AT&T has been granted a patent for a technology that enables the creation of shared overlay maps for real-time sharing of map information among digital navigational map users, including unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The technology allows a central map authority to receive map overlay information from UGVs and distribute it to multiple devices, which can then use the information to plan their individual routes. The patent also includes features such as wireless coverage information and unmanned ground vehicle restriction zones. GlobalData’s report on AT&T gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on AT&T, 3D memory devices was a key innovation area identified from patents. AT&T's grant share as of September 2023 was 77%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Creation of shared overlay maps for automated map sharing
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11774263B2) describes a method for enabling a shared overlay map service for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in a communication service provider network. The server device, included in the network, enables the shared overlay map service by providing a shared overlay map service application programming interface (API) accessible by subscriber UGVs. The server device receives map overlay information from the subscriber UGVs via the shared overlay map service API, including map location and description information. The description information includes wireless coverage information indicating the measured wireless signal strength at the map location. The server device also receives unmanned ground vehicle restriction zone information and processes the map overlay information to generate an active overlay for the subscriber UGVs. The server device adjusts the planned route of the UGVs based on the map overlay information and sends the active overlay to the subscriber UGVs.
The method further includes sending the unmanned ground vehicle restriction zone information to the subscriber UGVs corresponding to the restriction zone type. Additionally, the server device can receive unmanned ground vehicle restriction zone information from a stationary server outside the communication service provider network and send it to the subscriber UGVs. The server device also receives location updates from the subscriber UGVs and stores location history information, sending a limited amount of the location history information back to the subscriber UGVs.
The shared overlay map service can be used for indoor or city environments, with the server device acting as a multi-access edge computer or a radio access network intelligent controller, respectively. The method also allows for determining a group of subscriber UGVs to send the map overlay information to, and the map overlay information can include identification and time information.
The patent also describes an unmanned ground vehicle that subscribes to the shared overlay map service and sends map overlay information to the shared overlay map service API. The UGV receives the active overlay and adjusts its planned route accordingly. The UGV can also receive location history information from other subscribed UGVs and combine the active overlay with digital navigational maps.
Furthermore, the patent includes a non-transitory machine-readable medium that facilitates the performance of operations for a subscribed UGV. These operations include subscribing to the shared overlay map service, detecting displacement and wireless coverage information at a map location, generating map overlay information, sending it to the shared overlay map service API, receiving the active overlay and unmanned ground vehicle restriction zone information, and adjusting the planned route of the subscribed UGV.
Overall, this patent presents a method and system for enabling a shared overlay map service for unmanned ground vehicles, allowing for improved route planning and navigation based on wireless coverage and other map overlay information.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
