to determine an altitude of the UAV;

a transmitter configured to broadcast the DIN, the GPS location, and the altitude to a computer device different than the UAV remote controller;

a receiver configured to receive a control signal from the computer device; and

a computer processor and flight controller configured to override the control signal received from a UAV remote controller and control the propulsion system based on the authenticated control signal from the computer device,

wherein;

the transmitter broadcasts the DIN, the GPS location, and the altitude via Short Message Service-Call Broadcast (SMS-CB) protocol; and

the receiver receives the control signal from the computer device via Short Message Service-Point to Point (SMS-PP) protocol.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the control signal from the computer device causes the UAV to perform one from the group consisting of:

land in a current location;

hover at a current location and altitude for a specified time and land after the hovering;

land at a location from which the UAV previously took off; and

land at a user-specified location.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the UAV further comprises a wireless communication system that is separate from the transmitter and the receiver and that is configured to provide wireless transmission and reception of communication signals to and from the UAV remote controller.

19. (canceled)

22. (canceled)