Accommodating mobile destinations for unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 9,875,454 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kantor, Igor, Srivastava, Ashok N., Pasko, Douglas M., Batla, Hani, Ubhi, Gurpreet
• Primary Examiner(s): HEINLE, COURTNEY D
• Application Number:
  US14/282,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20160196525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• 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: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• 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: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A device receives a request for a flight path for a UAV to travel from a location to an anticipated location associated with a mobile device, and determines capability information for the UAV based on component information associated with the UAV. The device receives information associated with a current location, a direction of travel, and a speed of the mobile device, and calculates the flight path from the location to the anticipated location associated with the mobile device based on the capability information and based on the information associated with the current location, the direction of travel, and the speed of the mobile device. The device generates flight path instructions for the flight path, and provides the flight path instructions to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the location to the anticipated location associated with the mobile device, based on the flight path instructions.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device, a request for a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from a geographical location to a first anticipated geographical location associated with a mobile device;

determining, by the device, capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on component information associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle;

receiving, by the device, information associated with a first location, a first direction of travel, and a first speed of the mobile device,

the first location being a current location of the mobile device;

calculating, by the device, the flight path from the geographical location to the first anticipated geographical location based on the capability information and based on the information associated with the first location, the first direction of travel, and the first speed of the mobile device;

generating, by the device, flight path instructions for the flight path;

providing, by the device, the flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the unmanned aerial vehicle travelling from the geographical location to the first anticipated geographical location, based on the flight path instructions;

receiving, by the device, first feedback information from the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the first feedback information including a weather condition;

receiving, by the device, second feedback information from the mobile device,

the second feedback information including information associated with;

a second location of the mobile device,

the second location being an updated location with respect to the first location,

a second direction of travel of the mobile device,

the second direction of travel being an updated direction of travel with respect to the first direction of travel, and

a second speed of the mobile device,

the second speed of the mobile device being an updated speed of the mobile device with respect to the first speed of the mobile device;

determining, by the device and based on the first feedback information and the second feedback information, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is able to travel to the first anticipated geographical location;

modifying, by the device, the flight path instructions for a modified flight path based on determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle is unable to travel to the first anticipated geographical location; and

providing, by the device, modified flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the unmanned aerial vehicle travelling towards a second anticipated geographical location, associated with the mobile device, based on the modified flight path instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, where the modified flight path includes information identifying the second anticipated geographical location;

where the method further comprises;

calculating, based on determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle is unable to travel to the first anticipated geographical location, the modified flight path; and

where modifying the flight path instructions for the modified flight path comprises;

modifying the flight path instructions based on calculating the modified flight path.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to the mobile device, information associated with a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle in relation to the second location of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a meeting location for the unmanned aerial vehicle and the mobile device based on the information associated with the second location, the second direction of travel, and the second speed of the mobile device; and

calculating the modified flight path from the geographical location to the meeting location based on the capability information,

the meeting location corresponding to the second anticipated geographical location associated with the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, where the meeting location includes a geographical location associated with a rest stop, a retail store, a parking lot, a restaurant, a grocery store, or a convenience store.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing to the mobile device;

information indicating the meeting location, and

at least one of a confirmation code or an authentication mechanism that permits the mobile device to authenticate a user of the mobile device so that the user may receive a payload of the unmanned aerial vehicle at the meeting location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to the mobile device and for display, navigation information to the second anticipated geographic location.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more devices to;

receive a request for a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from a geographical location to a first anticipated geographical location associated with a mobile device;

determine capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on component information associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle;

receive information associated with a first location, a first direction of travel, and a first speed of the mobile device,

the first location being a current location of the mobile device;

calculate the flight path from the geographical location to the first anticipated geographical location based on the capability information and based on the information associated with the first location, the first direction of travel, and the first speed of the mobile device;

generate flight path instructions for the flight path;

provide the flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the unmanned aerial vehicle travelling from the geographical location to the first anticipated geographical location based on the flight path instructions;

receive first feedback information from the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the first feedback information including a weather condition;

receive second feedback information from the mobile device,

the second feedback information including information associated with;

a second location of the mobile device,

 

the second location being an updated location with respect to the first location,

a second direction of travel of the mobile device,

 

the second direction of travel being an updated direction of travel with respect to the first direction of travel, and

a second speed of the mobile device,

 

the second speed of the mobile device being an updated speed of the mobile device with respect to the first speed of the mobile device;

determine, based on the first feedback information and the second feedback information, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is able to travel to the first anticipated geographical location;

modify the flight path instructions for a modified flight path based on determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle is unable to travel to the first anticipated geographical location; and

provide modified flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the unmanned aerial vehicle travelling towards a second anticipated geographic location, associated with the mobile device, based on the modified flight path instructions.

9. The system of claim 8, where the modified flight path includes information identifying the second anticipated geographical location;

where the one or more devices are further to;

calculate, based on determining that unmanned aerial vehicle is unable to travel to the first anticipated geographical location, the modified flight path; and

where the one or more devices, when modifying the flight path instructions for the modified flight path, are to;

modify the flight path instructions based on calculating the modified flight path.

10. The system of claim 8, where the one or more devices are further to:

provide, to the mobile device, information associated with a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle in relation to the second location of the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 8, where the one or more devices are further to:

determine a meeting location for the unmanned aerial vehicle and the mobile device based on the information associated with the second location, the second direction of travel, and the second speed of the mobile device; and

calculate the modified flight path from the geographical location to the meeting location based on the capability information,

the meeting location corresponding to the second anticipated geographical location associated with the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 11, where the meeting location includes a geographical location associated with a retail store, a restaurant, a grocery store, or a convenience store.

13. The system of claim 11, where the one or more devices are further to:

provide to the mobile device;

information indicating the meeting location, and

at least one of a confirmation code or an authentication mechanism that permits the mobile device to authenticate a user of the mobile device so that the user may receive a payload of the unmanned aerial vehicle at the meeting location.

14. The system of claim 8, where the one or more devices are further to:

provide, to the mobile device and for display, navigation information to the second anticipated geographic location.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a request for a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from a geographical location to a first anticipated geographical location associated with a mobile device;

receive information associated with a first location, a first direction of travel, and a first speed of the mobile device,

the first location being a current location of the mobile device;

calculate the flight path from the geographical location to the first anticipated geographical location based on the information associated with the first location, the first direction of travel, and the first speed of the mobile device;

generate flight path instructions for the flight path;

provide the flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the unmanned aerial vehicle travelling from the geographical location to the first anticipated geographical location based on the flight path instructions;

receive first feedback information from the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the first feedback information including a weather condition;

receive second feedback information from the mobile device,

the second feedback information including information associated with;

a second location of the mobile device,

 

the second location being an updated location with respect to the first location,

a second direction of travel of the mobile device,

 

the second direction of travel being an updated direction of travel with respect to the first direction of travel, and

a second speed of the mobile device,

 

the second speed of the mobile device being an updated speed of the mobile device with respect to the first speed of the mobile device;

determine, based on the first feedback information and the second feedback information, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is able to travel to the first anticipated geographical location;

modify the flight path instructions for a modified flight path based on determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle is unable to travel to the first anticipated geographical location; and

provide modified flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle,

the unmanned aerial vehicle travelling towards a second anticipated geographical location, associated with the mobile device, based on the modified flight path instructions.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the modified flight path includes information identifying the second anticipated geographical location;

where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to;

determine that the modified flight path is to be changed based on additional feedback information associated with a change to at least one of a direction of travel or a speed of the mobile device;

calculate, based on determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle is unable to travel to the first anticipated geographical location, the modified flight path; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to modify the flight path instructions for the modified flight path, cause the one or more processors to;

modify the flight path instructions based on calculating the modified flight path.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

provide, to the mobile device, information associated with a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle in relation to the second location of the mobile device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine a meeting location for the unmanned aerial vehicle and the mobile device based on the information associated with the second location, the second direction of travel, and the second speed of the mobile device; and

calculate the modified flight path from the geographical location to the meeting location based on capability information,

the meeting location corresponding to the second anticipated geographical location associated with the mobile device and including a geographical location associated with a rest stop, a retail store, a parking lot, a restaurant, a grocery store, or a convenience store.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

provide to the mobile device;

information indicating a meeting location, and

at least one of a confirmation code or an authentication mechanism that permits the mobile device to authenticate a user of the mobile device so that the user may receive a payload of the unmanned aerial vehicle at the meeting location.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

provide, to the mobile device and for display, navigation information to the second anticipated geographic location.