Relay drone system
Systems and methods are provided for a network of relay drones utilized as a set of relays or linkages between a base station and a working drone controlled by the base station. The relay drones in the network may augmen…
Original patent title: “Relay drone system”
Systems and methods are provided for a network of relay drones utilized as a set of relays or linkages between a base station and a working drone controlled by the base station. The relay drones in the network may augmen…. Granted to Pinnacle Vista in 2017 with 28 claims and 40 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2037.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
Systems and methods are provided for a network of relay drones utilized as a set of relays or linkages between a base station and a working drone controlled by the base station. The relay drones in the network may augment a communication link or communication signal between the base station and working drone. Relay drones may augment the communication link by acting as nodes that relay communication between the base station and the working drone by boosting the communication signal at each node to compensate for loss of signal power over a traveled distance and/or providing a path with a direct line of sight between the base station and working drone. Directional antennas may be utilized when a direct line of sight is established, which may improve communication signal efficacy when compared with omnidirectional antennas.
The gap
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Key facts
The Patent Drawing
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Patent Abstract
Patent abstract
Systems and methods are provided for a network of relay drones utilized as a set of relays or linkages between a base station and a working drone controlled by the base station. The relay drones in the network may augment a communication link or communication signal between the base station and working drone. Relay drones may augment the communication link by acting as nodes that relay communication between the base station and the working drone by boosting the communication signal at each node to compensate for loss of signal power over a traveled distance and/or providing a path with a direct line of sight between the base station and working drone. Directional antennas may be utilized when a direct line of sight is established, which may improve communication signal efficacy when compared with omnidirectional antennas.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
32/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
19/20
Very broad protection
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$219K – $702K
Midpoint $439K · 10.6 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
28 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Tu, H. (2017). Relay drone system (U.S. Patent No. 9,836,049). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9836049/relay-drone-system
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns patent US 9836049?
Pinnacle Vista owns this patent, granted in 2017.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on May 5, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9836049 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 40 later patents that build on its ideas.
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