The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jul. 11, 2017

Filed:

Aug. 04, 2015
Applicant:

Qualcomm Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US);

Inventors:

Arjun Prakash, San Diego, CA (US);

Marcelo Ceribelli, San Diego, CA (US);

Assignee:

QUALCOMM Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01C 23/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G08G 5/02 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2006.01); B64D 35/02 (2006.01); B64F 1/00 (2006.01); G08G 5/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G08G 5/025 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 35/02 (2013.01); B64F 1/00 (2013.01); G08G 5/0069 (2013.01); B64C 2201/024 (2013.01); B64C 2201/042 (2013.01); B64C 2201/066 (2013.01); B64C 2201/208 (2013.01);
Abstract

Various embodiments include methods for piggybacking an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a vehicle (e.g., motor vehicles and trailers coupled to motor vehicles) to reach a destination. Various embodiments may include determining whether to dock on a vehicle. One or more candidate vehicles may be identified for docking. Travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles may be identified. A first vehicle may be selected from the one or more candidate vehicles based on one or more travel profile characteristics that assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination. The UAV may dock with the first vehicle. While docked to the first vehicle the UAV may charge an onboard battery via an electrical connection in a docking structure or by harvesting energy in the wind caused by movement of the vehicle by configuring the UAV rotors to charge the battery.


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