US 12,092,748 B2
System and method for locating sunken element in a predetermined search zone
Eric Cellerier, Merignac (FR); and Guillaume Dupont, Merignac (FR)
Assigned to THALES, Courbevoie (FR)
Appl. No. 17/921,779
Filed by THALES, Courbevoie (FR)
PCT Filed Apr. 28, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/061053
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 27, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/219684, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20 04192 (FR), filed on Apr. 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0168332 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. G08B 1/08 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); G01S 5/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64U 101/32 (2023.01)
CPC G01S 5/0027 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); G05D 1/0291 (2013.01); B64U 2101/32 (2023.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for assisting in a location of at least one element engulfed within a predetermined search zone, the method being implemented by a location assistance system comprising at least a plurality of patrollers, at least a first patroller corresponding to a drone, the method comprising at least steps of:
arrival of at least said drone at the predetermined search zone,
determining a topography of the predetermined search zone, by at least said drone,
dividing—by at least said drone—the predetermined search zone into search sub-zones according to topography and search capabilities of each patroller of the location assistance system, and assigning each search sub-zone to at least one patroller of the location assistance system,
searching for said at least one element engulfed through every search sub-zone, by the at least one patroller assigned to said sub-zone,
periodic inter-patroller communication at least until said at least one engulfed element is located, and
wherein an assignment of search sub-zone(s) is configured to be reconfigured in real time according to a current status of every patroller of said plurality.