AUTONOMOUS SECURITY DRONE SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20180203470A1
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo North America Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo North America Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Pattison, Mark Anthony, Warner, Gavin Francis, Orisich, John Steven
• Granted Patent: US 10,496,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/04 the lighting devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/12 Target-seeking control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• 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: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A drone aircraft for personal assistance or protection. When a driver'"'"'s car is located in a parking lot at night, the driver can summon a drone stored in the vehicle which flies to the driver and leads the driver to the vehicle by projecting a spot of light onto the ground. The drone makes a video recording of events occurring at this time and transmits the recording to a remote storage location.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assisting a driver who is located remote from a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

at least one light source; and

an aircraft or drone located remote from said driver, said aircraft or drone being adapted to fly towards said driver in response to a summons issued by a communication device and energize said at least one light source to illuminate an area near said driver.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said aircraft or drone comprises at least one of the following:

i) a navigation system which (A) deduces current latitude and longitude of said aircraft or drone, (B) receives a destination, indicated by a latitude and a longitude, from said communication device, and (C) pilots said aircraft or drone toward said destination;

ii) one or more movable spotlights which can illuminate terrestrial regions;

iii) at least one of a still camera or a video camera which can capture images of terrestrial regions;

iv) a transmitter for transmitting said images to a remote storage location;

or

v) a detector for detecting moving terrestrial entities.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said aircraft or drone comprises a camera, said at least one light source being adapted to provide a spotlight that provides illumination which assists said camera in capturing images.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said at least one light source comprises a first spotlight that illuminates a first area and a second spotlight that illuminates a second area.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, in which said aircraft or drone detects a moving object or person and said second spot is directed at or near said object or person.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which, prior to receipt of said summons, said aircraft or drone is stowed in said vehicle.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which, prior to receipt of said summons, said aircraft or drone is located on or in a stationary building or structure outside said vehicle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said vehicle transmits its coordinates to the aircraft or drone;

and

said aircraft or drone guides said driver toward said vehicle based on said coordinates.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said aircraft or drone flies said driver and guides said driver toward said vehicle by energizing said at least one light source lighting a path for said driver.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said communication device transmits at least one of a set of coordinates of said driver or a deployment signal to said aircraft or drone.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is at least one of a smart phone application, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a key fob or a standard joystick-type remote control.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said aircraft or drone further with:

i) a navigation system which (A) deduces current latitude and longitude of said aircraft or drone, (B) receives a destination, indicated by a latitude and a longitude, from said communication device, and (C) pilots said aircraft or drone toward said destination;

ii) one or more movable spotlights which can illuminate terrestrial regions; and

iii) at least one of a still camera or a video camera which can capture images of terrestrial regions.

13. A system for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle, comprising:

an aircraft or drone comprising;

a propulsion system for maintaining said aircraft or drone airborne;

a receiver for receiving at least one location signal indicating a location of a driver;

at least one light source;

a control system for directing said at least one light source toward either said driver or a vicinity of said driver; and

a navigation system which enables said aircraft or drone to fly autonomously from a storage location toward the driver in response to a summons from a transmitter under control of said driver.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein at least one signal comprises a drone release or deployment signal and a driver location or coordinate signal.

15. The system according to claim 13, in which said vehicle comprises a storage area or bay for storing said aircraft or drone, said storage area or bay releases said aircraft or drone in response to a release or deployment signal from said transmitter.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said transmitter is at least one of a smart phone application, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a key fob or a standard joystick-type remote control.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein said at least one light source lights a pathway to the vehicle for the driver.

18. An apparatus for assisting a person located at a first location, said apparatus comprising:

an aircraft or drone which flies toward said person in response to a summons from a transmitter operated by said person;

said aircraft or drone comprising at least one light source that is energized to illuminate an area associated with said person.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, in which said aircraft or drone is situated at a second location remote from said first location.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, in which said aircraft or drone energizes said at least one light source to project a spot of light onto the ground to assist or aid said person.