Abstract: Various methods for monitoring a target user by a robotic vehicle include tracking the target user by the robotic vehicle, detecting an object in the presence of the target user based on one or more detection criteria, determining whether the object is a potential threat to the target user based on one or more threat criteria, determining whether to notify the third party of the potential threat to the target user based on one or more notification criteria in response to determining that the object is a potential threat, and notifying the third party of the potential threat to the target user in response to determining that the third party should be notified.

Abstract: Various methods enable a processor of a robotic vehicle to determine when the robotic vehicle has been stolen so that a self-recovery operation may be performed. Determining whether the robotic vehicle has been stolen may include evaluating, by a processor of the robotic vehicle, unauthorized use indicia, and determining that the robotic vehicle is stolen in response to determining that unauthorized use indicia exceed a threshold. Evaluating unauthorized use indicia may include determining whether an Integrated Circuit Card Identifier of a Subscriber Identify Module matches a stored value, determining whether a paired controller is different from a usual controller, determining whether the operator's skill has changed, and evaluating one or more trust factors that are observable features of normal operation.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods and vehicles, such as a semi-autonomous vehicle, for safely operating a vehicle based on vehicle-control gestures made by an occupant. Exemplary implementations may include determining a first vehicle action by applying a first passenger profile to a detected first vehicle-control gesture performed by a first passenger, determining whether the first vehicle action is safe to perform, and operating the vehicle to implement the first vehicle action in response to determining that the first vehicle action is safe for the vehicle and occupants. The first passenger profile may be selected from a plurality of passenger profiles to normalize vehicle-control gestures received from the first passenger. The vehicle control gesture may be ignored or a vehicle action differing from but similar to the first vehicle action may be implemented in response to determining that the first vehicle action is unsafe for the vehicle or occupants.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a carbon monoxide (CO) detection device and methods for operating a FDS or CO detection device to detect carbon monoxide and communicate information regarding CO detection events to a remote server via communication network. Various embodiments include receiving information from one or more CO sensors configured to detect CO, determining whether the information from the one or more CO sensors satisfies one or more threshold criteria indicative of fire event or CO detection, generating a CO warning message comprising a fire and/or CO alarm object in response to determining that the information received from the one or more CO sensors satisfy one or more threshold criteria indicative of CO detection, and sending the generated CO warning message to a remote server via a communication network.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a fire detection system (FDS) device and methods for operating an FDS device to detect a potential fire and communicate information regarding fire detection events to a central fire detection system via a wireless communication network. Various embodiments include receiving information from one or more sensors configured to detect an indication of a possible fire, determining whether information received from the one or more sensors satisfy one or more threshold criteria indicative of a fire event, generating a fire warning message comprising a fire alarm object in response to determining that the information received from the one or more sensors satisfy one or more threshold criteria indicative of a fire event, and sending the generated fire warning message to a remote server via a communication network.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for coordinating trips for multiple users in an autonomous vehicle system. An example method generally includes receiving, from a first user, information identifying a destination of a trip to be performed by an autonomous vehicle. The identified destination is broadcast to one or more second users. Information about one or more additional destinations to be visited by the autonomous vehicle is received from the one or more second users, and a trip routing is generated. The trip routing generally includes the identified destination and the one or more additional destinations.

Abstract: Embodiments include devices and methods for managing network communication of an unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV). A processor of the UAV may determine an altitude of the UAV. The processor may optionally also determine a speed or vector of the UAV. Based on the determined altitude and/or speed/vector of the UAV, the processor may adjust the communication parameter of the communication link between the UAV and a communication network. The processor may transmit signals based on the adjusted communication parameter, which may reduce radio frequency interference caused by the transmissions of the UAV with the communication network.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods, devices, and systems of transporting a payload using a robotic vehicle. Various embodiments may include determining whether a payload is securely held by the robotic vehicle, and taking a corrective action in response to determining that the payload is not securely held by the robotic vehicle.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods and vehicles that may include determining whether to initiate a configuration change protocol to implement a configuration change for modifying the arrangement of the vehicle internal structure in response to a planned or predicted future operating mode, event or environment. Also, determining whether an occupancy status of the vehicle conflicts with an occupancy status allowed for in a configuration called for by a configuration change input or indication. Further, modifying an arrangement of the vehicle internal structure in accordance with the configuration change input or indication in response to determining that the occupancy status of the vehicle does not conflict with the occupancy status allowed for in the configuration called for by the configuration change.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods and vehicles that may include determining whether to initiate a configuration change protocol to implement a configuration change for modifying the exterior shape of a body of the vehicle in response to a planned or predicted future operating mode, event or environment. Also, determining whether an occupancy status of the vehicle conflicts with an occupancy status allowed for in a configuration called for by a configuration change input or indication. Further, modifying the exterior shape of the body of the vehicle in accordance with the configuration change input or indication in response to determining that the occupancy status of the vehicle does not conflict with the configuration change input or indication, wherein modifying the exterior shape of the body of the vehicle includes modifying a configuration of at least one exterior vehicle part.

Abstract: Embodiments include devices and methods for managing network communication of an unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV). A processor of the UAV may determine an altitude of the UAV. The processor may optionally also determine a speed or vector of the UAV. Based on the determined altitude and/or speed/vector of the UAV, the processor may adjust the communication parameter of the communication link between the UAV and a communication network. The processor may transmit signals based on the adjusted communication parameter, which may reduce radio frequency interference caused by the transmissions of the UAV with the communication network.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods, devices, and systems of transporting a payload using a robotic vehicle. The methods may determine whether a payload has separated from the robotic vehicle and take a corrective action in response to determining that the payload is not securely held by the robotic vehicle.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for automatically customizing operation of a robotic vehicle are described. The method may include identifying an operator, retrieving an operator profile and associated metadata for the operator from a database, where the metadata includes operator habit information, and configuring the robotic vehicle based on existing preference-based and performance-based settings, where the existing preference-based and performance-based settings are based on the metadata. The methods may include identifying operator habit information during operation of the robotic vehicle, deriving updated preference-based and performance-based settings for the operator based on the identified operator habit information, and providing, to the database, modifications to the metadata associated with the operator profile of the operator.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for performing autonomous self-service are described. A robotic device may identify a status of a chamber associated with the robotic device based on sensor data received from a sensor of the robotic device and pause an autonomous debris collection process of the robotic device based on the identified status. The robotic device may automatically remove a first container from the chamber based on the identified status and discard the first container away from the robotic device. In some examples, the robotic device may discard the first container at a fixed position within a geo-boundary corresponding to the debris collection process. The robotic device may resume the autonomous debris collection process based on an introduction of a second container.

Abstract: Embodiments include devices and methods for identifying landing zones for landing of a robotic vehicle. In some embodiments, the method may include identifying, by a processor of the robotic vehicle, one or more landing zones for landing while in transit, storing, by the processor, information associated with the one or more landing zones, detecting, by the processor, an emergency event requiring landing of the robotic vehicle while in transit, accessing, by the processor, the one or more stored landing zones in response to the determined emergency event, selecting a landing zone from the one or more stored landing zones for landing the robotic vehicle and controlling, by the processor, the robotic vehicle to land at the selected landing zone.

Abstract: Some embodiments include methods for customizing operation of the robotic vehicle for an operator. Such embodiments may include identifying a current operator of the robotic vehicle, configuring the robotic vehicle based on metadata associated with an operator profile for the operator, determining whether the operator has changed, and if so, identifying the new operator, deriving updated preference-based settings and performance-based settings for the new operator, and updating configurations of the robotic vehicle accordingly.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods performed by a processor of a robotic vehicle for detecting and responding to defects on an on-board imaging device that includes an image sensor. Various embodiments may include causing the imaging device to capture at least one image, determining whether a defect to the imaging device is detected based at least in part on the at least one captured image, and, in response to determining that a defect to the imaging device is detected, identifying an area of the image sensor corresponding to the defect and masking image data received from the identified area of the image sensor.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods, devices, and aerial robotic vehicles for adjusting a proximity threshold implemented in a collision avoidance system based on whether propeller guards are installed. Methods may include an aerial robotic vehicle processor determining whether a propeller guard is installed, setting, a proximity threshold for collision avoidance based on the determination as to whether propeller guard(s) is/are installed on the aerial robotic vehicle, and controlling one or more motors of the aerial robotic vehicle using the proximity threshold for collision avoidance. When propeller guards are installed, the proximity threshold may be set at a smaller distance than when propeller guards are not installed. The determination of whether a propeller guard is installed may be based on sensor data from one or more sensors configured to detect or indicate the presence of a propeller guard, and/or based on rotor revolution rates determined from a motor or motor controller.

Abstract: Embodiments include devices and methods operating a robotic vehicle. A robotic vehicle processor may detect an object posing an imminent risk of collision with the robotic vehicle. The robotic vehicle processor may determine a classification of the detected object. The robotic vehicle processor may manage a rotation of a rotor of the robotic vehicle prior to a collision based on the classification of the object.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods performed by a processor of a robotic vehicle for detecting and responding to defects on an on-board imaging device that includes an image sensor. Various embodiments may include causing the imaging device to capture at least one image, determining whether a defect to the imaging device is detected based at least in part on the at least one captured image, and, in response to determining that a defect to the imaging device is detected, identifying an area of the image sensor corresponding to the defect and masking image data received from the identified area of the image sensor.