Crowd-Sourced UAS Detection Using Mobile Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

The detection, discrimination, and threat assessment of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) are challenging, especially in high-clutter environments with limited lines of sight, as existing solutions are costly and manually intensive, and inadequate for non-cooperative or hostile UASs.

Innovation Solution

A crowd-sourced detection and tracking system that utilizes multiple user devices to collect and share information about UASs, processed by a centralized entity to assess threats and send notifications to users and law enforcement, leveraging mobile devices and a networked architecture for efficient and scalable detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional detection systems are used, then detection capability is provided, but cost and manual intensity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection capabilityVSAvoidsystem cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a crowd-sourced detection system where individual users' mobile devices autonomously detect and report UAS threats. Each user device independently performs detection functions using its own sensors and processing capabilities, eliminating the need for centralized expensive detection infrastructure. Users contribute their devices' sensing capabilities to the collective detection network, making the system self-sufficient and cost-effective.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple independent mobile devices into a unified crowd-sourced detection network. Individual detection capabilities of separate user devices are merged through centralized coordination to create a comprehensive detection system that covers larger areas and provides more reliable detection than any single device could achieve alone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Measurement precision

If expensive detection systems are deployed, then detection precision improves, but scalability is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection precisionVSAvoidscalability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes mobile devices universally functional for UAS detection by implementing software applications that transform standard consumer devices into detection sensors. The same mobile device can serve multiple purposes - personal communication and UAS detection - eliminating the need for dedicated expensive detection hardware and enabling rapid scalability across large populations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes inexpensive, readily available mobile devices instead of costly specialized detection equipment. These consumer devices can be rapidly deployed and replaced as needed, providing a scalable solution that doesn't require significant investment in long-lived expensive infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Measurement precision

If centralized processing is implemented, then threat assessment accuracy improves, but data transmission requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethreat assessment accuracyVSAvoiddata transmission volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential detection data from mobile devices for centralized processing - specifically UAS presence detection, location coordinates, and basic threat indicators. Non-essential data is filtered out locally before transmission, reducing data volume while preserving the information needed for accurate threat assessment by the centralized server.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4162469B1Crowd-sourced detection and tracking of unmanned aerial systems
Publication Date: 2024.02.14 RAYTHEON CO
  • EP4162469B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4162469B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4162469B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method includes receiving (502) a first notification of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) (306) flying in an area. The method also includes sending (504) a second notification to multiple mobile devices (102a-102d, 200, 304) of multiple users (302) located in the area, where the second notification requests the multiple users to look for the UAS. The method further includes receiving (508) information about the UAS from one or more of the mobile devices of one or more of the users, where the information is obtained by the one or more mobile devices. The method also includes determining (510) an assessment of the UAS based on the information about the UAS received from the one or more mobile devices. In addition, the method includes sending (512) a third notification to at least some of the mobile devices, where the third notification includes information regarding the assessment of the UAS.