# US 10,312,994 B2 · Drone network switchover between wireless networks

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- Number: US 10,312,994 B2
- Document ID: US10312994B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/705,345
- Filed: 2017-09-15
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-10
- Assignees: ETAK Systems, LLC
- Applicants: ETAK Systems, LLC
- Inventors: Lee Priest
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312994B2

## CPC

- H04B 7/18506: {Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service}
- G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)}
- G08G 5/22: located on the ground
- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- G08G 5/34: for flight plan modification
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- G08G 5/56: for two or more aircraft
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- G08G 5/58: for emergency situations, e.g. hijacking or bird strikes
- G08G 5/727: {from a ground station}
- G08G 5/80: Anti-collision systems
- H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
- H04W 4/027: {using movement velocity, acceleration information}
- H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
- B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
- B64U 2101/20: for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- B64U 2201/10: autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
- B64U 2201/20: Remote controls
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

Systems and methods for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) network switchover and emergency procedures, implemented by a UAV includes communicating to an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system via a primary wireless network; receiving and storing emergency instructions from the ATC system; detecting communication disruption on the primary wireless network to the ATC system; responsive to the detecting, switching to a backup wireless network to reestablish communication to the ATC system; and, responsive to failing to reestablish communication to the ATC system via the backup wireless network, implementing the emergency instructions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method configured for implementation by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
communicating with an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system via a primary wireless network, the primary wireless network being associated with a first cell tower;
receiving emergency instructions from the ATC system;
storing the emergency instructions in memory, the emergency instructions configured to be implemented during an emergency situation;
detecting when communication with the ATC system via the primary wireless network is disrupted;
responsive to detecting when the communication with the ATC system via the primary wireless network is disrupted, implementing a network switchover procedure to attempt to reestablish communication to the ATC system via a backup wireless network, the backup wireless network associated with a second cell tower; and
responsive to a failed attempt to reestablish communication to the ATC system via the backup wireless network, implementing the emergency instructions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
during the process of implementing the emergency instructions, attempting to reestablish communication to the ATC system via one of the primary wireless network and the backup wireless network; and
receiving instructions from the ATC system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is disrupted due to one of a network disturbance and an outage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency instructions comprise an altitude to maintain and a flight plan to maintain until communication is reestablished.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency instructions comprise nearby landing zones to proceed to.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency instructions comprise continuing to a destination as planned.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency instructions comprise immediate landing at one of a plurality of designated locations.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency instructions comprise flying lane information.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the primary wireless network comprises a first wireless provider network and the backup wireless network comprises a second wireless provider network.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the first wireless provider network and the second wireless provider network comprise cellular networks.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the UAV comprises a wireless interface configured to communicate with the first wireless provider network via the first cell tower and with the second wireless provider network via the second cell tower.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating with the ATC system comprises:
providing flight information to the ATC system; and
receiving instructions and updates from the ATC system for real-time control.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the flight information comprises weather and obstacle reporting, speed, altitude, location, and direction, and wherein the instructions and updates relate to separation assurance, traffic management, landing, and flight plan.

### Claim 14

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) configured for network switchover to communicate with an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, the UAV comprising:
one or more rotors disposed to a body and configured for flight;
wireless interfaces including hardware and antennas configured to communicate with a primary wireless network and a backup wireless network of a plurality of wireless networks, each of the plurality of wireless network being associated with communication equipment different from the communication equipment associated with the other wireless networks;
a processor coupled to the wireless interfaces and the one or more rotors; and
memory configured to store network switchover instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
communicate with the ATC system via the primary wireless network;
receive emergency instructions from the ATC system, the emergency instructions configured to be implemented during an emergency situation;
store the emergency instructions in the memory for use during the emergency situation;
detect a communication disruption with the ATC system via the primary wireless network;
responsive to detection of the communication disruption, implement a network switchover procedure to attempt to reestablish communication to the ATC system via the backup wireless network; and
responsive to a failure to reestablish communication to the ATC system via the backup wireless network, implement the emergency instructions.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The UAV of claim 14, wherein the primary wireless network comprises a first wireless provider network and the backup wireless network comprises a second wireless provider network.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The UAV of claim 15, wherein the first wireless provider network and the second wireless provider network comprise cellular networks.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The UAV of claim 14, wherein, to communicate with the ATC system, the wireless interfaces are configured to:
provide flight information to the ATC system; and
receive flight instructions and updates from the ATC system for real-time control.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The UAV of claim 17, wherein the flight information comprises weather and obstacle reporting, speed, altitude, location, and direction, and wherein the flight instructions and updates relate to separation assurance, traffic management, landing, and flight plan.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The UAV of claim 14, wherein the ATC system is configured to monitor or control the flights of multiple UAVs.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The UAV of claim 14, wherein the network switchover instructions, when executed, cause the processor to implement the emergency instructions in response to failed attempts to reestablish communication to the ATC system via the primary wireless network and the backup wireless network.