System and method for operating unmanned aircraft

• US 9,878,787 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Cheatham, III, Jesse R., Chin, Hon Wah, Duncan, William David, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Pan, Tony S., Petroski, Robert C., Tegreene, Clarence T., Tuckerman, David B., Urzhumov, Yaroslav A., Weaver, Thomas Allan, Wood, Jr., Lowell L., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Application Number:
  US14/799,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20170015415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/35 by wireless transmission, e.g. by induction
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/38 by wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for repowering an unmanned aircraft system is disclosed. The system and method may comprise use of a utility transmission system configured to function as power system/source for UAV/aircraft and UAV/aircraft configured to interface with the power source/system. Systems and methods provide access and for administrating, managing, and monitoring access and interfacing by UAV/aircraft with the power system/source. UAV/aircraft system can be configured and operated/managed to interface with and use the power system/source (e.g. network of power lines from a utility transmission system) to enhance range and utility (e.g. for repowering and/or as a flyway or route). The system comprises an interface between the aircraft and the power source for power transfer; a monitoring system to monitor the aircraft; and an administrative/management system to manage interaction/transaction with the aircraft. The power source for power transfer may be a power line; power transfer to the aircraft may be by wireless power transfer (capacitive or inductive or optical) of an aircraft while at or operating along the power line. The aircraft may comprise a connector configured to interface with the power source/line; the power line may be configured to interface with the connector/aircraft. Data communications between the aircraft and system may be facilitated for interaction/transaction.

Claims

1. A method of transferring power to an unmanned aircraft having an energy storage system from a power system providing an administration system and a power source including a power line, the method comprising:

(a) providing an interface between the unmanned aircraft and the power source from which the unmanned aircraft may transfer power from the power line along the length of the power line, wherein the unmanned aircraft includes a base supporting a rotor system and the interface extends below the base of the unmanned aircraft in a direction away from the rotor system, and wherein the interface is configured to enable the unmanned aircraft to transfer power directly from the power line while the unmanned aircraft is one of the flying along the length of the power line and hovering along the power line;

(b) transferring power to the unmanned aircraft from the power source through the interface from a location along the power line; and

(c) establishing data communication between the unmanned aircraft and the power system to manage a billing transaction for the transferring of power between the unmanned aircraft and the power system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein power is transferred by capacitive power transfer or inductive power transfer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the power source comprises a wireless power transfer system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein data communications comprise data exchange with the power system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data communications comprise data communication with the administration system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the power line is a utility transmission line providing electric power.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the data communication comprises use of an identifier to identify the unmanned aircraft at the interface.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the unmanned aircraft comprises a profile.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the profile comprises at least one of (a) an identifier for the unmanned aircraft;

(b) an account for the unmanned aircraft to use with the power source;

(c) a billing arrangement between the unmanned aircraft and power source;

(d) operator identification for the unmanned aircraft.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the profile comprises an identifier.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein administration for the power source comprises administration of at least one of (a) identification of the unmanned aircraft;

(b) registration of the unmanned aircraft;

(c) reservation of charging by the unmanned aircraft;

(d) authorization of the unmanned aircraft;

(e) licensing of the unmanned aircraft;

(f) directing of the unmanned aircraft;

(g) positioning of the unmanned aircraft;

(h) policing the power source.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein (a) identification of the unmanned aircraft further comprises detection of an identifier of the unmanned aircraft.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein (b) registration of the unmanned aircraft further comprises establishing a profile for the unmanned aircraft.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein (c) reservation of charging by the unmanned aircraft further comprises establishing a time and place for power transfer to the unmanned aircraft.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein (d) authorization of the unmanned aircraft further comprises association of the profile of the unmanned aircraft with an account for billing for power transfer to the unmanned aircraft.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein (e) licensing of the unmanned aircraft further comprises providing authorization for access.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein (f) directing of the unmanned aircraft further comprises directing the unmanned aircraft to a location for power transfer.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein (g) positioning of the unmanned aircraft further comprises directing the unmanned aircraft to a location for interface.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein (i) policing the power source further comprises monitoring aircraft and directing unauthorized unmanned aircraft to leave.

20. A system for an unmanned aircraft configured for power transfer from a power system providing a power source including a power line, the system comprising:

[1] an energy storage system;

[2] an interface for power transfer configured to transfer power from the power line along a length of the power line to the energy storage system, wherein the interface power line along the length of the power line, wherein the interface extends below a base of the unmanned aircraft supporting a rotor system and extending in a direction away from the rotor system and is configured to enable the unmanned aircraft to transfer power directly from the power line while the unmanned aircraft is one of flying along the length of the power line and hovering along the power line;

[3] an identifier provided to identify the unmanned aircraft for the power system; and

[4] a system configured for data communications with the power system and the unmanned aircraft to manage a billing transaction for the transferring of power between the unmanned aircraft and the power system;

wherein power transfer to the energy storage system of the unmanned aircraft can be provided by the power source at the interface and identification of the unmanned aircraft can be provided for the power source by the identifier of the unmanned aircraft;

wherein power transfer is by one of capacitive power transfer or inductive power transfer.

21. A system for an unmanned aircraft configured for power transfer from a power system providing a power source including a power line, the system comprising:

(a) an energy storage system;

(b) an interface for power transfer configured to transfer power from the power line along a length of the power line to the energy storage system, wherein the interface is configured to extend only partially around the power line and to enable the unmanned aircraft to transfer power directly from the power line while the unmanned aircraft is one of flying along the length of the power line and hovering along the power line;

(c) an identifier provided to identify the unmanned aircraft for the power source; and

(d) a system configured for data communications by the unmanned aircraft with the power system to manage a billing transaction for the transferring of power between the unmanned aircraft and the power source;

wherein power transfer to the energy storage system of the unmanned aircraft can be provided by the power source at the interface and identification of the unmanned aircraft can be provided for the power source by the identifier of the unmanned aircraft.

22. A method of operating an unmanned aircraft with an energy storage system and identifier configured for an interface for power transfer from a power system providing a power source including at least one power line, the method comprising:

(a) interacting with the power system;

(b) interfacing with the power source at the interface, wherein the interface is configured to enable the unmanned aircraft to transfer power directly from the power line, wherein the interface is configured to extend only partially around the power line, and to enable the unmanned aircraft to transfer power directly from the power line while the unmanned aircraft is one of flying along the length of the power line and hovering along the power line;

(c) transferring power from the power source to the energy storage system;

(d) communicating with the power system; and

(e) transacting with the power system to manage a billing transaction for the transferring of power between the unmanned aircraft and the power system;

wherein power transfer to the energy storage system of the unmanned aircraft can be provided by the power source at the interface and identification of the unmanned aircraft can be provided for the power system by the identifier of the unmanned aircraft;

wherein power transfer is by wireless power transfer.

23. A method of transferring power to an unmanned aircraft having an energy storage system from a power source provided by a power system with a monitoring system and an administration system and providing a structure for power lines of the power source, the method comprising:

1. providing an interface between the unmanned aircraft and the power source from which the unmanned aircraft may transfer power directly from the power line along the length of the power line, wherein the unmanned aircraft includes a base supporting a rotor system and the interface extends below the base of the unmanned aircraft in a direction away from the rotor system and is configured to extend only partially around the power line, and wherein the interface is configured to enable the unmanned aircraft to transfer power directly from the power line while the unmanned aircraft is one of flying along the length of the power line and hovering along the power line;

2. establishing data communication by the unmanned aircraft with the administration system for the power source to manage a billing transaction for the transferring of power between the unmanned aircraft and the power system; and

3. transferring power to the unmanned aircraft from the power source through the interface by one of capacitive power transfer or inductive power transfer.