Drone device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220945-B1
Application number	US-201816126672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 10, 2018
Priority date	Feb 28, 2014
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A fact checking system utilizes social networking information and analyzes and determines the factual accuracy of information and/or characterizes the information by comparing the information with source information. The social networking fact checking system automatically monitors information, processes the information, fact checks the information and/or provides a status of the information, including automatically modifying a web page to include the fact check results. The fact checking system is able to be implemented utilizing a drone device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial drone device comprising:
a device body configured to transition from a folded configuration to an unfolded configuration and from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration, wherein the device body includes components capable of folding such that the aerial drone device has a smaller storage footprint when in the folded configuration than when in the unfolded configuration, wherein the aerial drone device is configured to fly in the unfolded configuration, wherein while in the folded configuration the aerial drone device is configured to conceal its appearance as a drone and appear as another object;
at least one motor coupled to the device body;
at least one propeller coupled to the at least one motor;
at least one camera coupled to the device body, wherein the at least one camera is configured to acquire content;
a plurality of information acquisition components coupled to the device body, wherein a first information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components is positioned in an opposite direction of a second information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components, wherein the plurality of information acquisition components are configured to acquire external information;
at least one power supply configured to provide power to the at least one motor, the at least one camera, and the plurality of information acquisition components;
a memory configured to store an application, the application configured to:
process the content acquired by the at least one camera and the external information acquired by the plurality of information acquisition components;
acquire depth information using the at least one camera, the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof;
direct the aerial drone device to navigate based on the content from the at least one camera, the external information from the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof, including avoiding at least one obstacle;
track at least one object;
generate a depth map using the depth information, wherein the depth map is used to track the at least one object;
predict a trajectory of the at least one object; and
track the at least one object based on the trajectory when a view of the at least one object is obstructed; and

a processor configured to process the application,

wherein the aerial drone device is configured to automatically re-position itself to avoid an obstruction by generating the depth map and utilizing an obstruction threshold, wherein generating the depth map includes using an object size calculation analysis, wherein when an amount of obstruction is above the obstruction threshold, the aerial drone device moves to reduce the amount of obstruction, wherein the aerial drone device continues to re-position itself to find a lowest amount of obstruction.

2. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of information acquisition components comprise a plurality of sensors.

3. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of information acquisition components comprise a plurality of cameras.

4. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the application is further configured to detect a plurality of objects simultaneously.

5. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein tracking the at least one object utilizes the depth information.

6. The aerial drone device of claim 1 further comprising a global positioning system device configured to determine a location of the aerial drone device.

7. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the at least one camera is configured to zoom.

8. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the application is further configured to determine and follow a flight path.

9. A system comprising:
a controller device; and
an aerial drone device configured to acquire content and communicate with the controller device, wherein the aerial drone device includes a body configured to transition from a folded configuration to an unfolded configuration and from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration, wherein the body includes components capable of folding such that the aerial drone device has a smaller storage footprint when in the folded configuration than when in the unfolded configuration, wherein the aerial drone device is configured to fly in the unfolded configuration, wherein while in the folded configuration the aerial drone device is configured to conceal its appearance as a drone and appear as another object, wherein the body is further configured to secure at least one power supply, the at least one power supply configured to supply power to:
at least one motor configured to cause at least one propeller to move,
at least one camera, wherein the at least one camera is configured to acquire the content, and
a plurality of information acquisition components, wherein a first information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components is positioned in a first direction, and a second information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components is positioned in a second direction, wherein the plurality of information acquisition components are configured to acquire external information,

wherein the aerial drone device is further configured to:
process the content acquired by the at least one camera, the external information acquired by the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof;
acquire depth information using the at least one camera, the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof;
navigate based on the content from the at least one camera, the external information from the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof, including avoiding at least one obstacle;
track at least one object using the depth information;
generate a depth map using the depth information, wherein the depth map is used to track the at least one object;
predict a trajectory of the at least one object; and
track the at least one object based on the trajectory when a view of the at least one object is obstructed,

wherein the aerial drone device is configured to automatically re-position itself to avoid an obstruction by generating the depth map and utilizing an obstruction threshold, wherein generating the depth map includes using an object size calculation analysis, wherein when an amount of obstruction is above the obstruction threshold, the aerial drone device moves to reduce the amount of obstruction, wherein the aerial drone device continues to re-position itself to find a lowest amount of obstruction.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first direction and the second direction are different directions.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the aerial drone device is further configured to share the content via a social network.

13. A method comprising:
acquiring content with at least one camera of an aerial drone device;
acquiring external information with a plurality of information acquisition components of the aerial drone device, wherein a first information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components is positioned in an opposite direction of a second information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components;
processing the content acquired by the at least one camera, the external information acquired by the plurality of

Assignees

• Myslinski Lucas J

Inventors

• Myslinski Lucas J

Classifications

• G06Q10/40 Primary

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U20/10

  for stealth, e.g. reduction of cross-section detectable by radars · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G06F40/205

  Parsing · CPC title