# US 12,006,063 B2 · Aerial-based event notification > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,063 B2 - Document ID: US12006063B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/849,972 - Filed: 2022-06-27 - Published: 2023-12-28 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-27 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Umer Khalid; Ningsheng Qiao; Russell A. Patenaude - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006063B2 ## CPC - B64C 39/024: {of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV} - B64U 80/86: Land vehicles - B64D 45/00: Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for - G08G 1/16: Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08) - H04W 4/90: Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] - B64U 2101/20: for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms - H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - 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) ## Abstract A method for aerial-based event notification includes detecting a trigger event with one or more electronic units of a system. The system includes a telematics unit, a drone having one or more notification actuators, and a tether that connects the drone to the system. The method further includes launching the drone with the telematics unit in response to the trigger event, waiting a predetermined time after the trigger event, retracting the drone in response to a subsequent event being undetected within the predetermined time after the trigger event, detecting the subsequent event with the one or more electronic units, placing the drone in an alert configuration in response to detecting the subsequent event within the predetermined time after the trigger event, and generating one or more alert notifications from the one or more notification actuators while the drone is in the alert configuration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for aerial-based event notification comprising: detecting a trigger event with one or more electronic units of a system, wherein the system includes a telematics unit, a drone having one or more notification actuators, and a tether that connects the drone to the system; launching the drone with the telematics unit in response to the trigger event; waiting a predetermined time after the trigger event; retracting the drone in response to a subsequent event being undetected within the predetermined time after the trigger event; detecting the subsequent event with the one or more electronic units; placing the drone in an alert configuration in response to detecting the subsequent event within the predetermined time after the trigger event; and generating one or more alert notifications from the one or more notification actuators while the drone is in the alert configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: recording an initial time of the trigger event; recording an initial location of the system in response to the trigger event; recording a current location of the system in response to the subsequent event; transferring the initial time, the initial location and the current location to the drone; and flying the drone to the initial location, wherein the one or more alert notifications are generated at the initial location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising: requesting an assistance via a cellular network with the telematics unit in response to the detecting of the subsequent event within the predetermined time after the trigger event; seeking a connection on the cellular network with the drone in response to the telematics unit being unable to connect to the cellular network; and transmitting from the drone via the cellular network one or more of the current location of the system, a picture of a scene around the system taken by the drone hovering above the current location, and the initial time of the trigger event in response to the connection being established by the drone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, further comprising: releasing the drone from the tether in response to the drone being unable to connect to the cellular network; increasing a height of the drone; and re-seeking the connection on the cellular network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, further comprising: determining a calculated direction to find the assistance with the telematics unit based on one or more maps of a plurality of cellular towers proximate the current location and a plurality of towns proximate the current location; transferring the calculated direction to the drone; releasing the drone from the tether; and flying the drone in the calculated direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, further comprising: seeking a connection on the cellular network with the drone while flying an approximately straight path in the calculated direction; and transmitting from the drone via the cellular network one or more of the current location of the system, a picture of a scene around the system taken by the drone hovering above the current location, and an initial time of the trigger event in response to the connection being established by the drone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, further comprising: flying the drone along a road running in approximately the calculated direction; seeking an assistance vehicle on the road with the drone; and displaying one or more of a visual notification and an audio notification from the drone to the assistance vehicle in response to the drone finding the assistance vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising: receiving at the drone an acknowledgement from the assistance vehicle that at least one of the visual notification and the audio notification was received; and flying the drone along the road back to the current location in response to the acknowledgement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising: requesting an assistance via a cellular network with the telematics unit in response to the deploying of the drone; limiting a horizontal range of the drone from the system with the tether; and releasing the drone from the tether in response to the initial location being further than the horizontal range and the telematics unit being unable to connect to the cellular network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving a manual direction from a user control; transferring the manual direction to the drone; and flying the drone in the manual direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: measuring an acceleration of the system; and asserting the trigger event in response to the acceleration exceeding a threshold acceleration value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: measuring a roll-over index of the system; and asserting the trigger event in response to the roll-over index exceeding a threshold index value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: monitoring a plurality of brakes of the system; and asserting the trigger event in response to one or more of the plurality of brakes indicating a slippage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: measuring a temperature of a battery; asserting the trigger event in response to the temperature exceeding a threshold temperature value; and asserting the subsequent event in response to the temperature indicating a thermal runaway condition in the battery. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: asserting the trigger event in response to a theft alarm being triggered; and asserting the subsequent event in response to the theft alarm remaining triggered during the predetermined time. ### Claim 16 A system comprising: a drone having one or more notification actuators, wherein the one or more notification actuators includes one or more of a speaker and a light; a storage member configured to carry, deploy, and recover the drone; one or more electronic units configured to detect a trigger event and a subsequent event in the system; and a telematics unit in communication with the one or more electronic units and the drone, the telematics unit being configured to: launch the drone configuration in response to the trigger event; wait a predetermined time after the trigger event; retract the drone into the storage member in response to the subsequent event being undetected within the predetermined time after the trigger event; command the storage member to secure the drone after the drone is retracted into the storage member; and place the drone in an alert configuration in response to detecting the subsequent event within the predetermined time after the trigger event; wherein the drone is configured to generate one or more alert notifications from the one or more notification actuators while the drone is in the alert configuration, and the one or more alert notifications include one or more of an audio notification and a visual notification. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16, wherein the one or more electronic units includes a stability control unit, an anti-lock braking system, a battery temperature monitor, a theft alarm, an airbag controller, and a supplemental restraint system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16, wherein: the one or more notification actuators includes a banner actuator configured to alternatively deploy and retract a banner; and the one or more alert notifications includes a caution message written on the banner. ### Claim 19 A vehicle comprising: a drone having one or more notification actuators, wherein the one or more notification actuators includes one or more of a speaker and a light; a storage member configured to carry, deploy, and recover the drone; a tether configured to releasably hold the drone to the storage member; one or more electronic units configured to detect a trigger event and a subsequent event in the vehicle; and a telematics unit in communication with the one or more electronic units, the drone, and the storage member, the telematics unit being configured to: launch the drone in response to the trigger event; wait a predetermined time after the trigger event; retract the drone and the tether into the storage member in response to the subsequent event being undetected within the predetermined time after the trigger event; command the storage member to secure the drone after the drone and the tether are retracted into the storage member; and place the drone in an alert configuration in response to detecting the subsequent event within the predetermined time after the trigger event; wherein the drone is configured to generate one or more alert notifications from the one or more notification actuators while the drone is in the alert configuration, and the one or more alert notifications include one or more of an audio notification and a visual notification. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The vehicle according to claim 19, further comprising: an airbag controller configured to assert the subsequent event in response to deployment of one or more airbags.