# US 11,115,113 B2 · Technique for selecting a UAV application server > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,115,113 B2 - Document ID: US11115113B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/632,972 - Filed: 2017-09-14 - Published: 2020-05-21 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-14 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Jens Poscher; Ralph Detke; Stefan Eichinger; Pedro Tercero - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11115113B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/0631: Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations - 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)} - H04L 61/4511: using domain name system [DNS] - H04L 63/0236: {Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL} - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - H04W 76/11: Allocation or use of connection identifiers - H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels - H04W 84/042: {Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems} - H04W 88/16: Gateway arrangements - B64U 2101/20: for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms - B64U 2201/00: UAVs characterised by their flight controls - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - H04W 60/04: using triggered events - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04B: TRANSMISSION - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - 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 A technique for selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, application server is disclosed. A computing unit for executing a cellular network entity configured to select a UAV application server residing in a cellular network to be assigned to a UAV connecting to the cellular network comprises at least one processor and at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory contains instructions executable by the at least one processor such that the cellular network entity is operable to trigger (S204) selecting, as part of an attach procedure of the UAV to the cellular network, a UAV application server in the cellular network to be assigned to the UAV. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computing unit for executing a cellular network entity configured to select an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) application server residing in a cellular network to be assigned to a UAV connecting to the cellular network, the computing unit comprising: processing circuitry; memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the cellular network entity is operative to: trigger selecting, as part of an attach procedure of the UAV to the cellular network, a UAV application server in the cellular network to be assigned to the UAV. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computing unit of claim 1, wherein the UAV application server is selected from a plurality of UAV application servers in the cellular network, each of the plurality of UAV application servers covering a specific service area of the cellular network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computing unit of claim 1, wherein the UAV application server is selected from a plurality of UAV application servers in the cellular network such that a distance between the UAV and the UAV application server is minimized. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computing unit of claim 1, wherein the UAV application server is selected based on UAV-related information comprising one or more parameters characterizing the UAV. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computing unit of claim 4, wherein the one or more parameters characterizing the UAV comprise: a mobility tracking area associated with the UAV, a cell ID associated with the UAV, a type of the UAV, an owner of the UAV, a manufacturer of the UAV, and/or an operator of the UAV. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The computing unit of claim 4, wherein the selecting the UAV application server comprises determining the UAV application server by querying a Domain Name Service (DNS) using a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) reflecting the one or more parameters characterizing the UAV. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computing unit of claim 1, wherein the instructions are such that the cellular network entity is operable to receive an attach request message originated from the UAV, wherein the attach request message includes information indicating that the UAV requests access information for accessing a UAV application server. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computing unit of claim 1, wherein the instructions are such that the cellular network entity is operable to trigger sending access information for accessing the UAV application server to the UAV. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The computing unit of claim 7, wherein the access information for accessing the UAV application server comprises a network address of the UAV application server. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computing unit of claim 1, wherein an interface allowing access to the UAV is provided to entities external to the cellular network. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The computing unit of claim 1, wherein the instructions are such that the cellular network entity is operable to trigger selecting a gateway entity of the cellular network for communication between the UAV and the UAV application server. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computing unit of claim 11, wherein the gateway entity is selected from a plurality of gateway entities in the cellular network such that a distance between the UAV and the gateway entity is minimized. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The computing unit of claim 11, wherein the triggering selecting the UAV application server comprises requesting the access information for accessing the UAV application server from the selected gateway entity of the cellular network. ### Claim 14 An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) connectable to a cellular network, the UAV comprising: processing circuitry; memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the UAV is operative to: receive, as part of an attach procedure of the UAV to the cellular network, access information for accessing a UAV application server residing in the cellular network and assigned to the UAV by the cellular network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The UAV of claim 14, wherein the access information for accessing the UAV application server comprises a network address of the UAV application server. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The UAV of claim 14, wherein the instructions are such that the UAV is operable to send an attach request message to the cellular network, wherein the attach request message includes information indicating that the UAV requests access information for accessing a UAV application server. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The UAV of claim 16, wherein the information indicating that the UAV requests access information for accessing a UAV application server is included in a Protocol Configuration Options (PCO) field of the attach request message. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The UAV of claim 14, wherein the access information for accessing the UAV application server is included in an attach accept message destined for the UAV. ### Claim 19 A method for selecting an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) application server residing in a cellular network to be assigned to a UAV connecting to the cellular network, the method comprising a cellular network entity: triggering selecting, as part of an attach procedure of the UAV to the cellular network, a UAV application server in the cellular network to be assigned to the UAV. ### Claim 20 A method for selecting an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) application server residing in a cellular network to be assigned to a UAV connecting to the cellular network, the method comprising the UAV: receiving, as part of an attach procedure of the UAV to the cellular network, access information for accessing a UAV application server residing in the cellular network and assigned to the UAV by the cellular network.