Unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) location assurance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810789-B2
Application number	US-201314042302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2013
Priority date	Dec 19, 2012
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed herein are example embodiments for unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) location assurance. For certain example embodiments, at least one machine, such as a UFV, may: (i) obtain one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV; or (ii) perform at least one analysis that uses at least one or more SPS coordinates and at least one assurance token. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) location assurance, the method being at least partially implemented by at least one machine in at least one UFV, the method comprising:
autonomously controlling the at least one UFV including at least:
obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV;
analyzing at least the one or more PS coordinates including at least determining at least one electromagnetic signal strength associated with the one or more PS coordinates and focusing directional reception of electromagnetic signals associated with the one or more PS coordinates to increase the at least one electromagnetic signal strength to a predetermined level of at least one of accuracy, reliability, precision, or confidence; and
controlling at least a portion of at least one flight path of the at least one UFV based at least partly on the one or more PS coordinates determined by focused directional reception of electromagnetic signals.

2. An apparatus for unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) location assurance, the apparatus comprising:
one or more electronic devices including at least:
circuitry configured for autonomously controlling the at least one UFV including at least:
circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV;
circuitry configured for analyzing at least the one or more PS coordinates including at least determining at least one electromagnetic signal strength associated with the one or more PS coordinates and focusing directional reception of electromagnetic signals associated with the one or more PS coordinates to increase the at least one electromagnetic signal strength to a predetermined level of at least one of accuracy, reliability, precision, or confidence; and
circuitry configured for controlling at least a portion of at least one flight path of the at least one UFV based at least partly on the one or more PS coordinates determined by focused directional reception of electromagnetic signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for receiving the one or more PS coordinates via one or more signals received from one or more positioning systems.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for calculating at least two PS coordinates corresponding to the at least an apparent location.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for receiving one or more PS coordinates from at least one other UFV.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for accepting one or more PS coordinates from at least one PS chip.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for obtaining the one or more PS coordinates corresponding to at least an accurate location of the at least one UFV.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for obtaining the one or more PS coordinates corresponding to at least a falsified location of the at least one UFV.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for obtaining the one or more PS coordinates corresponding to at least a degraded location of the at least one UFV.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for obtaining the one or more PS coordinates corresponding to a location that comports with at least an expected level of accuracy absent at least one of malfunction or malfeasance.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining one or more positioning system (PS) coordinates corresponding to at least an apparent location of at least one UFV comprises:
circuitry configured for obtaining the one or more PS coordinates corresponding to a location that deviates from at least an expected level of accuracy as a result of at least one of malfunction or malfeasance.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for analyzing at least the one or more PS coordinates includes:
circuitry configured for analyzing at least one or more first PS coordinates and at least one or more second PS coordinates.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the circuitry configured for analyzing at least one or more first PS coordinates and at least one or more second PS coordinates comprises:
circuitry configured for analyzing at least one or more first PS coordinates obtained for a first time and at least one or more second PS coordinates obtained for a second time.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the circuitry configured for analyzing at least one or more first PS coordinates and at least one or more second SPS coordinates comprises:
circuitry configured for analyzing multiple PS coordinates to identify at least one trend.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the circuitry configured for analyzing multiple PS coordinates to identify at least one trend comprises:
circuitry configured for detecting at least one discontinuity responsive to the at least one trend.

16. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for analyzing at least the one or more PS coordinates includes:
circuitry configured for comparing the one or more PS coordinates to one or more location coordinates determined based at least partly on at least one aspect of a velocity indicative of at least one flight path associated with the at least one UFV.

17. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry configured for analyzing at least the one or more PS coordinates includes:
circuitry configured for comparing the one or more PS coordinates to one or more location coordinates determined based at least partly on the one or more inertial measurements indicative of at least one of a flight trajectory, a heading, a speed, a direction, a velocity, an acceleration, a position, an altitude, a stability level, a destination, a two-dimensional course or a three-dimensional course through air or space, a course through a spherical geometrical space, a time or times at which a course is to be traversed, a time or times at which one or more positions or one or more altitudes are to be attained, a time or times at which other flight characteristics are to be attained, extrapolated position-time stamp

Assignees

• Elwha Llc A Ltd Liability Corp State Delaware
• Elwha Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G01S19/396

  Determining accuracy or reliability of position or pseudorange measurements · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2201/102

  adapted for flying in formations · CPC title

• B64U2201/104

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

• B64U10/30

  Lighter-than-air aircraft, e.g. aerostatic aircraft · CPC title