Unmanned aerial vehicle for hazard detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9944392-B2
Application number	US-201615213972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2016
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

In an approach to hazard detection, one or more computer processors receive a request from a first vehicle user for assistance from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The one or more computer processors locate a UAV. The one or more computer processors determine the location of the first vehicle. The one or more computer processors deploy the UAV to the location of the first vehicle. The one or more computer processors determine whether one or more hazards associated with a path of the first vehicle are detected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for hazard detection, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more computer processors, a request from a first vehicle user for assistance from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
locating, by the one or more computer processors, a UAV;
determining, by the one or more computer processors, the location of the first vehicle;
deploying, by the one or more computer processors, the UAV to the location of the first vehicle;
determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether an obstruction of the first vehicle user's view of a road is detected;
responsive to determining an obstruction of the first vehicle user's view of the road is detected, determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the obstruction of the first vehicle user's view will persist for a pre-defined threshold of time; and
determining, by the one more computer processors, whether one or more hazards associated with a path of the first vehicle are detected.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more hazards associated with the path of the first vehicle includes at least: a debris on a road, a traffic jam, a traffic accident, a presence of an emergency vehicle, and a weather related road condition.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to determining one or more hazards associated with the path of the first vehicle are detected, notifying, by the one or more computer processors, the user of the one or more hazards, wherein notifying includes sending, by the one or more computer processors, an audio or visual cue.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein notifying the user of the one or more hazards includes advisory information regarding how the user should respond for the user to avoid the one or more hazards.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein notifying the user of the one or more hazards further comprises interacting, by the one or more computer processors, with a safety system of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the one or more computer processors, when to deploy the UAV; and
determining, by the one or more computer processors, for how long to deploy the UAV.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising notifying, by the one or more computer processors, a user of a second vehicle of the one or more hazards.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the one or more computer processors, one or more additional deployed unmanned aerial vehicles in a pre-defined radius; and
communicating, by the one or more computer processors, with the one or more additional deployed unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor for one or more hazards associated with a path of the first vehicle.

9. A computer program product for hazard detection, the computer program product comprising:
one or more computer readable storage devices and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive a request from a first vehicle user for assistance from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
program instructions to locate a UAV;
program instructions to determine the location of the first vehicle;
program instructions to deploy the UAV to the location of the first vehicle;
program instructions to determine whether an obstruction of the first vehicle user's view of a road is detected;
responsive to determining an obstruction of the first vehicle user's view of the road is detected, program instructions to determine whether the obstruction of the first vehicle user's view will persist for a pre-defined threshold of time; and
program instructions to determine whether one or more hazards associated with a path of the first vehicle are detected.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , further comprising, responsive to determining one or more hazards associated with the path of the first vehicle are detected, program instructions to notify the user of the one or more hazards, wherein program instructions to notify includes program instructions to send an audio or visual cue.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , the stored program instructions further comprising:
program instructions to determine when to deploy the UAV; and
program instructions to determine for how long to deploy the UAV.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , the stored program instructions further comprising program instructions to notify a user of a second vehicle of the one or more hazards.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 , the stored program instructions further comprising:
program instructions to detect one or more additional deployed unmanned aerial vehicles in a pre-defined radius; and
program instructions to communicate with the one or more additional deployed unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor for one or more hazards associated with a path of the first vehicle.

14. A computer system for hazard detection, the computer system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
one or more computer readable storage devices;
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive a request from a first vehicle user for assistance from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
program instructions to locate a UAV;
program instructions to determine the location of the first vehicle;
program instructions to deploy the UAV to the location of the first vehicle;
program instructions to determine whether an obstruction of the first vehicle user's view of a road is detected;
responsive to determining an obstruction of the first vehicle user's view of the road is detected, program instructions to determine whether the obstruction of the first vehicle user's view will persist for a pre-defined threshold of time; and
program instructions to determine whether one or more hazards associated with a path of the first vehicle are detected.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , further comprising, responsive to determining one or more hazards associated with the path of the first vehicle are detected, program instructions to notify the user of the one or more hazards, wherein program instructions to notify includes program instructions to send an audio or visual cue.

16. The computer system of claim 14 , the stored program instructions further comprising:
program instructions to determine when to deploy the UAV; and
program instructions to determine for how long to deploy the UAV.

17. The computer system of claim 14 , further comprising:
program instructions to detect one or more additional deployed unmanned aerial vehicles in a pre-defined radius; and
program instructions to communicate with the one or more additional deployed unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor for one or more hazards associated with a path of the first vehicle.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Abuelsaad Kelly
• Boss Gregory J
• Mcconnell Kevin C
• Mcelligott Shane B

Classifications

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G05D1/101

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• G08G1/096766

  where the system is characterised by the origin of the information transmission · CPC title

• B64C2201/127

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic