Apparatus and method employing autonomous vehicles to reduce risk

• US 9,481,459 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Staskevich, Gennady, Abbe, Brian, Blasch, Erik P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/563,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20160251081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/007 Helicopter portable landing pads
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/20 Arrangement of optical beacons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/93 for use on a land or nautical vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

Apparatus and method for employing autonomous air vehicles to perform high risk observation, interaction, and interrogation with individuals. Invention comprises an autonomously controlled air vehicle with mounting and transporting means being attachable to automobiles and other first responder vehicle types. Mounting and transporting means serves also as a base station for commanding autonomous air vehicle and relaying communications to and from autonomous air vehicle to and from remote data base sources. Autonomously controlled air vehicle is equipped with a variety of sensors which air in observation and detection of suspects, their vehicles and possessions therein, and any documentation produced during the interrogation.

Claims

1. In a system having an autonomously controlled air vehicle and a base station capable of communicating with each other, a method for employing autonomously controlled air vehicles to reduce risk during suspect investigation, comprising the steps of:

deploying an autonomously controlled air vehicle towards suspect;

issuing instructions through said autonomously controlled air vehicle;

capturing images of said suspect;

capturing images of document said suspect produces in response to said instructions;

communicating said images from said autonomous air vehicle to said base station;

performing image comparison; and

performing text extraction and classification; and

correlating said text and said image identification; and

extracting statistical features wherein said step of extracting further comprising the step of performing;

pixel intensity;

feature description;

edge region detection;

corner detection;

object size determination;

object location determination;

object quantity determination; and

wherein when said statistical features exist, said step of extracting further comprises the steps of;

determining the location of said suspect'"'"'s face;

determining the location of weapons;

when weapons are detected, then

alerting user; and

relaying said statistical features through said base station to remote databases;

otherwise when no statistical features exist,

repositioning said autonomously controlled air vehicle to obtain an alternate view of said suspect.