# US 12,118,793 B2 · Systems and methods for providing a vehicle-and-drone-based security service

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- Number: US 12,118,793 B2
- Document ID: US12118793B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/659,851
- Filed: 2022-04-20
- Published: 2023-10-26
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2022-04-20
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Stuart C. Salter; Brendan Diamond; John Robert Van Wiemeersch; Tarik Safir; Sam Harris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118793B2

## CPC

- B64C 39/024: {of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV}
- G06V 20/52: Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69)
- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- B60L 58/13: Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
- G06V 20/17: taken from planes or by drones
- G06V 20/58: Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
- G08G 5/32: for flight plan preparation
- B60L 2200/10: Air crafts
- B60L 2260/54: Energy consumption estimation
- B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors
- B64U 80/86: Land vehicles
- B64U 2101/00: UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
- 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]
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- 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
- 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})
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for providing a vehicle-and-drone-based security service. In an example method, a first area of interest and a second area of interest associated with a structure may be determined. The first area of interest may then be determined to be monitored at the vehicle. The second area of interest may also be determined to be monitored at a drone associated with the vehicle. A route may be identified for the drone to travel along, where the route is configured for the drone to monitor the second area of interest. The drone may then be launched via the vehicle to travel along the route to monitor the second area of interest.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
determining a first area of interest and a second area of interest associated with a structure;
determining to monitor the first area of interest by a vehicle;
determining to monitor the second area of interest by a drone associated with the vehicle;
identifying a route for the drone to travel along, wherein the route is configured for the drone to monitor the second area of interest;
launching, via the vehicle, the drone to travel along the route to monitor the second area of interest;
determining, prior to launching the drone, a present battery charge level associated with the drone;
determining a predicted battery consumption associated with the drone traveling along the route;
calculating a predicted battery charge level associated with the drone, wherein the predicted battery charge level comprises the present battery charge level minus the predicted battery consumption;
determining that the predicted battery charge level is below a battery charge threshold; and
charging the drone prior to launching the drone.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and wherein the vehicle is configured to move to ensure communication with the drone.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the drone is configured to record a video feed associated with a field of view of the drone, and wherein the video feed is transmitted to the vehicle for processing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein a security threat in the video feed is (Original) detected by the vehicle, and wherein the drone is instructed to follow the security threat.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
monitoring a battery charge level associated with the drone;
determining that the battery charge level is below a battery charge threshold; and
instructing the drone to return to the vehicle for charging.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a third area of interest associated with the structure;
determining that a first priority level associated with the third area of interest exceeds a second priority level associated with the second area of interest;
instructing the drone to travel to the third area of interest from the second area of interest; and
changing a sensor setting associated with the drone.

### Claim 7

A device, comprising:
at least one memory device that stores computer-executable instructions; and
at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory device, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
determine a first area of interest and a second area of interest associated with a structure;
determine to monitor the first area of interest by a vehicle;
determine to monitor the second area of interest by a drone associated with the vehicle;
identify a route for the drone to travel along, wherein the route is configured for the drone to monitor the second area of interest;
launch, via the vehicle, the drone to travel along the route to monitor the second area of interest;
determine a third area of interest associated with the structure;
determine that a first priority level associated with the third area of interest exceeds a second priority level associated with the second area of interest;
instruct the drone to travel to the third area of interest from the second area of interest; and
change a sensor setting associated with the drone.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and wherein the vehicle is configured to move to ensure communication with the drone.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the drone is configured to record a video feed associated with a field of view of the drone, and wherein the video feed is transmitted to the vehicle for processing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9, wherein a security threat in the video feed is detected by the vehicle, and wherein the drone is instructed to follow the security threat.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
monitor a battery charge level associated with the drone;
determine that the battery charge level is below a battery charge threshold; and
instruct the drone to return to the vehicle for charging.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
determine, prior to launching the drone, a present battery charge level associated with the drone;
determine a predicted battery consumption associated with the drone traveling along the route;
calculate a predicted battery charge level associated with the drone, wherein the predicted battery charge level comprises the present battery charge level minus the predicted battery consumption;
determine that the predicted battery charge level is below a battery charge threshold; and
charge the drone prior to launching the drone.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
determining a first area of interest and a second area of interest associated with a structure;
determining to monitor the first area of interest by a vehicle;
determining to monitor the second area of interest by a drone associated with the vehicle;
identifying a route for the drone to travel along, wherein the route is configured for the drone to monitor the second area of interest;
launching, via the vehicle, the drone to travel along the route to monitor the second area of interest;
determining, prior to launching the drone, a present battery charge level associated with the drone;
determining a predicted battery consumption associated with the drone traveling along the route;
calculating a predicted battery charge level associated with the drone, wherein the predicted battery charge level comprises the present battery charge level minus the predicted battery consumption;
determining that the predicted battery charge level is below a battery charge threshold; and
charging the drone prior to launching the drone.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and wherein the vehicle is configured to move to ensure communication with the drone.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the drone is configured to record a video feed associated with a field of view of the drone, and wherein the video feed is transmitted to the vehicle for processing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein a security threat in the video feed is detected by the vehicle, and wherein the drone is instructed to follow the security threat.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:
determining a third area of interest associated with the structure;
determining that a first priority level associated with the third area of interest exceeds a second priority level associated with the second area of interest;
instructing the drone to travel to the third area of interest from the second area of interest; and
changing a sensor setting associated with the drone.