Granted Patent B2

US 12,480,779 · App. 18/487,111 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Inventors: Keith Weston (Canton, MI); Stuart C. Salter (White Lake, MI); Brendan Diamond (Grosse Pointe, MI); John Robert Van Wiemeersch (Novi, MI); Jonathan Hair (Northville, MI)

G01C21/3661

Abstract

Claims (57)

1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a UAV transceiver configured to receive course information associated with a course;

a display module;

a UAV processor communicatively coupled with the UAV transceiver, wherein the UAV processor is configured to:

obtain the course information from the UAV transceiver;

determine a UAV position in the course based on the course information;

identify a course marker, from a plurality of course markers, in proximity to the UAV position based on the course information;

determine navigation instructions associated with the course marker for a vehicle to navigate the course based on the course information, wherein the UAV is communicatively coupled to the vehicle, and wherein the UAV is configured to move in proximity to a vehicle front portion; and

display the navigation instructions on the display module of the UAV for observing by a driver of the vehicle.

2 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the course information comprises one or more of a course route, a course map, a course start point, a course exit point, a list of the plurality of course markers on the course route, a course marker location associated with each course marker of the plurality of course markers, or a course marker type associated with each course marker of the plurality of course markers.

3 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of course markers comprise waypoints associated with the course, and wherein the waypoints comprise at least one of turn-points, slow-down points, bridge points, or pothole points.

4 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the UAV display module comprises e-Ink displays.

5 . The UAV of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a plurality of banners or a plurality of streamers stored in a compartment of the UAV, wherein the at least one of the plurality of banners or the plurality of streamers indicates the navigation instructions.

6 . The UAV of claim 5 , wherein the UAV processor is further configured to:

select one of a banner or a streamer from the plurality of streamers, associated with the course marker;

move the selected one of the banner or the streamer out of the compartment; and

display the navigation instructions by lowering the selected one of the banner or the streamer from a UAV bottom portion.

7 . The UAV of claim 6 , wherein selecting the one of the banner or the streamer from the plurality of streamers comprises:

determining a color based on a mapping of the navigation instructions to a plurality of colors; and

displaying the one of the banner or the streamer that matches the the color.

8 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the UAV processor is further configured to:

identify off-limit areas in the course based on the course information;

determine the navigation instructions for the vehicle to navigate the course based on the identification of the off-limit areas; and

display the navigation instructions.

9 . The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising a detection unit configured to capture information associated with a geographical area in proximity to the UAV.

10 . The UAV of claim 9 , wherein the detection unit comprises a camera, and wherein the information associated with the geographical area comprises geographical area images.

11 . The UAV of claim 9 , wherein the UAV processor is configured to:

obtain inputs from the detection unit;

detect an obstruction in proximity to the vehicle based on the inputs; and

determine the navigation instructions for the vehicle to navigate the course based on the determination of the obstruction.

12 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the course information comprises a mapping of the plurality of course markers with a plurality of navigations instructions, and wherein the UAV processor is configured to determine the navigation instructions for the vehicle to navigate the course based on the mapping.

13 . A method for course marking by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

obtaining, by a processor, course information associated with a course;

determining, by the processor, a UAV position in the course based on the course information;

identifying, by the processor, a course marker, from a plurality of course markers, in proximity to the UAV position based on the course information;

determining, by the processor, navigation instructions associated with the course marker for a vehicle to navigate the course based on the course information, wherein the UAV is communicatively coupled to the vehicle, and wherein the UAV is configured to move in proximity to a vehicle front portion; and

displaying, by the processor, the navigation instructions on a display module of the UAV.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the course information comprises one or more of a course route, a course map, a course start point, a course exit point, a list of the plurality of course markers on the course route, a course marker location associated with each course marker of the plurality of course markers, or a course marker type associated with each course marker of the plurality of course markers.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of course markers comprises waypoints associated with the course, and wherein the waypoints comprise at least one of turn-points, slow-down points, bridge points, or pothole points.

16 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:

selecting a streamer, from a plurality of streamers, associated with the course marker, wherein the plurality of streamers indicates information associated with respective course markers; and

displaying the navigation instructions based on the selection, wherein displaying the navigation instructions comprises displaying the selected streamer from a UAV bottom portion.

17 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:

identifying off-limit areas based on the course information;

determining the navigation instructions for the vehicle to navigate the course based on the identification of the off-limit areas; and

displaying the navigation instructions.

18 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:

obtaining inputs from a detection unit;

detecting an obstruction in proximity to the vehicle based on the inputs; and

determining the navigation instructions for the vehicle to navigate the course based on the determination of the obstruction.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:

obtaining course information associated with a course;

determining an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) position of a UAV in the course based on the course information;

identifying a course marker, from a plurality of course markers, in proximity to the UAV position based on the course information;

determining navigation instructions associated with the course marker for a vehicle to navigate the course based on the course information, wherein the UAV is communicatively coupled to the vehicle, and wherein the UAV is configured to move in proximity to a vehicle front portion; and

displaying the navigation instructions on a display module of the UAV.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the course information comprises one or more of a course route, a course map, a course start point, a course exit point, a list of the plurality of course markers on the course route, a course marker location associated with each course marker of the plurality of course markers, or a course marker type associated with each course marker of the plurality of course markers.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (32)