Systems and methods for threat response

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11747824-B2
Application number	US-201916295091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	Mar 7, 2019
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

The disclosed threat response system(s) and method(s) provide a mean to secure an area around the clock. The system includes a plurality of microphones strategically located at various locations of the protected area, a plurality of acoustic beacons to provide navigational support one or more autonomous non-flying (ANF) drones, and a central controller. In one example each of the one or more ANF drones are equipped with an acoustic positioning system that uses beacon signals (e.g., mechanical waves) transmitted by the plurality of acoustic beacons to determine its position relative to the plurality of acoustic beacons. Once an acoustic event is detected, it is analyzed to determine whether there is a threat. When the threat is confirmed, the central controller dispatches one or more of the ANF drones to investigate and/or to engage the target.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An autonomous threat response system, the system comprising:
a communication network;
a first microphone and second microphone system communicatively coupled to the communication network;
a first autonomous non-flying (ANF) drone communicatively coupled to the communication network, the first ANF drone and the first and second microphone systems are positioned at different locations of a protected area, wherein the first ANF drone comprises a third microphone; and
a threat response controller communicatively coupled to the communication network, the threat response controller configured to:
monitor an acoustic event coming from the protected area, using the first and second microphone systems and the third microphone, to determine an origin of the acoustic event using trilateration;
determine a threat level of the acoustic event based on an audio profile of the acoustic event;
dispatch the first ANF drone to the origin of the acoustic event to investigate based on the determined threat level and a predetermined social value of the origin of the acoustic event; and

a plurality of acoustic beacons disposed at known locations in the protected area, each of the beacons is configured to transmit distinct audio signals, wherein the first ANF drone is configured to determine its location with respect to the plurality of acoustic beacons based at least on the distinct audio signals.

2. The autonomous threat response system of claim 1 , wherein the ANF drone is configured to climb walls.

3. The autonomous threat response system of claim 1 , wherein the ANF drone comprises one or more of a high luminance flashlight and a disabling acoustic device, and wherein the threat response controller is configured to use one or more of the high luminance flashlight and the disabling acoustic device based on the determined threat level.

4. The autonomous threat response system of claim 1 , wherein the threat response controller is centrally located and is configured to communicate with the ANF drone via wireless communication.

5. The autonomous threat response system of claim 1 , wherein the threat response controller is located on the first ANF drone.

6. The autonomous threat response system of claim 1 , wherein the threat response controller is further configured to use an echo mitigation algorithm to increate accuracy of detection of the origin of the acoustic event.

7. The autonomous threat response system of claim 1 , wherein the protected space is a movie theater, and the system further comprising:
a contextual threat determination module configured to monitor metadata of a movie to determine whether the acoustic event is a real threat or an in-movie special effect.

8. The autonomous threat response system of claim 1 , wherein the each one of the plurality of acoustic beacons transmits on at least one of a different frequency, a different phase, and a different amplitude.

9. The autonomous threat response system of claim 1 , wherein the first microphone system is positioned on a second ANF drone, and wherein the threat response controller is configured to dispatch one or more of the first and second ANF drones to investigate.

10. The autonomous threat response system of claim 9 , wherein the second microphone systems is positioned on a third ANF drone, and wherein the threat response controller is configured to dispatch one or more of the first, second, and third ANF drones to investigate.

11. A method for monitoring a protected area and responding to a threat, the method comprising: monitoring sounds of the protected area using a first, second, and third microphone disposed at different locations of the protected area, wherein the first microphone is disposed on a first autonomous non-flying (ANF) drone;
detecting an acoustic event using one or more of the first, second, and third microphones;
determining an origin of the acoustic event using trilateration of data from the first, second, and third microphones;
determining a threat level of an initial and successive acoustic events;
dispatching the first ANF drone to the origin of the acoustic event to investigate based on the threat level, wherein the origin of the acoustic event is iteratively updated based on successive acoustic events and based on a predetermined social value of the origin of the acoustic event;
receiving audio signals from a plurality of acoustic beacons disposed at known fixed locations in the protected area; and
determining the location of the first ANF drone based on at least the audio signals received from the plurality of acoustic beacons, wherein the audio signals comprises a frequency of over 20 kHz.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second microphone system is disposed on a second ANF drone, and wherein dispatching the first ANF drone comprises dispatching one or more of the first and second ANF drones to investigate.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the third microphone systems is positioned on a third ANF drone, and wherein dispatching the first ANF drone comprises dispatching one or more of the first, second, and third ANF drones to investigate.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ANF drone is configured to transit along ceilings.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
deploying one or more of a high luminance flashlight and a disabling acoustic device at the origin of the acoustic event based on the determined threat level.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising using an echo mitigation algorithm to increase accuracy of detection of the origin of the acoustic event.

17. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
analyzing metadata of a movie to determine whether the acoustic event is a real threat or an in-movie special effect, wherein the protected area is a movie theater, and wherein metadata of the movie comprises soundtrack, subtitle, director notes, scene information.

18. A method for monitoring a protected area and responding to a threat, the method comprising:
monitoring audio from a protected area using a plurality of microphones disposed at different locations of the protected area;
determining, in-real time, whether the audio from the protected area, using a trained neural network, is a legitimate request for help;
determining an origin of the legitimate request for help using trilateration of data from the plurality of microphones when the legitimate request has a confidence of accuracy above a certainty threshold; and
dispatching one or more autonomous non-flying (ANF) drones to the origin of the legitimate request for help when the confidence of accuracy is above the certainty threshold, and wherein the threshold is variable based on a predetermined social value of the origin of the legitimate request for help; and
receiving beacon signals from a plurality of acoustic beacons disposed at known locations of the protected area;
determining the location of the one or more ANF drones based on at least the beacon signals received from the plurality of acoustic beacons, wherein the beacon signals comprises a frequency of over 20 kHz.

Assignees

• Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Woods Christopher P
• Ksienski David A
• Logue Kyle A
• Branchevsky Donna
• Wilson Aidan R

Classifications

• G05D1/0255 Primary

  using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals (sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93) · CPC title

• G05D1/0246

  using a video camera in combination with image processing means · CPC title

• G05D1/0297

  by controlling means in a control room · CPC title

• G05D1/0088

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title

• G01S1/74

  Details · CPC title