Systems and methods for permission based control of robots

• US 9,835,709 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bao Tran
• Original Assignee: Bao Tran
• Inventors: Tran, Bao, Tran, Ha
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US15/013,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20170219676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 244 123, 244234
• 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 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/015 Arrangements for jamming, spoofing or other methods of denial of service of such systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/62 by exposing communication, processing or storing systems to electromagnetic wave radiation, e.g. causing disturbance, disruption or damage of electronic circuits, or causing external injection of faults in the information
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/92 related to allowing or preventing remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption

Abstract

A system to provide privacy from third party vehicles includes a radio circuit configured to send a privacy indication in a beacon frame; and a movable device including a radio circuit to receive the beacon frame and a motor actuator controlled to comply with the privacy indication.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a radio circuit configured to send a privacy indication in a beacon frame transmitted in a periodic broadcast from a facility desiring privacy; and

a movable vehicle including a radio circuit to receive the beacon frame and a motor actuator controlled to comply with the privacy indication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the moveable vehicle comprises a drone, a car, a delivery vehicle, a robot, or a moveable frame.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising a vehicle identifier coupled to a vehicle disabling device, wherein the vehicle disabling device prevents the vehicle from trespassing in violation of the privacy indication.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the disabling device comprises a jammer.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the disabling device projects a narrow RF beam to jam GPS and RF signals received by the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the disabling device comprises a laser.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the disabling device is mounted on a tracker to follow the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon frame specifies a plurality of access conditions, including type of vehicles and restriction on each type of vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon frame specifies a plurality of access conditions, including predetermined vehicle IDs and restriction on each vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the moveable device radio circuit is configured to send a probe request to a wireless access point to initiate transmission of a probe response specifying a beacon privacy indication.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio circuit is configured to receive an initial beacon frame specifying a beacon interval and a timestamp corresponding to a clock of the wireless access point, and wherein the radio circuit is configured to determine the estimated time period based on the beacon interval and the timestamp, and wherein the radio circuit is configured to enter a low power state before beginning the monitoring of the wireless channel for the next beacon frame.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the next beacon frame is an 802.11 beacon frame.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the moveable vehicle uses public street navigation to comply with the privacy indication.

14. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of drones, wherein the drones fly as a flock of birds.

15. The system of claim 1, comprising a delivery receptacle whose position is defined by one or more beacons at a delivery location prior to arrival of the moveable device, wherein the moveable device is guided toward the delivery receptacle based on the one or more beacons to deposit a package into the delivery receptacle.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more first beacons are infrared beacons.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more first beacons are located on a top surface of the delivery receptacle.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising positioning one or more beacons at a delivery location prior to arrival of the moveable device and navigating the moveable device toward a delivery receptacle based on the one or more beacons to deposit a package into the delivery receptacle, wherein the delivery receptacle is at a predetermined height accessible to a wheelchair or support structure for an elderly or disabled person.

19. A method to provide privacy, comprising:

sending a privacy indication in a beacon frame communicated by a wireless base station in accordance with a communication protocol from a facility desiring privacy by setting a bit in the privacy indication; and

navigating a movable vehicle including a radio circuit to receive the beacon frame and a motor actuator to comply with the privacy indication.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the moveable vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone.