# US 10,484,884 B2 · Method and system for implementing self organizing mobile network (SOMNET) of drones

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- Number: US 10,484,884 B2
- Document ID: US10484884B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/397,890
- Filed: 2019-04-29
- Published: 2019-08-22
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-18
- Assignees: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
- Applicants: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
- Inventors: Phil Carpenter; Steven M. Casey; Charles I. Cook
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484884B2

## CPC

- G08G 1/205: {Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental}
- H04W 16/26: Cell enhancers {or enhancement}, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
- B64U 50/39: Battery swapping
- B64U 70/93: for use on a land or nautical vehicle
- 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 5/727: {from a ground station}
- G08G 5/76: for monitoring atmospheric conditions
- H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition
- B60L 2240/70: Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
- B64U 2101/26: for manufacturing, inspections or repairs
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval
- B64U 2201/00: UAVs characterised by their flight controls
- B64U 2201/20: Remote controls
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- G08G 5/58: for emergency situations, e.g. hijacking or bird strikes
- G08G 5/59: in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
- H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals}
- H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic
- H04W 24/10: Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports}
- H04W 84/005: {Moving wireless networks}
- H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
- H04W 88/08: Access point devices
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- 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
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing self-organizing mobile networks (“SOMNETs”) of drones and platforms. In various embodiments, a computing system might receive first data from each of a plurality of vehicles; might receive second data from each of a plurality of platforms; might analyze the first data to determine a status of each vehicle; and might analyze the second data to determine a status of each platform. Based at least in part on the analyzed first and second data, the computing system might generate at least one of first control instructions to at least one first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles or second control instructions to at least one first platform of the plurality of platforms that respectively cause the at least one first vehicle to perform one or more first actions or cause the at least one first platform to perform one or more second actions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
receiving, with a computing system, one or more requests for one of a plurality of vehicles to perform one or more tasks;
receiving, with the computing system, at least one first data from at least one first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, the at least one first data comprising data regarding one or more second vehicles of the plurality of vehicles of a self-organizing mobile network (“SOMNET”) of vehicles, wherein the at least one first vehicle receives beacon data from each of at least one second vehicle of the one or more second vehicles, wherein the data regarding the one or more second vehicles comprises the beacon data from each of the at least one second vehicle, wherein the beacon data from each of the at least one second vehicle comprises at least one of signal strength of the beacon data, communication transmit power level, or configuration parameters;
analyzing, with the computing system, the at least one first data to determine a status of at least one second vehicle of the one or more second vehicles; and
in response to receiving the one or more requests and based at least in part on a determination that the at least one second vehicle is capable of performing at least one task of the one or more tasks, generating, with the computing system, one or more first control instructions and sending, with the computing system, the one or more first control instructions to the at least one second vehicle, the one or more first control instructions causing each of the at least one second vehicle to perform one or more first actions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to receiving the one or more requests and based at least in part on a determination that the at least one second vehicle is unable to perform the at least one task of the one or more tasks, identifying, with the computing system, at least one third vehicle of the one or more second vehicles that is capable of performing the at least one task of the one or more tasks and that is within a predetermined geographic range, generating, with the computing system, one or more second control instructions, and sending, with the computing system, the one or more second control instructions to the at least one third vehicle, the one or more second control instructions causing each of the at least one third vehicle to perform the one or more first actions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second vehicles comprise the first vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the computing system comprises at least one of one or more vehicle processors disposed in one of the plurality of vehicles, one or more processors disposed in a user device associated with an operator of a service provider, a self-organizing network (“SON”) server, a service provider server, a gateway device, a computing node, a server computer, a distributed computing system, a distributed computing system that integrates computing resources from two or more vehicles, or a cloud computing system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles comprises one of a manned vehicle or an unmanned vehicle, wherein each manned vehicle comprises one of a car, a motorcycle, an all-terrain vehicle, a truck, a van, a semi-trailer truck, an aircraft, a subterranean vehicle, an amphibious vehicle, or a water craft, wherein each unmanned vehicle comprises one of an aerial drone, a land-based drone, a water-based drone, a subterranean drone, an amphibious drone, a robot, or an autonomous vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle of the plurality of vehicles comprises an inductive charging system that charges via inductive power transfer from one or more charging pads in a corresponding charging platform.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the determined status of the at least one second vehicle comprises one of current battery charge level, remaining battery charge level, current geographic location, one or more currently plotted destinations, one or more currently plotted courses, proximity to one or more charging platforms, proximity to one or more communications platforms, proximity to one or more nearby vehicles, communications status with one or more nearby vehicles, new device status within the SOMNET, registration status within the SOMNET, availability to perform at least one of the one or more tasks, status of current task, status of one or more onboard tools, device failure status, disabled device status, or out-of-range device status.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the beacon data from each of the at least one second vehicle comprises at least one of a unique identifier assigned to a particular one of the at least one second vehicle, current battery level of the at least one second vehicle, remaining battery level of the at least one second vehicle, geographic location information of the particular one of the at least one second vehicle, or relative location information of the particular one of the at least one second vehicle with respect to other vehicles.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more first actions comprise at least one of establishing wireless network communications between a built-in mobile wireless base station and at least one wireless network node of a telecommunications network to augment wireless network functionality, establishing wireless network communications between a built-in mobile wireless base station and at least one wireless network node of a telecommunications network to extend wireless network functionality, monitoring for vehicular accidents, monitoring for criminal activities, monitoring for man-made disasters, monitoring for natural disasters, tracking real-time traffic patterns, tracking one or more weather conditions, recovering one or more lost vehicles, recovering one or more damaged vehicles, delivering one or more packages, tracking one or more packages being delivered, or repairing one or more telecommunications equipment.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second vehicles each comprises at least one of a vehicle or a drone, wherein each of the one or more second vehicles comprises a mobile wireless base station, wherein the method further comprises:
deploying, with the computing system, the one or more second vehicles to at least one geographic area to extend a wireless range of a telecommunications network; and
establishing, with the computing system, wireless network communications between the mobile wireless base station and at least one wireless network node of the telecommunications network.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second vehicles each comprises at least one of a vehicle or a drone, wherein each of the one or more second vehicles comprises one or more weather sensors comprising at least one of one or more pressure sensors, one or more temperature sensors, one or more motion sensors, one or more solar light sensors, one or more ambient light sensors, one or more infra-red sensors, one or more ultra-violet sensors, one or more sound sensors, one or more seismic sensors, one or more air quality sensors, one or more moisture sensors, one or more wind sensors, or one or more particulate sensors, wherein the method further comprises:
tracking, with the one or more weather sensors, weather conditions in one or more geographic areas;
receiving, with the computing system, data from the one or more weather sensors tracking the weather conditions in the one or more geographic areas; and
sending, with the computing system, one or more messages to at least one of one or more user devices associated with customers in the one or more geographic areas, one or more law enforcement agencies, one or more emergency response agencies, or one or more federal agencies, based at least in part on the received data from the one or more weather sensors.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second vehicles each comprises at least one of a vehicle or a drone, wherein each of the one or more second vehicles comprises at least one of one or more cameras or one or more microphones, wherein the method further comprises:
monitoring, with the at least one of one or more cameras or one or more microphones, at least one of one or more vehicular accidents, one or more criminal activities, one or more man-made disasters, or one or more natural disasters;
receiving, with the computing system, at least one of video or audio content from the monitored at least one of one or more vehicular accidents, one or more criminal activities, one or more man-made disasters, or one or more natural disasters; and
sending, with the computing system, one or more messages to at least one of one or more law enforcement agencies, one or more emergency response agencies, one or more towing service companies, or one or more federal agencies, based at least in part on the received at least one video or audio content.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second vehicles each comprises at least one of a vehicle or a drone, wherein the method further comprises:
determining, with the computing system and based at least in part on the status of the at least one second vehicle of the one or more second vehicles, whether at least one fourth vehicle of the one or more second vehicles is at least one of disabled, damaged, or inoperable;
determining, with the computing system, a location of the at least one fourth vehicle that has been determined to be at least one of disabled, damaged, or inoperable;
deploying, with the computing system, at least one fifth vehicle of the one or more second vehicles to the location of the at least one fourth vehicle that has been determined to be at least one of disabled, damaged, or inoperable;
determining, with the computing system, whether the at least one fourth vehicle is capable of being repaired on-site;
based on a determination that the at least one fourth vehicle is capable of being repaired on-site, repairing, using one or more repair tools of the at least one fifth vehicle, the at least one fourth vehicle; and
based on a determination that the at least one fourth vehicle is incapable of being repaired on-site, retrieving, using one or more retrieval tools of the at least one fifth vehicle, the at least one fourth vehicle and transporting the at least one fourth vehicle to a repair facility.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second vehicles each comprises at least one of a vehicle or a drone, wherein the method further comprises:
retrieving, using one or more package delivery tools of the one or more second vehicles, one or more packages;
deploying, with the computing system, the one or more second vehicles to one or more customer locations with the retrieved one or more packages, the one or more customer locations comprising at least one of one or more customer premises, one or more parked customer vehicles, one or more moving customer vehicles, one or more current locations of a user device associated with a recipient of at least one of the one or more packages, one or more anticipated locations of a user device associated with a recipient of at least one of the one or more packages, or one or more designated delivery locations; and
delivering, with the one or more second vehicles, each of the retrieved one or more packages to a corresponding one of the one or more customer locations.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second vehicles each comprises at least one of a vehicle or a drone, wherein each of the one or more second vehicles comprises at least one of one or more cameras or one or more microphones, wherein the method further comprises:
monitoring, with the at least one of one or more cameras or one or more microphones, at least one package being delivered to one or more customer locations, the one or more customer locations comprising at least one of one or more customer premises, one or more parked customer vehicles, one or more moving customer vehicles, or one or more designated delivery locations;
receiving, with the computing system, at least one of video or audio content from the monitored at least one package being delivered to the one or more customer locations; and
sending, with the computing system, one or more messages to at least one of one or more user devices associated with customers who are located at the one or more customer locations, one or more devices associated with a service provider deploying the one or more second vehicles, one or more devices associated with a delivery company delivering the at least one package, or one or more devices associated with one or more merchants who sold the at least one package to the customers.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second vehicles each comprises at least one of a vehicle or a drone, wherein the method further comprises:
determining, with the computing system, whether one or more telecommunications equipment within a geographic area are at least one of disabled, damaged, or inoperable;
determining, with the computing system, a location of the one or more telecommunications equipment that have been determined to be at least one of disabled, damaged, or inoperable;
deploying, with the computing system, at least one sixth vehicle of the one or more second vehicles to the location of each of the one or more telecommunications equipment that have been determined to be at least one of disabled, damaged, or inoperable;
determining, with the computing system, whether the one or more telecommunications equipment are capable of being repaired on-site;
based on a determination that at least one of the one or more telecommunications equipment are capable of being repaired on-site, repairing, using one or more repair tools of the at least one sixth vehicle, the at least one of the one or more telecommunications equipment that are capable of being repaired on-site; and
based on a determination that at least one of the one or more telecommunications equipment are incapable of being repaired on-site, retrieving, using one or more retrieval tools of the at least one sixth vehicle, the at least one of the one or more telecommunications equipment that are incapable of being repaired on-site and transporting the at least one of the one or more telecommunications equipment to a repair facility.

### Claim 17

An apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and
a non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:
receive one or more requests for one of a plurality of vehicles to perform one or more tasks;
receive at least one first data from at least one first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, the at least one first data comprising data regarding one or more second vehicles of the plurality of vehicles of a self-organizing mobile network (“SOMNET”) of vehicles, wherein the at least one first vehicle receives beacon data from each of at least one second vehicle of the one or more second vehicles, wherein the data regarding the one or more second vehicles comprises the beacon data from each of the at least one second vehicle, wherein the beacon data from each of the at least one second vehicle comprises at least one of signal strength of the beacon data, communication transmit power level, or configuration parameters;
analyze the at least one first data to determine a status of at least one second vehicle of the one or more second vehicles; and
in response to receiving the one or more requests and based at least in part on a determination that the at least one second vehicle is capable of performing at least one task of the one or more tasks, generate one or more first control instructions and send the one or more first control instructions to the at least one second vehicle, the one or more first control instructions causing each of the at least one second vehicle to perform one or more first actions.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of one or more vehicle processors disposed in one of the plurality of vehicles, one or more processors disposed in a user device associated with an operator of a service provider, a self-organizing network (“SON”) server, a service provider server, a gateway device, a computing node, a server computer, a distributed computing system, a distributed computing system that integrates computing resources from two or more vehicles, or a cloud computing system.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles comprises one of a manned vehicle or an unmanned vehicle, wherein each manned vehicle comprises one of a car, a motorcycle, an all-terrain vehicle, a truck, a van, a semi-trailer truck, an aircraft, a subterranean vehicle, an amphibious vehicle, or a water craft, wherein each unmanned vehicle comprises one of an aerial drone, a land-based drone, a water-based drone, a subterranean drone, an amphibious drone, a robot, or an autonomous vehicle.

### Claim 20

A system, comprising:
a computing system, comprising:
at least one first processor; and
a first non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one first processor, the first non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a first set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one first processor, causes the computing system to:
receive one or more requests for one of a plurality of vehicles to perform one or more tasks;
receive at least one first data from at least one first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, the at least one first data comprising data regarding one or more second vehicles of the plurality of vehicles of a self-organizing mobile network (“SOMNET”) of wherein the at least one first vehicle receives beacon data from each of at least one second vehicle of the one or more second vehicles, wherein the data regarding the one or more second vehicles comprises the beacon data from each of the at least one second vehicle, wherein the beacon data from each of the at least one second vehicle comprises at least one of signal strength of the beacon data, communication transmit power level, or configuration parameters;
analyze the at least one first data to determine a status of at least one second vehicle of the one or more second vehicles; and
in response to receiving the one or more requests and based at least in part on a determination that the at least one second vehicle is capable of performing at least one task of the one or more tasks, generate one or more first control instructions and send the one or more first control instructions to the at least one second vehicle, the one or more first control instructions causing each of the at least one second vehicle to perform one or more first actions
the at least one second vehicle comprising:
a propulsion system;
at least one second processor; and
a second non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one second processor, the second non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a second set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one second processor, causes the at least one second vehicle to:
receive one of the one or more first control instructions or the one or more second control instructions; and
perform the one or more first actions, based at least in part on the received one of the one or more first control instructions.