Patent ID: 12211286

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise expressly stated in the drawings, the sizes, positions, etc., of components, features, elements, etc., as well as any distances therebetween, are not necessarily to scale, and may be disproportionate and/or exaggerated for clarity.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should be recognized that the terms “comprise.” “comprises,” and/or “comprising.” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Unless otherwise specified, a range of values, when recited, includes both the upper and lower limits of the range, as well as any sub-ranges therebetween. Unless indicated otherwise, terms such as “first,” “second.” etc., are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, one element could be termed a “first element” and similarly, another element could be termed a “second element,” or vice versa. The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

Unless indicated otherwise, the terms “about.” “thereabout,” “substantially,” etc. mean that amounts, sizes, formulations, parameters, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact, but may be approximate and/or larger or smaller, as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors known to those of skill in the art.

Spatially relative terms, such as “right.” left,” “below,” “beneath,” “lower.” “above,” and “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element or feature, as illustrated in the drawings. It should be recognized that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if an object in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” can, for example, encompass both an orientation of above and below. An object may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

Unless clearly indicated otherwise, all connections and all operative connections may be direct or indirect. Similarly, unless clearly indicated otherwise, all connections and all operative connections may be rigid or non-rigid.

Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Thus, the same or similar numbers may be described with reference to other drawings even if they are neither mentioned nor described in the corresponding drawing. Also, even elements that are not denoted by reference numbers may be described with reference to other drawings.

Many different forms and embodiments are possible without deviating from the spirit and teachings of this disclosure and so this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The appearance of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments.

As used herein, the term “controller” may refer to, be part of, or include an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and/or memory (shared, dedicated, or group) that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.

Referring toFIG.1, an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle detecting system100(hereinafter simply referred to as monitoring system100) suitable for monitoring a geographic area (i.e., an airspace200), and detect an intrusion of any unauthorized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), for example, an unauthorized drone, in the airspace200is shown. The system100includes an unmanned blimp102(hereinafter referred to as blimp102) adapted to be arranged at a desired altitude, at least one camera104mounted on the blimp102, a location sensor106mounted on the blimp102and adapted to determine a location of the blimp102, and a controller108arranged in the ground and in communication with the blimp102, the at least one camera104, and the location sensor106to monitor one or more UAVs300in the airspace200and determine the intrusion of any unauthorized UAV in the airspace200.

As shown, the blimp102includes a balloon shaped structure120filling with a gas, for example, helium, to enable a lifting of the blimp102in the air and positioning of the blimp102at the desired altitude, and a valve122adapted to control a discharge of the gas from the balloon120to control the altitude of the blimp102from the ground. In an embodiment, an opening and a closing of the valve122is controlled by the controller108. To facilitate the opening and closing of the valve122by the controller108, the valve122may be an electrically actuated valve. For example, the valve122may be an electromechanical valve, an electro-pneumatic valve, an electrohydraulic valve, or any other suitable electrically actuated valve. Although the electrically actuate valve122is contemplated, it may be envisioned that the valve122may be a mechanically actuated valve, a hydraulically actuated valve, or a pneumatically actuated valve.

Further, the blimp102includes a plurality of propellers124(for example, four propellers124) connected to a platform structure126supported by the balloon120to propel the blimp102in a forward, a rearward, or sidewards directions to position the blimp102at a desired location. To operate the propellers124, the blimp102includes a plurality of electric motors128operatively connected to the plurality of propellers124to operate or rotate the propellers124. As shown, each motor128is associated with one propeller124and operates the connected propeller124. Further, the electric motors128are operatively connected to the controller108, and the controller108controls the operations of each motor128to position the blimp102at the desired location/coordinates at the desired altitude.

To power the electric motors128and/or other components, for example, the at least one camera104, the location sensor106, and/or a communication device130, of the system100, the blimp102may include a power source132. In an embodiment, the power source132may be a solar mesh134arranged on an outer surface of the balloon120and adapted to convert solar power into electricity. Such generated electricity is either provided directly to the electric motors128and other components of the system100and/or stored inside an energy storage device, for example, a battery mounted on the blimp102, and then transferred to the blimp102and other components of the system100. To control the transfer of electricity to various components of the system100, suitable hardware is mounted on the blimp102.

As shown inFIG.1, multiple cameras104are shown to be mounted on the blimp102to capture 360 degrees view of an area surrounding the blimp102. In an embodiment, the cameras104are arranged such that the angle of view of the cameras104are inclined towards ground relative to a horizontal plane. Accordingly, the cameras104are configured to capture a bird eye view and/or 3-dimensional view of the airspace200to be monitored. In an embodiment, each camera104may rotate between a first position and a second position around a vertical axis. In some embodiments, the cameras104are stationary. In an embodiment, the system100may include a single camera104(as shown inFIG.2) supported on the platform126and looking downward such that a field of view of the camera104includes a shape of 3-dimensional cone and is able to capture a bird eye of the airspace200to be monitored. The camera104may rotate about a vertical axis. In an embodiment, the at least one camera104may be a video camera to capture a video the airspace200to provide a plurality of frames of images, or an image capturing camera suitable to capture images of the airspace200. In an embodiment, the camera104may be a lidar based camera or a radar, or an infrared camera. The camera104is in communication with the controller108and is configured to share the captured images of the airspace200with the controller108in real time.

To facilitate a data exchange between the at least one camera104and the controller108, the system100includes the communication device130, for example, a transceiver, mounted on the blimp102. In an embodiment, the communication device130may transmit and/or receive a plurality of analog signals or a plurality of digital signals for facilitating the wireless communication of the communication device130with the controller108. The controller108also shares the control signals or data with the electric motors128and the valve122through the communication device130.

Further, the location sensor106also exchanges data with the controller108via the communication device130. In the embodiment, the location sensor106shares the location coordinates of the blimp102to the controller108in real time. In an embodiment, the location sensor106may be a geo-positioning sensor (GPS sensor), or any other similar sensor known in the art to facilitate a determination of the location coordinates of the blimp102in the real time. Although a single communication device130is shown and contemplated, it may be appreciated that the cameras104, the location sensor106, the electric motors128, and the valve122, each may have independent communication device to facilitate a communication and the data exchange with the controller108. Based on the location data, the controller108is configured to control the electric motors128and/or the valve122to position the blimp102at the desired location in the air such that the cameras104may scan and capture the images of the entire geographic area or airspace200to be monitored.

In an embodiment, the controller108is arranged or located at a ground-based station and includes a transceiver to exchange data with the communication device130mounted on the blimp102. Although the controller108arranged on the ground station is shown and contemplated, it may be envisioned that the controller108may be located on the blimp102. The controller108is configured to determine a presence of one or UAVs300in the airspace200and determine whether the unmanned aerial vehicle300is an authorized unmanned aerial vehicle or an unauthorized unmanned aerial vehicle. For so doing, the controller108is in communication with the at least one camera104.

Referring toFIG.3, the controller108may include a processor140for executing specified instructions, which controls and monitors various functions associated with the blimp102and the system100. The processor140may be operatively connected to a memory142for storing instructions related to the control of the system100and components of the system100. In an embodiment, the memory142may also store various events performed during the operations of the system100.

The memory142as illustrated is integrated into the controller108, but those skilled in the art will understand that the memory142may be separate from the controller108but onboard the ground station, and/or remote from the controller108, while still being associated with and accessible by the controller108to store information in and retrieve information from the memory142as necessary during the operation of the system100. Although the processor140is defined, it is also possible and contemplated to use other electronic components such as a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip, or any other integrated circuit device may be used for preforming the similar function. Moreover, the controller108may refer collectively to multiple control and processing devices across which the functionality of the system100may be distributed. For example, the location sensor106, the communication device130, the cameras104, the electric motors128, and the valve122, may each have one or more controllers that communicate with the controller108.

In an embodiment, the processer140is adapted to detect a presence of an UAV inside the airspace200by analyzing the images received from the cameras104. In an embodiment, the processor140may perform a frame-by-frame analysis of the video being received from the cameras104to detect a presence of an unmanned aerial vehicle300in the airspace200.

In an embodiment, the controller108may include a trained machine learning model146(shown inFIG.3) adapted to identify one or more attributes of the detected UAV300detected inside the airspace200to determine whether the detected UAV300is an authorized UAV and an unauthorized UAV. In an embodiment, the one or more attributes includes a shape, one or more dimensions, etc., of the UAV300. In an embodiment, the machine learning model146is trained to identify the one or more attributes of the detected UAV300from the images of the detected UAV300. The machine learning model146is also trained to ascertain whether the one or more attributes correspond to any of the authorized UAVs and accordingly determine whether the detected UAV300is an authorized UAV or an unauthorized UAV. In an embodiment, the machine learning model146may generate an image signature of the detected UAV300based on the images received from the cameras104and identify the attributes from the generated image signature. In an embodiment, the machine learning model146may be a neural network-based model, a random forest-based model, a support vector machines-based model, a k-nearest neighbors algorithm based model, a symbolic regression based model, or any other such model known in the art.

In an embodiment, the machine learning model146facilitates a comparison of the image signature of the detected UAV300with the images of the authorized UAVs and determination whether the detected UAV300is one of the authorized UAVs or an unauthorized UAV. To do so, the controller108may include a database144storing a plurality of image signatures for the plurality of authorized UAVs. In an embodiment, the database144may store a plurality of image signatures corresponding to each authorized UAVs.

The processor140by using the trained machine learning model146is adapted to determine the detected UAV300as the unauthorized UAV if the machine learning model146determines that the image signature of the detected UAV300does not match with the image signatures of the plurality of authorized UAVs stored in the database144. Further, the processor140is configured to generate an alarm, visual and/or audible, upon detection of an unauthorized UAV. Also, the processor140is configured to determine a location and a speed of the detected UAV300based on the images captured by the cameras104. Additionally, or optionally, the processor140may store the information related to the detected UAV300in the memory142for later retrieval. Moreover, the processor140may detect a malfunctioning of one or more components of the system100mounted on the blimp102or the blimp102itself, and may open the valve122to facilitate a discharge to gas from the balloon120to bring the blimp102to the ground for repair and diagnostic purpose.

A method for monitoring the airspace200is now described. The method includes positioning the blimp102at the desire location including the desire altitude in the airspace200. The desired location is selected such that the cameras104mounted on the blimp102scan and capture images of the entire airspace200to be monitored. In an embodiment, a plurality of blimps102may be positioned at various locations in the air to monitor the airspace200if the airspace200is large enough to be covered by a single blimp102.

For positioning the blimp102at the desired location, the processor140may receive the location coordinates of the blimp102from the location sensor106, and controls the electric motors128to control the propellers124and/or an opening and closing of the valve122to move the blimp102at the desired location including the desired altitude. After positioning the blimp102at the desired location, the cameras104arranged/mounted on the blimp102are activated to scan the airspace200. The cameras104start capturing videos or images of the airspace200and shares the video or images with the controller108arranged on the ground via the communication device130.

Upon receipt of the video or images from the cameras104, the processor140analyzes the images to detect a presence of one or more UAVs300inside the airspace200. In an embodiment, in response to the detection of a UAV, for example the UAV300, inside the airspace200, the processor140by using the machine learning model146may generate an image signature of the detected UAV300based on the images of the detected UAV300extracted from the video or images shared by the cameras104. Upon generation of the image signature of the detected UAV300, the machine learning model146determines whether the images signature of the detect UAV300matches with image signature of any of the authorized UAVs. For so doing, in an embodiment, the machine learning model146, and hence the controller108, access the database144, and compares the image signature of the detected UAV300with the image signatures of each of the authorized UAVs. In an embodiment, an image signature includes information about a shape and/or dimensions of the associated UAV. The machine learning model146, and hence the controller108, determines or recognizes the detected UAV300as the authorized UAV if the image signature of the detected UAV300matches with the image signature of any of the authorized UAVs. In an embodiment, two image signatures are determined to match each other if the similarity between two image signature is greater than a predefined value. For example, the two image signatures are determined to match each other if there is more than 90% similarity the two image signatures. In an embodiment, the two image signatures are determined to match each other if there is more than 95% similarity between two image signatures. In an embodiment, the two image signatures are determined to match each other if there is more than 85% similarity between two image signatures.

Accordingly, the controller108(i.e., the processor140), by using the machine learning model146, determines/recognizes the detected UAV300as an unauthorized UAV is the image signature of the detected UAV300does not match with the image signatures of any of the authorized UAV. Upon detection of the detected UAV300as unauthorized UAV, the machine learning model146may store attributes of the detected UAV300as unauthorized UAV and may use these attributes for future detection of any unauthorized UAV. In this manner, the machine learning model146keeps updating and improving its capability to identify unauthorized UAVs. Furthermore, upon detection of the unauthorized UAV, the processor140may generate an alarm, for example, an audible and/or a visual alarm. In some embodiments, the processor140may generate a notification and may send the notification to a concerned person or authority. Additionally, the processor140may track the movements of the unauthorized UAV in the airspace200based on the images received from the cameras104, and determines an instantaneous location, heading, and the speed of the UAV300in the airspace200. Also, the processor140may store a data related to a location of entry of the unauthorized UAV in the airspace200with a time stamp and a location of exit of the unauthorized UAV from the airspace200with a time stamp. In this manner, the system100facilitates in monitoring the airspace200for intrusion of any unauthorized UAVs in the airspace200.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present disclosure and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.