Unmanned aerial vehicle network-based recharging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9412279-B2
Application number	US-201414282518-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2014
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A device receives a request for a flight path for a UAV to travel from a first location to a second location, and determines capability information for the UAV based on component information of the UAV. The device calculates the flight path based on the capability information, identifies multiple recharging stations located on or near the flight path, and selects a recharging station from the multiple recharging stations based on one or more factors. The device generates flight path instructions, for the flight path, that instruct the UAV to stop and recharge at the recharging station. The device provides the flight path instructions to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the first location to a location of the recharging station, stop and recharge at the recharging station, and travel from the location of the recharging station to the second location via the flight path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a device, a request for a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from a first geographical location to a second geographical location,
the request including component information associated with components of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determining, by the device, capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the component information;
calculating, by the device, the flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location based on the capability information;
identifying, by the device, a plurality of recharging stations located on or near the flight path;
selecting, by the device, one or more recharging stations, of the plurality of recharging stations, based on one or more factors associated with the one or more recharging stations;
generating, by the device, flight path instructions for the flight path,
the flight path instructions include information instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to stop and recharge at the one or more recharging stations; and

providing, by the device, the flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to:
travel from the first geographical location to locations of the one or more recharging stations,
stop and recharge at the one or more recharging stations, and
travel from the locations of the one or more recharging stations to the second geographical location via the flight path.

2. The method of claim 1 , where each of the one or more recharging stations includes an inductive charging pad that uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy from the inductive charging pad to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , where:
the inductive charging pad includes a first induction coil to create the electromagnetic field from within the inductive charging pad,
the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a second induction coil, and
the second induction coil converts power from the electromagnetic field into an electrical current to recharge the unmanned aerial vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving feedback from the unmanned aerial vehicle during traversal of the flight path by the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
determining whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback received from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
calculating, when the flight path is to be modified, a modified flight path to the second geographical location based on the feedback;
identifying another plurality of recharging stations located on or near the modified flight path;
selecting one or more other recharging stations, of the other plurality of recharging stations, based on one or more factors associated with the one or more other recharging stations;
generating modified flight path instructions for the modified flight path,
the modified flight path instructions include information instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to stop and recharge at the one or more other recharging stations; and

providing the modified flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , where the one or more factors associated with the one or more recharging stations include at least one of:
locations of the one or more recharging stations along the flight path,
distances between the one or more recharging stations and the flight path,
recharging capabilities of the one or more recharging stations,
availabilities of the one or more recharging stations,
safety associated with the one or more recharging stations, or
security associated with the one or more recharging stations.

7. The method of claim 1 , where identifying the plurality of recharging stations comprises:
identifying a plurality of base stations located on or near the flight path,
each of the plurality of base stations including at least one recharging station.

8. A system, comprising:
one or more devices to:
receive a request for a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from a first geographical location to a second geographical location,
the request including component information associated with components of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the component information;
calculate the flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location based on the capability information;
identify a plurality of recharging stations located on or near the flight path;
select one or more recharging stations, of the plurality of recharging stations, based on one or more factors associated with the one or more recharging stations;
generate flight path instructions for the flight path,
the flight path instructions include information instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to stop and recharge at the one or more recharging stations; and

provide the flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to:
travel from the first geographical location to locations of the one or more recharging stations,
stop and recharge at the one or more recharging stations, and
travel from the locations of the one or more recharging stations to the second geographical location via the flight path.

9. The system of claim 8 , where each of the one or more recharging stations includes an inductive charging pad that uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy from the inductive charging pad to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9 , where:
the inductive charging pad includes a first induction coil to create the electromagnetic field from within the inductive charging pad,
the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a second induction coil, and
the second induction coil converts power from the electromagnetic field into an electrical current to recharge the unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. The system of claim 8 , where the one or more devices are further to:
receive feedback from the unmanned aerial vehicle during traversal of the flight path by the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
determine whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback received from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11 , where the one or more devices are further to:
calculate, when the flight path is to be modified, a modified flight path to the second geographical location based on the feedback;
identify another plurality of recharging stations located on or near the modified flight path;
select one or more other recharging stations, of the other plurality of recharging stations, based on one or more factors associated with the one or more other recharging stations;
generate modified flight path instructions for the modified flight path,
the modified flight path instructions include information instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to stop and recharge at the one or more other recharging stations; and

provide the modified flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The system of claim 8 , where the one or more factors associated with the one or more recharging stations include at least one of:
locations of the one or more recharging stations along the flight path,
distances between the one or more recharging stations and the flight path,
recharging capabilities of the one or more recharging stations,
availabilities of the one or more recharging stations,
safety associated with the one or more recharging stations, or
security associated with the one or more recharging stations.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B64U2201/104

  using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• G08G5/723

  from the aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/80

  Anti-collision systems · CPC title

• G08G5/74

  for monitoring terrain · CPC title

• G08G5/26

  Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations · CPC title