Systems, methods, and devices for unmanned aerial vehicle dispatch and recovery

• US 9,688,402 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kare, Jordin T., Pan, Tony S., Petroski, Robert C., Tuckerman, David B., Cheatham, III, Jesse R., Urzhumov, Yaroslav A., Duncan, William David, Weaver, Thomas Allan, Wood, Jr., Lowell L., Wood, Victoria Y. H., Chin, Hon Wah, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US14/682,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20160297521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 3, 701 11, 701 13, 701 14, 701 16, 701120, 701467, 340947, 244 751
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/00 Dropping, ejecting, releasing, or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight with respect to weapon sights devices F41G takes precedence, parachutes per se B64D17/00; ejectable seats B64D25/10; ejectable capsules B64D25/12; refuelling during flight B64D39/00; launching apparatus for projecting projectiles or missiles F41F1/00, F41F7/00; rocket or torpedo launchers F41F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

A service unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a flight system, a status component, a navigation system, and a recovery component. The flight system is for flying the service UAV. The status component is configured to determine that a first UAV is disabled. The navigation system is configured to fly the service UAV to a landing location of the first UAV in response to the status component determining that the first UAV is disabled. The recovery component is configured to recover one or more of a payload of the first UAV and a portion of the first UAV.

Claims

1. A service unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a flight system for flying the service UAV;

a status component configured to determine that a first UAV is disabled;

a navigation system configured to fly the service UAV to a landing location of the first UAV in response to the status component determining that the first UAV is disabled; and

a recovery component that is part of the service UAV and configured to couple the service UAV to at least one of a payload of the first UAV or a portion of the first UAV while the service UAV carries the at least one payload or portion to a remote destination.

2. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component comprises one or more of an actuator, an arm, a claw, a scoop, a hook, a pulley, and a cable to change a position of or interact with the first UAV.

3. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component comprises one or more of an actuator, an arm, a claw, a scoop, a hook, a pulley, and a cable to change a position of or interact with a payload of the first UAV.

4. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component comprises one or more of an actuator, an arm, a claw, a scoop, a hook, a pulley, and a cable to remove or to change a position of the portion of the first UAV.

5. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component is configured to supply at least one of fuel and electrical current to an energy storage component on the first UAV.

6. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component is configured to remove a portion of the first UAV comprising an energy storage component.

7. The service UAV of claim 6, wherein the energy storage component comprises a depleted energy storage component, wherein the recovery component is further configured to mount a replenished energy storage component on the first UAV.

8. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component is configured to remove a portion of the first UAV comprising control circuitry of the first UAV.

9. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component is configured to remove a portion of the first UAV comprising computer readable storage media of the first UAV.

10. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component is configured to carry the first UAV.

11. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component recovers by carrying one or more of a payload of the first UAV and a portion of the first UAV to a location or entity authorized by an owner of the first UAV.

12. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component recovers by carrying one or more of a payload of the first UAV and a portion of the first UAV to a location where damage or access by another entity is less likely to occur.

13. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the recovery component recovers by obtaining physical control of one or more of a payload of the first UAV and a portion of the first UAV.

14. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the navigation system is further configured to determine a coverage area associated with the service UAV, wherein the navigation system is configured to position the service UAV within or near the coverage area prior to the status component determining that the first UAV is disabled.

15. The service UAV of claim 1, wherein the navigation system is configured to begin flying toward the first UAV based on a predicted landing location indicated in a first message, and to proceed to the landing location of the first UAV in response to a second message indicating the landing location.

16. The service UAV of claim 1, further comprising a communication component configured to wirelessly transmit a signal indicating that the service UAV will fly to the landing location of the first UAV.

17. The service UAV of claim 1, further comprising a communication component configured to receive a wireless transmission indicating that the service UAV should not fly to the landing location of the first UAV.

18. Computer readable storage media having collectively stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a service unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to:

determine that a first UAV is disabled;

fly the service UAV to a landing location of the first UAV in response to determining that the first UAV is disabled; and

recover one or more of a payload of the first UAV and a portion of the first UAV via a recovery component configured to couple the service UAV to at least one of the payload of the first UAV or the portion of the first UAV while the service UAV carries the at least one of the payload or the portion to a remote destination.

19. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the executable instructions further cause the service UAV to receive wireless transmissions indicating a status of the first UAV.

20. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assistance system comprising:

one or more processors; and

computer readable media collectively storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the UAV assistance system to;

receive an indication that a first UAV is disabled, wherein the indication that the first UAV is disabled is received in response to the first UAV making an unplanned landing;

determine a service UAV is available for assisting the first UAV; and

transmit a message dispatching the service UAV to provide assistance to the first UAV by coupling the service UAV to at least one of a payload of the first UAV or a portion of the first UAV while the service UAV carries the at least one payload or portion to a remote destination.

21. The UAV assistance system of claim 20, wherein the executable instructions further cause the UAV assistance system to receive an indication of assistance desired by the first UAV.

22. The UAV assistance system of claim 20, wherein the executable instructions further cause the UAV assistance system to receive an indication of a time by which assistance is desired by the first UAV.

23. The UAV assistance system of claim 20, wherein the executable instructions further cause the UAV assistance system to transmit to one or more of the first UAV, an owner of the first UAV, and an operator of the first UAV a message reporting the dispatch of the service UAV.

24. The UAV assistance system of claim 20, wherein the executable instructions further cause the UAV assistance system to transmit a message to one or more of the first UAV, an owner of the first UAV, and an operator of the first UAV reporting a service charge to be assessed in exchange for dispatching the service UAV to provide assistance to the first UAV.

25. The UAV assistance system of claim 20, wherein the executable instructions further cause the UAV assistance system to receive an indication deauthorizing the UAV assistance system to dispatch the service UAV to provide assistance to the first UAV.

26. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disabled, wherein the indication that the first UAV is disabled is received in response to the first UAV making an unplanned landing;

determining a service UAV is available for assisting the first UAV;

transmitting a message dispatching the service UAV to provide assistance to the first UAV; and

coupling the service UAV to at least one of a payload of the first UAV or a portion of the first UAV while the service UAV carries the at least one payload or portion to a remote destination.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising determining that the first UAV corresponds to an active subscription account.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising logging an incident for billing to the active subscription account.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the message dispatching the service UAV comprises a predicted landing location for the first UAV.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising transmitting a second message indicating an actual landing location.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the message dispatching the service UAV further comprises an indication of assistance to be provided to the first UAV.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the assistance to be provided comprises replenishment of an energy storage component.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the assistance to be provided comprises recovery of one or more of a payload of the first UAV and a portion of the first UAV.