Automated readiness evaluation system (ARES) for use with an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)

• US 9,922,282 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Limitless Computing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Limitless Computing, Inc.
• Inventors: Weller, Errin T., Franklin, Jeffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US15/195,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20170021925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2- 3, 701472, 701522, 701526, 718104
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/24 for use as flying displays, e.g. advertising or billboards
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/35 for science, e.g. meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• 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 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft

Abstract

Methods and systems for an Automated Readiness Evaluation System (ARES), which is adapted for use with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The ARES (and UAS with such an ARES) is configured for a particular task or application selected by the user based upon their level of specific knowledge. The system may include: hardware components with communication protocols; a task, module data, and skill level repository; a user device; and an optional base system. Methods are provided for configuration, calibration, error checking, and operation of a UAS whereby the ARES serves as a mission planner by calculating the mission parameters for a user-selected task to minimize mission failure by determining the variables for task completion.

Claims

1. An unmanned aircraft system (UAS), comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

a processor executing code to provide an automated readiness evaluation system (ARES); and

a user input device receiving user input indicating a selected task for the UAS;

wherein the ARES selects a set of UAS configurable hardware modules for the UAV from a plurality of potential hardware modules based on the selected task for the UAS,

wherein the set of UAS configurable hardware modules are physically and communicatively coupled to the UAV prior to performance of the selected task based on assembly instructions output by the ARES, and

wherein the ARES configures at least one of the UAS configurable hardware modules for performance of the selected task for the UAS.

2. The UAS of claim 1, wherein the user input device is further operated to receive user input indicating a skill level of an operator of the UAS and wherein the selected task for the UAS is chosen from a subset of all available tasks performable by the UAS that is selected by the ARES based on the skill level of the operator.

3. The UAS of claim 1, wherein the user input device is further operated to receive user input indicating a skill level of an operator of the UAS and wherein the ARES configures or calibrates at least one of the UAS configurable hardware modules based on the skill level of the operator.

4. The UAS of claim 1, further including a module data repository storing module data for each of the set of UAS configurable hardware modules including an identifier and a location and wherein the ARES selects or configures one or more of the set of UAS configurable hardware modules based on the module data.

5. The UAS of claim 4, wherein the module data further includes one or more of:

module weight, power consumption, sensors provided with a module, lift provided, power provided, and source.

6. The UAS of claim 1, wherein the set of UAS configurable hardware modules includes at least one of a camera, a sensor, a navigation element, a processor, a communication device, memory, data storage, a power source, a fuselage, a stabilization mechanism, a payload, a thrust mechanism, a flight control device, an environmental sensor, safety hardware, ground control, an identifying image tag, and an identifying RFID tag.

7. An unmanned aircraft system (UAS), comprising:

a processor executing code to provide an automated readiness evaluation system (ARES); and

a user input device receiving user input indicating a selected task for the UAS;

wherein the ARES selects, from a plurality of potential components for a UAV, a set of components for assembling into the UAV based on the selected task for the UAS, and

wherein the ARES communicates the selected set of components along with an identifier for each of the components to the user input device for display.

8. The UAS of claim 7, wherein, after the set of components are assembled into the UAV, the ARES configures or defines configuration for at least one of the components for performance of the selected task for the UAS.

9. The UAS of claim 7, wherein the user input device is further operated to receive user input indicating a skill level of an operator of the UAS, wherein the selected task for the UAS is selected from a subset of all available tasks selected by the ARES based on the skill level of the operator, and wherein the subset of all available tasks is displayed on the user input device.

10. The UAS of claim 7, wherein the user input device is further operated to receive user input indicating a skill level of an operator of the UAS and wherein the ARES configures or defines configuration for at least one of the components based on the skill level of the operator.

11. The UAS of claim 7, further including a module data repository storing module data for each of the set of components including an identifier and a location and wherein the ARES selects or configures one or more of the set of UAS configurable hardware modules based on the module data.

12. The UAS of claim 11, wherein the module data further includes one or more of:

module weight, power consumption, sensors provided with a module, lift provided, power provided, and source.

13. The UAS of claim 7, wherein the set of components includes at least one of a camera, a sensor, a navigation element, a processor, a communication device, memory, data storage, a power source, a fuselage, a stabilization mechanism, a payload, a thrust mechanism, a flight control device, an environmental sensor, safety hardware, ground control, an identifying image tag, and an identifying RFID tag.

14. A method of operating a UAS, comprising:

with an input device, receiving first user input selecting a task for the UAS and second user input providing a skill level of an operator of the UAS;

with a processor, determining, based on the skill level of the operator of the UAS, a set of hardware modules for performing the task; and

displaying on a display device the set of hardware modules.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving module data for each of the hardware modules and determining whether all the hardware modules are present in an assembly of the hardware modules.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether an assembly of the set of hardware modules is airworthy or is safely operable.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising calibrating one or more of the hardware modules for performance of the task for the UAS.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring one or more of the hardware modules based on the task.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving module data for one or more of the hardware modules via at least one of:

data transfer from a communication element on the one or more of the hardware modules;

scanning an RFID tag on the one or more of the hardware modules;

scanning an image tag on the one or more of the hardware modules; and

processing an image of the one or more of the hardware modules with computer vision.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying on the display device a set of assembly instructions for attaching the set of hardware modules to a UAV;

attaching each of the hardware modules to the UAV based on the set of assembly instructions; and

after the attaching, calibrating or configuring one or more of the hardware modules for performance of the task for the UAS.