Dynamic target coverage using mobile assets

Abstract

Techniques for providing target coverage using mobile assets are described, including techniques for dynamically adjusting routing of mobile assets to cover targets when a disruption occurs in the original routing and target coverage plans. Mobile assets are assigned routes to cover target areas and adherence to the routes is monitored. If a first mobile asset experiences a route interruption, other mobile assets are automatically re-routed to cover the target areas originally covered by the route of the first mobile asset.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 setting a coverage scheme having a plurality of coverage objectives and a plurality of routes to meet the coverage objectives;   setting the plurality of routes for a system of corresponding assets, respectively, to implement the coverage scheme;   determining that a first coverage objective of the plurality of coverage objectives cannot be met by a first asset of the system of assets to which the first coverage objective was set;   in response to determining that the first coverage objective cannot be met by the first asset, reconfiguring the plurality of routes; and   re-deploying the system of assets in accordance with the re-configured routes to meet the first coverage objective.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of routes include a first route set for the first asset to meet the first coverage objective, a second route set for a second asset of the system of assets to meet a second coverage objective of the coverage scheme, and a third route set for a third asset of the system of assets to meet a third coverage objective of the coverage scheme;   determining that the first coverage objective cannot be met by the first asset includes:
 receiving message content; and 
 determining from the received message content that the first asset cannot complete the first route; and 
   re-deploying the system of assets in accordance with the re-configured routes to meet the first coverage objective includes deploying the second asset and the third asset to collectively meet the first coverage objective and at least one of the second and third coverage objectives.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first coverage objective cannot be met by the first asset includes detecting that the first asset navigated off the first route. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining that the first asset navigated off the first route comprises determining that the first asset navigated off the first route for at least a specified amount of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein setting the first route for the first asset comprises:
 determining the first route; and   transmitting the first route to the first asset.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of coverage objectives is a target location identified by a street address. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of coverage objectives is a target location identified by a geographical sector. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, including one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 setting a coverage scheme having a plurality of coverage objectives and a plurality of routes to meet the coverage objectives; 
 deploying assets to meet the coverage objectives; 
 providing route information of at least one of the plurality of routes to the deployed assets, the route information provided to each of the deployed assets indicating at least a destination to be reached by the deployed asset; 
 tracking the deployed assets to determine whether an asset deviates from its provided route; 
 detecting an interruption in the route of one of the deployed assets that renders that asset unavailable for meeting its coverage objective; 
 providing updated route information to at least one of the deployed assets other than the asset rendered unavailable, the updated route information including at least a portion of the route provided to the deployed asset that was rendered unavailable; and 
 re-deploying at least two of the deployed assets other that the unavailable asset, including re-deploying the at least one available asset to collectively meet the coverage objectives. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions comprise:
 a target acquisition code segment configured to acquire one or more target locations corresponding to one or more of the coverage objectives;   an asset tracking code segment configured to perform the tracking of the deployed assets;   a route calculation code segment configured to calculate the routes for the deployed assets to collectively meet the coverage objectives and to initiate transmission of calculated routes to respective ones of the deployed assets in accordance with the tracking;   a routes code segment configured to store the routes calculated for the assets; and   an interrupt identification code segment configured to identify the interruption and initiate calculation of updated routes for the re-deployed assets.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 a route correlation code segment that is configured to determine that the interruption occurred because an asset deviated from the route calculated for that asset, a deviation being deemed to occur when the asset navigates off the route calculated for that asset; and   a messaging code segment that is configured to identify message content that indicates that the interruption has occurred.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the route correlation code segment is further configured to determine that the interruption has occurred when one of the assets navigates off the route calculated for that asset for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the route correlation code segment is further configured to determine that the interruption has occurred when one of the assets navigates off the route calculated for that asset by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the route calculation code segment is further configured to calculate a route that identifies a specific path for a specific asset to follow. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions further comprise an overlay component that correlates one or more statistics with a map of an area covered by the coverage scheme, and wherein the target acquisition code segment is further configured to acquire targets of the coverage objectives based on statistics correlated with a location identified on the map. 
     
     
         15 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media including computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 setting a coverage scheme having a plurality of coverage objectives and a plurality of routes to meet the coverage objectives;   deploying assets to meet the coverage objectives;   providing route information of at least one of the plurality of routes to the deployed assets, the route information provided to each of the deployed assets indicating at least a destination to be reached by the deployed asset;   tracking the deployed assets to determine whether an asset deviates from its provided route;   detecting an interruption in the route of one of the deployed assets that renders that asset unavailable for meeting its coverage objective;   providing updated route information to at least one of the deployed assets other than the asset rendered unavailable, the updated route information including at least a portion of the route provided to the deployed asset that was rendered unavailable; and   re-deploying at least two of the deployed assets other than the unavailable asset, to collectively meet the coverage objectives.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein detecting an interruption comprises detecting a re-assignment of an asset that indicates that the asset cannot complete the provided route. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the asset rendered unavailable and the re-deployed assets are airborne mobile assets. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the asset rendered unavailable and the re-deployed assets are manned mobile vehicles. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the deployed assets include at least one unmanned mobile asset. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the re-deployed assets are unmanned airborne mobile assets.