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.
45 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