IP Library Granted Patent US 9,310,221
Granted Patent B1
US 9,310,221 · App. 14/709,287 · Granted Apr 12, 2016

Distributed unmanned aerial vehicle architecture

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 9,310,221
App. No.
14/709,287
Granted
Apr 12, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a distributed system architecture for unmanned air vehicles. One of the methods includes receiving selections of configuration information to provide to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), with the selections of configuration information being associated with respective components included in the UAV. The configuration information associated with a first component is determined to be valid from selections of configuration information associated with the first component. The configuration information associated with the first component is provided for storage in the UAV in response to receiving a user action.

Claims (58)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving at a system comprising one or more computers, from a user, selections of configuration information to provide to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the selections of configuration information are associated with respective components included in the UAV;

determining by the system, from selections of configuration information associated with a first component, that the configuration information associated with the first component is valid; and

in response to receiving a user action, providing, for storage in the UAV, the configuration information associated with the first component;

determining by the system, one or more possible selections of configuration information associated with a second component, wherein the possible selections are determined based on information identifying capabilities of the second component and configuration information associated with one or more other components to be utilized in a flight operation of the UAV; and

providing by the system, for presentation to the user, possible selections of configuration information associated with the second component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, from selections of configuration information associated with a third second component, that the configuration information associated with the third second component is not valid; and

providing, for presentation to the user, information identifying describing an error associated with the configuration information associated with the third component.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second component is a radio datalink, and determining possible selections of configuration information associated with the second component comprises:

determining, from flight operation configuration information associated with the one or more other components to be utilized in the flight operation of the UAV, that configuration information associated with a ground datalink includes a selection of a particular frequency spectrum; and

identifying the possible selection of a frequency spectrum associated with the radio datalink as the particular frequency spectrum.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the configuration information associated with each component included in the UAV is valid; and

providing, over a network, the configuration information for storage in a cloud system.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving, from a second user, a request to receive the validated configuration information from the cloud system;

obtaining information identifying components included in a different UAV associated with the second user; and

providing, to the different UAV, a portion of the validated configuration information identifying settings one or more selections of configuration information associated with the second component, wherein the second component is similar to a component included in the different UAV.

6. A computer program product, encoded on one or more non-transitory computer storage media, comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user, selections of configuration information to provide to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the selections of configuration information are associated with respective components included in the UAV;

determining, from selections of configuration information associated with a first component, that that the configuration information associated with the first component is valid; and

in response to receiving a user action, providing, for storage in the UAV, the configuration information associated with the first component;

determining by the system, one or more possible selections of configuration information associated with a second component, wherein the possible selections are determined based on information identifying capabilities of the second component and configuration information associated with one or more other components to be utilized in a flight operation of the UAV; and

providing, for presentation to the user, possible selections of configuration information associated with the second component.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise further comprising:

determining, from selections of configuration information associated with a third second component, that the configuration information associated with the third second component is not valid; and

providing, for presentation to the user, information identifying describing an error associated with the configuration information associated with the third component.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the second component is a radio datalink, and determining possible selections of configuration information associated with the second component comprises:

determining, from flight operation configuration information associated with the one or more other components to be utilized in the flight operation of the UAV, that configuration information associated with a ground datalink includes a selection of a particular frequency spectrum; and

identifying the possible selection of a frequency spectrum associated with the radio datalink as the particular frequency spectrum.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the configuration information associated with each component included in the UAV is valid; and

providing, over a network, the configuration information for storage in a cloud system.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from a second user, a request to receive the validated configuration information from the cloud system;

obtaining information identifying components included in a different UAV associated with the second user; and

providing, to the different UAV, a portion of the validated configuration information identifying settings one or more selections of configuration information associated with the second component, wherein the second component is similar to a component included in the different UAV.

11. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more computer storage media storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user, selections of configuration information to provide to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the selections of configuration information are associated with respective components included in the UAV;

determining, from selections of configuration information associated with a first component, that the configuration information associated with the first component is valid; and

in response to receiving a user action, providing, for storage in the UAV, the configuration information associated with the first component;

determining by the system, one or more possible selections of configuration information associated with a second component, wherein the possible selections are determined based on information identifying capabilities of the second component and configuration information associated with one or more other components to be utilized in a flight operation of the UAV; and

providing by the system, for presentation to the user, possible selections of configuration information associated with the second component.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, from selections of configuration information associated with a third second component, that the configuration information associated with the third second component is not valid; and

providing, for presentation to the user, information identifying describing an error associated with the configuration information associated with the third component.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second component is a radio datalink, and determining possible selections of configuration information associated with the second component comprises:

determining, from flight operation configuration information associated with the one or more other components to be utilized in the flight operation of the UAV, that configuration information associated with a ground datalink includes a selection of a particular frequency spectrum; and

identifying the possible selection of a frequency spectrum associated with the radio datalink as the particular frequency spectrum.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the configuration information associated with each component included in the UAV is valid; and

providing, over a network, the configuration information for storage in a cloud system.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from a second user, a request to receive the validated configuration information from the cloud system;

obtaining information identifying components included in a different UAV associated with the second user; and

providing, to the different UAV, a portion of the validated configuration information identifying settings one or more selections of configuration information associated with the second component, wherein the second component is similar to a component included in the different UAV.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2025
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK, A DIVISION OF FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
To: SKYDIO, INC.
Reel/Frame 072107/0066 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2025
From: HERCULES CAPITAL, INC.
To: SKYDIO, INC.
Reel/Frame 072128/0698 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 9, 2021
From: SKYDIO, INC.
To: HERCULES CAPITAL, INC., AS COLLATERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 058081/0677 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2021
From: SKYDIO, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 058053/0768 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2020
From: KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR, LLP
To: UNMANNED INNOVATION, INC.
Reel/Frame 053739/0789 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 16, 2020
From: KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR, LLC
To: AIRWARE, LLC
Reel/Frame 053234/0634 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE CONVEYING PARTY DATA WAS ERRONEOUSLY ENTER AS UNMMANED INNOVATIONS, INC. IT SHOULD READ UNMANNED INNOVATIONS, INC PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 053144 FRAME: 0591. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jul 15, 2020
From: UNMANNED INNOVATION, INC.
To: AIRWARE, LLC
Reel/Frame 053210/0586 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2020
From: AIRWARE, LLC
To: SKYDIO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053144/0633 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2020
From: UNMMANED INNOVATION, INC.
To: AIRWARE, LLC
Reel/Frame 053144/0591 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2018
From: UNMANNED INNOVATION, INC.
To: KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR, LLP
Reel/Frame 048681/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2015
From: DOWNEY, JONATHAN; MICHINI, BERNARD J.; RICHMAN, BRIAN
To: UNMANNED INNOVATION, INC.
Reel/Frame 035932/0346 →