IP Library Granted Patent US 10,885,797
Granted Patent B2
US 10,885,797 · App. 15/488,934 · Granted Jan 5, 2021

Methods and systems for managing drones with drone operating parameters

Inventors: Bradford O. Brooks (Longmont, CO); Grant D. Miller (Arvada, CO); Louis S. Sickenius (Longmont, CO); Srinivas B. Tummalapenta (Broomfield, CO); Robert D. Wilhelm (Cheyenne, WY); Hamza Yaswi (Erie, CO)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
G08G5/0091B64C39/024G08G5/006G08G5/0013G08G5/0026G08G5/0034G08G5/0043G08G5/0069
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,885,797
App. No.
15/488,934
Granted
Jan 5, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments for managing drones by one or more processors are described. A condition related to the operation of a drone in a selected area is detected. A set of drone operating parameters associated with the operation of the drone in the selected area is changed based on the detecting of the condition. A signal representative of the changing of the set of drone operating parameters is generated.

Claims (31)

1. A method, by one or more processors, for managing drones, comprising:

receiving a set of drone operating parameters associated with an operation of a drone; wherein at least one of the drone operating parameters includes a drop off point for an item associated with a delivery task performed by the drone;

detecting a condition related to the operation of the drone in a selected area; wherein the condition is detected prior to the drone entering the selected area and comprises a detected anomaly that would preclude the drone from completing the delivery task within the selected area;

changing the set of drone operating parameters associated with the operation of the drone in the selected area based on the detecting of the condition; wherein the set of drone operating parameters further includes at least a permission to enter the selected area and a drone speed such that the permission to enter the selected area and the speed of the drone are dynamically modified in response to detecting the condition; and

generating a signal representative of the changing of the set of drone operating parameters; wherein the signal includes a communicated message to a user querying an indication of approval to change the drop off point to an alternative drop off point that would enable the drone to complete the delivery task once in the selected area according to the changed set of drone operating parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including controlling the drone such that the drone operates in the selected area based on said changed set of operating parameters.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

4. The method of claim 1 , further including scheduling the drone to operate in the selected area, wherein the detecting of the condition related to the operation of the drone in the selected area occurs after the scheduling the drone to operate in the selected area.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the condition related to the operation of the drone in the selected area occurs while the drone is traveling or within the selected area.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition related to the operation of the drone in a selected area includes at least one of a weather condition, terrestrial activity, or a security condition.

7. A system for managing drones, comprising:

at least one processor that

receives a set of drone operating parameters associated with an operation of a drone; wherein at least one of the drone operating parameters includes a drop off point for an item associated with a delivery task performed by the drone;

detects a condition related to the operation of the drone in a selected area; wherein the condition is detected prior to the drone entering the selected area and comprises a detected anomaly that would preclude the drone from completing the delivery task within the selected area;

changes the set of drone operating parameters associated with the operation of the drone in the selected area based on the detecting of the condition; wherein the set of drone operating parameters further includes at least a permission to enter the selected area and a drone speed such that the permission to enter the selected area and the speed of the drone are dynamically modified in response to detecting the condition; and

generates a signal representative of the changing of the set of drone operating parameters; wherein the signal includes a communicated message to a user querying an indication of approval to change the drop off point to an alternative drop off point that would enable the drone to complete the delivery task once in the selected area according to the changed set of drone operating parameters.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor further controls the drone such that the drone operates in the selected area based on said changed set of operating parameters.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor further schedules the drone to operate in the selected area, wherein the detecting of the condition related to the operation of the drone in the selected area occurs after the scheduling the drone to operate in the selected area.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the detecting of the condition related to the operation of the drone in the selected area occurs while the drone is traveling or within the selected area.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the condition related to the operation of the drone in a selected area includes at least one of a weather condition, terrestrial activity, or a security condition.

13. A computer program product for managing drones by one or more processors, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion that receives a set of drone operating parameters associated with an operation of a drone; wherein at least one of the drone operating parameters includes a drop off point for an item associated with a delivery task performed by the drone;

an executable portion that detects a condition related to the operation of the drone in a selected area; wherein the condition is detected prior to the drone entering the selected area and comprises a detected anomaly that would preclude the drone from completing the delivery task within the selected area;

an executable portion that changes the set of drone operating parameters associated with the operation of the drone in the selected area based on the detecting of the condition; wherein the set of drone operating parameters further includes at least a permission to enter the selected area and a drone speed such that the permission to enter the selected area and the speed of the drone are dynamically modified in response to detecting the condition; and

an executable portion that generates a signal representative of the changing of the set of drone operating parameters; wherein the signal includes a communicated message to a user querying an indication of approval to change the drop off point to an alternative drop off point that would enable the drone to complete the delivery task once in the selected area according to the changed set of drone operating parameters.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor further controls the drone such that the drone operates in the selected area based on said changed set of operating parameters.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer-readable program portions further include an executable portion that schedules the drone to operate in the selected area, wherein the detecting of the condition related to the operation of the drone in the selected area occurs after the scheduling the drone to operate in the selected area.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the detecting of the condition related to the operation of the drone in the selected area occurs while the drone is traveling or within the selected area.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the condition related to the operation of the drone in a selected area includes at least one of a weather condition, terrestrial activity, or a security condition.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2021
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058191/0341 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2017
From: BROOKS, BRADFORD O.; MILLER, GRANT D.; SICKENIUS, LOUIS S.; TUMMALAPENTA, SRINIVAS B.; WILHELM, ROBERT D.; YASWI, HAMZA
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042531/0093 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2017
From: BROOKS, BRADFORD O.; MILLER, GRANT D.; SICKENIUS, LOUIS S.; TUMMALAPENTA, SRINIVAS B.; WILHELM, ROBERT D.; YASWI, HAMZA
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042029/0001 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180299892A1 · Oct 18, 2018
Cited By (1)
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