Unmanned aerial vehicle communication, monitoring, and traffic management

• US 9,087,451 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jarrell Family Trust
• Original Assignee: John A. Jarrell
• Inventors: Jarrell, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US14/444,670
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 701/13, 701117-120
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/06 for indicating aircraft presence
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/362 Installations for supplying conditioned air to parked aircraft
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/003 Flight plan management
• 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 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of communicating with an unmanned aerial vehicle includes transmitting a first message via a communications transmitter of a lighting assembly for receipt by an unmanned aerial vehicle. The first message includes an identifier associated with the lighting assembly, and the lighting assembly is located within a proximity of a roadway. The method also includes receiving a second message from the unmanned aerial vehicle via a communications receiver of the lighting assembly. The second message includes an identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle. The method further includes transmitting a third message via the communications transmitter of the lighting assembly for receipt by the unmanned aerial vehicle. The third message includes an indication of an altitude at which the unmanned aerial vehicle should fly.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of communicating with an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

transmitting, via a transmitter of a communications station, a first message for receipt by an unmanned aerial vehicle, the first message comprising an identifier associated with the communications station, wherein the communications station is mounted to a lighting assembly that is located within a proximity of a roadway, and wherein at least a portion of the lighting assembly is configured to remain in physical contact with the ground;

receiving a second message from the unmanned aerial vehicle via a receiver of the communications station, the second message comprising an identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

transmitting a third message via the transmitter of the communications station for receipt by the unmanned aerial vehicle, the third message comprising an indication of an altitude at which the unmanned aerial vehicle should fly.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the altitude at which the unmanned aerial vehicle should fly comprises an identifier of an air corridor having associated therewith a predetermined minimum altitude and a predetermined maximum altitude.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining, via a computation unit of the communications station, an altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the third message includes the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a location indicator of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein determining the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle is based on the location indicator of the unmanned aerial vehicle and on a location identifier of the lighting assembly.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with the communications station includes a location identifier of the communications station.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the location identifier of the communications station includes one or more GPS coordinates associated with the communications station.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the roadway is associated with a right-of-way, and wherein the identifier associated with the communications station includes a location indicator associated with the right-of-way.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a location indicator of the unmanned aerial vehicle, further comprising determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle is outside of an airspace associated with the right-of-way, and wherein the third message includes a warning that the unmanned aerial vehicle is outside of the airspace associated with the right-of-way.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first message further comprises an indication of a landing area.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first message further comprises a location identifier associated with an obstacle.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising storing in a memory location of the communications station the identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle and a time stamp.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting a fourth message via the transmitter of the communications station for receipt by a control center remote from the lighting assembly, the fourth message including the identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle and the time stamp.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, from a charging unit of the communications station, a wireless charging signal for receipt by the unmanned aerial vehicle for charging a battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting a fourth message via the transmitter of the communications station, the fourth message comprising the identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle and a quantity associated with the wireless charging signal.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the first message, the second message, and the third message is encrypted for security.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein each of the first message the second message, and the third message includes a security question.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a location indicator of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and further comprising:

determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a second unmanned aerial vehicle based on the location indicator of the unmanned aerial vehicle and on information received from the second unmanned aerial vehicle;

wherein the third message further comprises a warning that the unmanned aerial vehicle is within the predetermined distance of the second unmanned aerial vehicle.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising determining a navigational adjustment for the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the third message further comprises the navigational adjustment for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first message further includes an indication of weather.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first message further includes an indication of a speed.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining a speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed threshold, and further comprising transmitting a fourth message that includes an indication of the speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first message further includes an indication of a noise level.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first message further includes an indication of an emissions level.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle includes license or registration information for the unmanned aerial vehicle, and further comprising determining whether the license or registration information for the unmanned aerial vehicle is valid.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a weapon.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first message includes an indication of an area that the unmanned aerial vehicle should avoid.

28. A lighting assembly, comprising:

a light pole located within a proximity of a roadway, wherein at least a portion of the light pole is configured to remain in physical contact with the ground;

a luminaire attached to the light pole; and

a communications station mounted to the light pole, the communications station comprising;

a communications transmitter configured to transmit a first message for receipt by an unmanned aerial vehicle, the first message comprising an identifier associated with the communications station;

a communications receiver configured to receive a second message from the unmanned aerial vehicle, second message comprising an identifier associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a processing module configured to determine an altitude at which the unmanned aerial vehicle should fly;

wherein the communications transmitter is further configured to transmit a third message for receipt by the unmanned aerial vehicle, the third message comprising an indication of the altitude at which the unmanned aerial vehicle should fly.

29. The lighting assembly of claim 28, wherein the indication of the altitude at which the unmanned aerial vehicle should fly comprises an identifier of an air corridor having associated therewith a predetermined minimum altitude and a predetermined maximum altitude.

30. The lighting assembly of claim 28, wherein the processing module is further configured to determine an altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the third message includes the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.