Multi-part navigation process by an unmanned aerial vehicle for navigation
First Claim
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
- a non-transitory data storage device that comprises instructions that are executable to provide both a first and a second navigation process to generate flight-control signals for a UAV, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals based on a predetermined location of a target, and wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals based on an autonomous real-time localization process that locates the target in real-time; and
a control system comprising at least one processor, wherein the control system configured to;
determine an approximate target location associated with the target;
use the first navigation process to navigate the UAV from a dispatch location to the approximate target location of the target;
make a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location of the target;
in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, switch to using the second navigation process to locate, and navigate the UAV to, the target,wherein using the second navigation process comprises;
(a) using the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, (b) when a predetermined period of time has elapsed without locating the target, then determining that the autonomous real-time localization is unsuccessful and responsively implementing a fallback process to locate and navigate to the target, and otherwise, when the predetermined period of time has not elapsed, then continuing to use the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, andwherein the fallback process comprises;
(a) sending, from the UAV to a remote operator system, a request for assistance comprising sensor data captured at the UAV, (b) receiving, at the UAV, a response to the request for assistance comprising additional location information determined by the remote operator system based on the sensor data provided by the request for assistance, and (c) using the additional location information to locate the target and to navigate the UAV to the target.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments described herein may relate to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigating to a target in order to provide medical support. An illustrative method involves a UAV (a) determining an approximate target location associated with a target, (b) using a first navigation process to navigate the UAV to the approximate target location, where the first navigation process generates flight-control signals based on the approximate target location, (c) making a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, and (d) in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, using a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to the target, wherein the second navigation process generates flight-control signals based on real-time localization of the target.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
-
a non-transitory data storage device that comprises instructions that are executable to provide both a first and a second navigation process to generate flight-control signals for a UAV, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals based on a predetermined location of a target, and wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals based on an autonomous real-time localization process that locates the target in real-time; and a control system comprising at least one processor, wherein the control system configured to; determine an approximate target location associated with the target; use the first navigation process to navigate the UAV from a dispatch location to the approximate target location of the target; make a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location of the target; in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, switch to using the second navigation process to locate, and navigate the UAV to, the target, wherein using the second navigation process comprises;
(a) using the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, (b) when a predetermined period of time has elapsed without locating the target, then determining that the autonomous real-time localization is unsuccessful and responsively implementing a fallback process to locate and navigate to the target, and otherwise, when the predetermined period of time has not elapsed, then continuing to use the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, andwherein the fallback process comprises;
(a) sending, from the UAV to a remote operator system, a request for assistance comprising sensor data captured at the UAV, (b) receiving, at the UAV, a response to the request for assistance comprising additional location information determined by the remote operator system based on the sensor data provided by the request for assistance, and (c) using the additional location information to locate the target and to navigate the UAV to the target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method comprising:
-
determining, by a computing system of a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising at least one processor, an approximate target location associated with a target; using, by the computing system, a first navigation process to navigate the UAV from a dispatch location to the approximate target location of the target, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals based on the approximate target location of a target; making, by the computing system, a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location of the target; and in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location of the target, using, by the computing system, a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to the target, wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals based on autonomous real-time localization of the target, wherein using the second navigation process comprises;
(a) using the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, (b) when a predetermined period of time has elapsed without locating the target, then determining that the autonomous real-time localization is unsuccessful and responsively implementing a fallback process to locate and navigate to the target, and otherwise, when the predetermined period of time has not elapsed, then continuing to use the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, andwherein the fallback process comprises;
(a) sending, from the UAV to a remote operator system, a request assistance comprising sensor data captured at the UAV, (b) receiving, at the UAV, a response to the request for assistance comprising additional location determined by the remote operator system based on the sensor data provided by the request for assistance, and (c) using the additional location information to locate the target and to navigate the UAV to the target. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions that are executable to cause a computing device comprising at least one processor to perform functions comprising:
-
determining an approximate target location associated with a target; using a first navigation process to navigate an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a dispatch location to the approximate target location of the target, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals based on the approximate target location of the target; making a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location of the target; and in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location of the target, using a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to the target, wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals based on autonomous real-time localization of the target, wherein using the second navigation process comprises;
(a) using the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, (b) when a predetermined period of time has elapsed without locating the target, then determining that the autonomous real-time localization is unsuccessful and responsively implementing a fallback process to locate and navigate to the target, and otherwise, when the predetermined period of time has not elapsed, then continuing to use the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, andwherein the fallback process comprises;
(a) sending, from the UAV to a remote operator system, a request for assistance comprising sensor data captured at the UAV, (b) receiving, at the UAV, a response to the request for assistance comprising additional location information determined by the remote operator system based on the sensor data provided by the request for assistance, and (c) using the additional location information to locate the target and to navigate the UAV to the target. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method comprising:
-
determining, by a computing system of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising at least one processor, an approximate target location associated with a target; using, by the computing system, a first navigation process to navigate the UAV from a dispatch location to the approximate target location of the target, wherein the first navigation process generates first flight-control signals based on the approximate target location of a target; either;
(a) making a determination, by the computing system, that the UAV is located at the approximate target location of the target or (b) receiving, by the computing system, local target-location data that is usable to navigate to the target;in response to either (a) or (b), using, by the computing system, a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to the target, wherein the second navigation process generates second flight-control signals based on autonomous real-time localization of the target, wherein using the second navigation process comprises;
(a) using the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, (b) when a predetermined period of time has elapsed without locating the target, then determining that the autonomous real-time localization is unsuccessful and responsively implementing a fallback process to locate and navigate to the target, and otherwise, when the predetermined period of time has not elapsed, then continuing to use the autonomous real-time localization process in an effort to locate the target, andwherein the fallback process comprises;
(a) sending, from the UAV to a remote operator system, a request for assistance comprising sensor data captured at the UAV, (b) receiving, at the UAV, a response to the request for assistance comprising additional location information determined by the remote operator system based on the sensor data provided by the request for assistance, and (c) using the additional location information to locate the target and to navigate the UAV to the target. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification