Remotely operated surveillance vehicle management system and method with a fail-safe function

• US 9,688,399 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Civicus Media Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cīvicus Media, LLC
• Inventors: Dobbins, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US14/490,767
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415

Abstract

A system for providing the general public with simplified access to aerial surveillance. The system software initially functions as a viewer, but also provides a path to increase a participant'"'"'s control. The software architecture is structured to accommodate multiple users simultaneously and minimizes operational down-time by organizing participants into a standby queuing system. The system also provides a step-by-step operator-pilot progression, with built in training and certification modules, to train and qualify a participant for higher levels of control. This progression starts by allowing a participant to remotely track the flight path of a surveillance aircraft, then view its camera feed, operate the camera, and eventually pilot the aircraft. The system in applicable whether the aircraft is manned or unmanned, and incorporates an interrupt mechanism to mitigate undesirable mission parameters. In some configurations, the invention'"'"'s integral fail-safe mechanism optimizes operational compatibility with restrictive civil airspace providing even broader access. The software supports an organizational structure for promotions, accounting and user-queuing. This structure is driven by financial incentives which leverage social media, banner advertising, and streaming video for live public viewing, while incorporating natural safeguards against misuse.

Claims

1. A surveillance vehicle management system, comprising:

a surveillance vehicle, the surveillance vehicle carrying one or more surveillance devices and having a vehicle control system for controlling the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement and a surveillance control system for controlling the operation of the surveillance devices carried by the vehicle;

a control management system that outputs control commands to the vehicle control system and to the surveillance control system based on inputs received from one or more users who are remote from the surveillance vehicle, the control management system being configured to allocate the ability to control the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement and the operation of the surveillance devices to different ones of the remote users in substantially real time; and

a failsafe mission management system interposed between the control management system and the surveillance vehicle, the failsafe mission management system being configured to allow a mission manager to exercise failsafe control over the vehicle by assuming control over one or more of the vehicle control system and the surveillance control system.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the vehicle is an aircraft.

3. The system of claim 2 in which the mission manager is an onboard pilot of the aircraft.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the failsafe mission management system is configured to allow the mission manager to assume control over the vehicle control system and the surveillance control system.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a surveillance device queuing system configured to maintain a queue of the remote users who are waiting to be placed in operational control of the one or more surveillance devices.

6. The system of claim 5 in which a first user in the queue provides the inputs to the surveillance control system for control of a first one of the surveillance devices and a second user in the queue provides the inputs to the surveillance control system for control of a second one of the surveillance devices.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a pilot queuing system configured to maintain a queue of the remote users who are waiting to be placed in operational control over the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a viewing system configured to provide an output from the one or more surveillance devices to a plurality of authorized viewers who are remote from the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 8 in which the mission manager is an onboard pilot of the aircraft.

9. A surveillance vehicle management system, comprising:

a surveillance vehicle, the surveillance vehicle carrying one or more surveillance devices the output of which is being provided to a plurality of viewers who are remote from the vehicle;

the surveillance vehicle having a vehicle control system for controlling the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement and a surveillance control system for controlling the operation of the surveillance devices carried by the vehicle;

a control management system that outputs control commands to the vehicle control system and to the surveillance control system based on inputs received from one or more users who are remote from the surveillance vehicle, the control management system being configured to allocate the ability to control the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement and the operation of the surveillance devices to different ones of the remote users in substantially real time; and

a failsafe mission management system interposed between the control management system and the surveillance vehicle, the failsafe mission management system being configured to allow a mission manager to exercise failsafe control over the vehicle by assuming control over one or more of the vehicle control system and the surveillance control system.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the vehicle is an aircraft.

12. The system of claim 9 in which the failsafe mission management system is configured to allow the mission manager to assume control over the vehicle control system and the surveillance control system.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising a surveillance device queuing system configured to maintain a queue of the remote users who are waiting to be placed in operational control of the one or more surveillance devices.

14. The system of claim 13 in which a first user in the queue provides the inputs to the surveillance control system for control of a first one of the surveillance devices and a second user in the queue provides the inputs to the surveillance control system for control of a second one of the surveillance devices.

15. The system of claim 9 further comprising a pilot queuing system configured to maintain a queue of the remote users who are waiting to be placed in operational control over the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement.

16. A method for providing remote users temporary access to a surveillance vehicle in substantially real time comprising:

providing a surveillance vehicle carrying one or more surveillance devices;

providing the output from the surveillance devices to a plurality of remote viewers;

providing a control management system;

providing a mission manager with failsafe control over the surveillance vehicle interposed between the control management system and the surveillance vehicle;

receiving a request at the control management system from a first remote user to control the surveillance vehicle during a first period of time;

determining an authorization level for the first user making the request;

receiving control commands at the control management system from the first user according to the determined authorization level during the first time period;

operating the vehicle in accordance with the control commands received at the control management system from the first user during the first time period and while the mission manager has failsafe control over the vehicle;

receiving a request at the control management system from a second remote user to control the surveillance vehicle during a second period of time;

determining an authorization level for the second user making the request;

receiving control commands at the control management system from the second user according to the determined authorization level during the second time period; and

operating the vehicle in accordance with the control commands received at the control management system from the second user during the second time period and while the mission manager has failsafe control over the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 in which the vehicle is an aircraft.

18. The method of claim 17 in which the mission manager is a pilot on board the aircraft.

19. The method of claim 16 in which the vehicle is an unmanned aircraft and the mission manager is a pilot in command of the unmanned aircraft.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving a request at the control management system from a third remote user to control one of the surveillance devices during a third period of time;

determining an authorization level for the third user making the request;

receiving surveillance control commands at the control management system from the third remote user according to the determined authorization level during the third time period;

operating one of the surveillance devices in accordance with the control commands received at the control management system from the third user during the third time period and while the mission manager has failsafe control over the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising allocating credits to a sponsor of the vehicle from the third user.

22. A method for providing multiple remote users access to a surveillance vehicle in substantially real time comprising:

providing a surveillance vehicle carrying a surveillance device and a control management system and having a mission manager exercising failsafe control over the surveillance vehicle interposed between the control management system and the surveillance vehicle;

receiving requests at the control management system from a plurality of remote viewers to receive the output of the surveillance device, determining an authorization level of each of the remote viewers, and providing the output of the surveillance device to each of the remote viewers in accordance with their determined authorization level;

receiving requests at the control management system from a plurality of remote operators to control the operation the surveillance device, determining an authorization level and priority of each of the remote operators, and providing a first one of the remote operators control over the operation of the surveillance device in accordance with the determined authorization level and priority during a first period of time;

receiving requests at the control management system from a plurality of remote pilots to control the operation of the vehicle, determining an authorization level and priority of each of the remote pilots, and providing a first one of the remote pilots operational control over the vehicle in accordance with the determined authorization level and priority during a second period of time.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

providing a second one of the remote operators control over the operation of the surveillance device in accordance with the determined authorization level and priority after the first period of time.

24. The method of claim 22 in which there are a plurality of surveillance devices carried by the vehicle, a first one being controlled by the first remote operator and a second one being controlled by a second remote operator.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

providing a second one of the remote pilots operational control over the vehicle in accordance with the determined authorization level and priority after the second period of time.