阅读说明：本技术 载具管理 (Vehicle management ) 是由 J·哈特 R·布朗 M·奎瓦斯·拉米雷斯 于 2020-02-21 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种控制自主载具(AV)110的方法,所述方法包括以下步骤：检测第一AV 110-1中的故障；响应于检测到所述故障,发送用于向AV警告该故障的通信,其中,所述通信是装置到装置无线通信；在第二AV 110-2处接收所述通信；识别第二AV,所述第二AV能够取回第一AV的至少部分并且将所述至少部分投递至预期目的地；以及指示第二AV执行取回和投递。(A method of controlling an Autonomous Vehicle (AV)110, the method comprising: detecting a failure in the first AV 110-1; in response to detecting the failure, sending a communication for alerting the AV of the failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication; receiving the communication at the second AV 110-2; identifying a second AV capable of retrieving at least a portion of the first AV and delivering the at least portion to an intended destination; and instructing the second AV to perform the fetching and delivering.)

1. A method of controlling an Autonomous Vehicle (AV), the method comprising:

detecting a failure in the first AV;

in response to detecting the failure, sending a communication for alerting the AV of the failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication;

receiving the communication at a second AV;

identifying the second AV capable of retrieving at least a portion of the first AV and delivering the at least a portion to an intended destination; and

instructing the second AV to perform the fetching and delivering.

2. The method of controlling AV according to claim 1, wherein said at least part of the first AV is: a payload of the first AV; the first AV with or without a payload; and/or a portion of the first AV with or without a payload.

3. The method of any preceding claim, wherein identifying the second AV is performed by the first AV and/or the second AV.

4. The method of any preceding claim, wherein indicating the second AV is performed by the first AV.

5. The method of any preceding claim, wherein indicating the second AV is performed by means of the device-to-device wireless communication or another device-to-device wireless communication.

6. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the device-to-device wireless communication is received by the second AV via at least one intermediate AV.

7. The method of any of claims 1-5, wherein the device-to-device wireless communication is received directly by the second AV without retransmission through an intermediate AV.

8. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first AV detects the fault.

9. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first AV stops traveling in response to detecting the fault.

10. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the device-to-device wireless communication comprises a current location of the first AV.

11. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the device-to-device wireless communication comprises a future destination of the first AV.

12. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the device-to-device wireless communication comprises information about the at least part of the first AV to be retrieved and delivered.

13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first AV is transporting a plurality of payloads to an intended destination/destinations, and wherein a plurality of second AVs are identified and instructed to retrieve and deliver the plurality of payloads to the intended destination/destinations.

14. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first AV and/or the second AV is unmanned.

15. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the at least part of the first AV comprises a passenger.

16. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first AV and/or the second AV is an aerial, offshore and/or ground vehicle.

17. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the method is performed when the first AV and/or the second AV cannot communicate with a cellular wide area network.

18. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the device-to-device communication communicates using a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum licensed for wide area cellular telecommunications.

19. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the device-to-device communication is an LTE Direct protocol compatible communication.

20. The method of any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of the device-to-device communication is encrypted.

21. An Autonomous Vehicle (AV), the AV comprising:

means for detecting a fault in the AV;

a transmitter for transmitting a communication for warning the recycle AV of the failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication;

a processor configured to:

identifying a recycle AV capable of recycling at least a portion of the AV and delivering the at least portion to an intended destination; and

instructing the identified reclaimed AV to perform the fetching and delivering.

22. An Autonomous Vehicle (AV), the AV comprising:

a receiver for receiving a communication providing notification that a failed AV has a failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication;

a payload conveyance device; and

a processor configured to instruct the AV to retrieve at least a portion of the failed AV through the payload transport device and deliver the at least a portion to an intended destination.

23. A system for managing an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) for delivering a payload, the system comprising:

a first AV, the first AV comprising:

means for detecting a failure in the first AV; and

a transmitter for transmitting a communication for alerting the second AV of the failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication;

a second AV, the second AV comprising:

a receiver for receiving the device-to-device wireless communication; and

a payload conveyance device;

a first processor for identifying the second AV capable of reclaiming at least a portion of the first AV and delivering the at least a portion to an intended destination; and

a second processor to instruct the second AV to perform the reclaim and post.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method of managing an Autonomous Vehicle (AV), a system for the AV, and the AV.

Background

An Autonomous Vehicle (AV) such as an autonomous car or a drone may be used for logistics. In particular, such AV may be used to deliver packages from a distribution center (deliverer) to a delivery address.

In many cases, the AV obtains power for propulsion from an internal battery. Thus, such AVs have a limited distance due to limited battery power, typically providing less than an hour of travel (and in many cases only 20 to 30 minutes). This significantly limits the logistic utility of such AV. In an effort to overcome this limitation, AVs can be made lightweight, which in turn can make them fragile and therefore susceptible to mechanical failure.

The AV may be provided with a cellular network interface to communicate with the control center, for example to update the status of the AV to the control center, and in particular if a failure occurs in the AV. The control center may then take remedial action, such as instructing the AV to take certain action. However, the cellular network may fail or may not be available in the vicinity of the AV, in which case the control center may not be aware of the failure in the AV or may not take remedial action.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate some of the aforementioned problems.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling an Autonomous Vehicle (AV), the method comprising the steps of: detecting a failure in the first AV; in response to detecting the failure, sending a communication for alerting the AV of the failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication; receiving the communication at a second AV; identifying a second AV capable of retrieving at least a portion of the first AV and delivering the at least portion to an intended destination; and instructing the second AV to perform the fetching and delivering.

Preferably, as used herein, in the context of an AV, a "fault" is any existing and/or pre-considered condition that impedes and/or may impede AV operation and/or operate as intended (e.g., safe and/or efficient); this includes, in particular, mechanical, electrical and computational faults, as well as environmental conditions (e.g., weather).

Preferably, as used herein, "device-to-device wireless communication" means network communication over a wireless network that is sent from a first mobile device and is capable of being received by (and understood by) a second mobile device without requiring the communication to be communicated between the two mobile devices via a base station (such as a radio access network access point), backhaul, and/or core network. Preferably, the device-to-device wireless communication is communicated according to protocols of cellular network communication, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G protocols.

Preferably, the device-to-device wireless communication is communicated with sufficient power to permit communication over a wide area (wide area), wherein the wide area comprises (ideally) a point at least 250 meters, more preferably at least 500 meters, even more preferably at least 1000 meters, and even more preferably at least 2500 meters away from the transmitting source.

Preferably, the device-to-device communication is transmitted at a power of at least 0.25 watt, more preferably at least 0.5 watt, even more preferably 2 watt and even more preferably at least 3 watt.

Preferably, the device-to-device communication is transmitted in a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is licensed (or exclusively licensed) for wide area telecommunications, and in particular for cellular telecommunications.

Optionally, the device-to-device communication can (but need not) be received, processed and/or sent to its intended destination via a cellular telecommunications network (including a (cellular) base station, backhaul and/or core network).

Optionally, device-to-device communication excludes Wi-Fi^TMAnd Bluetooth^TM。

Optionally, the communication for alerting the AV of the failure further instructs the second AV to perform the retrieval and delivery.

Preferably, the first AV and the second AV comprise means for receiving and/or issuing at least device-to-device communications.

Preferably, the at least part of the first AV is: a payload of the first AV; a first AV with or without payload; and/or portions of the first AV with or without payload. Optionally, the at least part of the first AV is only the payload of the first AV. Optionally, the first AV comprises means for transporting the payload, which may take the form of a cargo hold or a structure for transporting the payload. Optionally, the portion of the first AV (other than the payload) is debris. In the case where the at least part of the first AV is the part or parts of the AV having the payload, the second AV may deliver the payload to a different location for the remainder of the AV (which may be delivered for repair or disposal).

Preferably, identifying the second AV is performed by the first AV and/or the second AV.

Preferably, the instructing the second AV is performed by the first AV. Preferably, the step of identifying and/or indicating the second AV is performed by the second AV. Preferably, the step of identifying and/or indicating the second AV is performed at a location remote from both the first AV and the second AV.

Preferably, instructing the second AV is performed by means of the device-to-device wireless communication or another device-to-device wireless communication.

Preferably, the device-to-device wireless communication is received by the second AV via at least one intermediate AV. Optionally, the another device-to-device wireless communication is received by the second AV via at least one intermediate AV. Optionally, the second AV is indicated to be communicated via at least one intermediate AV. The device-to-device wireless communication may be received directly by the second AV without retransmission through the intermediate AV.

Preferably, the first AV detects a failure. Optionally, the first AV identifies a fault. Optionally, the method further comprises the steps of: a controller, remote from the first AV and/or the second AV, detects and/or identifies the fault in the first AV, which in turn may cause a communication to be sent to alert the AV of the fault.

Preferably, the first AV stops traveling in response to detecting the fault.

Optionally, the identification and/or indication of the second AV is dependent on a failure of said identification in the first AV.

Preferably, the device-to-device wireless communication includes a current location of the first AV. Preferably, the second AV travels to the current location in order to retrieve the at least part of the first AV.

Optionally, the device-to-device wireless communication includes a future destination of the first AV. Preferably, the second AV travels to the future destination to retrieve the at least part of the first AV at the future destination. Preferably, the future destination is not a current location or an expected destination.

Preferably, the device-to-device wireless communication comprises information about the at least part of the first AV to be retrieved and delivered. Optionally, the information includes: weight, size, intended destination (including intended recipient and/or delivery address); whether the at least part (and in particular the payload) is fragile; delivery priority; an indication of a particular process; and/or the intended treatment orientation.

Preferably, the first AV is transporting a plurality of payloads to an intended destination/destinations, and wherein the second plurality of AVs are identified and instructed to retrieve and deliver the plurality of payloads to the intended destination/destinations. Optionally, the plurality of payloads are collected by the plurality of second AVs in order according to priorities assigned to the respective payloads.

Preferably, the first AV and/or the second AV are driverless. Optionally, the at least part of the first AV comprises a passenger. The first AV and/or the second AV are air vehicles (including spacecraft), sea vehicles (including submarines) and/or ground vehicles (including hovercraft).

Preferably, the method is performed when the first AV and/or the second AV are unable to communicate with the cellular wide area network. Optionally, the method is performed only when the first AV and/or the second AV are unable to communicate with the cellular wide area network.

Preferably, the device-to-device communications are communicated using a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum licensed for wide area cellular telecommunications. Preferably, the device-to-device communication is an LTE Direct protocol compatible communication.

Preferably, at least a portion of the device-to-device communication is encrypted. Preferably, the device-to-device communication is encrypted to encrypt at least: the location of the first AV (including future rendezvous locations); the intended destination of the payload; and/or information associated with the payload.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) including: means for detecting a fault in the AV; a transmitter for transmitting a communication for warning the recycle AV of the failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication; a processor configured to: identifying a recycle AV capable of recycling at least a portion of the AV and delivering the at least portion to an intended destination; and instructing the identified reclaimed AV to perform the retrieval and delivery.

Optionally, the means for detecting a fault is a sensor and/or a telecommunications receiver.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) including: a receiver for receiving a communication providing notification that a failed AV has a failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication; a payload conveyance device; and a processor configured to instruct the AV to retrieve at least part of the failed AV by the payload conveyance and deliver the at least part to an intended destination.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for managing an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) for delivering a payload, the system comprising a first AV and a second AV, the first AV comprising: means for detecting a failure in the first AV; and a transmitter for transmitting a communication for warning a second AV of the failure, wherein the communication is a device-to-device wireless communication, the second AV including: a receiver for receiving the device-to-device wireless communication; and a payload conveyance device; a first processor for identifying a second AV capable of reclaiming at least a portion of the first AV and delivering the at least a portion to an intended destination; and a second processor for instructing a second AV to perform reclamation and delivery.

Optionally, the first and/or second processor is arranged to: in the first AV; in the second AV; or remotely located from both the first AC and the second AV. Optionally, the first processor is also the second processor. Optionally, the receiver is a transceiver for transmitting the device-to-device wireless communication to a future network location, wherein the future network location comprises the first processor.

The invention extends to any novel aspect or feature described and/or exemplified herein. The invention extends to a method and/or apparatus substantially as described herein and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention also provides computer programs and computer program products for performing any of the methods described herein and/or for embodying any of the apparatus features described herein, and computer readable media storing programs for performing any of the methods described herein and/or for embodying any of the apparatus features described herein.

The invention also provides a signal embodying a computer program for performing any of the methods described herein and/or for embodying any of the apparatus features described herein, a method of transmitting such a signal, and a computer product having an operating system supporting a computer program for performing any of the methods described herein and/or for embodying any of the apparatus features described herein.

Any of the apparatus features described herein may also be provided as method features, and any of the method features described herein may likewise be provided as apparatus features. As used herein, device plus function features may alternatively be expressed in terms of their corresponding structure (such as a suitably programmed processor and associated memory).

Any features of one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention in any suitable combination. In particular, method aspects may be applied to apparatus aspects, and apparatus aspects may be applied to method aspects as well. Moreover, any, some, and/or all features of one aspect may be applied to any, some, and/or all features of any other aspect, in any suitable combination. It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspect of the invention may be implemented and/or provided and/or used separately.

In this specification, unless otherwise indicated, the word "or" may be construed in an exclusive or inclusive sense.

Furthermore, features implemented in hardware may typically be implemented in software, and features implemented in software may likewise be implemented in hardware. Any reference herein to software and hardware features should be construed accordingly.

The present invention extends to a method of controlling an autonomous vehicle, an autonomous vehicle and a system for managing an autonomous vehicle as described herein and/or substantially as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) performing a recovery operation;

FIG. 2 shows an overview of the process of performing a reclaim operation by an AV;

fig. 3 is a signaling diagram illustrating signaling between AVs in order to implement a reclamation operation; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a process of identifying an AV to perform a reclamation operation.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a first Autonomous Vehicle (AV)110-1 in the form of an aircraft (or so-called "drone"), which has specified a task (hereinafter referred to as "specified task") it is to perform. In the example of fig. 1, the designated task of the first AV is to deliver the payload 120 to the intended destination.

Fig. 2 generally illustrates a process of managing a first AV 110-1 and, in particular, performing operations to reclaim a payload 120 from the first AV by way of another AV and then complete a specified task.

In a first step 210, the first AV 110-1 identifies a failure that affects its ability to perform its specified task, or that affects its ability to safely and/or efficiently perform its specified task, and thus designates the first AV as a "failed AV".

As shown in fig. 1, the first AV includes a battery 130 that powers the movement of the first AV, and in this example, and in accordance with step 210, the first AV detects (and identifies) a fault in the form of a power deficit.

In response to detecting the failure 210, the first AV 110-1 broadcasts 220 a communication 140 (referred to herein as a "distress message") for alerting other AVs that the first AV is failed; the distress message is in the form of a device-to-device communication, which is communicated by means of a transmitter (not shown) arranged as part of the first AV 110-1.

Since the distress message is in the form of a device-to-device communication, it can be received by the remote device and is directly understandable by the remote device without the communication traversing access points and/or network cores of a telecommunications network, such as a cellular or satellite network, whereas the communication 140 is sent as a wide area communication (i.e., with sufficient power to traverse a wide geographic area, particularly when the AV being communicated is at a high altitude, such as in flight) and/or within a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum licensed for wide area communication (e.g., 2.535GHz to 2.690GHz) and particularly licensed for cellular communication.

In the example shown in fig. 1 and 2 and described with reference to fig. 1 and 2, a remote device receiving device-to-device communication is formed as part of another AV, such as a second AV 110-2 and a third AV 110-3, as shown in fig. 1.

At step 230, the first AV evaluates as to whether the first AV receives a response to the distress message from at least one other AV (e.g., the second AV 110-2 and/or the third AV 110-3).

If a response to the distress message is received, after the at least one other AV (which is therefore designated as a "candidate reclamation AV") issues a response to the distress message, the process 200 continues by determining whether the at least one other AV is capable of performing reclamation operations with respect to the payload 120 at step 230.

If it is evaluated in step 240 that the first AV has not received a response (and thus no reclaimed AV is identified), the first AV reissues the distress message (and thus process 200 is repeated from step 220).

In this example, the reclamation operation includes: retrieves the payload 120 and proceeds to deliver the payload to its intended destination (i.e., completes the specified task of the first AV 110-1).

If at steps 230 and 240 an AV capable of performing a reclamation operation (referred to herein as a "reclamation AV") is identified, the identified reclamation AV is instructed to perform a fetch operation 250.

In one example, the reclaimed AV tour is instructed to retrieve the payload from the current location of the first AV. In another example, the reclamation AV is instructed to retrieve a payload (also referred to as a "rendezvous location") from a first AV at a future intended destination.

However, if at steps 230 and 240, a recovery AV capable of performing the recovery operation is not identified, the first AV reissues the distress message (thus repeating process 200 from step 220).

In the example shown in fig. 1 and described with reference to fig. 1, the first AV 110-1 broadcasts distress messages received by the second AV 110-2 and the third AV 110-3 (according to step 220 of fig. 2). The second AV 110-2 is then identified as a reclamation AV and is therefore instructed to perform a reclamation operation in order to reclaim the payload 120 from the first AV 110-1 and continue to deliver the payload to its intended destination.

Faults in the first AV include mechanical and electrical faults, such as damage to the motor or rotor blades, low battery, and software faults. Moreover, adverse environmental conditions may also be useful to be sensed as a fault, and include, for example: adverse weather conditions (e.g., high winds, cold weather, snow storms, and thunderstorms); obstacles (e.g., buildings, trees, terrain, and other vehicles, particularly aircraft); natural disasters (e.g., fires); and malicious tampering attempts (e.g., vandalism and theft).

The fault is detected by the first AV using suitable sensors and/or by receiving network communications informing the AV of the fault, particularly if the fault is related to an environmental condition. The detection of faults by the first AV can be used to perform a pre-consideration of fault development or to respond to faults that have already developed.

For example, a failure in the first AV can be detected, for example, by:

the first AV 110-1 is directly, in particular by means of a suitable sensor, such as a battery level sensor;

a remote management center (not shown) managing the first AV, for example by means of wireless network communication (e.g. wide area network communication, including cellular network communication); and/or

Identifying the fault by means of a remote management centre is most suitable (but not exclusively) for identifying adverse environmental conditions;

omicron wireless network communications can be for broadcast, multicast, or unicast;

an outgoing AV that is not the first AV 110-1, which itself detects the failure and then transmits wireless network communications to at least the first AV, thereby enabling the first AV to also effectively detect the failure;

wireless network communication is either wide area network communication or local area network communication, the latter having the advantage of issuing a localization in the vicinity of the AV (the extent of which will depend on (not at least) the environmental conditions and the transmission power of the communication), and therefore possibly also localized to areas of adverse environmental conditions;

likewise, wireless network communications may be used for broadcast, multicast, or unicast communications;

it should be appreciated that although the issuing AV is not the first AV 110-1, it may still be the first AV in the sense that the issuing AV itself has detected a failure associated with itself that causes the issuing AV to undergo a reclamation operation. Alternatively, the originating AV may also serve as the second AV 110-2 (i.e., the candidate reclamation AV);

issue AV can be used to detect faults either directly by itself or by means of the devices of a remote management centre (as described above).

In one example, the distress message is at least a flag indicating the presence of a failure.

The distress message may also be used to include any of the following:

an identifier, such as an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), that uniquely identifies the first AV;

the current geographic location of the first AV (e.g., retrieved from a GPS module provided as part of the first AV); future (expected) geographic location of the first AV, e.g., a rendezvous location of the first AV and the recycle AV;

details about the specified task include:

assigning importance/priority of tasks (e.g., low priority delivery (such as basic consumer goods) or high priority delivery (such as transfusion blood), and/or

Details regarding the intended target of the payload include:

geographic coordinates, address and/or identifier of the recipient; and/or

An expected route to be taken to an expected destination (e.g., the fastest or most energy efficient route);

details about the nature of the fault identified by the first AV; and/or

This can be used by the candidate recycle AV to help evaluate whether it is appropriate to perform a recycle operation, since a recycle operation may be invalid if the identified failure may result in a failure of the candidate recycle AV (e.g., if the failure is a forest fire);

details about the payload include:

o size;

quality;

o treating the orientation it utilizes;

whether it is brittle;

whether it is a dangerous payload (e.g., contains toxic chemicals or explosives, such as in the case of fireworks); and/or

Where the payload is a plurality of individual items, the number of such items (and any of the foregoing details apply to each such item) and/or the items to be recycled by a given recycling operation (if not all).

It should be appreciated that the payload may include any form of tangible object. In one example, the payload is: parcels (e.g., including goods, waste, and/or trash); another AV; a passenger; or a combination thereof.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating distress message communication as device-to-device communication and subsequent communication between AVs to facilitate reclamation operations.

As described above, the first AV (which has detected a fault as per step 210 above) issues a distress message 140 in the form of a wireless device-to-device communication; the communication is received by the second AV 110-2 and by the third AV 110-3, and by the fourth AV 110-4. The distress message is received by the respective AV directly from the first AV.

The device-to-device communication is for example sent and/or received by the PC5 interface (according to the LTE Direct protocol) of the communication equipment integrated within the respective one of the communication AVs 110.

In this example, each candidate reclaimed AV (i.e., the second AV 110-2, the third AV 110-3, and the fourth AV 110-4) that is deemed to be itself adapted to perform a reclamation operation issues an acceptance message 310 to the first AV 110-1 in response to the distress message. Among the candidate reclamation AVs (i.e., second AVs) from which the acceptance message 310 was received by the first AV, the first AV selects a reclamation AV and responds to the reclamation AV with its own acceptance message 310, effectively instructing the selected reclamation AV (i.e., second AV) to perform a reclamation operation. The recycle AV is selected, for example, as the candidate recycle AV from which the acceptance message was first received by the first AV 110-1.

If no reclaimed AV is identified, the first AV resends the distress message, per step 250 shown in FIG. 2 and described with reference to FIG. 2.

Once the recycle AV (in this example, the second AV 110-2) is identified, the first AV stops sending the distress message 320.

Once the second AV has reclaimed the payload from the first AV, the second AV issues a communication (or "package collection communication") 330 to the first AV confirming retrieval of the payload 120, in response to which the first AV communicates details regarding the specified task (also referred to as "task details") 340 so that the second AV can complete the specified task, and the second AV confirms receipt of the details regarding the specified task 350.

Communications 330, 340, and 350 may be used to be transmitted as device-to-device communications, or alternatively as any other form of wireless communications, particularly as local area communications (e.g., via Bluetooth)^TM) It is assumed that the first AV and the second AV are likely to be closest to each other at these stages.

Identifying the recycle AV is performed in accordance with the capabilities of the candidate recycle AV capable of performing the recycle operation.

The step of identifying a reclaimed AV may be operable to be performed by an AV that is:

a first AV 110-1;

for example, the respective candidate recycle AVs have responded to distress messages from the first AV with details about their capabilities (e.g., battery level, maximum payload quality allowed to be carried), and according to these responses, the first AV is then configured to select the best candidate recycle AV as the recycle AV;

not the AV of the candidate recycle AV, but another first AV that has selected the recycle AV (e.g., the originating AV, as described above) instead;

this reduces network signaling since the first AV that has selected reclaimed AV may already have knowledge of the list of candidate reclaimed AVs and their capabilities;

candidate recycle AV; or

For example, once the candidate recycle AV has received the distress message, each candidate recycle AV evaluates its own ability to complete the recycle operation, and the first candidate recycle AV to do so broadcasts an accept message that identifies it as a recycle AV and alerts the remaining candidate AVs; or

For example, once the candidate recycle AVs have received the distress message, each candidate recycle AV sends its capability information to the designated central candidate recycle AV for the central candidate recycle AV to select the recycle AV;

a remote management center;

for example, each candidate recycle AV sends capability information to the remote management center, and the remote management center identifies the recycle AV (and transmits the information to the recycle AV).

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process 400 for selecting a recycle AV.

In a first step 220, a distress message is issued (as described above). An evaluation is then made as to whether a response (including capability information) to the distress message has been received from a candidate reclaimed AV (e.g., the second AV 110-2). In steps 420 through 450, the ability of the candidate recycle AV to perform a recycle operation is sequentially evaluated, including whether the candidate recycle AV:

within a threshold distance of the first AV 420 (e.g., within 10 miles);

if not within the threshold distance of the first AV, the candidate recycle AV is no longer considered as being selected as a recycle AV, and this step 420 is repeated after a predefined period of time (in case the candidate recycle AV is later in range);

if it is within the threshold distance of the first AV, the process proceeds to step 430;

currently available (e.g., not already directed to a specified task by itself) 430;

if not currently available, the candidate recycle AV is no longer considered to be selected as a recycle AV, and this step 430 is repeated after a predefined period of time (in case this candidate recycle AV is available later);

if it is currently available, the process proceeds to step 440;

sufficiently charged so that a reclamation operation can be performed (e.g., at least one can proceed to the first AV, retrieve the payload, and then complete the specified task); and

if not fully charged, the candidate recycle AV is no longer considered to be selected as the recycle AV, and this step 440 is repeated after a predefined period of time (in case the candidate recycle AV has been charged);

if charged, the process proceeds to step 450;

able to retrieve the payload 450 to the extent that its specifications allow it to do so (e.g., there is sufficient space within its cargo compartment);

if the payload cannot be retrieved, the candidate recycle AV is no longer considered to be selected as the recycle AV, and this step 440 is repeated after a predefined period of time (e.g., in case the candidate recycle AV has free space later within its cargo hold);

if the payload can be retrieved, the process proceeds to step 460.

If the candidate recycle AV has passed all sequential evaluations (i.e., steps 420 through 450), then it is considered to be selected as a recycle AV (along with any other candidate recycle AV deemed potentially suitable in another iteration of this process).

At step 460, if there is a single suitable candidate reclamation AV, it is selected as the reclamation AV from the remaining eligible candidate AVs. Where multiple candidate reclaimed AV's are maintained at step 460, further evaluation may be performed to identify a single suitable candidate reclaimed AV, e.g., based on a lowest cost function, a most recent AV, or based on a selection of weights for various capabilities.

However, if the evaluation 470 does not recycle the option that the AV is appropriate for step 460, then the process reverts back to step 220 and the failed AV re-issues the distress message.

It should be appreciated that any combination and/or sequence of evaluations may be performed to select a recycle AV based on capability.

Alternatives and modifications

In fig. 1, the AV is shown as a so-called drone. In another example, the AV includes any kind of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, such as: ground vehicles (including hovercraft and underground vehicles); marine vehicles (including submarines); aerial vehicles (including spacecraft); and mixed such vehicles.

The designated tasks of the AV include: delivering the payload; industrial operations (such as industrial or agricultural operations), including receiving and/or depositing resources; telecommunications operations, including mobile remote access points and/or repeaters operating as telecommunications networks; construction or repair operations; and/or monitoring, rescuing, or reconnaissance operations. Thus, AV extends to any such vehicle capable of performing such operations.

In one example, the reclamation operation is or includes retrieving the first AV 110-1. Also, the reclamation operation includes delivering the first AV 110-1 to the destination and/or disposal/destruction of the first AV.

In an alternative, if no single recycle AV is identified (which has been attempted to do so after a predetermined length of time), then multiple AVs are selected together to serve as the recycle AV either simultaneously (e.g., in the event that no individual AV is able to carry the quality of the payload) or sequentially (e.g., in the event that no individual AV has sufficient battery to complete the specified task).

In one example, device-to-device communications are received from failed AVs through candidate recycle AVs via any number of intermediate AVs (which may or may not themselves be candidate recycle AVs). Effectively, the mesh network of candidate reclaimed AVs may thus be used to facilitate propagation of the distress message (e.g., beyond the scope of the distress message).

In yet another example, the distress message is in the form of a so-called "last gasp" communication; this is particularly appropriate in the event that at least the communication device of the failed AV fails (e.g., due to insufficient battery power). Thus, the "last-head" distress message is configured to provide sufficient information to identify a suitable recovery AV and then for the recovery AV to perform recovery operations without further communication with the malfunctioning AV.

In one example, the cargo compartment of the failed AV is a protected cargo compartment to prevent unauthorized access and retrieval of the payload. Thus, to reclaim AV rescue payloads from a secure cargo bay, the reclaim AV communicates with the failed AV (when in sufficient proximity to each other) to authenticate itself to the first AV and indicate that it is authorized to rescue the payload. Upon receipt of a valid authentication, the failed AV unlocks its cargo compartment. It will be appreciated that this function is most appropriate when the failed AV is still able to lock and unlock its cargo bay and communicate with the recovery AV (e.g., when the failed AV has sufficient power). If the failed AV cannot or is not expected to be able to unlock its cargo bay only when the most recent recovery AV is authenticated (e.g., when the failed AV sends a distress message as a "last-off" communication), the failed AV defaults to unlock its cargo bay (which may increase the risk of successful clearing (scavenging) of the payload, but may also assist in the recovery operation).

The various features disclosed in the description and (where appropriate) the claims and drawings may be provided independently or in any appropriate combination.

Reference signs appearing in the claims are provided by way of illustration only and do not limit the scope of the claims.