UNMANNED DEVICE INTERACTION METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20140025229A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,733,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/005 by providing the operator with signals other than visual, e.g. acoustic, haptic
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for configuring an unmanned aerial device to participate in the performance of tasks, for using data resulting from such a configuration or performance, or for facilitating other interactions with such devices.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

circuitry for obtaining first data including optical data from a vicinity of a reference surface in contact with a first unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for signaling a decision as an automatic and conditional response to the application of a first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface in contact with the first unmanned aerial device whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to be disengaged from the reference surface; and

circuitry for signaling a decision as an automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to obtain second data with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

a charging mechanism including one or more electrical contacts, the one or more electrical contacts comprising the reference surface.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

a wall-mounted base comprising the reference surface.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to perform a first observation of a particular task in a first zone and a second unmanned aerial device to perform a second observation of the particular task in a second zone.

6. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to capture normalcy-indicative data relating to a human subject.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for causing the first unmanned aerial device to undertake a performance observation task of a job that includes a performance task and the performance observation task.

11. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for identifying an operating mode of the first unmanned aerial device audibly or visibly while a primary motor of the first unmanned aerial device is not moving the first unmanned aerial device.

12. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for causing another unmanned aerial device to capture delivery data relating to the first unmanned aerial device.

14. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for causing a data handling device aboard the first unmanned aerial device to contain a task schedule indicating a first future delivery of a first object to a first destination and a second future delivery of a second object to a second destination.

15. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for determining whether or not an operator of the first unmanned aerial device has indicated a tracking mode of the first unmanned aerial device.

16. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for overriding a first task being performed by the first unmanned aerial device by transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a second task to the first unmanned aerial device.

17. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to transmit a wireless signal indicative of having performed a particular task and not to store any indication of having performed the particular task.

19. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to reserve a specific resource by associating the specific resource with a specific device or with a specific person.

20. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for responding to an indication of the first unmanned aerial device becoming within a proximity of a mobile device.

21. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for causing a modular observation unit to be lifted and activated within at most about an hour of the modular observation unit becoming part of the first unmanned aerial device.

23. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for causing the first unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a single dose of a therapeutic material to a human hand within one minute of an image capture of a portion of the human hand.

24. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a particular material to a vicinity of a portable device within one minute of an image capture of the vicinity of the portable device.

25. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for causing the first unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a particular object to a human recipient contemporaneously with an image capture of a portion of the human recipient.

27. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

circuitry for responding to a determination of whether or not a received signal expresses a first name of the first unmanned aerial device and whether or not the received signal expresses a second name of the first unmanned aerial device.

29. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture comprise:

a handheld device, including the circuitry for signaling the decision as the automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to obtain second data with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface.

30. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture comprise:

the first unmanned aerial device having one or more propellers and configured to support the circuitry for signaling the decision as the automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to obtain second data with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface.

31. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture comprise:

a vehicle having one or more wheels, the vehicle configured to support the circuitry for obtaining the first data including the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface in contact with the first unmanned aerial device and configured to support the circuitry for signaling the decision as the automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface in contact with the first unmanned aerial device whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to be disengaged from the reference surface and configured to support the circuitry for signaling the decision as the automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to obtain second data with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface.

62. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

a wall-mounted base comprising the reference surface;

the first unmanned aerial device, having one or more propellers and configured to support the circuitry for signaling the decision as the automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to obtain second data with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface, the first unmanned aerial device being a handheld device;

circuitry for responding to a determination of whether or not a received signal expresses a first name of the first unmanned aerial device and whether or not the received signal expresses a second name of the first unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for overriding a first task being performed by the first unmanned aerial device by transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a second task to the first unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for determining whether or not an operator of the first unmanned aerial device has indicated a tracking mode of the first unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for causing a modular observation unit to be lifted and activated within at most about an hour of the modular observation unit becoming part of the first unmanned aerial device; and

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a particular material to a vicinity of a portable device within one minute of an image capture of the vicinity of the portable device.

63. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

a charging mechanism including one or more electrical contacts, the one or more electrical contacts comprising the reference surface;

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to perform a first observation of a particular task in a first zone and a second unmanned aerial device to perform a second observation of the particular task in a second zone;

circuitry for identifying an operating mode of the first unmanned aerial device audibly or visibly while a primary motor of the first unmanned aerial device is not moving the first unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for causing a data handling device aboard the first unmanned aerial device to contain a task schedule indicating a first future delivery of a first object to a first destination and a second future delivery of a second object to a second destination;

circuitry for configuring the first unmanned aerial device to capture normalcy-indicative data relating to a human subject; and

circuitry for causing another unmanned aerial device to capture delivery data relating to the first unmanned aerial device.

2. (canceled)

8-10. -10. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

32. A system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

means for obtaining first data including optical data from a vicinity of a reference surface in contact with a first unmanned aerial device;

means for signaling a decision as an automatic and conditional response to the application of a first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface in contact with the first unmanned aerial device whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to be disengaged from the reference surface; and

means for signaling a decision as an automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to obtain second data with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface.

44. The system of claim 32 in which the one or more articles of manufacture further comprise:

means for overriding a first task being performed by the first unmanned aerial device by transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a second task to the first unmanned aerial device.

33-43. -43. (canceled)

45-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A method comprising:

invoking circuitry configured for obtaining first data including optical data from a vicinity of a reference surface in contact with a first unmanned aerial device;

signaling a decision as an automatic and conditional response to the application of a first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface in contact with the first unmanned aerial device whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to be disengaged from the reference surface; and

signaling a decision as an automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to obtain second data with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface.

57. The method of claim 56 further comprising:

causing a modular observation unit to be lifted and activated within at most about an hour of the modular observation unit becoming part of the first unmanned aerial device.

58-59. -59. (canceled)

60. An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable outcome indicating an occurrence of

obtaining first data including optical data from a vicinity of a reference surface in contact with a first unmanned aerial device;

signaling a decision as an automatic and conditional response to the application of a first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface in contact with the first unmanned aerial device whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to be disengaged from the reference surface; and

signaling a decision as an automatic and conditional response to the application of the first recognition criterion to the optical data from the vicinity of the reference surface whether or not to cause the first unmanned aerial device to obtain second data with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface.

61. The article of manufacture of claim 60 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

the second data obtained with the first unmanned aerial device disengaged from the reference surface.