A system includes a device having a short-range transceiver for capturing ephemeral ID signals within a geographic region proximate thereto, and for detecting an ephemeral ID signal output from a user device, wherein the ephemeral ID signal does not include personally identifiable information of the user, a wide-area network interface for transmitting a portion of the ephemeral ID signal and a first identifier associated with the device to a remote server associated with the ephemeral ID signals, and for receiving a first reply from the remote server in response to the portion of the ephemeral ID signal and the first identifier associated with the device, and an output unit for providing an electronic authorization signal to a first external unit coupled to the device in response to the first reply, wherein the first external unit is configured to perform a first physical action in response to the first reply.
Some embodiments are directed to an unmanned vehicle for transmitting signals. The unmanned vehicle includes a transmitting unit that is configured to transmit a signal towards an object. The unmanned vehicle also includes a control unit that is in communication with at least one companion unmanned vehicle. The control unit is configured to determine a position of the at least one companion unmanned vehicle relative to the unmanned vehicle. The control unit is further configured to control the transmitting element based on at least the position of the at least one unmanned vehicle such that the transmitting element forms a phased-array transmitter with a transmitting element of the at least one companion unnamed vehicle, the phased-array transmitter emitting a transmission beam in a predetermined direction.
G01S 19/00 - Satellite radio beacon positioning systemsDetermining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
H01Q 3/26 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
G01S 1/62 - Varying phase-relationship between beam and auxiliary signal
G01S 13/534 - Discriminating between fixed and moving objects or between objects moving at different speeds using transmissions of interrupted pulse modulated waves based upon the phase or frequency shift resulting from movement of objects, with reference to the transmitted signals, e.g. coherent MTi based upon amplitude or phase shift resulting from movement of objects, with reference to the surrounding clutter echo signal, e.g. non-coherent MTi, clutter referenced MTi, externally coherent MTi
3.
UNMANNED OR OPTIONALLY MANNED VEHICLE, SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING POSITIONAL INFORMATION OF UNMANNED OR OPTIONALLY MANNED VEHICLES
Some embodiments are directed to an unmanned vehicle for use with a companion unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a location unit that is configured to determine a current position of the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a path planning unit that generates a planned path. The unmanned vehicle receives a planned path of the companion unmanned vehicle and a current position of the companion unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a position unit that is configured to determine a relative position between the unmanned vehicle and the companion unmanned vehicle based on at least the planned paths and the current positions of the unmanned vehicle and the companion unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle also includes a control unit that is configured to control a movement of the unmanned vehicle based on at least the relative position between the unmanned vehicle and the companion unmanned vehicle.
Some embodiments are directed to an unmanned or optionally manned vehicle for inspecting an object. The unmanned or optionally manned vehicle includes a data collection unit that captures, via the unmanned or optionally manned vehicle, images of the object, wherein the images are combined to generate stereoscopic images and compares the stereoscopic images with pre-stored images for detecting structural parameters of the object. The unmanned or optionally manned vehicle also includes a location unit that determines location data associated with the detected structural parameters. The unmanned or optionally manned vehicle also includes a report generation unit that generates an inspection report based on the comparison of the stereoscopic images and the location data.
The disclosed subject matter relates to methods and apparatus facilitating assessments of structural and electronic features, parameters, characteristics or any combination thereof using one or more unmanned autonomous vehicles. In some embodiments, an unmanned vehicle may be configured to monitor one or both of the structural and electrical characteristics of an object, and can also include cooperative behavior between two or more unmanned vehicles to test electrical communication in a directional fashion.
Some embodiments are directed to a system for use with a vehicle, the system including control circuits for controlling an operation of the vehicle, each of the control circuits implementing autopilot coefficients. The system further includes a sensor that is configured to detect control circuits operating in an untuned or incorrectly tuned state from the control circuits; an electronic switch that is configured to isolate the control circuits in the untuned or incorrectly tuned state from other control circuits; a tuning circuit that is configured to determine tuned values of the autopilot coefficients corresponding to the control circuits in the untuned or incorrectly tuned state; the tuned values of the autopilot coefficients enabling the control circuits to operate in a tuned state; and a memory to store the tuned values of the autopilot coefficients, wherein the electronic switch is further configured to connect the control circuits in the tuned state to the other control circuits.
Some embodiments are directed to an unmanned vehicle for use with a companion unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle can include a satellite navigation unit that is configured to receive a satellite signal indicative of a current position of the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle can also include an inertial navigation unit that is configured to determine the current position of the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle can also include a control unit disposed in communication with the satellite navigation unit and the inertial navigation unit. The control unit is configured to determine a planned position of the unmanned vehicle based on the planned path, compare the current position determined by the inertial navigation unit with the planned position based on the planned path, and control the movement of the unmanned vehicle based on at least the comparison between the current position and the planned position.
G01C 23/00 - Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraftCombined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
8.
UNMANNED VEHICLE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CORRECTING A TRAJECTORY OF AN UNMANNED VEHICLE
Some embodiments are directed to an unmanned vehicle for use with a companion unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a position unit that is configured to determine a current position of the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a memory unit that is configured to store a planned path of the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a control unit that is configured to determine that the unmanned vehicle is off-course based on the current position of the unmanned vehicle and the planned path assigned to the unmanned vehicle, generate a delay and a corrected path for the unmanned vehicle, and communicate the delay and the corrected path to the companion unmanned vehicle. The control unit is further configured to control a movement of the unmanned vehicle along the corrected path after the delay.
An unmanned vehicle for use with an entity physically spaced from the unmanned vehicle, the unmanned vehicle having objective parameters corresponding to controlled parameters of the entity. The unmanned vehicle comprises a transceiver that is configured to wirelessly receive an input signal from the entity, wherein the input signal is indicative of the controlled parameters of the entity. The unmanned vehicle further comprises a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) circuit that is configured to generate a command signal based on a phase of the input signal and a phase of a reference signal, wherein the reference signal is indicative of the objective parameters of the unmanned vehicle. The transceiver is further configured to wirelessly transmit the command signal to the entity such that the entity controls the controlled parameters of the entity based on the command signal.
G01V 3/00 - Electric or magnetic prospecting or detectingMeasuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination or deviation
G01S 3/16 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction using amplitude comparison of signals derived sequentially from receiving antennas or antenna systems having differently-oriented directivity characteristics or from an antenna system having periodically-varied orientation of directivity characteristic
G08C 25/02 - Arrangements for preventing or correcting errorsMonitoring arrangements by signalling back from receiving station to transmitting station
G01P 15/00 - Measuring accelerationMeasuring decelerationMeasuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
10.
UNMANNED VEHICLE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A PLANNED PATH FOR UNMANNED VEHICLES
Some embodiments are directed to an unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle can include a memory unit that is configured to store a planned path of the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle can also include a position unit that is configured to determine a current position of the unmanned vehicle, the position unit further configured to determine a planned position of the unmanned vehicle based on the planned path data stored in the memory unit. The unmanned vehicle can further include a control unit disposed in communication with the position unit, the control unit configured to determine a deviation based on the planned position and the current position of the unmanned vehicle, and control a movement of the unmanned vehicle such that the unmanned vehicle moves along the planned path if the deviation is less than a predetermined threshold.
G01C 22/00 - Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers or using pedometers
11.
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR COORDINATING THE PATHS OF MULTIPLE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code causes a processor at a first vehicle (e.g., a first autonomous vehicle) to generate a first planned path based on a current position of the first vehicle and a mission requirement assigned to the first vehicle. A first planned path associated with a second vehicle (e.g., a second autonomous vehicle), which is based on a current position of the second vehicle and a mission requirement assigned to the second vehicle, is received at the first vehicle. After the first planned path associated with the second vehicle is received, a second planned path is generated based on the first planned path associated with the second vehicle and at least one of the mission requirement assigned to the first vehicle or the first planned path of the first vehicle. The second planned path of the first vehicle is transmitted to the second vehicle.
G01C 22/00 - Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers or using pedometers
patents