Abstract: A scheduling device performs a method of scheduling transports by a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, to enable improved utilization of the fleet. The method includes computing, for the fleet, aggregated cost data, ACM, that associates utilization cost with distributed sub-regions within a geographic region, the utilization cost of a respective sub-region representing an estimated cost for directing at least one of the UAVs to the respective sub-region. The method further includes receiving a query indicative of one or more potential locations for pick-up or delivery of a payload, determining, based on the ACM, a transportation price for at least one potential location, and presenting the transportation price for the at least one potential location. The scheduling device thereby provides an interactive ordering system that enables utilization of the fleet to be automatically optimized by swarm intelligence.

Abstract: A control system in a delivery system performs a method of controlling unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, which are organized in a group or swarm to perform one or more missions to deliver and/or pick up goods. The method includes obtaining drag data indicative of air resistance for one or more UAVs in the group, determining, as a function of the drag data, a respective relative position of at least the one or more UAVs within the group, and controlling at least the one or more UAVs to attain the respective relative position. Such adjustment in the relative position of one or more UAVs enables improved energy efficiency and may be made to reduce energy consumption, increase reach or decrease travel time of at least one UAV in the group.

Abstract: A monitoring system detects and mitigates traffic risks among a group of vehicles. The group of vehicles includes a ground-based vehicle (GBV), e.g. an automotive vehicle, and an air-based vehicle (ABV), e.g. a drone, which is operated to track a ground-based object (GBO), e.g. an unprotected road user or an animal. The monitoring system performs a method comprising: obtaining (301) predicted navigation data for the ground-based vehicle and the air-based vehicle, processing (302) the predicted navigation data to obtain one or more future locations of the ground based-object and to detect an upcoming spatial proximity between the ground-based object and the ground-based vehicle, and causing (305), upon detection of the upcoming spatial proximity, an alert signal to be provided to at least one of the ground-based object and the ground-based vehicle.

Abstract: A control system in a delivery system performs a method to deliver a payload by an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, without requiring presence of the recipient even if the payload comprises sensitive or vulnerable goods. The method comprises obtaining a designated location for delivery of the payload, obtaining at least one payload vulnerability index for the payload, and obtaining a pick-up time indicative of a time point when the payload is expected to be retrieved by the recipient. The method further comprises selecting a final delivery area at or near the designated location as a function of the at least one payload vulnerability index and the pick-up time, and operating the UAV to deliver the payload to the final delivery area.

Abstract: An animal detecting device includes circuitry configured to: obtain one or more images; perform image processing on the one or more images, wherein the image processing includes detecting the presence of an animal in one of the one or more images, produce, when the presence of an animal is detected, image representation data associated with the one or more images according to a result of the image processing; and send, in the event of a predetermined condition being met, the image representation data to another device over a communication link.

Abstract: A system performs a control method to launch an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV. The control method includes calculating a selected altitude, relative to a reference level, for launching the UAV, operating a lifting arrangement to vertically elevate the UAV to the selected altitude, and causing the UAV to be launched from the selected altitude. Elevating the UAV may improve the performance of the UAV in terms of range, power consumption, ability to carry payload, transit time to destination, etc. The selected altitude may be calculated as a function of parameter data representing any of the UAV, the lifting arrangement, or surrounding conditions. An apparatus is further provided to determine an optimal location of the system in relation to a plurality of destinations of UAVs to be elevated by the system.

Abstract: A scheduling device performs a method of scheduling transports by a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, to enable improved utilization of the fleet. The method includes computing, for the fleet, aggregated cost data, ACM, that associates utilization cost with distributed sub-regions within a geographic region, the utilization cost of a respective sub-region representing an estimated cost for directing at least one of the UAVs to the respective sub-region. The method further includes receiving a query indicative of one or more potential locations for pick-up or delivery of a payload, determining, based on the ACM, a transportation price for at least one potential location, and presenting the transportation price for the at least one potential location. The scheduling device thereby provides an interactive ordering system that enables utilization of the fleet to be automatically optimized by swarm intelligence.

Abstract: A system performs a control method to launch an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV. The control method includes calculating a selected altitude, relative to a reference level, for launching the UAV, operating a lifting arrangement to vertically elevate the UAV to the selected altitude, and causing the UAV to be launched from the selected altitude. Elevating the UAV may improve the performance of the UAV in terms of range, power consumption, ability to carry payload, transit time to destination, etc. The selected altitude may be calculated as a function of parameter data representing any of the UAV, the lifting arrangement, or surrounding conditions. An apparatus is further provided to determine an optimal location of the system in relation to a plurality of destinations of UAVs to be elevated by the system.

Abstract: A control system in a delivery system performs a method of controlling unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, which are organized in a group or swarm to perform one or more missions to deliver and/or pick up goods. The method includes obtaining drag data indicative of air resistance for one or more UAVs in the group, determining, as a function of the drag data, a respective relative position of at least the one or more UAVs within the group, and controlling at least the one or more UAVs to attain the respective relative position. Such adjustment in the relative position of one or more UAVs enables improved energy efficiency and may be made to reduce energy consumption, increase reach or decrease travel time of at least one UAV in the group.

Abstract: A control system in a delivery system performs a method to deliver a payload by an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, without requiring presence of the recipient even if the payload comprises sensitive or vulnerable goods. The method comprises obtaining a designated location for delivery of the payload, obtaining at least one payload vulnerability index for the payload, and obtaining a pick-up time indicative of a time point when the payload is expected to be retrieved by the recipient. The method further comprises selecting a final delivery area at or near the designated location as a function of the at least one payload vulnerability index and the pick-up time, and operating the UAV to deliver the payload to the final delivery area.

Abstract: A control system performs a method for configuring a delivery system that includes first storages with predefined positions, second storages with variable positions, and unmanned aerial vehicles which are operable to transport goods between destination points and the first and second storages. The method includes obtaining position data for the destination points, operating a clustering algorithm on the position data to determine clusters of destination points, and evaluating the clusters in relation to the predefined positions of the first storages to determine a set of stopping positions for at least one of the second storages. The stopping position(s) may thereby be adapted in a resource efficient way to improve the overall capabilities of the delivery system.

Abstract: A monitoring system detects and mitigates traffic risks among a group of vehicles. The group of vehicles includes a ground-based vehicle (GBV), e.g. an automotive vehicle, and an air-based vehicle (ABV), e.g. a drone, which is operated to track a ground-based object (GBO), e.g. an unprotected road user or an animal. The monitoring system performs a method comprising: obtaining (301) predicted navigation data for the ground-based vehicle and the air-based vehicle, processing (302) the predicted navigation data to obtain one or more future locations of the ground based-object and to detect an upcoming spatial proximity between the ground-based object and the ground-based vehicle, and causing (305), upon detection of the upcoming spatial proximity, an alert signal to be provided to at least one of the ground-based object and the ground-based vehicle.

Abstract: A Bohemian Instrument may be a musical instrument, acoustic or electric, with a metallic semi-hollow or hollow body. The Bohemian Instrument may comprise a neck extending from the body. In various embodiments, the Bohemian Instrument may comprise, but not be limited to, for example, a through-body neck, extending from the head of the neck into the body of the instrument. Within the body, the Bohemian Instrument may comprise a frame reinforcing at least one inner-edge of the body. In various embodiments, the frame within the body may be comprised of wood and be connected to, or comprise a part of, the through-body neck. By reinforcing the body, the frame also serves to improve a resonation quality of the hollow or semi-hollow metallic body. In turn, the Bohemian Instrument's unique and distinct sound is further articulated.

Abstract: An illumination beam adjustment apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a housing (4), a plurality of first optical elements (12) fixed relative to the housing and adapted to receive and transmit electromagnetic radiation and adjust the beam angle of a beam of electromagnetic radiation passing therethrough, and a second optical element (14) removably mounted relative to the housing and adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation from the first optical elements and transmit electromagnetic radiation. The second optical element is adapted to adjust the beam angle of a beam of an electromagnetic radiation passing therethrough.

Abstract: The present disclosure details a tuning peg accessory. The tuning peg accessory may comprise a tuning peg cover. The tuning peg cover may be configured to cover a tuning peg of a stringed instrument. The tuning peg may serve multiple purposes, including, but not limited to, for instrument personalization and learning aid. Still consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, a tuning peg cover purchase and customization platform may be provided. The platform may enable a user to specify a shape and size of a desired tuning peg cover. Moreover, the platform may enable the user to provide a custom design to be adapted to an exterior surface of the tuning peg cover. Having received the user's specifications, the platform may enable the manufacture, package, and delivery of the customized tuning peg cover.

Abstract: A Bohemian Instrument may be a musical instrument, acoustic or electric, with a metallic semi-hollow or hollow body. The Bohemian Instrument may comprise a neck extending from the body. In various embodiments, the Bohemian Instrument may comprise, but not be limited to, for example, a through-body neck, extending from the head of the neck into the body of the instrument. Within the body, the Bohemian Instrument may comprise a frame reinforcing at least one inner-edge of the body. In various embodiments, the frame within the body may be comprised of wood and be connected to, or comprise a part of, the through-body neck. By reinforcing the body, the frame also serves to improve a resonation quality of the hollow or semi-hollow metallic body. In turn, the Bohemian Instrument's unique and distinct sound is further articulated.

Abstract: The present disclosure details a tuning peg accessory. The tuning peg accessory may comprise a tuning peg cover. The tuning peg cover may be configured to cover a tuning peg of a stringed instrument. The tuning peg may serve multiple purposes, including, but not limited to, for instrument personalization and learning aid. Still consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, a tuning peg cover purchase and customization platform may be provided. The platform may enable a user to specify a shape and size of a desired tuning peg cover. Moreover, the platform may enable the user to provide a custom design to be adapted to an exterior surface of the tuning peg cover. Having received the user's specifications, the platform may enable the manufacture, package, and delivery of the customized tuning peg cover.

Abstract: An illumination beam adjustment apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a housing (4), a plurality of first optical elements (12) fixed relative to the housing and adapted to receive and transmit electromagnetic radiation and adjust the beam angle of a beam of electromagnetic radiation passing therethrough, and a second optical element (14) removably mounted relative to the housing and adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation from the first optical elements and transmit electromagnetic radiation. The second optical element is adapted to adjust the beam angle of a beam of an electromagnetic radiation passing therethrough.

Abstract: A power throttling method and system for a memory controller in a computer system comprising a power supply module including a plurality of bulk power supplies (“BPSs”) are described. In one embodiment, each of the at BPSs provides to a power output monitor a status signal indicative of a status thereof. Responsive to receipt of the status signals, the power output monitor determines whether a bulk power supply capacity is below system power requirements. Responsive to a positive determination, the power output monitor drives a throttle control signal to the memory controller to a level indicative of an over-threshold state.