Authentication systems and methods for generating flight regulations

• US 9,792,613 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Gong, Ming, Dai, Jin, Cui, Hao, Wang, Xiaodong, Huang, Han, Wu, Jun, Fan, Wei, Ma, Ning, Rong, Xinhua, Lin, Xingsen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHUDY, ANGELINA M
• Application Number:
  US14/942,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20160292403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3, 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/226 Communication links with the remote-control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 : Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 : for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 : in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 : in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• 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 5/0082 : for monitoring traffic from a ground station 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 : for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 : Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Systems and methods for UAV safety are provided. An authentication system may be used to confirm UAV and/or user identity and provide secured communications between users and UAVs. The UAVs may operate in accordance with a set of flight regulations. The set of flight regulations may be associated with a geo-fencing device in the vicinity of the UAV.

Claims

1. A method for regulating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising onboard one or more of a sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply, said method comprising:

(a) assessing whether the UAV or a user of the UAV has been registered with a control entity;

(b) notifying the user of the UAV to update the software of the UAV within a grace period, and permitting the UAV to operate in a regular operational mode while within the grace period, wherein the regular operational mode permits operation of the one or more sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply of the UAV; and

(c) wirelessly transmitting a software update to the UAV or a device configured to operably communicate with the UAV, only when the UAV or a user of the UAV is registered with the control entity, wherein the software update regulates operation of the one or more sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply, thereby regulating the UAV, and wherein the one or more sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply of the UAV is inoperable without the software update outside the grace period, and wherein the user is unable to access some or all of the UAV flight zones when the user does not upgrade the software within the grace period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update is transmitted to and executed by the UAV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update regulates an operating system of the UAV.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assessing comprising:

obtaining a UAV identifier or a user identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the obtained UAV identifier uniquely identifies the UAV from other UAVs, and wherein the obtained user identifier uniquely identifies the user.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising associating the obtained user identifier with the obtained UAV identifier to permit (1) the registered user to operate the UAV and (2) the transmission of the software update to the UAV or the device configured to operably communicate with the UAV.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the UAV identifier is issued prior to or concurrently with the manufacture of the UAV, or prior to sale or distribution of the UAV.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising assessing whether a security setting of the UAV has been tampered with;

and preventing the software update from being transmitted when the security setting of the UAV has been tampered with.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the control entity is a government agency, an operator authorized by a government agency, a manufacturer of the UAV, or a distributor of the UAV.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is registered with the control entity upon purchasing or receiving the UAV.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the weight of the registered UAV is less than or equal to 2.5 kg.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising assessing whether an attempt is made to modify the UAV in a manner that violates UAV regulations;

and preventing the software update from being transmitted to the UAV when the attempt is made to modify the UAV.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum speed of the UAV is less than or equal to 100 mph.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update is transmitted to the device configured to operably communicate with the UAV.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update is transmitted via a server.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update is transmitted via an application, and wherein said application is a smart phone application or a web-based application.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating step (c) periodically at a regular or irregular interval of time.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating steps (a)-(c) periodically at a regular or irregular interval of time.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV is inoperable to fly without the software update outside the grace period.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the control entity regulates operation of the UAV in compliance with statues or laws.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update regulates data acquisition function by one or more sensors onboard the UAV.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the assessing step of (a), the notifying step of (b), and the transmitting step of (c) are performed as the UAV or the device is in operation.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update regulates operation of the one or more payload, wherein the payload is an image capturing device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update regulates operation of the one or more payload, wherein the payload is selected from the group consisting of a light source, a speaker, and an audio capture device.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor or payload of the UAV is inoperable without the software update outside the grace period.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the grace period is set by the control entity.

27. A system for regulating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising onboard one or more of a sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply, said system comprising one or more processors configured to individually or collectively:

(a) assess whether the UAV or a user of the UAV has been registered with a control entity; and

(b) notify the user of the UAV to update software of the UAV within a grace period, and permit the UAV to operate in a regular operational mode while within the grace period, wherein the regular operational mode permits operation of the one or more sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply of the UAV; and

(c) wirelessly transmit a software update to the UAV or a device configured to operably communicate with the UAV, only when the UAV or a user of the UAV is registered with a control entity, wherein the software update regulates operation of the one or more sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply, and wherein the one or more sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply of the UAV is inoperable without the software update outside the grace period, and wherein the user is unable to access some or all of the UAV flight zones when the user does not upgrade the software within the grace period.

28. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for regulating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), said method comprising:

(a) assessing whether the UAV or a user of the UAV has been registered with a control entity; and

(b) notifying the user of the UAV to update software of the UAV within a grace period, and permitting the UAV to operate in a regular operational mode while within the grace period, wherein the regular operational mode permits operation of the one or more sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply of the UAV; and

(c) wirelessly transmitting a software update to the UAV or a device configured to operably communicate with the UAV, only when the UAV or a user of the UAV is registered with a control entity, wherein the software update regulates operation of one or more of a sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply, onboard the UAV, and wherein the one or more sensor, communication unit, payload, or power supply of the UAV is inoperable without the software update outside the grace period, and wherein the user is unable to access some or all of the UAV flight zones when the user does not upgrade the software within the grace period.