Dynamic geo-fence for drone

• US 9,928,748 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DoorDash, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chan, Yuk L., Gilbertson, Kyle E., Hogerty, Daniel F., Tedesco, Eileen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/951,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20170148328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• 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 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• 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

Abstract

Technical solutions are described for configuring a dynamic geo-fence includes receiving a plurality of data samples. The method also includes selecting, from the plurality of data samples, a selected data sample as a threshold. The method also includes configuring a geo-fence for a geographic area based on the selected data sample. The method also includes adjusting an operational characteristic of a drone while the drone is in the geographic area, where the operational characteristic is adjusted based on a configuration of the drone and the geo-fence.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for configuring a dynamic geo-fence, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of data samples, wherein the plurality of data samples comprises a plurality of images captured by an image capture equipment of the drone from respective distances;

selecting, from the plurality of data samples, a selected data sample as a threshold;

configuring a geo-fence for a geographic area based on the selected data sample;

adjusting an operational characteristic of a drone while the drone is in the geographic area, wherein the operational characteristic is adjusted based on a configuration of the drone and the geo-fence;

determining image attributes of the selected data sample from the plurality of images;

identifying a current value of the operational characteristic of the drone; and

determining a second value of the operational characteristic, wherein image attributes of an image captured by the image capture equipment using the second value of the operational characteristic are within a predetermined threshold of the image attributes of the selected data sample.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the drone is a first drone, and wherein the geo-fence adjusts the operational characteristic of the first drone to a first value, and the operational characteristic of a second drone to a second value, the first value being distinct from the second value.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operational characteristic is a setting of an image capture equipment of the drone.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operational characteristic is a setting of an audio capture equipment of the drone.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operational characteristic adjusts a noise level of the drone.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operational characteristic adjusts a flying height of the drone.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data samples comprises a plurality of audio samples captured by an audio capture equipment of the drone from respective distances, and the method further comprises:

determining audio attributes of the selected data sample from the plurality of audio samples;

identifying a current value of the operational characteristic of the drone;

identifying a second value of the operational characteristic, wherein audio attributes of an audio captured by the audio capture equipment using the second value are within a predetermined threshold of the audio attributes of the selected data sample.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a first geo-fence for the geographic area based on the selected data sample, the first geo-fence corresponding to a first drone; and

configuring a second geo-fence for the geographic area based on the selected data sample, the second geo-fence corresponding to a second drone.

9. A system for configuring dynamic geo-fences, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of data samples, wherein the plurality of data samples comprises a plurality of images captured by an image capture equipment of the drone from respective distances;

a processor configured to;

select, from the plurality of data samples, a selected data sample as a threshold;

configure a geo-fence for a geographic area based on the selected data sample;

adjust an operational characteristic of a drone while the drone is in the geographic area, wherein the operational characteristic is adjusted based on a configuration of the drone and the geo-fence;

determine image attributes of the selected data sample from the plurality of images;

identify a current value of the operational characteristic of the drone; and

determine a second value of the operational characteristic, wherein image attributes of an image captured by the image capture equipment using the second value of the operational characteristic are within a predetermined threshold of the image attributes of the selected data sample.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the drone is a first drone, and wherein the geo-fence adjusts the operational characteristic of the first drone to a first value, and the operational characteristic of a second drone to a second value, the first value being distinct from the second value.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the operational characteristic is a setting of an image capture equipment of the drone.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the operational characteristic is a setting of an audio capture equipment of the drone.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the operational characteristic adjusts a noise level of the drone.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of data samples comprises a plurality of images captured by an image capture equipment from respective distances.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a first set of attributes of the selected data sample from the plurality of data samples;

identifying a current value of the operational characteristic of the drone;

identifying a second value of the operational characteristic, wherein a second set of attributes of a data sample captured by the drone using the second value are within a predetermined threshold of the first set of attributes of the selected data sample.

16. A computer program product for configuring dynamic geo-fences, the computer product comprising a computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions, wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises instructions to:

access a plurality of data samples, wherein the plurality of data samples comprises a plurality of images captured by an image capture equipment of the drone from respective distances;

select, from the plurality of data samples, a selected data sample as a threshold;

configure a geo-fence for a geographic area based on the selected data sample;

adjust an operational characteristic of a drone while the drone is in the geographic area, wherein the operational characteristic is adjusted based on a configuration of the drone and the geo-fence;

determine image attributes of the selected data sample from the plurality of images;

identify a current value of the operational characteristic of the drone; and

determine a second value of the operational characteristic, wherein image attributes of an image captured by the image capture equipment using the second value of the operational characteristic are within a predetermined threshold of the image attributes of the selected data sample.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the drone is a first drone, and wherein the geo-fence adjusts the operational characteristic of the first drone to a first value, and the operational characteristic of a second drone to a second value, the first value being distinct from the second value.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the operational characteristic is one of a setting of an image capture equipment, a setting of an audio capture equipment, a setting associated with a noise level, and a setting associated with a flying height of the drone.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer readable storage medium further comprises instructions to:

determine a first set of attributes of the selected data sample from the plurality of data samples;

identify a current value of the operational characteristic of the drone; and

identify a second value of the operational characteristic, wherein a second set of attributes of a data sample captured by the drone using the second value are within a predetermined threshold of the first set of attributes of the selected data sample.