IP Library Granted Patent US 10,585,439
Granted Patent B2
US 10,585,439 · App. 15/689,604 · Granted Mar 10, 2020

Vehicle inspection

Inventors: Pietro Buttolo (Dearborn Heights, MI); Stuart C. Salter (White Lake, MI); Annette Lynn Huebner (White Lake, MI); Brent Young (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
G05D1/0246G05D1/0022G05D1/0027G05D1/0202G05D1/0212G05D1/101G06K9/0063G06K9/00771G06K9/18G06T7/70G06T11/60G06T2207/10032G06T2207/30232G06T2207/30252
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,585,439
App. No.
15/689,604
Granted
Mar 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a computer that is programmed to receive, from an aerial drone, image data that identifies a vehicle, a vehicle location, and a vehicle status; and based on the received image data, transmit an instruction to the vehicle to actuate a vehicle component.

Claims (55)

1. A system, comprising a computer, programmed to:

receive, from an aerial drone, a vehicle wireless signal and image data that identifies a vehicle, a vehicle location, and determine the vehicle status including a status of a component in the vehicle based on the received vehicle wireless signal and the received image data;

store a criterion that includes at least one of approved vehicles, deficient vehicles, and a next shipping batch of vehicles;

identify the vehicle from the received image data; and

based on a status of the component with respect to the criterion, transmit an instruction to the vehicle to actuate the component.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to identify the vehicle based on the received image data.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to receive, via the aerial drone, a vehicle wireless signal; and

determine the status of the vehicle based on the received vehicle wireless signal and the received image data.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive, via the aerial drone, a plurality of vehicle wireless signals from a plurality of vehicles; and

identify the respective vehicle wireless signal of the vehicle from the plurality of wireless signals based on the received image data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to identify the vehicle based on at least one a vehicle identifier, a vehicle model, and a vehicle color included in the received image.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the vehicle identifier includes a graphical pattern on a body of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to actuate the vehicle component by:

determining a destination based on the received status of the vehicle; and

navigating the vehicle to the determined destination by at least one of accelerating, steering, and braking.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:

deploy the aerial drone to fly over a plurality of vehicles;

generate an image including the plurality of vehicles, and

overlaying a respective vehicle status of each of the vehicles on the generated image.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein overlaying the respective vehicle status includes displaying one of an approved and deficient status for each of the plurality of vehicles.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein deploying the drone to fly over the plurality of vehicles further includes:

determining a flight route based on location coordinates of the plurality of vehicles; and

actuating the drone to fly based on the determined flight route.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive a handheld device location; and

superimpose the handheld device location on the generated image.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:

actuate a vehicle exterior light based on the criterion.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second computer included in the aerial drone, programmed to determine the location of the vehicle based on at least one of vehicle sensor data and drone sensor data.

14. A system, comprising a computer, programmed to:

receive, from an aerial drone, a vehicle wireless signal and image data that identifies a vehicle, a vehicle location, and determine the vehicle status including a status of a component in the vehicle based on the received vehicle wireless signal and the received image data; and

based on the received image data and the vehicle wireless signal, transmit an instruction to the vehicle to actuate a vehicle component by

determining a destination based on the received status of the vehicle; and

navigating the vehicle to the determined destination by at least one of accelerating, steering, and braking.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:

deploy the aerial drone to fly over a plurality of vehicles;

generate an image including the plurality of vehicles, and

overlaying a respective vehicle status of each of the vehicles on the generated image.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive a handheld device location; and

superimpose the handheld device location on the generated image.

17. A system, comprising a computer, programmed to:

receive, from an aerial drone, image data that identifies a vehicle, a vehicle location, and a vehicle status;

based on the received image data, transmit an instruction to the vehicle to actuate a vehicle component;

deploy the aerial drone to fly over a plurality of vehicles;

generate an image including the plurality of vehicles, and

overlay a respective vehicle status of each of the vehicles on the generated image.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein overlaying the respective vehicle status includes displaying one of an approved and deficient status for each of the plurality of vehicles.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein deploying the drone to fly over the plurality of vehicles further includes:

determining a flight route based on location coordinates of the plurality of vehicles; and

actuating the drone to fly based on the determined flight route.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive a handheld device location; and

superimpose the handheld device location on the generated image.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2017
From: BUTTOLO, PIETRO; SALTER, STUART C.; HUEBNER, ANNETTE LYNN; YOUNG, BRENT
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 043437/0744 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190064836A1 · Feb 28, 2019
Cited By (5)
US 12,286,338 US 12,319,298 US 12,367,719 US 12,455,564 US 12,608,020