IP Library Granted Patent US 11,614,734
Granted Patent B2
US 11,614,734 · App. 17/193,312 · Granted Mar 28, 2023

Local drone identification verification

Inventors: Charles Alfred Bergan (Cardiff, CA); Edward Harrison Teague (San Diego, CA); Paul Guckian (La Jolla, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
G05D1/0016B64C39/024B64D47/02G05D1/0022G05D1/0027G05D1/0033G05D1/104G08G5/0069G08G5/0082H04W4/02H04W4/90B64U2201/10B64U2201/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,614,734
App. No.
17/193,312
Granted
Mar 28, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable local visual identification and verification of robotic vehicles. Various embodiments may enable disambiguation of a robotic vehicle from among a plurality of robotic vehicles.

Claims (69)

1. A method of disambiguating a robotic vehicle, comprising:

receiving, in a processor of the robotic vehicle, a disambiguation message from an observer's computing device while the robotic vehicle is operating at least in part under control of an operator's computing device that is different from the operator's computing device; and

controlling, by the processor of the robotic vehicle, one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to receiving the disambiguation message.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver is performed within an identification window of time indicated in the disambiguation message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forwarding the disambiguation message from the processor of the robotic vehicle to the operator's computing device; and

receiving, in the processor of the robotic vehicle, an instruction to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver from the operator's computing device,

wherein controlling, by the processor of the robotic vehicle, one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver is performed in response to the instruction to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver received from the operator's computing device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the disambiguation message includes an operator identifying task comprising at least one of a gesture or motion of an operator to be performed.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an execution message prior to executing the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor of the robotic vehicle, whether an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message violates one or more vehicle constraints; and

blocking execution of the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message by the processor of the robotic vehicle in response to determining that the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message violates one or more vehicle constraints.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver is one or more of performing a maneuver, controlling a visual indicator, and generating an audible indicator.

8. The method claim 1 , wherein:

the disambiguation message includes an indication of data for the robotic vehicle to provide the observer's computing device; and

the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver comprises sending the data for the robotic vehicle from the processor of the robotic vehicle to the observer's computing device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the data for the robotic vehicle includes one or more of an image file of the robotic vehicle or a modem serial number of the robotic vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor of the robotic vehicle, whether an emergency condition of the robotic vehicle is occurring; and

controlling, by the processor of the robotic vehicle, one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute a second identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to determining that the emergency condition of the robotic vehicle is occurring.

11. A robotic vehicle, comprising:

a processor configured with processor-executable instructions to:

receive a disambiguation message from an observer's computing device while the robotic vehicle is operating at least in part under control of an operator's computing device that is different from the operator's computing device;

control one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to receiving the disambiguation message.

12. The robotic vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to control one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver within an identification window of time indicated in the disambiguation message.

13. The robotic vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine whether an emergency condition of the robotic vehicle is occurring; and

control one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute a second identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to determining that the emergency condition of the robotic vehicle is occurring.

14. The robotic vehicle of claim 11 , wherein:

the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

forward the disambiguation message to the operator's computing device; and

receive an instruction to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver from the operator's computing device; and

the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to control one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to the instruction to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver received from the operator's computing device.

15. The robotic vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the disambiguation message includes an operator identifying task comprising a gesture or motion of an operator to be performed.

16. The robotic vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to receive an execution message prior to executing the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver.

17. The robotic vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine whether an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message violates one or more vehicle constraints; and

block execution of the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message in response to determining that the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message violates one or more vehicle constraints.

18. The robotic vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions such that the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver is one or more of performing a maneuver, controlling a visual indicator, and generating an audible indicator.

19. The robotic vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions such that:

the disambiguation message includes an indication of data for the robotic vehicle to provide the observer's computing device; and

the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver comprises sending the data for the robotic vehicle from the processor of the robotic vehicle to the observer's computing device.

20. The robotic vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions such that the data for the robotic vehicle is one or both of an image file of the robotic vehicle or a modem serial number of the robotic vehicle.

21. A robotic vehicle, comprising:

means for receiving a disambiguation message from an observer's computing device while the robotic vehicle is operating at least in part under control of an operator's computing device that is different from the operator's computing device; and

means for controlling one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to receiving the disambiguation message.

22. The robotic vehicle of claim 21 , wherein means for controlling one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver comprises means for controlling one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver within an identification window of time indicated in the disambiguation message.

23. The robotic vehicle of claim 21 , further comprising:

means for forwarding the disambiguation message from the processor of the robotic vehicle to the operator's computing device; and

means for receiving an instruction to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver from the operator's computing device,

wherein means for controlling one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver means for controlling one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to the instruction to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver received from the operator's computing device.

24. The robotic vehicle of claim 21 , further comprising means for receiving an execution message prior to executing the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver.

25. The robotic vehicle of claim 21 , further comprising:

means for determining whether an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message violates one or more vehicle constraints; and

means for blocking execution of the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message in response to determining that the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver indicated in the disambiguation message violates one or more vehicle constraints.

26. The robotic vehicle claim 21 , wherein:

the disambiguation message includes an indication of data for the robotic vehicle to provide the observer's computing device; and

the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver comprises sending the data for the robotic vehicle from the processor of the robotic vehicle to the observer's computing device.

27. The robotic vehicle of claim 21 , further comprising:

means for determining whether an emergency condition of the robotic vehicle is occurring; and

means for controlling one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute a second identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to determining that the emergency condition of the robotic vehicle is occurring.

28. A processing device configured for use in a robotic vehicle and configured to:

receive a disambiguation message from an observer's computing device while the robotic vehicle is operating at least in part under control of an operator's computing device that is different from the operator's computing device; and

control the processor of the robotic vehicle, one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to receiving the disambiguation message.

29. The processing device of claim 28 , wherein the processor device is further configured to:

forward the disambiguation message to the operator's computing device; and

receive an instruction to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver from the operator's computing device; and

the processor device is further configured to control one or more components of the robotic vehicle to execute an identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver in response to the instruction to execute the identifying/distinguishing task or maneuver received from the operator's computing device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2021
From: BERGAN, CHARLES; TEAGUE, EDWARD HARRISON; GUCKIAN, PAUL
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 055507/0087 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15844925 · Dec 18, 2017
Provisional Application 62524312 · Jun 23, 2017
Related Publication 20210208580A1 · Jul 8, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,208,744