Relay Communication Control for Unmanned Vehicle Route Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Unmanned vehicles face communication disruptions due to weather, bandwidth congestion, and distance from control stations, leading to potential loss of communication between control stations and vehicles, which is undesirable for continuous monitoring and control.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes unmanned vehicles equipped with processor-based control circuits, a computing device, and an electronic database to analyze route, bandwidth, and weather data, identifying and utilizing intermediate communication devices to relay signals when direct communication is not feasible, ensuring continuous communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If unmanned vehicles travel along predetermined mission routes over wide geographic areas, then delivery coverage and operational range are improved, but communication reliability deteriorates due to distance, weather, and bandwidth congestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery coverage areaVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces intermediate communication devices as mediators between control stations and unmanned vehicles. These devices relay communication signals to maintain connectivity when direct communication is blocked by distance, weather, or congestion, thus preserving communication reliability while enabling wide geographic coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from direct two-point communication to multi-hop communication through intermediate devices, adding spatial dimensions to the communication path. This allows signals to route around obstacles and weather interference by using multiple transmission points across the geographic area

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If direct communication is used between control stations and unmanned vehicles, then system complexity is minimized, but communication continuity deteriorates under adverse conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication system complexityVSAvoidcommunication continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Intermediate communication devices are introduced to relay signals between control stations and unmanned vehicles. These mediators handle signal routing and regeneration, maintaining communication continuity under adverse conditions while keeping the overall system architecture relatively simple through standardized relay protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-identifies and pre-configures intermediate communication devices along predetermined mission routes before unmanned vehicles depart. This preliminary setup ensures communication continuity is already established when adverse conditions arise, avoiding complex real-time decision-making during operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If unmanned vehicles operate in areas with weather interference and bandwidth congestion, then operational versatility is improved, but communication quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational versatilityVSAvoidcommunication quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Intermediate communication devices act as signal regeneration points that receive, amplify, and retransmit communication signals. This mediation compensates for signal degradation caused by weather interference and bandwidth congestion, maintaining communication quality while enabling operations in diverse and challenging environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where intermediate communication devices monitor signal quality and automatically adjust transmission parameters. This feedback loop maintains communication quality by adapting to changing environmental conditions such as weather interference and bandwidth availability, enabling versatile operations across different conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11822343B2Systems and methods for controlling communication capabilities of unmanned vehicles via intermediate communication devices

Publication Date: 2023.11.21 WALMART APOLLO LLC

AI summary

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that provide for monitoring and controlling communication capabilities of unmanned transport vehicles that via one or more intermediate communication devices that provide relay communications between the unmanned transport vehicles and a control station device when the unmanned transport vehicles travel through areas where the network quality does not permit direct communication between the unmanned transport vehicles and the control station device.