IP Library Granted Patent US 8,909,391
Granted Patent B1
US 8,909,391 · App. 13/730,110 · Granted Dec 9, 2014

Responsive navigation of an unmanned aerial vehicle to a remedial facility

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,909,391
App. No.
13/730,110
Granted
Dec 9, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a deployment system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In one aspect, an illustrative deployment system includes a communication system configured for receiving diagnostic data corresponding to an object held by a UAV, wherein the object has an expiration condition; and a logic module configured for (i) determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied based, at least in part, on the received diagnostic data, and (ii) responsive to determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied, initiating an action that includes sending to the UAV both (a) navigation data relating to a remedial facility, and (b) instructions to navigate to the remedial facility based, at least in part, on the navigation data.

Claims (36)

1. A deployment system comprising:

a communication system configured for receiving diagnostic data corresponding to an object held by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the object has an expiration condition; and

a logic module configured for (i) determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied based, at least in part, on the received diagnostic data, and (ii) responsive to determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied, initiating an action that comprises sending to the UAV both (a) navigation data relating to a remedial facility, and (b) instructions to navigate to the remedial facility based, at least in part, on the navigation data.

2. The deployment system of claim 1 , wherein the initiated action further comprises launching the UAV.

3. The deployment system of claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a medical item.

4. The deployment system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied comprises determining that an expiration time of the object has lapsed.

5. The deployment system of claim 1 , wherein the object is associated with a near-field communication (NFC) tag, and wherein receiving the diagnostic data comprises detecting and determining the diagnostic data from the NFC tag.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, by a deployment system, diagnostic data corresponding to an object held by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the object has an expiration condition;

determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied based, at least in part, on the received diagnostic data; and

responsive to determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied, initiating an action that comprises sending to the UAV both (i) navigation data relating to a remedial facility, and (ii) instructions to navigate to the remedial facility based, at least in part, on the navigation data.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the initiated action further comprises launching the UAV.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the object comprises a medical item.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied comprises determining that an expiration time of the object has lapsed.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the object is associated with a near-field communication (NFC) tag, and wherein receiving the diagnostic data comprises detecting and determining the diagnostic data from the NFC tag.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause performance of a set of functions, the set including:

receiving, by a deployment system, diagnostic data corresponding to an object held by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the object has an expiration condition;

determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied based, at least in part, on the received diagnostic data; and

responsive to determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied, initiating an action that comprises sending to the UAV both (i) navigation data relating to a remedial facility, and (ii) instructions to navigate to the remedial facility based, at least in part, on the navigation data.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the initiated action further comprises launching the UAV.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the object comprises a medical item.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied comprises determining that an expiration time of the object has lapsed.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the object is associated with a near-field communication (NFC) tag, and wherein receiving the diagnostic data comprises detecting and determining the diagnostic data from the NFC tag.

16. A deployment system comprising:

a logic module configured for (i) determining diagnostic data corresponding to an item held by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the item has an expiration condition, (ii) determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied based, at least in part, on the determined diagnostic data, and (ii) responsive to determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied, initiating an action that comprises sending to the UAV (a) navigation data relating to a remedial facility, and (b) instructions to retrieve the item and navigate with the retrieved item to the remedial facility based, at least in part, on the navigation data.

17. The deployment system of claim 16 , wherein the initiated action further comprises launching the UAV.

18. The deployment system of claim 16 , wherein the item comprises a medical item.

19. The deployment system of claim 16 , wherein determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied comprises determining that an expiration time of the item has lapsed.

20. The deployment system of claim 16 , wherein the item is associated with a near-field communication (NFC) tag, and wherein determining the diagnostic data comprises detecting and determining the diagnostic data from the NFC tag.

21. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a navigation module; and

a logic module configured for (i) determining diagnostic data corresponding to an object held by the UAV, wherein the object has an expiration condition; (ii) determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied based, at least in part, on the determined diagnostic data; and (iii) responsive to determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied, initiating an action that comprises the UAV using the navigation module to navigate to a remedial facility.

22. The UAV of claim 21 , further comprising a communication system, wherein the logic module is further configured to determine the remedial facility based on a message received via the communication system.

23. The UAV of claim 21 , wherein the initiated action further comprises the UAV launching itself.

24. The UAV of claim 21 , wherein the object comprises a medical item.

25. The UAV of claim 21 , wherein determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied comprises determining that an expiration time of the object has lapsed.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE REMOVAL OF THE INCORRECTLY RECORDED APPLICATION NUMBERS 14/149802 AND 15/419313 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 44144 FRAME: 1. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 068092/0502 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2018
From: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
To: WING AVIATION LLC
Reel/Frame 047567/0433 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044144/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2016
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 039900/0610 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2013
From: PEETERS, ERIC; TELLER, ERIC; PATRICK, WILLIAM GRAHAM
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 029595/0206 →