US 10,476,581 B2 · Extending wireless signal coverage with drones

Abstract

Based on electronic communication received from a wireless device or from an access point, it is determined that a wireless signal relay is needed between the wireless device and the access point. In response to the determination, a drone is deployed between the wireless device and the access point to relay wireless signals between the wireless device and the access point. The deployed drone measures a first strength of a first wireless signal received from the wireless device or measures a second strength of a second wireless signal received from the access point. Based on the measurements, it is determined that the wireless device has moved relative to the access point after the drone has been deployed. In response to the determining that the wireless device has moved, the location of the drone is adjusted to maintain the first strength or the second strength above a predetermined level.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a non-transitory memory;
and
one or more hardware processors coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to read instructions from the non-transitory memory to cause the system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
determining, based on status information associated with a wireless device, whether a predefined criterion has been met;
in response to the determining that the predefined criterion has been met, causing a first drone to be deployed to a first target location based on a location of the wireless device;
receiving a communication that the first drone has reached the first target location;
receiving updated status information associated with the wireless device after the receiving of the communication;
determining, based on the updated status information, whether the predefined criterion is still being met;
and
in response to the determining that the predefined criterion is still being met, causing the first drone to move to a second target location or causing a second drone to be deployed to a third target location, the second target location and the third target location each based on the first target location.

7 more elements

A method, comprising:

determining, based on status information associated with a wireless device, whether a predefined criterion has been met;
in response to the determining that the predefined criterion has been met, causing a first drone to be deployed to a first target location based on a location of the wireless device;
receiving a communication that the first drone has reached the first target location;
receiving updated status information associated with the wireless device after the receiving of the communication;
determining, based on the updated status information, whether the predefined criterion is still being met;
and
in response to a determination that the predefined criterion is still being met, causing the first drone to move to a second target location or causing a second drone to be deployed to a third target location, wherein the second target location and the third target location are each based on the first target location.

4 more elements

A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause a machine to perform operations, the operations comprising:

determining, based on status information associated with a wireless device, whether a predefined criterion has been met;
based on the predefined criterion having been met, causing a first drone to be deployed to a first target location based on a location of the wireless device;
receiving a communication that the first drone has reached the first target location;
receiving updated status information associated with the wireless device after the first drone has reached the target location;
determining, based on the updated status information, that the predefined criterion is still being met;
and
in response to the determining that the predefined criterion is still being met, causing the first drone to move to a second target location or causing a second drone to be deployed to a third target location, wherein the second target location and the third target location are each based on the first target location.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Extending wireless signal coverage with drones

Life of this patent

Extending wireless signal coverage with drones

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20