Enabling services on a UAV

• US 7,509,212 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Thorson, Derral Charles, Bodin, William Kress, Redman, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen; Lin B
• Application Number:
  US11/041,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 244/190, 244/195, 701/10, 701/11, 701/205, 701/206, 701/24
• US Class Current: 701/206
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are provided for enabling services on a UAV. Embodiments include determining a current position of the UAV, selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV, uploading the service module to the UAV, and executing the service module on the UAV. Selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV may include retrieving from a module database a module record in dependence upon the current position of the UAV. Typical embodiments also include selecting a flying pattern algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and piloting the UAV in accordance with the flying pattern algorithm. Many embodiments also include selecting a navigational algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and navigating the UAV in accordance with the navigational algorithm.

Claims

1. A method for enabling services on a UAV, the method comprising:

dispatching the UAV to a waypoint including receiving in a remote control device a user'"'"'s selection of a GUI map pixel that represents a waypoint for UAV navigation, the GUI map pixel having a location on a GUI, mapping the GUI map pixel'"'"'s location on the GUI to Earth coordinates of the waypoint, transmitting the Earth coordinates of the waypoint to the UAV, reading a starting position from a GPS receiver on the UAV, and piloting the UAV, under control of a navigation computer, from the starting position to the waypoint in accordance with a navigation algorithm; and

wherein mapping the GUI map pixel'"'"'s location on the GUI to Earth coordinates of the waypoint includes mapping GUI map pixel boundaries of the GUI map to Earth coordinates, identifying a range of latitude and a range of longitude represented by each GUI map pixel, and locating a region on the surface of the Earth in dependence upon the boundaries, the ranges, and the location of the GUI map pixel on the GUI map;

and wherein the method further comprises;

determining a current position of the UAV;

selecting a service module for the UAV in dependence upon the current position of the UAV including retrieving from a module database a module record in dependence upon the current position of the UAV;

uploading the service module to the UAV;

executing the service module on the UAV; and

selecting a flying pattern algorithm in dependence upon the selected service module and piloting the UAV in accordance with the flying pattern algorithm.