# US 12,181,868 B2 · Information collection device, information collection method, and information collection program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,868 B2 - Document ID: US12181868B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/722,679 - Filed: 2022-04-18 - Published: 2022-12-22 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-21 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masayuki Imoto; Jun Miyagawa; Yasue Mano; Ayako Nakamura; Naohiro Seo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181868B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)} - G05D 1/226: Communication links with the remote-control arrangements - H04B 7/18506: {Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service} - B64U 2101/20: for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - H04B: TRANSMISSION - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract An information collection device according to the present disclosure is an information collection device that causes a small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from a departure point to a destination and collects information at the destination using the small unmanned aerial vehicle, and includes a control device that causes the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting a control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via a vehicle when determination is made that the wireless information communication is able to be executed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the vehicle located between the departure point and the destination. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information collection device that causes a small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from a departure point to a destination and collects information at the destination using the small unmanned aerial vehicle, the information collection device comprising: a control device including a processor that that causes the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting a control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via a vehicle located between the departure point and the destination when the wireless information communication is able to be executed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the vehicle, wherein when there is an area in which wireless communication is not able to be executed via the vehicle between the departure point and the destination, and an available wireless information communication network is provided in the area, the processor of the control device further causes the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting the control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via the vehicle and the wireless information communication network; wherein the processor of the control device further: sets the information on the departure point and the destination by an operator operating the information collection device; determines whether the wireless information communication is performed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle from the departure point to the destination using a telecommunication line; searches for the vehicle from among a plurality of vehicles that is located within a predetermined range from a set route from the departure point to the destination; and stores identification information of the available wireless communication network which is updated to a predetermined state at predetermined control cycles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information collection device according to claim 1, wherein when the wireless information communication network that covers the area between the departure point and the destination is available, the processor of the control device causes the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting the control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via the wireless information communication network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information collection device according to claim 1, wherein when there is the area in which the control signal is not able to be transmitted to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication between the departure point and the destination, the processor of the control device prohibits flight of the small unmanned aerial vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information collection device according to claim 1, wherein the processor of the control device distributes information collected by the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the telecommunication line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information collection device according to claim 1, wherein the destination is a disaster occurrence site. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information collection device according to claim 5, wherein information collected by the small unmanned aerial vehicle includes a video of the disaster occurrence site and information on a victim. ### Claim 7 An information collection method that causes a small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from a departure point to a destination and collects information at the destination using the small unmanned aerial vehicle, the information collection method comprising: a step of causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting a control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via a vehicle located between the departure point and the destination when the wireless information communication is able to be executed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the vehicle; when there is an area in which wireless communication is not able to be executed via the vehicle between the departure point and the destination, and an available wireless information communication network is provided in the area, a step of causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting the control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via the vehicle and the wireless information communication network; a step of setting the information on the departure point and the destination by an operator operating the information collection device; a step of determining whether the wireless information communication is performed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle from the departure point to the destination using a telecommunication line; a step of searching for the vehicle from among a plurality of vehicles that is located within a predetermined range from a set route from the departure point to the destination; and a step of storing identification information of the available wireless communication network which is updated to a predetermined state at predetermined control cycles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The information collection method according to claim 7, further comprising when the wireless information communication network that covers the area between the departure point and the destination is available, a step of causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting the control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via the wireless information communication network. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The information collection method according to claim 7, further comprising when there is the area in which the control signal is not able to be transmitted to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication between the departure point and the destination, a step of prohibiting flight of the small unmanned aerial vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The information collection method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of distributing information collected by the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the telecommunication line. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The information collection method according to claim 7, wherein the destination is a disaster occurrence site. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The information collection method according to claim 11, wherein information collected by the small unmanned aerial vehicle includes a video of the disaster occurrence site and information on a victim. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform one or more operations including: causing a small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from a departure point to a destination and collecting information at the destination using the small unmanned aerial vehicle; causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting a control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via a vehicle located between the departure point and the destination when the wireless information communication is able to be executed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the vehicle; when there is an area in which wireless communication is not able to be executed via the vehicle between the departure point and the destination, and an available wireless information communication network is provided in the area, causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting the control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via the vehicle and the wireless information communication network; setting the information on the departure point and the destination by an operator operating the information collection device; determining whether the wireless information communication is performed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle from the departure point to the destination using a telecommunication line; searching for the vehicle from among a plurality of vehicles that is located within a predetermined range from a set route from the departure point to the destination; and storing identification information of the available wireless communication network which is updated to a predetermined state at predetermined control cycles. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein when a wireless information communication network that covers the area between the departure point and the destination is available, the one or more operations further including causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting the control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via the wireless information communication network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein when there is the area in which the control signal is not able to be transmitted to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication between the departure point and the destination, the one or more operations further including prohibiting flight of the small unmanned aerial vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the the one or more operations further including distributing information collected by the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the telecommunication line. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the destination is a disaster occurrence site.