Unmanned aerial vehicle navigation assistance

{
  "publication_number": "US9534917B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Unmanned aerial vehicle navigation assistance",
  "abstract": "In an approach to providing navigation assistance, one or more computer processors receive a request for navigation assistance to a destination from a first user. The one or more computer processors dispatch a navigation assistance UAV to the first user. The one or more computer processors determine a route for the first user to follow to the destination. The one or more computer processors provide navigation assistance for the route to the first user using the navigation assistance UAV.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for providing navigation assistance, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more computer processors, a request for navigation assistance to a destination from a first user; dispatching, by the one or more computer processors, a navigation assistance UAV to the first user; determining, by the one or more computer processors, a route for the first user to follow to the destination; and providing, by the one more computer processors, navigation assistance for the route to the first user using the navigation assistance UAV.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, notifying, by the one or more computer processors, the first user of the navigation assistance UAV associated with the request for navigation assistance.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, wherein notifying the first user of the navigation assistance UAV associated with the request for navigation assistance further comprises: sending, by the one or more computer processors, a first symbol associated with the navigation assistance UAV to the first user; and displaying, by the one or more computer processors, the first symbol on the navigation assistance UAV.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing navigation assistance to the first user further comprises: directing, by the one or more computer processors, the navigation assistance UAV to arrive in a position in view of the first user at the location of the first user; and directing, by the one or more computer processors, the navigation assistance UAV to travel ahead of the first user for the first user to follow to the destination.",
    "5. The method of claim 4, wherein directing the navigation assistance UAV to travel ahead of the first user to the destination further comprises displaying, by the one or more computer processors, instructions on a display associated with the navigation assistance UAV.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing navigation assistance to the first user further comprises: directing, by the one or more computer processors, the navigation assistance UAV to arrive in a position out of view of the first user at the location of the first user; and directing, by the one or more computer processors, the navigation assistance UAV to project an image on an object in view of the first user at the location of the first user for the first user to follow to the destination.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to receiving a request for navigation assistance to a destination from a first user, determining, by the one or more computer processors, the location of the first user.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to receiving a request for navigation assistance, locating, by the one or more computer processors, a navigation assistance UAV near a location of the first user.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether at least one other user is traveling to the destination of the first user; and responsive to determining at least one other user is traveling to the destination of the first user, directing, by the one or more computer processors, the at least one other user to display an image in view of the first user for the first user to follow to the destination.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, further comprising utilizing, by the one or more computer processors, a rear view camera of the at least one other user to monitor the first user.",
    "11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for navigation assistance to a destination from a first user further comprises: receiving, by the one or more computer processors, contact from the first user; registering, by the one or more computer processors, one or more computing devices associated with the first user; and assigning, by the one or more computer processors, one or more unique identifiers to the one or more computing devices associated with the first user.",
    "12. A computer program product for providing navigation assistance, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: program instructions to receive a request for navigation assistance to a destination from a first user; program instructions to dispatch a navigation assistance UAV to the first user; program instructions to determine a route for the first user to follow to the destination; and program instructions to provide navigation assistance for the route to the first user using the navigation assistance UAV.",
    "13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein program instructions to notify the first user of the navigation assistance UAV associated with the request for navigation assistance further comprises: program instructions to send a first symbol associated with the navigation assistance UAV to the first user; and program instructions to display the first symbol on the navigation assistance UAV.",
    "14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein program instructions to provide navigation assistance to the first user further comprises: program instructions to direct the navigation assistance UAV to arrive in a position in view of the first user at the location of the first user; and program instructions to direct the navigation assistance UAV to travel ahead of the first user for the first user to follow to the destination.",
    "15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein program instructions to provide navigation assistance to the first user further comprises: program instructions to direct the navigation assistance UAV to arrive in a position out of view of the first user at the location of the first user; and program instructions to direct the navigation assistance UAV to project an image on an object in view of the first user at the location of the first user for the first user to follow to the destination.",
    "16. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising: program instructions to determine whether at least one other user is traveling to the destination of the first user; and responsive to determining at least one other user is traveling to the destination of the first user, program instructions to direct the at least one other user to display an image in view of the first user for the first user to follow to the destination.",
    "17. A computer system for providing navigation assistance, the computer system comprising: one or more computer processors; one or more computer readable storage media; program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising: program instructions to receive a request for navigation assistance to a destination from a first user; program instructions to dispatch a navigation assistance UAV to the first user; program instructions to determine a route for the first user to follow to the destination; and program instructions to provide navigation assistance for the route to the first user using the navigation assistance UAV.",
    "18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein program instructions to notify the first user of the navigation assistance UAV associated with the request for navigation assistance further comprises: program instructions to send a first symbol associated with the navigation assistance UAV to the first user; and program instructions to display the first symbol on the navigation assistance UAV.",
    "19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein program instructions to provide navigation assistance to the first user further comprises: program instructions to direct the navigation assistance UAV to arrive in a position in view of the first user at the location of the first user; and program instructions to direct the navigation assistance UAV to travel ahead of the first user for the first user to follow to the destination.",
    "20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein program instructions to provide navigation assistance to the first user further comprises: program instructions to direct the navigation assistance UAV to arrive in a position out of view of the first user at the location of the first user; and program instructions to direct the navigation assistance UAV to project an image on an object in view of the first user at the location of the first user for the first user to follow to the destination."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to the field of unmanned aerial vehicles, and more particularly to navigation assistance using unmanned aerial vehicles.\n\nMany wireless communication computer controlled display devices are enabled to subscribe to a global positioning system (GPS) to generate and display on the devices defined area maps for the areas within which the GPS has located the display device position. Global positioning is a well-known and developed technology that uses groups of three satellites that receive signals from the moving unit being positioned and use this signal data to triangulate and, thus, position the moving unit. Such GPS mapping systems are installed on a large share of mobile wireless display devices. From such maps, the mobile user, either walking or riding in a motor vehicle, may get routing information.\n\nAn unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot aboard. Flight of the UAV is controlled either autonomously by onboard computers or by the remote control of a pilot on the ground or in another vehicle. The typical launch and recovery method of an unmanned aircraft is by the function of an automatic system or an external operator on the ground.\n\nEmbodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a computer program product, and a system for providing navigation assistance. The method for providing navigation assistance may include one or more computer processors receiving a request for navigation assistance to a destination from a first user. The one or more computer processors dispatch a navigation assistance UAV to the first user.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01C 21/3661",
    "B64C 2201/024",
    "B64C 2201/027",
    "B64C 2201/12",
    "B64C 2201/141",
    "B64C 39/024",
    "B64U 10/14",
    "B64U 2201/10",
    "B64U 2201/102",
    "G01C 21/34",
    "G01C 21/365",
    "G01C 21/3688",
    "G05D 1/0011"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G01C 21/36",
    "B64C 27/00",
    "G01C 21/00",
    "G01C 21/34",
    "G05D 1/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "International Business Machines Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kelly Abuelsaad",
    "Gregory J. Boss",
    "Kevin C. McConnell",
    "Shane B. McElligott"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-07-07",
  "publication_date": "2017-01-03",
  "grant_date": "2017-01-03",
  "priority_date": "2014-08-21",
  "application_number": "US-201514793269-A",
  "family_id": "54328168",
  "cited_by_count": 49,
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    "WO2013123944A1",
    "US20140022051A1",
    "US8930044B1",
    "US20150134143A1",
    "US20150120094A1",
    "US9158304B2"
  ]
}