IP Library Granted Patent US 10,983,248
Granted Patent B2
US 10,983,248 · App. 16/123,646 · Granted Apr 20, 2021

Weather data collection through incentivized and collaborative drone flights

Inventors: Sushain Pandit (Austin, TX); Su Liu (Austin, TX); Fang Wang (Westford, MA); Cheng Xu (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
G01W1/08B64C39/024G06Q30/0207H04W4/021H04W4/40B64C2201/125B64C2201/145
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,983,248
App. No.
16/123,646
Granted
Apr 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer receives a hotspot and a corresponding incentive, where the hotspot is a geolocation for collecting the weather data. The computer presents the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive to a user. The computer receives the weather data from the drone, transmits the weather data to a server, and updates a scorecard with the incentive corresponding to the hotspot based on determining that the drone reached the hotspot.

Claims (43)

1. A processor-implemented method for collecting weather data through incentivized flight, the method comprising:

receiving a hotspot and a corresponding incentive, wherein the hotspot is a geolocation for collecting the weather data by a drone, wherein the drone comprises a geolocation sensor;

presenting the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive to a user; and

based on determining, using the geolocation sensor, that the drone reached the hotspot:

receiving the weather data from the drone;

transmitting the weather data to a server; and

updating a scorecard with the corresponding incentive to the hotspot.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drone further comprises:

a weather sensor for collecting the weather data at the hotspot.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the geolocation sensor is a Global Positioning System (GPS) transponder.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hotspot is a geolocation comprising a longitude, a latitude and an elevation.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the user accepted the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining whether the user accepted the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive is based on a change in distance between the geolocation of the drone and the received hotspot within a predetermined timeframe.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the drone reached the hotspot is based on whether the drone is in a predefined vicinity from the received hotspot at a specific timeframe.

8. A computer system for collecting weather data through incentivized flight, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage medium, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method comprising:

receiving a hotspot and a corresponding incentive, wherein the hotspot is a geolocation for collecting the weather data by a drone, wherein the drone comprises a geolocation sensor;

presenting the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive to a user; and

based on determining, using the geolocation sensor, that the drone reached the hotspot:

receiving the weather data from the drone;

transmitting the weather data to a server; and

updating a scorecard with the incentive corresponding to the hotspot.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the drone further comprises:

a weather sensor for collecting the weather data at the hotspot.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the geolocation sensor is a Global Positioning System (GPS) transponder.

11. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the hotspot is a geolocation comprising a longitude, a latitude and an elevation.

12. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising determining whether the user accepted the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the determining whether the user accepted the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive is based on a change in distance between the geolocation of the drone and the received hotspot within a predetermined timeframe.

14. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein determining that the drone reached the hotspot is based on whether the drone is in a predefined vicinity from the received hotspot at a specific timeframe.

15. A computer program product for collecting weather data through incentivized flight, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage medium and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium, the program instructions executable by a processor, the program instructions comprising:

program instructions to receive a hotspot and a corresponding incentive, wherein the hotspot is a geolocation for collecting the weather data by a drone, wherein the drone comprises a geolocation sensor;

program instructions to present the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive to a user; and

based on determining, using the geolocation sensor, the drone reached the hotspot:

program instructions to receive the weather data from the drone;

program instructions to transmit the weather data to a server; and

program instructions to update a scorecard with the corresponding incentive to the hotspot.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the drone further comprises:

a weather sensor for collecting the weather data at the hotspot.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the geolocation sensor is a Global Positioning System (GPS) transponder.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the hotspot is a geolocation comprising a longitude, a latitude and an elevation.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising program instructions to determine whether the user accepted the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein program instructions to determine whether the user accepted the received hotspot and the corresponding incentive is based on a change in distance between the geolocation of the drone and the received hotspot within a predetermined timeframe.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTY FROM IBM RESEARCH AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TO INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINED CORPORATION AND TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY FROM ZEPHYR BUYER L.P. TO ZEPHYR BUYER, L.P. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66795 FRAME: 858. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: ZEPHYR BUYER, L.P.
Reel/Frame 066838/0157 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTY NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66796 FRAME: 188. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: ZEPHYR BUYER, L.P.
To: THE WEATHER COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 067188/0894 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 13, 2024
From: IBM RESEARCH AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
To: ZEPHYR BUYER L.P.
Reel/Frame 066795/0858 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 13, 2024
From: ZEPHYR BUYER L.P.
To: THE WEATHER COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 066796/0188 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 6, 2018
From: PANDIT, SUSHAIN; LIU, SU; WANG, FANG; XU, CHENG
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046804/0987 →
Continuity (1)
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