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US 12,591,247 B2Granted
Unmanned vehicle management system and method
AssigneeFirestorm Labs, Inc.
InventorsChad McCoy, Dan Magy, Ian Muceus, Brett Barbee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are systems, methods, computer program products, and devices for fully- or semi-autonomously managing the launch and movement of an unmanned vehicle or fleet of unmanned vehicles. In some aspects, a system includes a centralized data management system in communication over a network (e.g., public or private network) with a coded (fleet of) unmanned vehicle(s) and client devices that are distributed throughout areas of interest and operable by remote users to remotely program instructions for controlling one or more activities or tasks of the unmanned vehicle with complete secrecy of the instructions and anonymity of the remote user between client devices.
Claims20
A method for confidential mission management of an unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- generating or receiving, at a data management system comprising one or more computing devices, a code associated with an unmanned vehicle and associated with information pertaining to a mission of the unmanned vehicle, wherein the code is configured in at least one of a physical format or a wireless signal format that is coupled to the unmanned vehicle;
- processing, at the data management system, the information pertaining to the mission into a plurality of data sets, where each data set is associated with a portion of the mission and a configuration of the unmanned vehicle corresponding to the portion of the mission;
- receiving, at the data management system, a first input data including the code from a first client device of a first remote user that is located at a first location node of the mission, wherein the code was obtained by the first client device by acquisition of the code from the unmanned vehicle at the first location node;
- processing, at the data management system, the first input data to determine a first set of operation instructions to be implemented by the first remote user to affect the unmanned vehicle, wherein the first set of operation instructions includes at least one of a first maintenance task for the unmanned vehicle, a first refueling task of the unmanned vehicle, or a first payload loading, payload unloading, or payload modification task for the unmanned vehicle;
- transmitting, by the data management system, the first set of operation instructions to the first client device;
- processing, at the data management system, the first input data to determine a first set of flight instructions to be implemented by the unmanned vehicle to affect a flight plan of the unmanned vehicle after the first location node, wherein the first set of flight instructions includes at least one of a travel plan, a propulsion plan, or a navigation plan for the unmanned vehicle;
- transmitting, by the data management system, the first set of flight instructions to the unmanned vehicle;
- receiving a second input data including the code at a second client device of a second remote user located at a second location node of the mission, wherein the code was obtained by the second client device by a scan of the code from the unmanned vehicle at the second location node;
- processing, at the data management system, the second input data to determine a second set of operation instructions to be implemented by the unmanned vehicle or by the second remote user to affect the unmanned vehicle, wherein the second set of operation instructions include at least one of a second maintenance task for the unmanned vehicle, a second refueling task of the unmanned vehicle, or a second payload loading, payload unloading, or payload modification task for the unmanned vehicle;
- and
- transmitting the second set of operation instructions to the second client device,
- wherein the second set of operation instructions and the first set of operation instructions are different and associated with different data segmentations of the information.
9 more elements
An unmanned vehicle management system, comprising:
- a centralized data management system comprising one or more computing devices;
- a plurality of client devices each comprising a data processor and in communication with the centralized data management system;
- and
- an unmanned vehicle comprising an electronics unit and having a code configured in a physical format or a wireless signal format that is operable to be acquired by the client device, wherein the code of the unmanned vehicle is configured to enable access to segmented data associated with a mission of the unmanned vehicle provided by the centralized data management system to a particular client device at a particular location node of the mission, wherein the segmented data includes two or more sets of operation instructions to be implemented when the unmanned vehicle is located at two or more location nodes, respectively,
- wherein the two or more sets of operation instructions comprise:
- at first set of operation instructions, associated with a first location node, including at least one of a first maintenance task for the unmanned vehicle, a first refueling task of the unmanned vehicle, or a first payload loading, payload unloading, or payload modification task for the unmanned vehicle, and
- at second set of operation instructions, associated with a second location node, including at least one of a second maintenance task for the unmanned vehicle, a second refueling task of the unmanned vehicle, or a second payload loading, payload unloading, or payload modification task for the unmanned vehicle,
- wherein the centralized data management system is configured to store and process data associated with the mission of the unmanned vehicle.
5 more elements
A system for confidential mission management of an unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- an unmanned vehicle comprising an electronics unit and having a code configured in a physical format or a wireless signal format that is linked to the unmanned vehicle;
- and
- a data management system comprising one or more computing devices, the one or more computing devices comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the data management system to perform operations comprising:
- generating or receiving the code of the unmanned vehicle, wherein the code is associated with information pertaining to a mission of the unmanned vehicle,
- processing the information pertaining to the mission into a plurality of data sets, where each data set is associated with a portion of the mission and a configuration of the unmanned vehicle corresponding to the portion of the mission,
- receiving a first input data including the code from a first client device of a first remote user that is located at a first location node of the mission, wherein the code was obtained by the first client device by the first client device acquiring the code from the unmanned vehicle at the first location node,
- processing the first input data to determine a first set of operation instructions to be implemented by the first remote user at the first location node to affect the unmanned vehicle, wherein the first set of operation instructions includes at least one of a first maintenance task for the unmanned vehicle, a first refueling task of the unmanned vehicle, or a first payload loading, payload unloading, or payload modification task for the unmanned vehicle,
- transmitting the first set of operation instructions to the first client device,
- processing the first input data to determine a first set of flight instructions to be implemented by the unmanned vehicle to affect a flight plan of the unmanned vehicle after the first location node, wherein the first set of flight instructions includes at least one of a travel plan, a propulsion plan, or a navigation plan for the unmanned vehicle;
- transmitting the first set of flight instructions to the unmanned vehicle;
- receiving a second input data including the code at a second client device of a second remote user located at a second location node of the mission, wherein the code was obtained by the second client device by a scan of the code from the unmanned vehicle at the second location node;
- processing, at the data management system, the second input data to determine a second set of operation instructions to be implemented by the unmanned vehicle or by the second remote user to affect the unmanned vehicle, wherein the second set of operation instructions include at least one of a second maintenance task for the unmanned vehicle, a second refueling task of the unmanned vehicle, or a second payload loading, payload unloading, or payload modification task for the unmanned vehicle;
- and
- transmitting the second set of operation instructions to the second client device,
- wherein the second set of operation instructions and the first set of operation instructions are different and associated with different data segmentations of the information.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.