APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF AUTHORIZING A MISSION FOR A PORTABLE LAUNCH ASSEMBLY

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a portable launch assembly, and more particularly to apparatuses, systems, and methods of authorizing a mission for the portable launch assembly.

BACKGROUND

The need for authorizing or executing certain missions for portable launch systems in an operating environment is generally known, such as for example artillery equipment configured to mitigate avalanche activity in a mountainous terrain, or in some cases unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launches and/or landings in populous environments. While some methods of authorizing or executing a mission for the portable launch systems may be implemented through software systems enabling communication of one or more devices in a defined operating environment, such software systems are limited by industry-standard specifications. For example, to execute the mission for the portable launch system, the one or more devices must meet safety-critical standards, which are generally not implemented on electronic devices made available to a layperson (i.e., a consumer), such as a smart cellular device employing an Apple- or Android-based operating system (OS). These safety-critical standards are generally not met with conventional versions of the aforementioned electronic devices or equivalents thereof because the software, or other executable algorithm, effectuating the process of executing the mission are not independent of hardware or software natively provided for in these electronic devices. Accordingly, because of the lack of independence of the hardware or software natively provided for in these electronic devices, users (or autonomous systems) rely on electronic devices having specially configured hardware and software specifications that provide safety criticality and fail-safe execution.

Moreover, current methods of authorizing or executing the mission for the portable launch systems, even on electronic devices having specially configured hardware and software (as described above), fail to provide real-time feedback of mission approval, whether caused by significant delays in a mission-rejection feedback loop, or through communication errors leading to a failure to reject (or accept) missions for the portable launch system. These failures limit the one or more devices to advising whether to accept or to reject the mission for the portable launch system, but do not, or cannot, authorize an acceptance or a rejection of the mission, such that the mission for the portable launch system may execute the mission in a defined area. Accordingly, mission execution may be limited to an authorization by an entity, such as a centralized authority or hierarchical system, rather than the one or more devices configured to provide, define, and evaluate parameters of the mission. Thus, there is a need to provide apparatus, methods, or systems that overcome the foregoing limitations.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a novel portable launch assembly. Specifically, the present disclosure provides a novel method and system for authorizing a mission for the portable launch assembly.

Embodiments of apparatuses, methods, and systems of the present disclosure provide a solution to the shortcomings above. In one example, a mission authorization system may be provided comprising one or more electronic devices, at least one of the one or more electronic devices of which may be associated with one or more of the at least one portable launch assembly. The one or more electronic devices may be communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another, thereby forming a secure network, such as a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET). Across the one or more electronic devices, signals representative of a situational awareness (SA), such as position location information (PLI), and mission parameters may be entered and received on the one more electronic devices vis-à-vis an electronic controller executing a mission approval unit. The mission approval unit may comprise at least two modules—a mission module and a safety module—that operate independently of one another to define the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly, and to determine whether to authorize the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly. The mission module and the safety module of the mission approval unit may ensure that the mission authorization system may be implemented on one or more electronic devices generally available for commercial consumption (e.g., smart cellular devices), without compromising safety-criticality, fail-safe determination, and autonomous execution for the mission approval system.

In the context of authorizing a mission for a portable launch assembly, certain embodiments of a method for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly are disclosed. The at least one portable launch assembly may have a launch unit configured to be projected into an airspace over a defined hazard area. One or more electronic devices may be communicatively coupled to one another, such that each of the one or more electronic devices are in association with one another. At least signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices may be received. Parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly may be received. One or more predefined rules, which are related to the parameters of the mission, may be selectively retrieved. One or more predefined rules may be applied to the parameters of the mission based on at least the signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices. And, a request for an approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly may be obtained, the request for the approval based on at least the one or more predefined rules related to the parameters of the mission.

In the context of authorizing a mission for a portable launch assembly, certain embodiments of a system for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly are disclosed. The at least one portable launch assembly may have a launch unit configured to be projected into an airspace over a defined hazard area. One or more electronic devices may have a communication unit. The communication unit of the one or more electronic devices may be configured to communicatively couple each of the one or more electronic devices to one another such that each of the one or more electronic devices are in association with each other. The communication unit of the one or more electronic devices may be further configured to receive at least signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices. The one or more electronic devices may be configured to receive, from an input, parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly. The one or more electronic device may also be configured to selectively retrieve one or more predefined rules related to at least the parameters of the mission. The one or more electronic devices may further be configured to apply the one or more predefined rules to the parameters of the mission based on at least the at least signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices. And, the one or more electronic devices may be further configured to obtain a request for an approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly based on at least the one or more predefined rules related to the parameters of the mission.

In one particular and exemplary embodiment, a method for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly is provided. The at least one portable launch assembly has a launch unit configured to be projected into an airspace over a defined hazard area. The method commences with an operation of communicatively coupling one or more electronic devices to one another, such that each of the one or more electronic devices are in association with one another. The method continues with an operation of receiving at least signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices. The method also continues with an operation of receiving parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly. The method additionally continues with an operation of selectively retrieving one or more predefined rules related to at least the parameters of the mission. The method further continues with an operation of applying the one or more predefined rules to the parameters of the mission based on at least the signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices. And, the method continues with an operation of obtaining a request for an approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly based on at least the one or more predefined rules related to the parameters of the mission.

In one exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the method may further continue with an operation of establishing a secure network of the one or more electronic devices, when the one or more electronic devices are communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another.

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the secure network may comprise a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) or a wireless mesh network (WMN).

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, an administrator may recruit, to a secure network, the one or more electronic devices communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another.

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the one or more predefined rules may include information corresponding to at least one of a location of the one more electronic devices in the defined hazard area, a location of the at least one portable launch assembly in the defined hazard area, a location of one or more landing sites in the defined hazard area, a location of one or more non-landing sites in the defined hazard area, a height of the launch unit projected into the airspace over the defined hazard area, a flight path of the launch unit projected into the airspace over the defined hazard area, or a time constraint on a duration of the mission.

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the method may further continue with an operation of determining whether to accept or to reject the request for the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly.

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the method may further continue with an operation of sending a plurality of test messages, at periodic intervals, to detect whether there is an error with the one or more electronic devices in association with, and in communicative coupling to, one another.

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the error may include at least one of a loss of communicative coupling of the one or more electronic devices, a latency in the communicative coupling of the one or more electronic devices, an uncertainty of a location of the one or more electronic devices in the defined hazard area, an uncertainty of a location of the at least one portable launch assembly in the defined hazard area, or an identification of at least one unknown device that is not associated with the one or more electronic devices.

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the method may further continue with an operation of obtaining the request for the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly based on at least the one or more predefined rules related to the parameters of the mission and whether the error is detected.

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) may include position location information (PLI).

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, each of the at least one portable launch assembly may be associated with a corresponding one of the one or more electronic devices.

In another exemplary aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the launch unit of the at least one portable launch assembly may comprise at least one of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to deliver at least one article at a location within the defined hazard area, or the launch unit may comprise a projectile launched from artillery equipment, the artillery equipment configured to mitigate avalanche activity.

In another embodiment, a system for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly is provided. The at least one portable launch assembly has a launch unit configured to be projected into an airspace over a defined hazard area. The system includes one or more electronic devices, each of the one or more electronic devices having a communication unit. The communication unit is configured to communicatively couple each of the one or more electronic devices to one another, such that each of the one or more electronic devices are in association with one another. And, the communication unit is configured to receive at least signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices. The one or more electronic devices are configured to receive, from an input, parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly. The one or more electronic devices are also configured to also selectively retrieve one or more predefined rules related to at least the parameters of the mission. The one or more electronic devices are configured to additionally apply the one or more predefined rules to the parameters of the mission based on at least the signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices. The one or more electronic devices are yet further configured to obtain a request for an approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly based on at least the one or more predefined rules related to the parameters of the mission. And, the one or more electronic devices are configured to direct performance of remaining operations from the above-referenced method embodiment and optionally any of the described exemplary aspects thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Any invention as disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that embodiments be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any headings utilized in the description are for convenience only and no legal or limiting effect. Numerous objects, features, and advantages of the embodiments set forth herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated in more detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate exemplary embodiments of a partial diagram of a system for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly, the system comprising one or more electronic devices in communicative coupling to, and in association with, one another, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a partial network diagram of a system for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a partial block diagram of an electronic device, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a partial block diagram of the electronic device in association with a portable launch assembly, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart providing an exemplary embodiment of a method for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a partial block diagram of a system for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly, the system comprising one or more electronic devices having a safety module and a mission module, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a partial block diagram of a system for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly, the system comprising one or more electronic devices having a safety module and a mission module, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly in a defined hazard area, the at least one portable launch assembly comprising artillery equipment configured to mitigate avalanche activity in the defined hazard area, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more drawings of which are set forth herein. Each drawing is provided by way of explanation of the present disclosure and is not a limitation. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment.

Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features, and aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in, or are obvious from, the following detailed description. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present disclosure. Referring generally to FIGS. 1-7, various exemplary embodiments may now be described of apparatuses, systems, and methods for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly 60. Where the various figures describe embodiments sharing various common elements and features with other embodiments, similar elements and features are given the same reference numerals and redundant description thereof may be omitted below.

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a partial diagram of a system 100 for authorizing a mission for at least one portable launch assembly 60, the mission authorization system 100 comprising one or more electronic devices 10. The one or more electronic devices 10, such as one or more user devices 10, may be associated with one or more of the at least one portable launch assembly 60, the at least one portable launch assembly 60 having a launch unit 70 configured to be projected from a surface to an airspace, and subsequently onto or against a desired landing site 134 in a defined hazard area 120, as illustratively conveyed in FIG. 7. In optional embodiments, the launch unit 70 may comprise at least one of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), such as a drone, that is configured to deliver at least one article, such as various goods and products (e.g., household goods, groceries, packages, and other items) at remote or distant locations within the defined hazard area 120. In other operational embodiments, the launch unit 70 may comprise projectiles configured to be fired from artillery equipment onto, or against, a mountainous terrain, for the purpose of mitigating avalanche activity, as illustratively conveyed in FIG. 7, and as further described herein. The defined hazard area 120 may comprise any geographic or regional territory or zone wherein the launch unit 70 may be configured to be projected into the airspace. The defined hazard area 120 may comprise a number of areas or zones within the defined hazard area 120, including one or more non-landing sites 142 and one or more landing sites 140, the one or more landing sites 140 of which may comprise the desired landing site 142. In other embodiments, the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may constitute the launch unit 70, e.g., an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), such as a drone; and, in other optional embodiments, the launch unit 70 may be fired separately and apart from the at least one portable launch assembly 60, e.g., projectiles fired from artillery equipment, for the purpose of mitigating avalanche activity in a mountainous terrain. The term “hazard,” as used in connection with the defined hazard area 120, is not solely intended to indicate or signal a presence of danger in a geographic territory or region; rather, the term “hazard” is intended to broadly encompass and convey that the geographic territory or region may contain or encompass areas, sites, or zones that may be suitable for impact or landing (e.g., the one or more landing sites 140) and areas, sites, or zones that may not be suitable for impact or landing (e.g., the one or more non-landing sites 142).

Referring to FIG. 1A, the system 100 may comprise one of one or more electronic devices 10, the one of the one or more electronic devices 10 in association with the at least one portable launch assembly 60, and the one or more electronic devices 10 establishing a secure network 102. The secure network 102 may comprise a closed network 102 comprising only the one of the one or more electronic devices 10, the closed network 102 having the capability of recruiting and/or accepting another of the one or more electronic devices 10 into the closed network 102, such as by and through authentication keys or access credentials. Referring to FIG. 1B, the system 100 may comprise a plurality of the one or more electronic devices 10, wherein at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10 is associated with one or more of the at least one portable launch assembly 60. The plurality of the one or more electronic devices 10 may be communicatively coupled to one another vis-à-vis a communication unit 14 (as further described herein), such that each of the one or more electronic devices 10 are in communicative association with one another. The plurality of the one or more electronic devices 10 may establish, or form, the secure network 102 when the one or more electronic devices 10 are communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another. Referring to FIG. 1C, the system 100 may comprise a plurality of the one or more electronic devices 10, wherein at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10 is associated with the one or more of the at least one portable launch assembly 60. The one or more electronic devices 10 communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another may be recruited or accepted to the secure network 102 by an administrator 110. The administrator 110 may comprise another of the one or more electronic devices 10, or the administrator may comprise a server, a centralized host, or the like, capable of providing and/or maintaining the secure network 102 for the one or more electronic devices 10. For the purpose of the disclosure herein, the system 100 may authorize the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 vis-à-vis any of the one or more electronic devices 10 or the administrator 110, and combinations thereof.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a partial network diagram of the system 100 for authorizing the mission for at least one portable launch assembly 60. The system 100 may comprise a plurality of the one or more electronic devices 10 communicatively coupled to, and in association with one another, wherein at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10 is associated with one or more of the at least one portable launch assembly 60. The communicatively coupling and association of the one or more electronic devices 10 may form, or establish, the secure network 102, including by and through wired or wireless communication (e.g., cellular communication). The secure network 102 may be configured to recruit other of the one or more electronic devices 10n, whether by and through any one (or more) of the one or more electronic devices 10 or through the administrator 110, or a combination of the foregoing. One or more of the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be associated with any of the one or more electronic devices 10n recruited to the secure network 102.

As depicted in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2, the system 100 may comprise the one or more electronic devices 10 communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another in a given area, such as the defined hazard area 120 (as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 7). Within the secure network 102, the one or more electronic devices 10 of the system 100 may function in accordance with a method 200, as depicted in FIG. 4 and discussed further herein, either alone (e.g., independently), or in concert with one another, such that the one or more electronic devices 10 of the system 100 function as decentralized or distributed nodes in the secure network 102. Where the one or more electronic devices 10 act in concert with one another, each of the one or more electronic devices 10 may act as nodes to relay, transmit, and/or exchange communications, inputs (e.g., mission parameters), or data among the one or more electronic devices 10 in the system 100. As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2, directional arrows convey the communicative couplings, and associations, of the one or more electronic devices 10 of the system 100, wherein at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10 is associated with one or more of the at least one portable launch assembly 60. In optional embodiments of the system 100, each of the one or more electronic devices 10 may be communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another, as well as the administrator 110. The administrator 110 may comprise another network of devices, such as another of the secure network 102, or the administrator 110 may include a master administrator with one or more slave administrators, wherein each of the master administrator or the one or more slave administrators may be communicatively coupled to, and in association with, the one or more electronic devices 10. In other optional embodiments, the secure network 102 may comprise a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) or a wireless mesh network (WMN). In embodiments where the secure network 102 comprises a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) or a wireless mesh network (WMN), the one or more electronic devices 10 may be communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another based upon geographical or physical proximity within the defined hazard area 120. Other of the one or more electronic devices 10, one of which may be associated with one or more of the at least one portable launch assembly 60, may be recruited or accepted by the secure network 102 when the one or more electronic devices 10 are moved within a geographical proximity or physical range of the then-existing secure network 102 of the one or more electronic devices 10.

FIGS. 3A-3B depict an exemplary embodiment of the electronic device 10, wherein one of the one or more electronic devices 10 may be associated with at least one portable launch assembly 60 having the launch unit 70. Any of the one or more electronic devices 10 may be lightweight, portable, and/or rugged, and may preferably be a hand-held computer, such as a personal data assistant (PDA), cellular phone, or a smart cellular device, including a smart cellular device or portable computer employing an Android-based operating system (OS), an Apple-based OS, or a Linux-based OS. In optional embodiments, any of the one or more electronic devices 10 may be portable laptop computer, or a notebook- or tablet-type computer. The electronic device 10 may include one or more of a power source 12, a processor 13, a communication unit 14, a location unit 15, a sensor unit 16, a display unit 17, a storage (or a storage medium) 18, and a controller 20 configured to execute a mission approval unit 30. The power source 12, which drives operability of the one or more electronic devices 10, may include at least one of a modular battery, a battery backup, an uninterrupted power supply (UPS), or any battery commercially provided in connection with a smart cellular device or portable computer employing an Apple-based OS, an Android-based OS, or a Linux-based OS, or the like. The processor 13 may be a generic hardware processor, a special-purpose hardware processor, or a combination thereof. In embodiments having a generic hardware processor (e.g., as a central processing unit (CPU) available from manufacturers such as Intel and AMD), the generic hardware processor is configured to be converted to a special-purpose processor by means of being programmed to execute and/or by executing a particular algorithm in the manner discussed herein, e.g., the method 200, for providing a specific operation or result. It should be appreciated that the processor 13 may be any type of hardware and/or software processor and is not strictly limited to a microprocessor or any operation(s) only capable of execution by a microprocessor, in whole or in part.

The communication unit 14 of the one or more electronic devices 10 may be configured to permit communication—for example via the secure network 102, as depicted in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2—by a wired interface, wireless interface, or a combination thereof. In optional embodiments, the communication unit 14 may include wireless communication components, such as cellular modem, radio waves, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the communication unit 14 may include a transceiver (not shown), or other two-way radio, which may be functionally linked to the controller 20, the transceiver (not shown) configured to send and receive communications vis-à-vis radio waves, such as among the one or more electronic devices 10 or between the one or more electronic devices 10 and a communication section associated with the at least one portable launch assembly 60 and/or the launch unit 70. The communication unit 14 may enable the one or more electronic devices 10 to communicatively couple to, and associate with, one another, or in optional embodiments, the administrator 110. The communication unit 14 may also be functionally communicable with other aspects of the one or more electronic devices 10, including the location unit 15 and the sensor unit 16. In optional embodiments, the communication unit 14 of the one or more electronic devices 10 may include a radio-frequency (RF) unit, which may comprise an antenna configured to transmit single- or multi-directional signals to other RF units in the communication unit 14 of the other of the one or more electronic devices 10.

The location unit 15 of the one or more electronic devices 10 may include a global positioning system (GPS) unit (not shown), the GPS unit (not shown) configured to provide location data of the one or more electronic devices 10 or the at least one portable launch assembly 60, wherein one of the one or more electronic devices 10 is associated therewith. Such location data may correspond to position location information (PLI) of the one or more electronic devices 10, particularly the PLI of the one or more electronic devices 10 in the defined hazard area 120. The sensor unit 16 of the one or more electronic devices 10 may comprise a number of sensors, such as inertial measurement units (IMUs). In optional embodiments, the IMUS may include a number of sensors including, but not limited to, accelerometers, which measure (among other things) velocity and acceleration, gyroscopes, which measure (among other things) angular velocity and angular acceleration, and magnetometers, which measure (among other things) strength and direction of a magnetic field. In optional embodiments, directional data provided by the location unit 15, or position-based data provided by the sensor unit 16, may be merged (or otherwise used in combination) by the controller 20 to ascertain a location or motion of the one or more electronic devices 10 (and any of the at least one portable launch assembly 60 associated therewith) in the defined hazard area 120.

The one or more electronic devices 10 may store one or more sets of instructions, including instructions corresponding to the method 200, in the storage 18, which may be either volatile or non-volatile. The one or more sets of instructions, including instructions corresponding to the method 200, may be configured to be executed by the processor 13 to perform at least one operation corresponding to the one or more sets of instructions. The one or more electronic devices 10 may also have a display unit 17 as part of a user interface (UI), which may include one or more UI tools, such as a keyboard, joystick, toggle, or other tool, which are configured to enable input of instructions to the controller 20, including parameters of the mission, as further described herein.

The one or more electronic devices 10 may be a standalone device (as described previously) or may be used with at least one external component, such as another of the one or more electronic devices 10 or the administrator 110, either locally or remotely communicatively couplable with the one or more electronic devices 10—for example via the secure network 102, as depicted in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2. The one or more electronic devices 10 may be configured to store, access, or provide at least a portion of information usable to permit one or more operations described herein, including operations set forth in the method 200, and as illustratively conveyed in FIGS. 4-6. Alternatively, or in addition, the one or more electronic devices 10 may be configured to store content data and/or metadata to enable one or more operations described herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart providing an exemplary embodiment of the method 200 of authorizing a mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The method 200 may commence with an operation 202 of communicatively connecting, by and through the communication unit 14, the one or more electronic devices 10 with one another, such that each of the one or more electronic devices 10 are in association with one another. In optional embodiments, the operation 202 of the method 200 may further continue by establishing the secure network 102 when the one or more electronic devices 10 are communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another, as illustratively conveyed in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2. In other optional embodiments, the one or more electronic devices 10 communicatively coupled to, and in association with, one another may be recruited to the secure network 102 by another of the one or more electronic devices 10 or by a remote system, such as the administrator 110. In further optional embodiments, one or more electronic devices 10 may be communicatively connected to one another, wherein at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10 may be associated with at least one portable launch assembly 60. As described previously, the secure network 102 may comprise a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) or a wireless mesh network (WMN).

The method 200 may continue with an operation 204 of receiving at least signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices 10, including those of the one or more electronic devices 10 associated with the at least one portable launch assembly 60. The signals representative of the situational awareness (SA) may be received and outputted by the location unit 15 and/or the sensor unit 16 to the controller 20, the location unit 15 and/or the sensor unit 16 of which may be couplable to the communication 14 (as described above). For the purpose of the disclosure herein, signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) may include (without limitation) position location information (PLI) of the one or more electronic devices 10, or any directional-, position-, or movement-related information pertaining to the one or more electronic devices 10 (including those associated with the at least one portable launch assembly 60). Situational awareness (SA) may also encompass environmental factors or other external conditions pertaining to, or affecting, the one or more electronic devices 10 and/or the defined hazard area 120, including any perception or monitoring of an observer 130, a user 132, or the desired landing site 134 in the defined hazard area 120, as illustratively conveyed in FIG. 7. As depicted in FIG. 6, the signals representative of the situational awareness (SA) may be received, on or though the communication unit 14, by a communication (or “COMMO”) object 42 provided by the mission module 40 of the mission approval unit 30, executable by the controller 20. The COMMO object 42 may use device-specific libraries residing on the one or more electronic devices 10, for the purpose of sending the information corresponding to the situational awareness (SA) of the one or more electronic devices 10 to a plug-in 44, or other software application 44, downloadable and implementable by the one or more electronic devices 10. The plug-in 44 may include a cursor-on-target (CoT) Listener 46, the CoT Listener 46 of which may be configured to filter the information corresponding to the situational awareness (SA) of the one or more electronic devices 10 (or information corresponding to the network 102).

The method 200 may continue with an operation 206 of receiving parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60. The parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be inputted, manually or otherwise, on the display unit 17 on at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10 vis-à-vis a user interface on the display unit 17. Authorization of the mission may initiate with the entry (and receipt) of the parameters of the mission by and through the mission module 40 of the mission approval unit 30, as depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. The mission module 40 of the mission approval unit 30 may be executable by the controller 20 of any one of the one or more electronic devices 10. The plug-in 44, or the other software application 44, may be configured to receive the parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60, whether provided by a user of the one or more electronic devices 10, or provided by a centralized entity, such as the administrator 110. In optional embodiments, the plug-in 44 may further include a content provider 48, the content provider 48 of which may comprise a structured query language (SQL) database instantiated by the plug-in 44. The plug-in 44 may receive the parameters of the mission, as illustratively conveyed in FIG. 5, by and through the display unit 17 having the user interface (UI) associated therewith, and the content 48 may receive, from the CoT Listener 46, filtered information corresponding to the situational awareness (SA) of the one or more electronic devices 10. Parameters of the mission may comprise any instructions, directions, or other guidance for the at least one portable launch assembly 60, including an instruction to deliver, send, or project the launch unit 70 to, on, or against the desired landing site 134 in the defined hazard area 120, as illustratively conveyed in FIG. 7. Other parameters of the mission may include an instruction to select more than one of the at least one portable launch assembly 60, the function of which is to deliver, send, or project a plurality of launch units 70 to, on, or against the desired landing site 134 (or more multiple landing sites 134) from a plurality of the at least one portable launch assembly 60 in the defined hazard area 120.

The method 200 may continue with an operation 208 of selectively retrieving one or more predefined rules 210 related to at least the parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60. The content provider 48 of the plug-in 44 may have stored thereon one or more predefined rules 210 related to at least the parameters of the mission. The one or more predefined rules 210 may comprise a rule set that is deterministic, presented in human-readable syntax, and/or may include static or dynamic elements pertaining to the mission. In optional embodiments, the one or more predefined rules 210 may include information corresponding to at least one of a location of the one more electronic devices 10 and/or the at least one portable launch assembly 60 in the defined hazard area 120, a location of the at least one portable launch assembly 60 in the defined hazard area 120, a location of one or more landing sites 140 in the defined hazard area 120, a location of one or more non-landing sites 142 in the defined hazard area 120, a height of the launch unit 70 projected into the airspace over the defined hazard area 120, a flight path of the launch unit 70 projected into the airspace over the defined hazard area 120, or a time constraint on a duration of the mission. In other embodiments, the one or more predefined rules 210 may also include at least one of a height, roughness, or other characteristic of a surface of a terrain provided in the defined hazard area 120, nominal flight-path data associated with the launch unit 70 projected into the airspace, or flight-path dispersions associated with the launch unit 70 projected into the airspace, and combinations thereof. In other optional embodiments, the one or more predefined rules 210 may comprise a rule set presenting criteria for which the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 is at least one of the following: safe or unsafe conditions in the mission (e.g., presence of one or more non-landing sites 142), too soon or too late for a duration of the mission, or too close or too far within the defined hazard area 120. And, in yet further optional embodiments, the one or more predefined rules 210 may include proximity to third-party entities or assets, including individuals, structures, or vehicles, all of which may be classified as the non-landing site 142 (or non-landing asset 142), or areas otherwise geofenced or kept out within the defined hazard area 120.

The method may continue with an operation 212 of applying the one or more predefined rules 210 to the parameters of the mission based on at least the signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices 10, one of which may be associated with one or more of the at least one portable launch assembly 60. Application of the one or more predefined rules 210 to the parameters of the mission based at least the signals representative of the situational awareness (SA) corresponding to each of the one or more electronic devices 10 may be carried out by the safety module 50, which is executable by the mission approval unit 30 of the controller 20. The safety module 50 may receive, from the content provider 48 of the plug-in 44, information corresponding to the situational awareness (SA) and the parameters of the mission, as well as the one or more predefined rules 210 related to at least the parameters of the mission. The application of the one or more predefined rules 210 by the safety module 210 may ascertain or determine whether the parameters of the mission comport with limitations or instructions provided by criteria of the one or more predefined rules 210.

With the application of the one or more predefined rules 210 by the safety module 50, the safety module 50 may receive a request for an approval of the mission from the mission module 40, as exemplarily depicted by an operation 218 of the method 200 and illustratively conveyed in FIGS. 5-6. The method 200 may continue with an operation 220 of determining whether to accept or to reject the request for the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60. Evaluation of whether to accept or to reject the request for the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be implemented based on the application of the one or more predefined rules 210 to the parameters of the mission, the application of which may include two-dimensional or three-dimensional assessments of the landing sites 140, the non-landing sites 142, locations of the one or more electronic devices 10 and the at least portable launch assembly 60, or the defined hazard area 120, as well as characteristics pertaining to the terrain (and surfaces thereon) in the defined hazard area 120.

In other embodiments, the method 200 may also continue with an operation 214 of sending a plurality of test messages 216, at periodic intervals, to detect whether there is an error (or a fault) with the one or more electronic devices 10 in association with, and in communicative coupling to, one another, or whether there is an error with the secure network 102. The safety module 50 of the mission approval unit 30, executing independently of the mission module 40 of the mission approval unit 30, allows for a detection of errors or faults with the one or more electronic devices 10 or the secure network 102, as conveyed in FIG. 6. By sending, or injecting, the plurality test messages 216, at periodic intervals, the safety module 50 may determine errors or faults in any component of the mission module 40, including the communications and/or data exchanges among COMMO object 42, the plug-in 44, the CoT Listener 46, or the content provider 48. The safety module 50 may generate the plurality of test messages 216, otherwise referred to as a cursor-on-target (CoT) schema, transmitting the plurality of test messages 216 to the CoT Listener 46 of the plug-in 44. The plug-in 44 may record the plurality of the test messages 216 in the content provider 48, which is thereby read by the safety module 50. To the extent the error or the fault is detected, such data is validated or ignored, for the purpose of otherwise reliably executing the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60. In optional embodiments, the error may include at least one of a loss of communicative coupling of the one or more electronic devices 10, a latency in the communicative coupling of the one or more electronic devices 10, an uncertainty of a location of the one or more electronic devices 10 in the defined hazard area 120, an uncertainty of a location of the at least one portable launch assembly 60 in the defined hazard area 120, or an identification of at least one unknown device that is not associated with the one or more electronic devices 10. In other optional embodiments, the error (or the fault) may include at least one of invalid or incorrectly formatting data in at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10, a loss of data, such as data on the content provider 48 of at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10, missing (or absent) entries of parameters or the one or more predefined rules 210 in the content provider 48 indicating a loss of signal among the one or more electronic devices 10 or the network 102, out-of-sequence entries of parameters in the content provider 48 indicating clock- or time-related errors, missing (or absent) or misconfigured test messages 216 injected into the mission module 40, or an overflow of at least one or more electronic devices 10 or the network 102 caused by, for example, a denial-of-service or distributed denial-of-service, out-of-sequence entries, or simultaneous updating of more than one of the one or more electronic devices 10, such as updating the mission module 40 or another routine software component residing on the one or more electronic devices 10. To execute the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60, a detection of the error or the fault may require a consensus among the safety module 50 of each of the one or more electronic devices in the secure network 102, wherein a consensus mechanism may be employed to evaluate each safety module 50 against other of the safety module 50, for the purpose of shifting decision-making to the most reliable safety module 50 among the one or more electronic devices 10. Where the plurality of test messages 216 have been sent (or injected), at periodic intervals, into the mission module 40 of the mission approval unit 30, the operation 218 may further comprise obtaining the request for the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 based on at least the one or more predefined rules 210 related to the parameters of the mission and whether the error is detected by the transmission (or injection) of the plurality of test messages 216 in accordance with the operation 214. The method 200 may then continue with the operation 220 of determining whether to accept or to reject the request for the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60.

Referring to FIG. 4, the method 200 may continue with an operation 222 or an operation 224. The operation 224 may include accepting the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60, such that the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be executed; the operation 222, on the other hand, may include rejecting the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60, such that the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may not be executed. To the extent the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 is rejected, the method 200 may re-continue with the operation 212 of applying the one or more predefined rules 210 to the at least signals representative of a situational awareness (SA) of the one or more electronic devices 10 (and any of the at least one portable launch assembly 60 associated therewith). This process may continue until the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 is accepted in accordance with the remaining operations of the method 200. To the extent the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 is accepted, the mission may be signed, or otherwise authenticated, such as through public/private two-path authentication exchanged among the one or more electronic devices 10. Each such signature or authentication of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be unique to each of the one or more electronic devices 10.

Referring to FIG. 7, an exemplary embodiment of the system 100 for authorizing the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 is provided in the defined hazard area 120, wherein the at least one portable launch assembly 60 comprises artillery equipment configured to mitigate avalanche activity in the defined hazard area 120 by firing one or more launch units 70 from a surface into the airspace, and further onto or against the desired landing site 134 within the landing site 140. In the defined hazard area 120, the one or more electronic devices 60 may be provided, wherein the at least one portable launch assembly 60 is associated therewith. The user 132, which may be operating at least one of the one or more electronic devices 10, may enter parameters of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60, identifying a location of the landing sites 140 and the non-landing sites 142 within the defined hazard area 120. Having inputted such parameters of the mission vis-vis the mission module 40, which are thereby received by the safety module 50, the one or more predefined rules 210 related at least to the parameters of the mission may be applied to the parameters of the mission. For example, the one or more predefined rules 210 could comprise geo-fencing within the defined hazard area 120 or an identification of the non-landing sites 142 (or non-landing assets 142), such as the at least one portable launch assembly 60, the user 132, and the observer 130, coupled with an identification of landing sites 140, including the desired landing site 134 that is disposed on a terrain of the mountain, impact against which could mitigate avalanche activity. Using all directional and position-related information corresponding to at least the situational awareness (SA) of the one or more electronic devices 10, coupled with a transmission of the plurality of test messages 216, at periodic intervals, across the one or more electronic devices 10, the safety module 50 may obtain the request for the approval of the mission, determining whether to accept or to reject the approval of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60. To the extent, however, a fault or error is detected through the injection of the plurality of test messages 216 on the one or more electronic devices 10 or the network 102, the request for authorization of the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be accepted or rejected. Assuming the approval of the mission is accepted, the mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be executed, such that the launch unit 70 may be projected in the direction of the desired landing site 134. Thereafter, a subsequent mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be authorized in accordance with the operations set forth in the method 200.

In other embodiments, the system 100 may be employed in connection with a mission for the at least one portable launch assembly 60, wherein the at least one portable launch assembly 60 (and the launch unit 70) comprises an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) system, such as (for example) a drone. The drone, which may include avionics hardware and software, may be projected into the airspace in the defined hazard area 120. The user may enter parameters for the mission of the at least one portable launch assembly 60, including one or more desired landing sites 134 within landing sites 142. The parameters of the mission may have the one or more predefined rules 210 related thereto, the one or more predefined rules 210 of which may include those previously described above, as well as rules or criteria directed to governmental or regulatory-based limitations on the flight path of the launch unit 70, the height of the launch unit 70, or locations of the one or more landing sites 140 and the one or more non-landing sites 142 within the defined hazard area 120. In optional embodiments, the defined hazard area 120 may include a geographic territory having its own regulatory or ordinance-based criteria, including states, local districts, municipalities, cities, and other localities. The desired landing site 134 may be a household, a building, or other location that is the recipient of various articles carried by the UAV, such as goods, products, household items, or other articles deliverable vis-à-vis airborne delivery. Using directional and position-related information corresponding to at least the situational awareness (SA) of the one or more electronic devices 10, coupled with a transmission of the plurality of test messages 216, at periodic intervals, across the one or more electronic devices 10, the safety module 50 may obtain the request for the approval of the mission for the UAV, determining whether to accept or to reject the approval of the mission to deliver articles at a location corresponding to the desired landing site 134 within the defined hazard area 120.

To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms have been defined above. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims.

The term “user” as used herein unless otherwise stated may refer to an operator, an autonomous system, or any other person or entity as may be, e.g., associated with the electronic device 10, the at least one portable launch assembly 60, the system 100, the network 102, and/or the administrator 110.

The term “project” or “projected,” as used in connection with the launch unit 70, may refer to a launch of the launch unit 70 from the surface into the airspace over the defined hazard area 120. The launch unit 70 of the at least one portable launch assembly 60 may be launched from the surface into the airspace by dispatch or vertical lift-off, including through rotor-based movement of propellers (e.g., drone), or by propulsion, ejection, or discharge, such as projectiles fired from a barrel or tube (e.g., artillery equipment configured to mitigate avalanche activity).

The term “processor” as used herein may refer to at least general-purpose or specific-purpose processing devices, such as a central processing unit, and/or logic as may be understood by one of skill in the art, including but not limited to a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a state machine, and the like. The processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

It is understood that various operations, steps, or algorithms, including the method 200, as described in connection with the system 100, including (without limitation) the one or more electronic devices 10 (including those of the one or more electronic devices 10 associated with the at least one portable launch assembly 60), the administrator 110, or alternative devices or computer structures or hierarchies, can be embodied directly in hardware, in a computer program product such as a software module executed by the processor 13 or any process related to, or embodied by, the foregoing. The computer program product can reside in the storage 18, which may include RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, or any other form of computer-readable medium known in the art.

Terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration.

The phrases “in one embodiment,” “in optional embodiment(s),” and “in an exemplary embodiment,” or variations thereof, as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.

As used herein, the phrases “one or more,” “at least one,” “at least one of,” and “one or more of,” or variations thereof, when used with a list of items, means that different combinations of one or more of the items may be used and only one of each item in the list may be needed. For example, “one or more of” item A, item B, and item C may include, for example, without limitation, item A or item A and item B. This example also may include item A, item B, and item C, or item B and item C.

Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or states. The conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments, whether these features, elements, and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

The previous detailed description has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of a new and useful invention, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this disclosure except as set forth in the following claims. Thus, it is seen that the apparatus of the present disclosure readily achieves the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein. While certain preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been illustrated and described for present purposes, numerous changes in the arrangement and construction of parts and steps may be made by those skilled in the art, which changes are encompassed within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF AUTHORIZING A MISSION FOR A PORTABLE LAUNCH ASSEMBLY

Information

Publication Number

Date Filed

Date Published

Inventors

CPC

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Applications (1)