Unmanned device interaction methods and systems

• US 9,254,363 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, SHARDUL D
• Application Number:
  US13/601,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/3, 701/11, 701/23, 701/24, 701/124
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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:

circuitry for detecting a first location of an unmanned aerial device;

circuitry for obtaining data indicative of a device-detectable wireless signal path between an entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location;

circuitry for obtaining data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at a second location; and

circuitry for causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a handheld device includes the circuitry for detecting a first location of an unmanned aerial device, the circuitry for obtaining data indicative of a device-detectable wireless signal path between an entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location, the circuitry for obtaining data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at a second location, and the circuitry for causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

3. A system comprising:

means for detecting a first location of an unmanned aerial device;

means for obtaining data indicative of a device-detectable wireless signal path between an entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location;

means for obtaining data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at a second location; and

means for causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a wearable device includes the means for causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein a handheld device includes the means for detecting a first location of an unmanned aerial device, the means for obtaining data indicative of a device-detectable wireless signal path between an entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location, the means for obtaining data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at a second location, and the means for causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein a device having one or more propellers includes the means for causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein a vehicle having one or more wheels includes the means for detecting a first location of an unmanned aerial device the means for obtaining data indicative of a device-detectable wireless signal path between an entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location, the means for obtaining data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at a second location, and the means for causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

8. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for configuring the unmanned aerial device to perform a first observation of a particular task.

9. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for configuring the unmanned aerial device to capture biometric data relating to a human subject.

10. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for causing the unmanned aerial device to undertake an observation of a delivery task.

11. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a delivery of a package to a device associated with a recipient of the package, the wireless signal indicating at least one of the unmanned aerial device or the package or a sender of the package.

12. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for presenting navigation guidance via a display aboard the unmanned aerial device.

13. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for transmitting navigation guidance via a speaker of the unmanned aerial device.

14. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for identifying an operating mode of the unmanned aerial device audibly or visibly.

15. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

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

16. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for disabling one or more optical sensors of.

17. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for causing a data handling device aboard the 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.

18. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

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

19. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

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

20. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for configuring the 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.

21. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for signaling a decision whether or not to reserve a space for a passenger vehicle.

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

means 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.

23. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for causing the unmanned aerial device to perform one or more tasks responsive to an indication of the unmanned aerial device becoming within a proximity of a mobile device.

24. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for causing a modular observation unit to be lifted and activated by the unmanned aerial device.

25. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for causing the unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a therapeutic material to a human.

26. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for configuring the unmanned aerial device to execute a delivery of a particular material to a vicinity of a portable device responsive to an image capture of the vicinity of the portable device.

27. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for causing the 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.

28. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for causing the unmanned aerial device to fly toward a home station in response to an indication of a specific person moving at least a threshold distance away from the unmanned aerial device.

29. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

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

30. The system of claim 3, wherein the obtaining data indicative of a device-detectable wireless signal path between an entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location includes:

obtaining data indicative of at least one of device-detectable optical signal path or device-detectable radio-frequency signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the obtaining data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at a second location includes:

obtaining data indicative of at least one of no device-detectable optical signal path or no device-detectable radio-frequency signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

32. A method comprising:

detecting a first location of an unmanned aerial device;

obtaining data indicative of a device-detectable wireless signal path between an entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location;

obtaining data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at a second location; and

causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

causing a modular observation unit to be lifted and activated by the unmanned aerial device.

34. One or more non-transitory physical media configured to bear a device-detectable implementation of a method including at least

detecting a first location of an unmanned aerial device;

obtaining data indicative of a device-detectable wireless signal path between an entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location;

obtaining data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at a second location; and

causing the unmanned aerial device to travel from a current location toward the first location based on the data indicative of the device-detectable wireless signal path between the entity and the unmanned aerial device at the first location and based on the data indicative of no device-detectable wireless signal path between the second entity and the unmanned aerial device at the second location.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 34 in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for causing the unmanned aerial device to perform one or more tasks responsive to an indication of the unmanned aerial device becoming within a proximity of a mobile device.