# US 2017/0255802 A1 · System for identifying and controlling unmanned aerial vehicles

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- Number: US 2017/0255802 A1
- Document ID: US20170255802A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/206,671
- Filed: 2016-07-11
- Published: 2017-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-01
- Assignees: Vigilent Corporation
- Applicants: Vigilent Inc.
- Inventors: John Mansfield FALK; Mark Anthony SULLIVAN
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170255802A1

## CPC

- G06K 7/1417: {2D bar codes}
- G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)}
- G06K 7/10366: {the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications}
- G06K 7/1413: {1D bar codes}
- G06V 20/00: Scenes; Scene-specific elements (control of digital cameras H04N23/60)
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- G08G 5/00: Traffic control systems for aircraft
- G08G 5/21: located onboard the aircraft
- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- G08G 5/723: {from the aircraft}
- B64U 70/95: Means for guiding the landing UAV towards the platform, e.g. lighting means
- B64U 2201/104: using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
- B64U 2201/20: Remote controls
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- 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

A beacon for attachment to an unmanned aerial vehicle that provides information needed to identify the owner of a particular unmanned vehicle. The beacon may also include a remote communications module configured to participate on wireless communications networks and a beacon control system configured to issue commands compatible with the unmanned aerial vehicle. The beacon may further a beacon control system configured to translate multiple types of commands from different controls systems into commands compatible with the unmanned aerial vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-4. (canceled)

### Claim 5

A beacon attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle including a control system, a sensory system, and a communications system, the beacon comprising:
an attachment mechanism configured to securely and removably attach the apparatus to the unmanned aerial vehicle;
an unmanned aerial vehicle communications module configured to provide commands and transmit and receive information to and from the unmanned aerial vehicle through the unmanned aerial vehicle communications system;
a remote communications module configured to participate on at least one wireless communications system, the remote communications module being configured to transmit and receive information across the at least one wireless communications system to and from a remote operator;
a beacon control system configured to receive information and commands from the remote communications module and to transform the information and commands for compatibility with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the beacon control system further being configured to transmit the transformed information and commands to the unmanned aerial vehicle through the unmanned aerial vehicle communications module;
wherein the beacon control system is further configured to receive information from the unmanned aerial vehicle through the unmanned aerial vehicle communications module and to transform the information for transmission over the at least one wireless communications system; and
wherein the remote communications module transmits the transformed information to the remote operator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The beacon of claim 5, wherein the remote communications module switches between wireless communications systems during a flight plan based on a set of predetermined criteria.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The beacon of claim 5, wherein the beacon control system transforms the commands received by the remote communications module by mapping at least one of the received commands to at least one command compatible with the unmanned aerial vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The beacon of claim 7, wherein the beacon control system determine an appropriate mapping and utilize the determined appropriate mapping so that compatible commands are transmitted to the unmanned aerial vehicle control system.