Unmanned device utilization methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10019000-B2
Application number	US-201213551287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2012
Priority date	Jul 17, 2012
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for configuring an unmanned aerial device to perform a task, alone or in combination with other entities, or for using data resulting from such a configuration or performance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
at least one resource reservation device including one or more electronic devices, the one or more electronic devices including at least:
circuitry configured for receiving at least one resource request entered via at least one user interface by at least one user, the at least one resource request including at least identification of at least one resource and identification of at least one region for searching for the at least one resource;
circuitry configured for controlling at least one unmanned aerial device to search the at least one region for detecting one or more instances of the at least one resource;
circuitry configured for sending to the at least one user interface, via at least one communication network, at least position data indicating at least one location of at least one instance of the at least one resource detected by the at least one unmanned aerial device responsive to detection by the at least one unmanned aerial device;
circuitry configured for receiving at least one request from the at least one user via the at least one user interface to reserve the detected at least one instance of the at least one resource; and
circuitry configured for controlling the at least one unmanned aerial device to reserve the detected at least one instance of the at least one resource for use by the at least one user including at least circuitry configured for controlling the at least one unmanned aerial device to at least one of hover or land to indicate unavailability of the at least one resource, wherein the at least one resource is at least one parking space.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for controlling at least one unmanned aerial device to search the at least one region for detecting one or more instances of the at least one resource includes:
circuitry configured for a first unmanned aerial device to search in a first zone and a second unmanned aerial device to search in a second zone.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for receiving at least one resource request entered via at least one user interface by at least one user includes:
circuitry configured for receiving at least one resource request entered via at least one user interface by at least one user, the at least one resource request including at least identification of at least one resource including at least one of a parking space, a cashier or other living entity, a public table or other space, a power or network connection, an item for sale, or another object.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for sending to the at least one user interface, via at least one communication network, at least position data indicating at least one location of at least one instance of the at least one resource detected by the at least one unmanned aerial device responsive to detection by the at least one unmanned aerial device includes:
circuitry configured for presenting navigation guidance via the at least one user interface.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for receiving at least one resource request entered via at least one user interface by at least one user includes:
circuitry configured for receiving at least one resource request entered via at least one user interface by at least one user, the at least one resource request including at least identification of at least one resource and identification of at least one region for searching for the at least one resource that is remote from a position of the at least one user.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for controlling at least one unmanned aerial device to search the at least one region for detecting one or more instances of the at least one resource includes:
circuitry configured for controlling at least one unmanned aerial device to maintain at least one record indicating availability or unavailability of parking spaces.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for controlling the at least one unmanned aerial device to reserve the detected at least one instance of the at least one resource for use by the at least one user includes:
circuitry configured for causing a user interface to present a notification specifying at least one of a driver, a car, or a license plate number indicating allocation of at least one of a space or a material to a specific person.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for controlling the at least one unmanned aerial device to reserve the detected at least one instance of the at least one resource for use by the at least one user includes:
circuitry configured for causing at least one mobile device to present at least one notification indicating allocation of at least one resource responsive to an indication of the at least one unmanned aerial device becoming within a proximity of the at least one mobile device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for sending to the at least one user interface, via at least one communication network, at least position data indicating at least one location of at least one instance of the at least one resource detected by the at least one unmanned aerial device responsive to detection by the at least one unmanned aerial device includes:
circuitry for sending from the at least one unmanned aerial device at least one address indicating at least one position of at least one entity in control of the at least one resource.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for sending to the at least one user interface, via at least one communication network, at least position data indicating at least one location of at least one instance of the at least one resource detected by the at least one unmanned aerial device responsive to detection by the at least one unmanned aerial device includes:
at least one of:
circuitry configured for sending at least one indication that the at least one resource request is declined; or
circuitry configured for sending at least one informational message other than the at least one position data or the at least one indication that the at least one resource request is declined.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for receiving at least one request from the at least one user via the at least one user interface to reserve the detected at least one instance of the at least one resource includes:
circuitry configured for receiving at least one trigger signal that is effective to allocate at least one parking space for use of at least one car that includes an affirmative signal from at least one person aboard the at least one car.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for receiving at least one request from the at least one user via the at least one user interface to reserve the detected at least one instance of the at least one resource includes:
circuitry configured for receiving from the at least one user at least one broadcast signal associating at least one of a sender or a device with a person.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for controlling the at least one unmanned aerial device to reserve the detected at least one instance of the at least one resource for use by the at least one user includes:
circuitry configured for controlling the at least one unmanned aerial device to at least one of hover or land to notify passersby that the at least one resource is unavailable, wherein the at least one resource is at least one parking space.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for sending t

Assignees

• Levien Royce A
• Lord Richard T
• Lord Robert W
• Malamud Mark A
• Rinaldo Jr John D
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Levien Royce A
• Lord Richard T
• Lord Robert W
• Malamud Mark A
• Rinaldo Jr John D
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U10/00

  Type of UAV · CPC title

• G06Q10/08 Primary

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• B64C2201/141

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/127

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic