Granted Patent B2

US 12,332,643 · App. 17/651,282 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Inventors: Venkata Vara Prasad Karri (Visakhapatnam, IN); Shailendra Moyal (Pune, IN); Akash U. Dhoot (Pune, IN); Sarbajit K. Rakshit (Kolkata, IN)

Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation

G05D1/0027B64U10/13G01N33/00G05D1/0094B64U2101/30B64U2201/20

Abstract

Claims (75)

1. A computer-implemented method, the computer-implemented method comprising:

retrieving, by one or more computer processors, historical incident data and real-time data associated with a contaminated site;

evaluating, by the one or more computer processors, the historical incident data and the real-time data associated with the contaminated site to predict a future incident at the contaminated site;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, a first deployment of a plurality of unmanned vehicles to form a first virtual fence around the contaminated site based on the predicted future incident, wherein the first deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence, wherein the first virtual fence includes a thickness of the virtual fence, wherein the thickness is determined by an amount of population in a vicinity to the contaminated area;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, instructions for the first deployment of each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site;

sending, by the one or more computer processors, the instructions to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site to each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles; and

removing, by the one or more computer processors, pathogens under the plurality of unmanned vehicles utilizing lasers to raise surface temperature, wherein the pathogens are viral outbreaks.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the real-time data and the historical incident data associated with the contaminated site, further comprises:

retrieving, by the one or more computer processors, the real-time data from each of a government database, one or more news reporting databases, and one or more manned vehicles, wherein the manned vehicles include ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, a type of pathogen at the contaminated site and a level of an illness outbreak associated with the pathogen at the contaminated site;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, a type of pathogen elimination device associated with removing the pathogen;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, an area around the contamination site to be surrounded by the plurality of unmanned vehicles; and

determining, by the one or more computer processors, a location for each unmanned vehicle of the plurality of unmanned vehicles using the pathogen elimination device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein determining the thickness of the virtual fence on each side of the contamination site, further comprises providing a thicker virtual fence with a higher density of the plurality of unmanned vehicles in the virtual fence adjacent to an area needing additional protection.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site, further comprises:

determining, by the one or more computer processors, that the contaminated site is adjacent to a second contaminated site;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, to increase the density of the first virtual fence adjacent to the second contaminated sited, wherein the increased density provides a thicker first virtual fence adjacent to the second contaminated site; and

sending, by the one or more computer processors, the instructions to deploy more unmanned vehicles to the virtual fence on the side of the contaminated site adjacent to the second contaminated site.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein determining that the contaminated site is adjacent to a second contaminated site, further comprises;

identifying, by the one or more computer processors, at least, a first harmful element at the contaminated site; and

identifying, by the one or more computer processors, at least, a second harmful element at the second contaminated site, wherein the increased density of the plurality of unmanned vehicles on the side of the contaminated site that is adjacent to the second contaminated site prevents cross-contamination of the at least one first harmful element and the at least one harmful element.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site, further comprises:

determining, by the one or more computer processors, that the contaminated site is adjacent to a location requiring additional protection; and

sending, by the one or more computer processors, the instructions to deploy more unmanned vehicles to a side of the first virtual fence that is adjacent to the location requiring additional protection.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first deployment of each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site, further comprises determining, by the one or more computer processors, a mesh-like deployment of evenly spaced unmanned vehicles of the plurality of unmanned vehicles covering the contaminated site.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

retrieving, by the one or more computer processors, sensor data from each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles;

retrieving, by the one or more computer processors, the sensor data captured by one or more on-site sensors at the contaminated site;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, a level of one or more harmful elements at the contaminated site;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, an unallowable level of the one or more harmful elements is present at the contaminated site; and

increasing, by the one or more computer processors, the density of the first virtual fence.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein responsive to determining the unallowable level of the one or more harmful elements is not present at the contaminated site, sending, by the one or more computer processors, instructions to one or more unmanned vehicles of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to remove the one or more on-site sensors.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein increasing the density of the first virtual fence increases the thickness of the first virtual fence.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of unmanned vehicles are each of an unmanned aerial vehicle or an unmanned ground vehicle equipped with one or more decontamination devices.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence the first virtual fence, further comprises determining, by the one or more computer processors, one or more different densities of the plurality of unmanned vehicles in different locations over the contaminated site.

13. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions executable by one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising instructions for:

retrieving historical incident data and real-time data associated with a contaminated site;

evaluating the historical incident data associated with the contaminated site to predict a future incident at the contaminated site;

determining a first deployment of a plurality of unmanned vehicles to form a first virtual fence around the contaminated site based on the predicted future incident, wherein the first deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence, wherein the first virtual fence includes a thickness of the virtual fence, wherein the thickness is determined by an amount of population in a vicinity to the contaminated area;

determining instructions for the first deployment of each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site;

sending the instructions to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site to each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles; and

removing, by the one or more computer processors, pathogens under the plurality of unmanned vehicles utilizing lasers to raise surface temperature, wherein the pathogens are viral outbreaks.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein evaluating the real-time data and the historical incident data associated with the contaminated site, further comprises:

retrieving the real-time data from each of a government database, one or more news reporting databases, and one or more manned vehicles, wherein the manned vehicles include ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles;

determining a type of pathogen at the contamination site and a level of an illness outbreak associated with the pathogen at the contaminated site;

determining an area around the contamination site to be surrounded by the plurality of unmanned vehicles forming the second virtual fence;

determining a type of pathogen elimination device associated with removing the pathogen; and

determining a location for each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles using the pathogen elimination device.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein determining the second deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the second virtual fence around the contaminated site, further comprises:

determining that the contaminated site is adjacent to a second contaminated site; determining, by the one or more computer processors, wherein the increased density provides a thicker first virtual fence adjacent to the second contaminated site; and

sending the instructions to deploy more unmanned vehicles to a side of the second virtual fence around the contaminated site that is adjacent to the second contaminated site.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein determining the first deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site, further comprises:

determining that the contaminated site is adjacent to a second contaminated site; and

sending the instructions to deploy more unmanned vehicles to a side of the virtual fence around the contaminated site that is adjacent to the second contaminated site.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:

retrieving sensor data from each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles;

retrieving sensor data captured by one or more on-site sensors at the contaminated site;

determining a level of one or more harmful elements at the contaminated site; and

determining whether an unallowable level of one or more harmful elements are present around the contaminated site; and

increasing, by the one or more computer processors, the density of the first virtual fence.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein determining the first deployment of each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site, further comprises determining a mesh-like deployment of evenly spaced unmanned vehicles of the plurality of unmanned vehicles covering the contaminated site.

19. A computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media;

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising instructions to perform:

retrieving historical incident data and real-time data associated with a contaminated site;

evaluating the historical incident data associated with the contaminated site to predict a future incident at the contaminated site;

determining a first deployment of a plurality of unmanned vehicles to form a first virtual fence around the contaminated site based on the predicted future incident, wherein the first deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence, wherein the first virtual fence includes a thickness of the virtual fence, wherein the thickness is determined by an amount of population in a vicinity to the contaminated area;

determining instructions for the first deployment of each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site;

sending the instructions to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site to each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles; and

removing, by the one or more computer processors, pathogens under the plurality of unmanned vehicles utilizing lasers to raise surface temperature, wherein the pathogens are viral outbreaks.

20. The computer system of claim 19 , wherein determining the deployment of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to form the first virtual fence around the contaminated site, further comprises:

determining that the contaminated site is adjacent to a second contaminated site; and

sending the instructions to deploy more unmanned vehicles to a side of the virtual fence around the contaminated site that is adjacent to another contaminated site.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (18)