Selection of networks for communicating with unmanned aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10977949-B2
Application number	US-201715657668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A device receives a request for a flight path, for a UAV, from a first location to a second location, and calculates the flight path based on the request for the flight path. The device determines network requirements for the flight path based on the request, and determines scores for multiple networks with coverage areas covering a portion of the flight path. The device selects a particular network, from the multiple networks, based on the network requirements for the flight path and based on the scores for the multiple networks. The device causes a connection with the UAV and the particular network to be established, and generates flight path instructions for the flight path. The device provides, via the connection with the particular network, the flight path instructions to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the first location to the second location via the flight path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing, by one or more processors of a device and via a connection with a first network, flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle to instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel based on the flight path instructions,
the device including a memory, and
the flight path instructions instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to:
maintain the connection with the first network until the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches a particular location of a flight path, and
connect to a second network when the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches the particular location, and
wherein the flight path instructions identify information associated with at least one of:
security information,
cost information, or
bandwidth information;

receiving, by the one or more processors of the device and from the unmanned aerial vehicle during traversal of the flight path, network connectivity information including information associated with a strength of a signal between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the first network;
selecting, by the one or more processors of the device, the second network based on the unmanned aerial vehicle reaching the particular location and the network connectivity information indicating that the strength of the signal, between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the first network, is below a threshold signal strength,
wherein selecting, by the one or more processors of the device, the second network out of a plurality of networks is based on ranking the plurality of networks based on calculating scores for the plurality of networks,
wherein the scores for the plurality of networks are based on assigning weights to the information associated with at least two of:
the security information,
the cost information, or
the bandwidth information; and

causing, by the one or more processors of the device and based on selecting the second network after the unmanned aerial vehicle has reached the particular location, a connection between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the second network to be established.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the flight path instructions include at least one of:
altitude information for the unmanned aerial vehicle;
navigational information;
weather information;
network information;
timing information; or
waypoint information.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the flight path instructions include information instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to:
connect to the first network until the unmanned aerial vehicle loses connectivity with the first network, and
connect to the second network based on the unmanned aerial vehicle losing the connectivity with the first network.

4. The method of claim 1 , where receiving the network connectivity information comprises:
receiving the network connectivity information from the first network and the unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the network connectivity information includes information regarding bandwidth provided by the first network.

6. The method of claim 1 , where selecting the second network based on the network connectivity information comprises:
selecting the second network based on the network connectivity information indicating that the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying in a range of the second network, and
where the method further comprises:
selecting a third network based on the network connectivity information indicating that the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying in a range of the third network.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating the flight path to the particular location based on aviation information; and
generating the flight path instructions based on calculating the flight path.

8. A device, comprising:
a memory; and
one or more processors to:
provide, via a connection with a first network, flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle to instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel based on the flight path instructions,
the flight path instructions instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to:
maintain the connection with the first network until the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches a particular location of a flight path, and
connect to a second network when the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches the particular location, and
wherein the flight path instructions identify information associated with at least one of:
 security information,
 cost information, or
 bandwidth information;

receive, from the unmanned aerial vehicle during traversal of the flight path, network connectivity information including information associated with a strength of a signal between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the first network;
select the second network based on the unmanned aerial vehicle reaching the particular location and the network connectivity information indicating that the strength of the signal, between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the first network, is below a threshold signal strength
wherein selecting the second network out of a plurality of networks is based on ranking the plurality of networks based on calculating scores for the plurality of networks,
wherein the scores for the plurality of networks are based on assigning weights to the information associated with at least two of:
 the security information,
 the cost information, or
 the bandwidth information; and

cause, based on selecting the second network after the unmanned aerial vehicle has reached the particular location, a connection between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the second network to be established.

9. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to disconnect from the first network.

10. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
generate modified flight path instructions based on the network connectivity information.

11. The device of claim 10 , where the modified flight path instructions include instructions for the unmanned aerial vehicle to disconnect from the first network and connect to the second network.

12. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
provide, to the unmanned aerial vehicle, information associated with the second network.

13. The device of claim 8 , where the network connectivity information is first network connectivity information; and
where the one or more processors are further to:
receive second network connectivity information associated with connectivity between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the second network.

14. The device of claim 13 , where the one or more processors are further to:
cause a connection between the unmanned aerial vehicle and a third network to be established based on the second network connectivity information.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
provide, via a connection with a first network, flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle to instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel based on the flight path instructions,
the flight path instructions instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to:
maintain the connection with the first network until the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches a particular location of a flight path, and connect to a second network when the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches the particular location, and

wherein the flight path instructions identify information associated with at least on

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Ubhi Gurpreet
• Srivastava Ashok N
• Pasko Douglas M
• Batla Hani
• Kantor Igor

Classifications

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/60

  for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons · CPC title

• G08G5/727

  from a ground station · CPC title

• G08G5/76

  for monitoring atmospheric conditions · CPC title

• G08G5/74

  for monitoring terrain · CPC title