Wirelessly controlling unmanned aircraft and accessing associated surveillance data
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
- receiving by a first UAV a control message transmitted over a wireless connection from a control device;
transmitting the received control message by the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication so that the received control message is relayed from the first UAV to the second UAV via the pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication; and
receiving compressed digital video transmissions at the first UAV via a transmitter located 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
47 Claims
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1. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
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receiving by a first UAV a control message transmitted over a wireless connection from a control device; transmitting the received control message by the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication so that the received control message is relayed from the first UAV to the second UAV via the pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication; and receiving compressed digital video transmissions at the first UAV via a transmitter located at the second UAV. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
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receiving by a first UAV a control message transmitted over a wireless connection from a control device; transmitting the received control message by the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication so that the received control message is relayed from the first UAV to the second UAV via the pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication; and receiving full size and full frame rate digital video transmissions at the first UAV via a transmitter located at the second UAV.
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16. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
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receiving by a first UAV a control message transmitted over a wireless connection from a control device; transmitting the received control message by the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication so that the received control message is relayed from the first UAV to the second UAV via the pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication; and receiving at the first UAV, via a transmitter located at the second UAV, surveillance information collected by the second UAV, wherein the collected information includes information associated with a third UAV collected for the purpose of avoiding airspace conflicts, conducting joint surveillance of a geographical area, and/or conducting joint tracking of a subject.
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17. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
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receiving by a first UAV a control message transmitted over a wireless connection from a control device; transmitting the received control message by the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication so that the received control message is relayed from the first UAV to the second UAV via the pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication; receiving at the first UAV communications from a transmitter located at the second UAV; and transmitting by the first UAV the communications from the second UAV. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), by operations comprising:
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receiving a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; and transmitting the received control message to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, so that the received control message is relayed to the second UAV; and receiving compressed digital video transmissions from the second UAV.
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26. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), by operations comprising:
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receiving a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; and transmitting the received control message to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, so that the received control message is relayed to the second UAV; and receiving full size and full frame rate digital video transmissions from the second UAV. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), by operations comprising:
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receiving a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; and transmitting the received control message to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, so that the received control message is relayed to the second UAV; and receiving health and/or status information associated with the second UAV, wherein the health and/or status information is collected during a diagnostics monitoring process performed ad the second UAV.
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33. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), by operations comprising:
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receiving a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; transmitting the received control message to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, so that the received control message is relayed to the second UAV; and receiving, at a ground station, communications from the second UAV via the first UAV.
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34. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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a transceiver arranged configured to; receive a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; transmit the received control message from the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, wherein the control message specifies instructions to control activities of the second UAV; and receive communications from a transmitter located at the second UAV, wherein the communications from the transmitter include compressed digital video transmissions. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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a transceiver arranged configured to; receive a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; transmit the received control message from the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, wherein the control message specifies instructions to control activities of the second UAV; and receive communications from a transmitter located at the second UAV, wherein the communications from the transmitter include full size and full frame rate digital video transmissions.
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39. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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a transceiver arranged configured to; receive a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; transmit the received control message from the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, wherein the control message specifies instructions to control activities of the second UAV; and receive communications from a transmitter located at the second UAV, wherein the communications from the transmitter include diagnostics information associated with the second UAV.
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40. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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receiving by a first UAV a control message transmitted over a wireless connection from a control device; and transmitting the received control message by the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication so that the received control message is relayed from the first UAV to the second UAV via the pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication, wherein the received control message is for directly controlling the second UAV. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), by operations comprising:
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receiving a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; and transmitting the received control message to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, so that the received control message is relayed to the second UAV, wherein the received control message is for directly controlling the second UAV.
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43. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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a transceiver arranged configured to; receive a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; transmit the received control message from the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network, wherein the control message specifies instructions to control activities of the second UAV; and receive communications from a transmitter located at the second UAV, wherein the received control message is for directly controlling the second UAV.
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44. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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receiving by a first UAV a control message transmitted over a wireless connection from a control device; and transmitting the received control message by the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication so that the received control message is relayed from the first UAV to the second UAV via the pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication, wherein the received control message is for directly controlling a third UAV.
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45. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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receiving by a first UAV a control message transmitted over a wireless connection from a control device; and transmitting the received control message by the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication so that the received control message is relayed from the first UAV to the second UAV via the pre-existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication, wherein the control message specifies instructions to control activities of a weapons system of the second UAV.
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46. A system, having a memory and a processor, for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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a component configured to receive a control message at a first UAV and over a wireless connection; and a component configured to transmit the received control message from the first UAV to a second UAV via a pre-existing cellular telephone network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication, wherein the control message specifies instructions to control activities of the second UAV, a component configured to receive compressed digital video transmissions at the first UAV via a transmitter located at the second UAV. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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Specification