Systems and methods for controlling communication capabilities of unmanned vehicles via intermediate communication devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11822343-B2
Application number	US-202117328777-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2021
Priority date	Mar 30, 2018
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that provide for monitoring and controlling communication capabilities of unmanned transport vehicles that via one or more intermediate communication devices that provide relay communications between the unmanned transport vehicles and a control station device when the unmanned transport vehicles travel through areas where the network quality does not permit direct communication between the unmanned transport vehicles and the control station device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring and controlling communication capabilities of unmanned vehicles, the system comprising:
the unmanned vehicles each including a processor-based control circuit and configured to transport goods along predetermined mission routes;
a computing device including a processor-based control unit and configured to communicate with at least one of the unmanned vehicles via a wireless communication network;
wherein the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is configured to:
obtain electronic data indicating a list of intermediate communication devices available to provide relay communications between the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles when the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is traveling along one or more segments of a predetermined mission route from the predetermined mission routes of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles where the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is out of direct communication with the computing device;
analyze coordinates of the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles where the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is out of direct communication with the computing device, coordinates of the intermediate communication devices on the list, bandwidth data indicating bandwidth available to the at least one of the unmanned vehicles when the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is traveling along the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles, a cost of use of each of the intermediate communication devices on the list, and weather data indicating weather associated with the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles to generate an availability ranking and a cost ranking for each of the intermediate communication devices on the list; and
select an intermediate communication device from the list determined by the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles to have both:
a highest availability ranking, the highest availability ranking being based on a determination by the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles that the selected intermediate communication device would provide a strongest relay communication signal between the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles as compared to other intermediate communication devices on the list and
a highest cost ranking, the highest cost ranking being based on a determination by the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles that the selected intermediate communication device is associated with a lowest cost of use as compared to the other intermediate communication devices on the list; and

transmit a control signal to the intermediate communication device selected by the control circuit, the control signal identifying the at least one of the unmanned vehicles to the intermediate communication device and instructing the intermediate communication device to relay communication signals between the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles;
wherein the intermediate communication device is configured, in response to a receipt of the control signal from the at least one of the unmanned vehicles, to relay the communication signals between the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles while the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is traveling along the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles where the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is out of direct communication with the computing device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned vehicles are unmanned aerial vehicles.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned vehicles are unmanned ground vehicles.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate communication device comprises at least one of: another one of the unmanned vehicles, a third-party Wi-Fi network, a third-party unmanned vehicle, a third-party stationary wireless communication relay-enabled station, and a third-party mobile wireless communication relay-enabled station.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the unmanned vehicles includes at least one sensor configured to detect a present location of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles along the predetermined mission routes, at least one sensor configured to detect real-time weather at the present location, at least one sensor configured to detect a quality of the wireless communication network at the present location of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles along the predetermined mission routes, and at least one sensor configured to detect a proximity to the at least one of the unmanned vehicles of one or more of another unmanned vehicle and the intermediate communication device.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein each intermediate communication device includes at least one sensor configured to detect a present location of the intermediate communication device and wherein the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is further configured, based on location data obtained from the at least one sensor of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles and based on location data obtained from the at least one sensor of the intermediate communication device, to identify the intermediate communication device that is located closest to the at least one of the unmanned vehicles when the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is located at the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route where the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is out of direct communication with the computing device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is further configured to:
authenticate the intermediate communication device attempting to communicate with the at least one of the unmanned vehicles; and
permit the intermediate communication device to communicate with the at least one of the unmanned vehicles only after the intermediate communication device transmits an authenticated electronic access key to the at least one of the unmanned vehicles.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
authenticate the intermediate communication device attempting to communicate with the computing device; and
permit the intermediate communication device to communicate with the computing device only after the intermediate communication device transmits an authenticated electronic access key to the computing device.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic database in communication over the wireless communication network with the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles, the electronic database being configured to store data including at least one of:
route data indicating the predetermined mission routes of the unmanned vehicles;
bandwidth data indicating bandwidth available to the unmanned vehicles during their travel along the predetermined mission routes; and
weather data indicating predicted weather during the travel of the unmanned vehicles along the predetermined mission routes.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the unmanned vehicles includes a user interface including at least one input and at least one output that permit user interaction with a respective one of the unmanned vehicles.

11. A method for monitoring and controlling communication capabilities of unmanned vehicles, the method comprising:
providing the unmanned vehicles each including

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Winkle David C
• O'Brien John J
• Cantrell Robert L

Classifications

• B64U2101/60

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

• G05D1/0276 Primary

  using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle (involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058) · CPC title

• G05D1/0202

  specially adapted to aircraft · CPC title

• G05D1/0214

  in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13) · CPC title

• G05D1/0287

  involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling (traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16) · CPC title