U.S. patent application number 17/712671 was filed with the patent office on 2022-07-21 for tactical unmanned aerial vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is RPX Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to Matthew Dock, Michael Fox, Jon Stewart.
Application Number | 20220227499 17/712671 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006242461 |
Filed Date | 2022-07-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220227499 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fox; Michael ; et
al. |
July 21, 2022 |
TACTICAL UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE
Abstract
An unmanned vehicle is disclosed. The unmanned vehicle includes
an aerial platform, a piloting system supported by the aerial
platform, a medium source supported by the aerial platform, and a
control system having a processor running computer executable code
that actuates the medium source to emit a medium away from the
aerial vehicle with an intensity sufficient to disorient a subject
when the medium interacts with an exteroceptive sense of a
subject.
Inventors: |
Fox; Michael; (Stillwater,
OK) ; Dock; Matthew; (Stillwater, OK) ;
Stewart; Jon; (Stillwater, OK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
RPX Technologies, Inc. |
Stillwater |
OK |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000006242461 |
Appl. No.: |
17/712671 |
Filed: |
April 4, 2022 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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17010297 |
Sep 2, 2020 |
11292608 |
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17712671 |
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16274007 |
Feb 12, 2019 |
10766633 |
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17010297 |
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62629456 |
Feb 12, 2018 |
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62633818 |
Feb 22, 2018 |
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62632844 |
Feb 20, 2018 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B64C 2201/14 20130101;
B64D 45/0036 20190801; G06V 40/16 20220101; B64C 39/024 20130101;
F41H 13/0087 20130101; B64D 45/0015 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B64D 45/00 20060101
B64D045/00; B64C 39/02 20060101 B64C039/02; F41H 13/00 20060101
F41H013/00; G06V 40/16 20060101 G06V040/16 |
Claims
1. An unmanned vehicle, comprising: an aerial platform; a piloting
system supported by the aerial platform; a medium source supported
by the aerial platform; and a control system having a processor
running computer executable code that actuates the medium source to
emit a medium away from the aerial vehicle with an intensity
sufficient to disorient a subject when the medium interacts with an
exteroceptive sense of a subject.
2. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the medium is a light
source and the control system modulates the light source between a
first state and a second state. The unmanned vehicle of claim 2,
wherein the control system modulates the light source between the
first state and the second state between 5 Hz and 25 Hz.
4. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system runs
computer executable code that causes the medium source to be aimed
at the subjects eyes.
5. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an optical
sensor carried by the aerial vehicle and configured to generate
images depicting a face of the subject, and wherein the control
system executes a facial recognition algorithm operating on the
images to locate the subject's face, and wherein the control system
supplies instructions to the piloting system to aim the medium
source at the subjects face. 6, The unmanned vehicle of claim 1,
wherein the medium source includes an LED configured to generate
light in the visible spectrum.
7. The unmanned vehicle of claim 6, wherein the LED generates white
light.
8. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the medium source
includes a laser configured to generate light in a visible
spectrum, and at an intensity sufficient to be safe to eyes of the
subject.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0001] The present patent application is a divisional of U.S. Ser.
No. 17/010,297 filed Sep. 2, 2020, which is a divisional of U.S.
Ser. No. 16/274,007 filed on Feb. 12, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No.
10,766,633 issued Sep. 8, 2020, which claims priority to the
provisional patent applications identified by U.S. Ser. No.
62/629,456 filed on Feb. 12, 2018, U.S. Ser. No. 62/632,844 filed
on Feb. 20, 2018, and U.S. Ser. No. 62/633,818 filed on Feb. 22,
2018, the entire contents of all applications are hereby
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Tactical personnel, such as law enforcement and warfighters,
use bright, modulated light to subdue attackers in dark or
nighttime situations.
[0003] When a strobe light is directed to an aggressor's eyes, the
rapid modulation of the light creates a disorienting effect to
which it takes time for the brain to adjust. Tactical personnel can
use the time an aggressor or aggressors is/are disoriented to their
advantage to subdue the aggressor or retreat from a threat. This is
often a favorable option because it offers tactical personnel a
non-violent way of reacting to a potential threat.
[0004] The main effect of a strobe fight directed into the eyes of
a potential aggressor is that it disorients the potential aggressor
giving tactical personnel time to react appropriately. It takes
several seconds before the aggressor can adequately adjust to the
light which gives tactical personnel time to flee or strike
depending on the situation.
[0005] Because of the disorienting effect, the subject of the
strobe light is far less able to use force. The use of force by an
assailant requires coordination and the strobe light will disrupt
that ability for several seconds.
[0006] The aggressor who has had the strobe light shined in their
eyes will suffer from considerably reduced peripheral vision which
limits the aggressor's ability to see and respond to events outside
of a limited degree of view. This allows tactical personnel a
better chance to escape or approach the aggressor with less chance
being detected or attacked.
[0007] In some tactical situations, tactical personnel would
benefit from intelligence gathered from outside of a building, such
as a house, prior to taking action. Observation inside a building
may be limited by several factors including windows that are high
and inaccessible, window coverings, dark rooms, and windows that
are too far away to hear sounds from inside the room.
[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a surveillance device that is
configured to provide information to tactical personnel indicative
of activities occurring within the building.
[0009] Further, high-temperature survivability is a critical
capability when using unmanned vehicles in certain situations such
as fire-fighting. However, the construction of most vehicles, such
as unmanned aerial vehicles is not ideal for such high-temperature
environments. Therefore, a need exists for unmanned vehicles that
can perform in high-temperature environments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more
implementations described herein and, together with the
description, explain these implementations. The drawings are not
intended to be drawn to scale, and certain features and certain
views of the figures may be shown exaggerated, to scale or in
schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness. Not every
component may be labeled in every drawing. Like reference numerals
in the figures may represent and refer to the same or similar
element or function. In the drawings:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an exemplary unmanned
vehicle constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective of one embodiment of the unmanned
vehicle of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with one embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical system of the
unmanned vehicle of FIG. 1 surrounded by a thermal barrier in
accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a surveillance device
constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of another surveillance device
constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an illustration of another surveillance device
constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 7 is an illustration of the surveillance device of FIG.
6 in a mounted position in accordance with one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Before describing various embodiments of the present
disclosure in more detail by way of exemplary descriptions,
examples, and results, it is to be understood that the embodiments
of the present disclosure are not limited in application to the
details of systems, methods, and compositions as set forth in the
following description. The embodiments of the present disclosure
are capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried
out in various ways. As such, the language used herein is intended
to be given the broadest possible scope and meaning; and the
embodiments are meant to be exemplary, not exhaustive. Also, it is
to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed
herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded
as limiting unless otherwise indicated as so. Moreover, in the
following detailed description, numerous specific details are set
forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the
disclosure. However, it will be apparent to a person having
ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments of the present
disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In
other instances, features which are well known to persons of
ordinary skill in the art have not been described in detail to
avoid unnecessary complication of the description.
[0019] Unless otherwise defined herein, scientific and technical
terms used in connection with the embodiments of the present
disclosure shall have the meanings that are commonly understood by
those having ordinary skill in the art. Further, unless otherwise
required by context, singular terms shall include pluralities and
plural terms shall include the singular.
[0020] All patents, published patent applications, and non-patent
publications referenced in any portion of this application are
herein expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety to the
same extent as if each individual patent or publication was
specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by
reference.
[0021] As utilized in accordance with the concepts of the present
disclosure, the following terms, unless otherwise indicated, shall
be understood to have the following meanings.
[0022] The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction
with the term "comprising" in the claims and/or the specification
may mean "one," but it is also consistent with the meaning of "one
or more," "at least one," and "one or more than one." The use of
the term "or" in the claims and/or the specification is used to
mean "and/or" unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives
only or when the alternatives are mutually exclusive, although the
disclosure supports a definition that refers to only alternatives
and "and/or." The use of the term "at least one" will be understood
to include one as well as any quantity more than one, including but
not limited to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100,
or any integer inclusive therein. The term "at least one" may
extend up to 100 or 1000 or more, depending on the term to which it
is attached; in addition, the quantities of 100/1000 are not to be
considered limiting, as higher limits may also produce satisfactory
results. In addition, the use of the term "at least one of X, Y and
Z" will be understood to include X alone, Y alone, and Z alone, as
well as any combination of X, Y, and Z,
[0023] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words
"comprising" (and any form of comprising, such as "comprise" and
"comprises"), "having" (and any form of having, such as "have" and
"has"), "including" (and any form of including, such as "includes"
and "include") or "containing" (and any form of containing, such as
"contains" and "contain") are inclusive or open-ended and do not
exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.
[0024] The term "or combinations thereof" as used herein refers to
all permutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the
term. For example, "A, B, C, or combinations thereof" is intended
to include at least one of: A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and if
order is important in a particular context, also BA, CA, CB, CBA,
BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB. Continuing with this example, expressly
included are combinations that contain repeats of one or more item
or term, such as BB, AAA, AAB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, and
so forth. The skilled artisan will understand that typically there
is no limit on the number of items or terms in any combination,
unless otherwise apparent from the context.
[0025] Throughout this application, the term "about" is used to
indicate that a value includes the inherent variation of error that
exists among the study subjects. Further, in this detailed
description, each numerical value (e.g., temperature or time)
should be read once as modified by the term "about" (unless already
expressly so modified), and then read again as not so modified
unless otherwise indicated in context. Also, any range listed or
described herein is intended to include, implicitly or explicitly,
any number within the range, particularly all integers, including
the end points, and is to be considered as having been so stated.
For example, "a range from 1 to 10" is to be read as indicating
each possible number, particularly integers, along the continuum
between about 1 and about 10. Thus, even if specific data points
within the range, or even no data points within the range, are
explicitly identified or specifically referred to, it is to be
understood that any data points within the range are to be
considered to have been specified, and that the inventors possessed
knowledge of the entire range and the points within the range.
Further, an embodiment having a feature characterized by the range
does not have to be achieved for every value in the range, but can
be achieved for just a subset of the range. For example, where a
range covers units 1-10, the feature specified by the range could
be achieved for only units 4-6 in a particular embodiment.
[0026] As used herein, the term "substantially" means that the
subsequently described event or circumstance completely occurs or
that the subsequently described event or circumstance occurs to a
great extent or degree. For example, the term "substantially" means
that the subsequently described event or circumstance occurs at
least 90% of the time, or at least 95% of the time, or at least 98%
of the time.
[0027] Referring to the Figures, and in particular to FIG. 1
depicts an exemplary unmanned vehicle 10 for remotely disorienting
a subject. The unmanned vehicle 10 supplies a medium to be received
by and stimulate at least one exteroceptive sensor of the subject
at a level sufficient to temporarily disorient the subject.
Exemplary subjects include human or non-human animals. Examples of
non-human animals including a dog, a cat, a coyote, a wolf, a
mountain lion, or the like.
[0028] Exemplary exteroceptive sensors include eyes, nerves
involving a sense of touch, ears, tastebuds, and nose. Generally,
the unmanned vehicle 10 is configured to provide the medium to the
subject without endangering the operator or persons in surrounding
environments. The unmanned vehicle 10 may follow a flight path
above and/or about the subject at a relatively close distance
avoiding obstacles such as a tower, antenna, wire, and/or the like.
Additionally, the unmanned vehicle 10 may be configured to output
2D images, or three dimensional or two dimensional files (e.g., CAD
files) of the subject for identification, operator monitoring
and/or other purposes.
[0029] In some embodiments, the unmanned vehicle 10 may comprise a
medium source 14, collision detection and avoidance system 16, an
aerial platform 18, onboard data processing and transmission system
20, a control system 22, and a piloting system 24. In some
embodiments, the unmanned vehicle 10 may further include a distance
sensor 25 configured to measure a distance between the aerial
platform 18 and the subject, The distance sensor 25 may measure the
distance between the aerial platform 18 and the subject when the
unmanned vehicle 10 is in use and/or for each period in which the
medium source 14 is actuated to produce the medium, for example.
Generally, each element of the unmanned vehicle 10 may be used to
disorient the subject. For example, using the piloting system 24, a
user may pilot the aerial platform 18 via a remote control system
51 (FIG. 2), virtual reality, augmented reality, smartphone (e.g.,
iPhone), tablet, joystick, and/or the like. In some embodiments,
the unmanned vehicle 10 may be piloted autonomously (i user
direction may be optional). One or more cameras (e.g., stereoscopic
camera, standard camera, 360 degree camera, combinations thereof,
or the like) on the aerial platform 18 may present one or more
views of the environment to the user. For example, the user may be
provided one or more views of a natural environment for positioning
and/or moving the aerial platform 18 around the subject. The
virtual or augmented reality may allow for the user to observe the
subject and/or the environment from the point of view of the aerial
platform 18, as if the user is on the aerial platform 18,
Additionally, virtual or augmented reality may provide the user
additional information about flight and/or operating status of the
aerial platform 18. In some embodiments, the user may utilize a
radio-frequency control module configured to transmit commands to
the aerial platform 18 during flight of the aerial platform 18. The
nature of the commands may depend on flying and/or propulsion
mechanism in use by the aerial platform 18, including, but not
limited to, multiple rotors (e.g., quad or octo-rotor), jet
propulsion, a fixed wing with one or more propellers (not shown),
or non-fixed wing with multiple rotors 25 which are labeled in FIG.
2 with the reference numerals 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d, or the like.
It should be noted that any suitable number of rotors 26 can be
provided, such as 4, 6 or 8, for example.
[0030] Once the aerial platform 18 is in flight, the medium source
14 may be used to emit the medium to disorient the subject, assist
in piloting the aerial platform 18, or illuminate the subject. The
medium source 14 may include an optical source 28 capable of
projecting electromagnetic energy (e.g., visible light) onto the
subject and preferably into the eyes and/or on the face of the
subject. The medium source 14 may use other types of mediums, such
as sound, thermal energy, or the like, to temporarily disorient the
subject. An optical sensor 32 of the medium source 14 may record
data of the illumination (i.e., projection of the optical pattern
30) on the subject. The mounting of the optical source 28 and the
optical sensor 32 on the aerial platform 18 may provide the
rigidity to ensure that the optical source 28 and the optical
sensor 32 remain in the same geometrical relationship (i.e., static
geometrical relationship) with each other without significant
movement during and/or between recording events. Additionally, such
mounting may be lightweight to avoid consuming payload capacity of
the aerial platform 18.
[0031] The data obtained from the optical sensor 32 may be used to
locate the subject and direct the piloting system 24 to aim the
optical source 28. For example, the control system 22 can be
programmed with a facial recognition algorithm to scan one or more
image depicting the subject that is generated by the optical sensor
32 to locate the face and/or eyes of the subject within the images.
Once the face and/or eyes of the subject is located, the control
system 22 would provide suitable instructions to the piloting
system 24 to move the position and/or orientation of the aerial
platform 18 (and/or a gimbal connected to the aerial platform 18
and the optical sensor 32) to aim the medium generated by the
optical source at the face and/or eyes of the subject. Other types
of recognition programs can be used depending upon the type of
medium to be provided. For example, for sound, the recognition
program may look for the subject's head or ears. In some
embodiments, the distance between the optical source 28 and the
optical sensor 32, angular orientation of the optical source 28 and
the optical sensor 32 can be fixed or dynamic. In some embodiments,
the optical source 28 may illuminate the subject in a strobed
fashion, or with a series of different optical patterns. For
example, the colors of the light can be changed to further
disorient the subject. During the illumination series, the user may
attempt to maintain the aerial platform 18 at a stationary
position, or the piloting system may be controlled to follow the
subject.
[0032] In some embodiments, an optional external optical source 34
may provide additional medium(s) aimed at the subject to disorient
the subject. An exemplary external optical source 34 may be a
flashlight operated by a police officer. Such scans may provide
data on the environment surrounding the subject, to assist in
aiming the optical source 28 at the face, head, eyes or ears, of
the subject. For example, the control system 22 may be programmed
to determine the location of where the additional medium is
pointing by using information obtained from the optical sensor 32,
and provide control instructions to the piloting system 24. The
information from the external optical source 34 can also be used to
avoid collisions with the subject and/or interfering objects that
may damage, incapacitate and/or destroy the aerial platform 18.
[0033] The control system 22 may generally coordinate the operation
of the medium source 14, the collision detection and avoidance
system 16, the onboard data processing and transmission system 20
and the distance sensor 25. For example, for the medium source 14,
the control system 22 may determine the number of strobes per
second, illumination time for each strobe, and/or the time at which
the optical sensor 32 may sample and/or store the output for
further processing and/or transmission. The control system 22 may
obtain input from the collision detection and avoidance system 16
and either alert the user when the aerial platform 18 may be at a
pre-determined distance to the subject or interfering object, thus
allowing the user to decide appropriate action. In some
embodiments, the control system 22 may signal the aerial platform
18 to take rapid evasive action independent of the user.
[0034] In some embodiments, the onboard data processing and
transmission system 20 may perform initial electronic processing in
preparation for transmission to a collection station 40. Such
processing may include, but is not limited to, data compression,
preliminary registration (e.g., compensation for movement of the
aerial platform 18 between captures), encapsulation of data in a
format used by a transmission link, and/or the like.
[0035] In some embodiments, a transmitter 42 (e.g., RE transmitter)
of the onboard data processing and transmission system 20 may
transmit the processed data to the collection station 40. For
example, the transmitter 42 may transmit the processed data to the
collection station via a network 44 and/or cloud. Such network 44
may be implemented as the World Wide Web (or Internet), a local
area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan
network, a wireless network, a cellular network, a Global System
for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a code division multiple
access (CDMS) network, a 3G network, a 4G network, a 5G network, a
satellite network, a radio network, an optical network, a cable
network, a public switched telephone network, an Ethernet network,
combinations thereof, and/or the like. It is conceivable that in
the near future, embodiments of the present disclosure may use more
advanced networking topologies.
[0036] Location of the collection station 40 may include, but is
not limited to, a vehicle, budding, or other stationary object, or
a second aerial vehicle (e.g., airplane). Within the collection
station 40, or within a second location in communication with the
collection station 40, a receiver may collect and/or retrieve the
processed data sent by the transmitter 42.
[0037] Thus, in some embodiments, the optical source 28 may be
strobed or modulated between a first state (e.g., on) and a second
state having a reduced intensity relative to the first state (e.g.,
off). The control system 22 may modulate the optical source 28
between 5 and 25 hz. The optical source 28 may be mounted on an
unmanned aerial platform 18, which offers some distinct advantages
as compared to tactical personnel directly holding the light. Since
the aerial platform 18 can be positioned away from tactical
personnel, the remotely modulated light would give tactical
personnel a relatively safe period to act. The remotely positioned
light would also put law enforcement in the peripheral vision of
the subject (e.g., aggressor) who's peripheral vision has been
desensitized by the strobe thereby giving law enforcement a
tactical advantage to take action or not be detected.
[0038] The optical source 28 can be any light emitting device that
can be rapidly modulated. LED(s) and laser(s) are ideal candidates.
These optical sources can be aimed at the face/eyes, which can be
accomplished manually by the user sending instructions to the
piloting system 24, or automatically using facial recognition
algorithms to locate the subjects face/eyes in images obtained by
the optical sensor 32. The aerial platform 18 can then accurately
aim the strobed light for maximum localized effect while using a
minimum beam size.
[0039] The control system 22 may use any computational algorithm
existing for identification of objects of interest in images
collected by the optical sensor 32 and such computation algorithm
may be stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium,
Generally, the control system 22 may include one or more processors
coupled with the non-transitory computer readable medium, and
configured to automatically execute this methodology to identify
and/or obtain information about objects of interest for a variety
of purposes.
[0040] The control system 22 may include one or more processors.
The term "processor" will include multiple processors unless the
term "processor" is limited by a singular term, such as "only one
processor". In some embodiments, the processor may be partially or
completely network-based or cloud-based. The processor may or may
not be located in a single physical location. Additionally,
multiple processors may or may not be necessarily located in a
single physical location.
[0041] The processor may include, but are not limited to,
implementation as a variety of different types of systems, such as
a digital signal processor (DSP), a central processing unit (CPU),
a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microprocessor, a
multi-core processor, a quantum processor, application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a
visual processing unit (VPU), combinations thereof, and/or the
like,
[0042] The processor may be capable of reading and/or executing
executable code stored in the one or more non-transitory processor
readable medium and/or of creating, manipulating, altering, and/or
storing computer data structures into the one or more
non-transitory processor readable medium. The non-transitory
processor readable medium may be implemented as any type of memory,
such as random access memory (RAM), a CD-ROM, a hard drive, a solid
state drive, a flash drive, a memory card, a DVD-ROM, a floppy
disk, an optical drive, and combinations thereof, for example. The
non-transitory readable medium may be located in the same physical
location as the processor, or located remotely from the processor
and may communicate via a network. The physical location of the
non-transitory processor readable medium may be varied, and may be
implemented as a "cloud memory", i.e., one or more non-transitory
processor readable medium may be partially, or completely based on
or accessed via a network.
[0043] In some embodiments, the control system 22 may be configured
to receive additional data from one or more external sources. In
some embodiments, the external source may be user inputted data. In
some embodiments, the external source 64 may be data associated
with a third party system (e.g., weather, GPS satellite). The
information may be provided via a network or input device,
including, but not limited to, a keyboard, touchscreen, mouse,
trackball, microphone, fingerprint reader, infrared port, slide-out
keyboard, flip-out keyboard, call phone, PDA, video game
controller, remote control, fax machine, network interface, speech
recognition, gesture recognition, eye tracking, brain-computer
interface, combinations thereof, and/or the like.
[0044] In some embodiments, prior to movement of the aerial
platform 18, a user may provide the control system 22 with some or
all parameters to aid the CDAS system 16 in navigation. Parameters
may include, but are not limited to, information identifying the
subject, suggested flight path, estimated height of subject. The
CDAS system 16 may include AI software configured to navigate the
aerial platform 18 based on parameters, received data from
environment mapping, extracted data from scanning data processed
onboard or provided via network from a user, and/or the like.
[0045] The aerial platform 18 may be configured to support and move
the medium source 14, CDAS 16, onboard processing and transmission
system 20, control system 22, and piloting system 24 within the
air. Generally, the aerial platform 18 may be configured to move at
a predetermined low speed (e.g., 1 km/h). Additionally, the aerial
platform 18 may be configured to hover (i.e., remain stationary)
within the air. For example, the aerial platform 18 may be
configured to move at a low speed or hover as the optical source 28
is aimed at the subject or the optical sensor 32 obtains sensor
data of the subject. The aerial platform 18 may also include load
capacity permitting unimpeded aerial navigation while transporting
the medium source 14 and CDAS 16. Further, the aerial platform 18
may be configured to carry fuel to sustain long periods of flight
(e.g., 2 hours) prior to refueling to minimize time to complete a
scanning process for the structure 12.
[0046] Generally, the aerial platform 18 may include one or more
mechanical platforms, one or more propulsion systems, and one or
more mounting systems. The piloting system 24 may aid in providing
direction to the one or more propulsion systems 52 or the mounting
system 54. In some embodiments, the mounting system 54 may be
connected between the optical sensor 32 and the mechanical platform
50 such that the mechanical platform 50 prevents the optical sensor
32 from hitting the ground when the aerial platform 18 lands. In
some embodiments, the mounting system 54 may include a gimbal for
moving the optical sensor 32 relative to the mechanical platform
50.
[0047] In some embodiments, the propulsion system 52 may include
two or more rotors 26 (e.g., helicopter, quadcopter, octocopter).
In some embodiments, the four or more rotors 26 may be attached to
electric motors 27 (only one of which is numbered in FIG. 2) for
rotating the rotors 26. In some embodiments, relative rotational
velocity of the four or more rotors 26 may be configured to control
direction and/or speed of flight of the aerial platform 18. By
controlling the relative rotational velocity of the four or more
rotors 26, the aerial platform 18 may obtain slow and/or stationary
flight (i.e., hovering), and may operate for extended periods of
time. The aerial platform 18 may include other configurations of
the propulsion system 52 configured to utilize different placement
and/or propulsion providing slow and/or stationary flight.
[0048] In some embodiments, the aerial platform 18 may include one
or more power sources (not shown). The power sources may include
one or more supplies of power to at least one or more electric
loads on the aerial platform 18. The one or more power sources may
include, but are not limited to electrical, solar, mechanical, or
chemical energy. For example, in some embodiments, fuel may be used
to power one or more components of the aerial platform 18.
Additionally, one or more batteries may be included as one or more
power sources for the aerial platform 18.
[0049] In some embodiments, a diameter of the medium generated by
the medium source 14 can be automatically adjusted to a minimum
effective size relative to the size which is proportionate to the
size of the face and distance from the light source.
[0050] In some embodiments, the disorientation system may be
provided with two or more medium sources 14. For example, one of
the medium sources 14 can be used to provide a modulated light
source, and another one of the medium sources 14 may be used to
generate a colocated sound to further draw attention to the aerial
platform 18 and further disorient the subject.
[0051] The control system 22 of the aerial platform 18 may be
programmed to provide instructions to the piloting system 24 in a
way that moves the aerial platform 18 to offer a tactical
advantage. One such movement would be in a direction that draws
attention progressively away from the tactical team. Another
pattern would be for the aerial platform to automatically move to a
position furthest from the tactical team thereby drawing attention
away from the team
[0052] In some embodiments, coordinated strobe patterns from
multiple aerial platforms could give the illusion of movement and
further confuse the subject.
[0053] In use, the aerial platform 18 is piloted near a subject,
and the medium source 14 is aimed at the subject and actuated as
discussed above. In some embodiments, the medium source 14 can be
actuated to generate the medium prior to aiming the medium source
14 at the subject.
[0054] High-temperature survivability is a critical capability when
using unmanned vehicles in certain situations such as
fire-fighting. However, the construction of most previous vehicles,
such as unmanned aerial vehicles is not ideal for such
high-temperature environments. To improve the survivability of
these vehicles, several inventive approaches can be taken as
described below.
[0055] First, in an exemplary embodiment the mechanical platform 50
includes a housing 60 surrounding electronics and other components
forming the avoidance system 16, the transmission system 20, the
control system 22, the piloting system 24, and the transmitter 42.
Components of these systems which should be exposed to the
environment around the housing, such as certain types of sensors,
may be provided through an opening in the housing 60. As explained
in more detail below, the unmanned vehicle 10 includes a
temperature buffer 70 around the electronics. The temperature
buffer 70 (FIG. 3) is configured to protect the electronics from
temperatures outside of the housing 60 above maximum thermal
operating characteristics of the electronics. The temperature
buffer 70 can be constructed of a material configured to reflect
electromagnetic wavelengths in a range of 500 um to 2 um, an
insulating material, a cooling material, a phase change material
and combinations thereof.
[0056] In use, the unmanned vehicle 10 may be exposed to fire and
is subjected to significant radiative heat transfer. The radiative
heat transfer can be minimized by covering the vehicle's
components, including the housing 60 with IR-reflective materials
that reflect wavelengths in the 500 um to 2 um range. One
applicable covering or construction material is aluminum. This
material can be applied directly to the underlying structure, such
as the housing 60 or can be stood off slightly to act as a
radiative heat shield.
[0057] A second approach to reducing temperature rise in the
unmanned vehicle 10 is to incorporate phase change materials (PCM)
into the construction of the unmanned vehicle 10. Initially,
solid-liquid PCMs behave like sensible heat storage (SHS)
materials. The temperature of the phase change material rises as
the phase change material absorbs heat. When PCMs reach the
temperature at which they change phase (the PCM's melting
temperature) the PCM absorb large amounts of heat and remain at an
almost constant temperature. The PCM continues to absorb heat
without a significant rise in temperature until all the PCM is
transformed to the liquid phase. Long chain paraffin wax is one
such material that changes phase at moderate temperatures and could
be used to absorb heat. Another alternative is water. Liquid water
stored in the mechanical platform 50 must be boiled before the
surrounding structure temperature can rise above 100C which is
still cool enough to protect most electronics, including integrated
circuitry. Thus, temperature sensitive components of the unmanned
vehicle 10, such as electronics within the avoidance system 16, the
transmission system 20, the control system 22, the piloting system
24, the transmitter 42, and any motor(s) driving the rotors 26 can
be surrounded by a container containing the PCM. Ice is another
example of a phase change material in which the ice transforming
from solid to liquid is an option. Further, another material, such
as chilled water or an antifreeze liquid can be passed across the
ice and throughout sensitive components of the unmanned vehicle 10.
The container can be designed to have an inlet or outlet, so that
the PCM can be removable and replaced with fresh PCM. In some
embodiments, this can be accomplished by implementing the container
holding the PCM as a replaceable cartridge. The time it takes to
transform all of the PCM adds to a safe operating time that the
unmanned vehicle 10 can be exposed to extreme heat. Once all of the
PCM material has changed phase, it must be "regenerated" by waiting
for the PCM to cool. Alternately onboard water could be sprayed
onto sensitive components for cooling or atomized water could be
delivered to external vehicle components to take advantage of
evaporative cooling. Water can also be stored in the vehicle in a
frozen state which then requires a great deal of energy absorption
to transition the material through two phase changes prior to the
protected structures exceeding 100 degrees C.
[0058] Sensitive components may also be insulated with a suitable
insulating material, such as an aerogel which offers tremendous
insulating properties with minimal weight. Aerogel typically has a
density between 0.0011 to 0.5 g cm-3, with a typical average of
around 0.020 g cm-3. This means that aerogel is usually only 15
times heavier than air, and has been produced at a density of only
3 times that of air. A typical silica aerogel has a total thermal
conductivity of .about.0.017 W/mK. Temperature sensitive components
of the unmanned vehicle 10, such as electronics within the
avoidance system 16, the transmission system 20, the control system
22, the piloting system 24, the transmitter 42, and any motor(s)
driving the rotors 26 (especially those that generate little heat)
can survive longer in hot environments when protected with such
materials.
[0059] The temperature of the rotors 26, being thin and
lightweight, is also considered when maximizing vehicle operating
longevity at high temperatures.
[0060] Unmitigated, the rotor temperature will quickly reach
ambient temperatures due to the thin, lightweight structure and
enhanced convective heat transfer resulting from the rotor's
velocity through the air. The rotors 26 can be constructed from
heat resistant materials such as graphene, graphite, or carbon
nanotubes (i.e. Miralon). Another approach to cooling the rotor 26
is by pumping a cool, or liquid phase changing material through one
or more blade(s) of the rotors 26 in flight. In some embodiments,
this can be accomplished by passing cooled air (e.g. air passed
across the PCM) through passages in the rotors 26.
[0061] The optical sensor 32, such as a thermal camera and other
electronics, may also be sensitive to heat. In this case, heat
levels elevated above an operating temperature range of the optical
sensor 32 affects the optical sensor's ability to function and
generate high-quality images. These components can be cooled with a
liquid or gas. For example, these components can be cooled with
water from an onboard ice bath which increases the performance of
the optical sensor 32. The optical sensor 32 may be configured to
detect and form images of energy in a longwave infrared having a
wavelength between 6 um to 12 um. The optical sensor 32 may be
cooled by the phase change material, such as water. Printed circuit
boards and their associated components can be cooled by a similar
means. Internal cavities can be used to carry cooled liquid inside
the printed circuit board thereby cooling the board and key
components. In some embodiments, the unmanned vehicle 10 may
include an atomizer (not shown) on the mechanical platform 50, and
a fluid delivery system (not shown) connected to the atomizer and
configured to supply a fluid to the atomizer, whereby atomized
fluid can be released outside of the mechanical platform 50 during
flight of the aerial platform 18 to create a cooler operating
environment.
[0062] Referring now to FIG. 4, a surveillance device 100 for
performing surveillance through a material 102 (e.g., window, wall,
or the like) that may be delivered and/or part of an unmanned
aerial vehicle such as unmanned vehicle 10 is described. In
general, the surveillance device 100 may be provided with a
portable housing 104, a mounting assembly 106 (such as a suction
cup), accessory package 108, a wireless transceiver 110, a power
supply 112, and electronics 114 configured to control the
surveillance device 100. The portable housing 104 has a rear face
116, a front face 118, and a peripheral side wall 120 formed
therebetween. The mounting assembly 106 is connected to the housing
104 and extends from the front face 118 of the housing104. The
mounting assembly 106 is configured to connect the housing 104 to
the material 102 in a predetermined orientation. The accessory
package 108 may be provided with a controller 122 and at least one
illumination device 124 to selectively emit a predetermined light
spectrum in an emission path.
[0063] The predetermined orientation and the emission path are
selected such that the emission path passes through the material
102 upon connecting the housing 104 to the material 102 in the
predetermined orientation. The wireless transceiver 110 is coupled
to the accessory package 108, and is configured to receive wireless
instructions and pass the wireless instructions to the controller
122 of the accessory package 108. The first wireless instruction
instructing the controller 122 to actuate the illumination device
124. The power supply 112 is mounted in the housing 104 and is
configured to supply electrical power. The power supply leads are
constructed of a conductive material, and connected to terminals on
the power supply 112. The power supply leads are connected to the
accessory package 108 and the wireless transceiver 110 whereby
power applied to the power supply leads is supplied to the
controller 122, the at least one emission device 124 and the
wireless transceiver 110.
[0064] In some embodiments, the portable housing 104 is in the form
of a dart having a shape that reduces drag from air moving past the
portable housing 104. In other embodiments, the portable housing
104 is in the form of a drone body. The material 102 can be a
window, and the predetermined light spectrum includes light that is
visible to a human. The mounting assembly 106 may be, but is not
limited to, a suction cup, an adhesive strip, tape, glue, or other
tacky substances, for example.
[0065] Examples of accessories that could be include in the
accessory package 108 include: [0066] Microphones--including
various types such as contact microphones having a probe to contact
the material (window or wall); a laser microphone that uses a laser
beam to sense vibration within the material; or an acoustic
microphone that uses a sensor to detect vibrations passing within
air. [0067] Cameras (may include artificial intelligence/image
recognition to sense and identify movements). The cameras may also
be configured to receive and interpret mediums other than visible
light, such as an infrared portion or millimeter band
electromagnetic waves of the electromagnetic spectrum. [0068]
Motion detectors. [0069] Lights (visible, non-visible, etc.).
[0070] Transmitters to transmit sensor data. [0071] Receivers to
remotely actuate lights or other accessories.
[0072] Delivery of the window mountable accessories can be via:
[0073] Long range dart launched via a mechanical mechanism (i.e., a
gun, 12 gauge round from a shotgun, e.g., Remington brand model
870, with a reduced charge sufficient to connect the dart to the
window without breaking the window). [0074] Dart launched by
unmanned vehicle 10 using any sufficient propulsion system, such as
spring, pneumatic or the like. [0075] Dart placed via immediate
proximity by unmanned vehicle 10. [0076] Accessory mounted by
hand.
[0077] The accessory package 108 sensors transmit at least one of
imagery and sound via a wireless connection to law enforcement. The
accessory package 108 may also be configured to recognize movement
and transmit audio alarms to law enforcement.
[0078] One or more light may be remotely controlled in some
configurations. When light(s) are used, it is beneficial for the
back side (facing away from the material 102) to be black to block
light illuminating the opposite direction.
[0079] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a surveillance device
150 formed as a dart 152 having a battery 154 powering a light
source 156. The surveillance device 150 may be attached to a
material 158 via an attachment device 160 such as a suction cup. In
such an embodiment, the light source 156 of the surveillance device
150 may be automatically triggered when the dart 152 is fired from
an unmanned aerial vehicle, for instance, such that when the
surveillance device 150 attaches to the material 158 the light
source 156 shines through the material 158 to illuminate a
building, for instance.
[0080] In another embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, a
surveillance device 200 is provided with a portable housing 202 can
be in the form of an unmanned aerial vehicle 204. In such an
embodiment, an accessory package 206, a wireless transceiver, a
power supply, and a controller are carried by the portable housing
202. In this embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 204 is
designed to be flown to a material 208 (e.g., a window), and to
connect a mounting assembly 210 (only one of which is marked in
FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively) to the material 208 instead of
landing. Then, motors on the unmanned aerial vehicle 204 providing
power to propellers are de-actuated so that the unmanned aerial
vehicle 204 body pivots down onto the material 208 whereby
illumination source(s) of the accessory package 206 can be actuated
so that the emission path is directed through the material 208, for
example.
[0081] From the above description, it is clear that the inventive
concept(s) disclosed herein are well adapted to carry out the
objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein, as well as
those inherent in the inventive concept(s) disclosed herein. While
the embodiments of the inventive concept(s) disclosed herein have
been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be
understood that numerous changes may be made and readily suggested
to those skilled in the art which are accomplished within the scope
and spirit of the inventive concept(s) disclosed herein.
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