Wirelessly controlling unmanned aircraft and accessing associated surveillance data
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
- transmitting a control message to a receiver at a first UAV over a wireless network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication;
transmitting the control message from the first UAV to a second UAV, wherein the control message includes instructions to control at least one of;
surveillance activities of the second UAV, activities of a weapons system of the second UAV, and movement of the second UAV; and
receiving communications from a transmitter at the second UAV.
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Abstract
Controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be accomplished by using a wireless device (e.g., cell phone) to send a control message to a receiver at the UAV via a wireless telecommunication network (e.g., an existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication). In addition, the wireless device may be used to receive communications from a transmitter at the UAV, wherein the wireless device receives the communications from the transmitter via the wireless network. Examples of such communications include surveillance information and UAV monitoring information.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
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transmitting a control message to a receiver at a first UAV over a wireless network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication; transmitting the control message from the first UAV to a second UAV, wherein the control message includes instructions to control at least one of;
surveillance activities of the second UAV, activities of a weapons system of the second UAV, and movement of the second UAV; andreceiving communications from a transmitter at the second UAV. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
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communicating with a mobile telephone switching center via a control channel associated with a wireless telecommunication network to establish a wireless communication link; sending control signals to a first UAV over the wireless telecommunication network, wherein the control signals are used to control actions of a UAV; and relaying the control signals from the first UAV to a second UAV located outside the wireless telecommunication network to control at least one of;
surveillance activities of the second UAV, activities of a weapons system of the second UAV, and movement of the second UAV. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. At an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a method for relaying control instructions from a remote source to another UAV, the method comprising:
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receiving an indication of a channel assignment from a mobile switching center, wherein the indication is received via a control channel associated with a wireless communication network, and wherein the channel assignment permits access to at least one designated channel of the wireless communication network; receiving control signals from the remote source via the at least one designated channel, wherein the control signals are used to control at least one of;
surveillance activities of the other UAV, activities of a weapons system of the other UAV, and movement of the other UAV; andtransmitting the received control signals to the other UAV, wherein the other UAV is not within the wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for remotely controlling an unmanned aircraft, the method comprising:
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communicating with a control node in a wireless telecommunication network to establish a communication link with the unmanned aircraft, wherein the communication link includes a wireless communication channel that permits the unmanned aircraft to communicate with at least one node of the wireless telecommunication network; and sending control signals to the aircraft, at least in part, via the established communication link, wherein the control signals are used to control at least one of;
surveillance activities of an aircraft, activities of a weapons system of an aircraft, movement of an aircraft, and operation of a payload at an aircraft; andrelaying at least a part of the control signals received by the aircraft to an aircraft out of range of the wireless telecommunication network to control the actions of the out of range aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification