INTER-VEHICLE FLIGHT ATTRIBUTE COMMUNICATION FOR AN UNOCCUPIED FLYING VEHICLE (UFV)

• US 20140277834A1
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Lord, Richard T., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D., Wood, Lowell L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,527,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00

Abstract

Disclosed herein are example embodiments for inter-vehicle flight attribute communication for an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV). For certain example embodiments, at least one machine may: (i) obtain at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV; or (ii) transmit to a remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV based at least partially on at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth.

Claims

1. A method for hazard handling for an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), the method being at least partially implemented by at least one machine, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV; and

transmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least one indication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV comprises:

receiving from the remote UFV at least one flight attribute inquiry.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV comprises:

receiving from the remote UFV at least one negotiation request for a flight path adjustment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV comprises:

retrieving from at least one memory at least a portion of at least one flight attribute update procedure that includes at least one plan for imparting one or more flight characteristics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV comprises:

retrieving from at least one memory at least a portion of at least one flight attribute announcement procedure that includes at least one plan for imparting one or more flight capabilities.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least one indication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV the at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV via at least one wireless signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV the at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV via at least one wireless signal comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV the at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV via at least one radio frequency (RF) wireless signal using at least one directional beam.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least one indication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flight characteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flight characteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of a position of the UFV.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flight characteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one of a speed or a direction of the UFV.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flight characteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of an acceleration of the UFV.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flight characteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of an altitude of the UFV.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flight characteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of an expected future flight characteristic of the UFV.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least one indication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of an acceleration identified in a specification corresponding to the UFV.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of a maximum recommended speed corresponding to the UFV.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of a turning ability corresponding to the UFV.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of a hovering ability corresponding to the UFV.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one maneuverability indicator corresponding to the UFV.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of a remaining available airtime corresponding to the UFV.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator for a flight bubble corresponding to the UFV.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a flight path corresponding to the UFV based at least partially on at least one flight attribute indicator received from and corresponding to the remote UFV.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

negotiating with the remote UFV at least one flight path adjustment.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the negotiating with the remote UFV at least one flight path adjustment comprises:

transmitting to the remote UFV an offer to make at least one adjustment to a flight path corresponding to the UFV.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the negotiating with the remote UFV at least one flight path adjustment comprises:

receiving from the remote UFV a request to make at least one adjustment to a flight path corresponding to the UFV, with the request associated with a reference to but differing from an offer to make a flight path adjustment that was a previously-transmitted from the UFV to the remote UFV.

26. An unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) for hazard handling, the UFV comprising:

circuitry for obtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV; and

circuitry for transmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least one indication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute.

27-50. -50. (canceled)

51. A system for hazard handling for an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), the system comprising:

means for obtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV; and

means for transmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least one indication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute.

52-75. -75. (canceled)