Unmanned device interaction methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9798325-B2
Application number	US-201213601169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2012
Priority date	Jul 17, 2012
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for configuring an unmanned aerial device to participate in the performance of tasks, for using data resulting from such a configuration or performance, or for facilitating other interactions with such devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
at least one unmanned vehicle including one or more electronic devices, the one or more electronic devices including at least:
circuitry configured for determining an existence of a device-detectable energy signature path between the at least one unmanned vehicle and a first entity;
circuitry configured for obtaining one or more location coordinates associated with the at least one unmanned vehicle and associated with the existence of the device-detectable energy signature;
circuitry configured for determining a cessation of the existence of the device-detectable energy signature path between the at least one unmanned vehicle and the first entity;
circuitry configured for determining a time interval from the cessation of the existence of the device-detectable energy signal path between the at least one unmanned vehicle and the first entity until a reference time;
circuitry configured for comparing the time interval to a threshold time interval;
circuitry configured for determining at least one navigation protocol for operating the at least one unmanned vehicle based at least partly on the one or more location coordinates associated with the at least one unmanned vehicle and associated with the existence of the device-detectable energy signature responsive to a result of the comparing the time interval to the threshold time interval and
circuitry configured for at least partially operating the at least one unmanned vehicle in accordance with the at least one navigation protocol.

2. A system comprising:
at least one unmanned vehicle including at least:
at least one processing device; and
one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
determining an existence of a device-detectable energy signature path between the at least one unmanned vehicle and a first entity;
obtaining one or more location coordinates associated with the at least one unmanned vehicle and associated with the existence of the device-detectable energy signature;
determining a cessation of the existence of the device-detectable energy signature path between the at least one unmanned vehicle and the first entity;
determining a time interval from the cessation of the existence of the device-detectable energy signal path between the at least one unmanned vehicle and the first entity until a reference time;
comparing the time interval to a threshold time interval; and
determining at least one navigation protocol for operating the at least one unmanned vehicle based at least partly on the one or more location coordinates associated with the at least one unmanned vehicle and associated with the existence of the device-detectable energy signature responsive to a result of the comparing the time interval to the threshold time interval; and
at least partially operating the at least one unmanned vehicle in accordance with the at least one navigation protocol.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the obtaining one or more location coordinates associated with the at least one unmanned vehicle and associated with the existence of the device-detectable energy signature comprises:
acquiring one or more location coordinates at which the at least one unmanned vehicle is located at the existence of the device-detectable energy signature via at least one positioning system configured for generating at least one of global positioning system data or satellite positioning system data.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one unmanned vehicle includes an unmanned aerial device vehicle.

5. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
at least one of:
configuring the at least one unmanned vehicle to perform a first observation of a particular task in a first zone and a second entity to perform a second observation of the particular task in a second; or
causing the at least one unmanned vehicle to undertake a performance observation task of a job that includes a performance task and the performance observation task.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the obtaining one or more location coordinates associated with the at least one unmanned vehicle and associated with the existence of the device-detectable energy signature comprises:
receiving one or more location coordinates at which the at least one unmanned vehicle is located at the existence of the device-detectable energy signature via automatic pattern recognition of imaging data sensed by the at least one unmanned vehicle.

7. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a delivery of a package to a device associated with a recipient of the package, the wireless signal indicating at least one of the at least one unmanned vehicle or the package or a sender of the package.

8. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
presenting navigation guidance via a display aboard the at least one unmanned vehicle.

9. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
transmitting navigation guidance via a speaker of the at least one unmanned vehicle.

10. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
identifying an operating mode of the at least one unmanned vehicle audibly or visibly.

11. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
causing another device vehicle to capture delivery data relating to the at least one unmanned vehicle.

12. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
causing a data handling device aboard the at least one unmanned vehicle to contain a task schedule indicating a first future delivery of a first object to a first destination and a second future delivery of a second object to a second destination.

13. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
determining whether an operator of the at least one unmanned vehicle has indicated a tracking mode of the first entity.

14. The system of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented in the at least one processing devices, program the at least one processing device to perform operations including at least:
at least one of:
overriding a first task being performed by the at least one unmanned vehicle by transmitting a wireless signal indicative of a second task to the at least one unmanned vehicle; or
configuring the at least one unmanned vehicle to transmit a wireless

Assignees

• Levien Royce A
• Lord Richard T
• Lord Robert W
• Malamud Mark A
• Rinaldo Jr John D
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Levien Royce A
• Lord Richard T
• Lord Robert W
• Malamud Mark A
• Rinaldo Jr John D
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• A63H27/12

  Helicopters (A63H27/04 takes precedence); Flying tops · CPC title

• A61M5/002

  Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics (needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001) · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• A61M5/20

  Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically (A61M5/142 {, A61M5/46} take precedence; {hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54}) · CPC title

• G05B19/00

  Program-control systems · CPC title