# US 12,179,917 B1 · Self-charging unmanned vehicle

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- Number: US 12,179,917 B1
- Document ID: US12179917B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/506,641
- Filed: 2021-10-20
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2016-02-10
- Assignees: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
- Applicants: United Services Automobile Association (Usaa)
- Inventors: Kade Scott
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179917B1

## CPC

- B60L 8/003: {Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems}
- B60L 50/53: in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
- B60L 53/00: Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
- B60L 53/12: Inductive energy transfer
- B60L 53/66: Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
- B60L 53/80: Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
- B64U 50/35: by wireless transmission, e.g. by induction
- G01C 21/00: Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00 (measuring distance traversed on the ground by a vehicle G01C22/00; control of position, course, altitude or attitude of vehicles G05D1/00; traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968)
- B60L 2200/10: Air crafts
- B60L 2200/32: Waterborne vessels
- B60L 2240/622: by satellite navigation
- B60L 2240/662: Temperature
- B60L 2240/665: Light intensity
- B60L 2240/667: Precipitation
- B60L 2260/32: Auto pilot mode
- B60L 2260/52: drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
- B63B 2035/006: {Unmanned surface vessels, e.g. remotely controlled}
- B63B 2035/007: {autonomously operating}
- B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors
- B64U 50/31: generated by photovoltaics
- B64U 50/34: In-flight charging (photovoltaics B64U50/31)
- B64U 50/39: Battery swapping
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- 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
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Unmanned vehicles can be terrestrial, aerial, nautical, or multi-mode. Unmanned vehicles may efficiently accomplish tasks by autonomously charging or replacing its power source.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
receiving an alert to deploy a first unmanned vehicle according to a mission, wherein the mission includes completion of at least one task according to a first path;
operating the first unmanned vehicle in a first mode, in which it operates in a mobile manner and functions as an autonomous self-propelled power supply device, wherein the first mode is configured to execute the mission;
determining, by the first unmanned vehicle, a power level of the first unmanned vehicle as it operates in the first mode;
determining, by the first unmanned vehicle and based on the power level, to switch to a second mode, wherein the first unmanned vehicle moves to a location and renders itself stationary such that it uses less power in the second mode than in the first mode;
operating in the second mode;
attaching, with electromagnetic connections, the first unmanned vehicle to a second unmanned vehicle;
transferring power from the first unmanned vehicle to the second unmanned vehicle; and
modifying a flight plan of the second unmanned vehicle to complete the mission.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, in the first mode, the first unmanned vehicle is configured to travel along the first path; and
wherein, in the second mode, the first unmanned vehicle is configured to travel along a second path.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the determining to switch to the second mode is further based on a current power usage of the first unmanned vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving data from a sensor of the first unmanned vehicle; and
wherein the determining to switch to the second mode is further based on the data from the sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode is associated with a first power source and the second mode is associated with a second power source.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the determining to switch to the second mode is further based on an environmental condition.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode comprises a first speed mode and the second mode comprises a second speed mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first unmanned vehicle is traveling to a destination; and
wherein the determining to switch to the second mode is further based on the second unmanned vehicle traveling to the destination.

### Claim 9

A method comprising:
receiving an alert to deploy a first unmanned vehicle according to a mission, wherein the mission includes completion of at least one task according to a first path;
determining, by a first unmanned vehicle, which operates as an autonomous self-propelled power supply device, power needed for the first unmanned vehicle to travel the first path to a destination;
determining, by the first unmanned vehicle and based on the power needed and a power level of the first unmanned vehicle, to switch to a second mode from a first mode, wherein the first mode is configured to execute the mission, and, wherein the first unmanned vehicle moves to a power supply replacement location and renders itself stationary such that it uses less power in the second mode than in the first mode;
traveling along a second path to the destination and stopping at the power supply replacement location;
causing the first unmanned vehicle to transfer power to a second unmanned vehicle by attaching, with electromagnetic connections, to the second unmanned vehicle; and
modifying a flight plan of the second unmanned vehicle to complete the mission.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising determining environmental data associated with the first path; and
wherein the determining the power needed for the first unmanned vehicle to travel the first path is further based on the environmental data.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises receiving data from a sensor of the first unmanned vehicle; and
wherein the determining the power needed for the first unmanned vehicle to travel the first path to the destination is further based on the data from the sensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the first path is associated with a first landing location at the destination and a second path is associated with a second landing location at the destination.

### Claim 13

A method comprising:
receiving an alert to deploy a first unmanned vehicle according to a mission, wherein the mission includes completion of at least one task according to a first path;
determining a power level of a first unmanned vehicle operating in a first power mode, operating in a mobile manner and functioning as an autonomous self-propelled power supply device;
determining, based on the power level of the first unmanned vehicle and a destination of the first unmanned vehicle, to switch to a second power mode from a first mode, wherein the first mode is configured to execute the mission, and wherein the first unmanned vehicle moves to a location and renders itself stationary such that it uses less power in the second power mode than in the first power mode;
causing the first unmanned vehicle to enable a second unmanned vehicle to attach, with electromagnetic connections, to the first unmanned vehicle;
transferring power from the first unmanned vehicle to the second unmanned vehicle; and
modifying a flight plan of the second unmanned vehicle to complete the mission.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the second power mode comprises a rotor speed mode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the second power mode is associated with a flying altitude of the first unmanned vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the first power mode is associated with travel along the first path and the second power mode is associated with travel along a second path.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the first power mode is associated with a first power source and the second power mode is associated with a second power source.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a level of engagement of the first unmanned vehicle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the first unmanned vehicle is traveling to a destination; and
wherein the determining to switch to the second power mode is further based on the second unmanned vehicle traveling to the destination.