Systems and methods for geo-fencing device communications

• US 11,094,202 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2017
• Issued: 08/17/2021
• 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): Mott, Genna M
• Application Number:
  US15/719,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20180068567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• 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: H04K 2203/22 : for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/224 : with countermeasures at transmission and/or reception of the jammed signal, e.g. stopping operation of transmitter or receiver, nulling or enhancing transmitted power in direction of or at frequency of jammer
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 : using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/92 : related to allowing or preventing remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• 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: H04W 4/022 : with dynamic range variability

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 geo-fencing device, comprising:

one or more storage units configured to store;

one or more sets of flight regulations for a predetermined geographic range of the geo-fencing device, and

a local map of an area around the geo-fencing device, the local map including information indicating at least one of a restriction on flight in a region on the local map or a restriction on a payload operation in the region on the local map; and

a communication module configured to send a set of flight regulations selected from the one or more sets of flight regulations to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) when the UAV enters the predetermined geographic range of the geo-fencing device, the selected set of flight regulations including one or more rules governing bandwidths or protocols of wireless communication of the UAV and one or more rules regarding a minimum remaining battery capacity for the UAV to operate.

2. The geo-fencing device of claim 1, further comprising a detector configured to detect a presence of the UAV within the predetermined geographic range of the geo-fencing device.

3. The geo-fencing device of claim 2, wherein the detector is configured to detect the UAV using radar or a vision sensor.

4. The geo-fencing device of claim 2, wherein the detector is configured to detect the UAV'"'"'s type or a UAV identifier.

5. The geo-fencing device of claim 4, wherein the set of regulations is selected from a plurality of sets of flight regulations based on the UAV'"'"'s type or the UAV identifier.

6. The geo-fencing device of claim 2, wherein the detector is configured to detect the UAV with aid of one or more external devices external to the geo-fencing device.

7. The geo-fencing device of claim 2, wherein the geo-fencing device is configured to receive a UAV identifier that uniquely identifies the UAV from other UAVs, using the communication module or the detector.

8. The geo-fencing device of claim 7, wherein the set of regulations is selected from a plurality of sets of flight regulations based on the UAV identifier.

9. The geo-fencing device of claim 2, wherein the geo-fencing device is configured to receive a user identifier that is unique from other user identifiers, using the communication module or the detector.

10. The geo-fencing device of claim 9, wherein the set of regulations is selected from a plurality of sets of flight regulations based on the user identifier.

11. The geo-fencing device of claim 1, wherein the communication module is configured to continuously transmit the information within the predetermined geographic range of the geo-fencing device.

12. The geo-fencing device of claim 1, further comprising an indicator that is detectable by the UAV.

13. The geo-fencing device of claim 12, wherein the indicator is a visual marker.

14. The geo-fencing device of claim 12, wherein the indicator is an infrared marker.

15. The geo-fencing device of claim 12, wherein the indicator is a wireless signal.

16. The geo-fencing device of claim 1, wherein the geo-fencing device is stationary.

17. The geo-fencing device of claim 16, wherein the geo-fencing device is on a structure or a ground surface.

18. The geo-fencing device of claim 1, wherein the local map includes information indicating both the restriction on flight in the region on the local map and the restriction on the payload operation in the region on the local map.

19. The geo-fencing device of claim 1, wherein the selected set of flight regulations further includes one or more rules associated with a plurality of regulated zones including a flight regulated zone, a payload regulated zone, and a communication regulated zone.