{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9854206","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9854206","title":"Privacy-aware indoor drone exploration and communication framework","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2016-12-22T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-12-26T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["H04N"],"num_claims":19,"abstract":"The present disclosure provides a method for a privacy-aware indoor drone exploration and communication framework, including: receiving a communication request for a target person from an outside caller; locating the target person in response to the communication request; establishing a video call between the target person and the outside caller to transmit images of the target person to the outside caller; and avoiding showing privacy areas and privacy objects in the indoor environment in the images of the target person to the outside caller during the video call."},"analysis":{"summary":"The Privacy-aware Indoor Drone Exploration and Communication Framework patent introduces a method for enabling indoor drone exploration and communication while safeguarding user privacy. The core innovation lies in the ability to locate a target person within an indoor environment and establish a video call with an external caller, while intelligently avoiding the display of privacy areas and objects in the video stream. The problem being solved is the inherent privacy risks associated with indoor drone surveillance and communication, where sensitive visual data could be exposed. The key technical approach involves using object recognition algorithms to identify and redact privacy areas, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, from the video stream. Facial recognition technology ensures that only the intended target person is visible. This technology has significant business value and applications in healthcare (remote patient monitoring), security (enhanced surveillance systems), and logistics (efficient asset tracking). The market opportunity is substantial, as the demand for indoor drone solutions continues to grow, coupled with an increasing awareness of privacy concerns. The patent addresses these concerns directly, making it a valuable asset for companies seeking to deploy indoor drone technology responsibly and ethically. The system's ability to provide a seamless communication experience while prioritizing privacy makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, including healthcare, security, and logistics. The technology provides a comprehensive solution for indoor drone exploration and communication while emphasizing privacy.","layman_explanation":"The Privacy-aware Indoor Drone Exploration and Communication Framework patent addresses the growing concern about privacy in indoor environments when using drones for communication and exploration. The technology focuses on enabling drone-based video calls while ensuring that sensitive areas within the environment are not visible to the person on the other end of the call. \n\n**What Problem Does This Solve?**\n\nImagine using a drone to check on a loved one remotely, or to navigate a warehouse to locate a specific item. While these applications offer significant benefits, they also raise privacy concerns. Existing drone technologies often capture and transmit video without any safeguards, potentially exposing private areas like bedrooms or bathrooms to unintended viewers. This creates a barrier to the widespread adoption of drone technology, as people are hesitant to sacrifice their privacy for convenience. The current solutions fall short in providing a balance between the utility of drones and the need for privacy.\n\n**How Does It Work?**\n\nThis technology works by equipping a drone with a camera and advanced image processing capabilities. The drone uses object recognition algorithms to identify sensitive areas within the environment, such as bedrooms, bathrooms, and personal documents. Once these areas are identified, the system automatically blurs or redacts them from the video stream before it is transmitted to the remote viewer. This ensures that only the intended target person and non-sensitive areas are visible. Think of it like having a smart filter on your video call that automatically hides anything you don't want others to see. It's similar to how some video conferencing apps allow you to blur your background, but this technology does it automatically for specific objects and areas.\n\n**Why Does This Matter?**\n\nThis innovation has significant market impact and opportunities. By addressing the privacy concerns associated with indoor drones, it can unlock a wide range of new applications in healthcare, security, logistics, and more. For example, it could enable remote patient monitoring without compromising patient privacy, or enhance security systems without infringing on personal boundaries. The competitive advantages of this technology lie in its ability to provide a seamless communication experience while prioritizing privacy. This can lead to increased adoption of drone technology and greater customer satisfaction. The potential ROI and business value are substantial, as the demand for privacy-aware drone solutions continues to grow.\n\n**What's Next?**\n\nThe future applications of this technology are vast. As drone technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more sophisticated privacy protection mechanisms being developed. The market adoption timeline is likely to accelerate as awareness of privacy concerns grows and as more industries recognize the benefits of privacy-aware drone solutions. The investment implications are positive, as companies that prioritize privacy in their drone technology are likely to gain a competitive edge in the market.","technical_analysis":"The Privacy-aware Indoor Drone Exploration and Communication Framework patent outlines a sophisticated system designed for indoor drone navigation and communication with a strong focus on privacy. The system architecture consists of a drone equipped with a camera, a processing unit, and a communication module. The processing unit is the core of the privacy protection mechanism, employing advanced object recognition algorithms to identify and redact sensitive areas from the video stream in real-time. These algorithms are typically based on deep learning models trained to recognize common privacy areas such as bedrooms, bathrooms, and personal documents. The implementation details involve the use of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for image analysis and segmentation, allowing the system to accurately identify and isolate privacy-sensitive regions. The integration patterns involve seamless communication between the drone's camera, the processing unit, and the communication module, ensuring minimal latency and real-time performance. The communication module utilizes encryption protocols to secure the video stream and protect it from unauthorized access. Performance characteristics are critical, requiring high accuracy in object recognition and minimal processing time to avoid delays in video transmission. Code-level implications involve the optimization of the deep learning models for efficient execution on embedded processors, as well as the implementation of secure communication protocols. The system's ability to provide a seamless communication experience while prioritizing privacy makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, including healthcare, security, and logistics. The technology provides a comprehensive solution for indoor drone exploration and communication while emphasizing privacy.","business_analysis":"The Privacy-aware Indoor Drone Exploration and Communication Framework patent presents a significant business opportunity in the rapidly growing market for indoor drone solutions. The market opportunity size is substantial, driven by the increasing demand for indoor surveillance, remote monitoring, and automated logistics. The competitive advantages of this technology lie in its ability to address the critical privacy concerns that often hinder the adoption of indoor drone systems. By integrating privacy-aware features directly into the system's design, the patent offers a unique selling proposition that can attract customers who are sensitive to privacy issues. The revenue potential is significant, with opportunities to generate revenue through the sale of drone systems, software licenses, and service contracts. The business models can include direct sales, subscription services, and partnerships with other technology providers. The strategic positioning of this technology is to be a leader in the market for privacy-aware indoor drone solutions, differentiating itself from competitors by offering a comprehensive and reliable privacy protection mechanism. ROI projections are positive, with the potential to achieve high returns on investment through increased sales, market share, and customer loyalty. The system's ability to provide a seamless communication experience while prioritizing privacy makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, including healthcare, security, and logistics. The technology provides a comprehensive solution for indoor drone exploration and communication while emphasizing privacy.","faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Privacy-aware indoor drone exploration and communication framework","description":"The present disclosure provides a method for a privacy-aware indoor drone exploration and communication framework, including: receiving a communication request for a target person from an outside call","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9854206","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9854206","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Privacy-aware indoor drone exploration and communication framework\" (US-9854206). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9854206","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9854206","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9854206","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-31T08:35:43.254Z"}