Systems and methods for continuous replanning of vehicle trajectories
AssigneeSmartsky Networks LLC
InventorJames W. Herriot
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for continuously re-planning a vehicle's path, in the face of stationary and moving obstacles, dynamically calculates a new path in real time which is both efficient and maintains minimum safety clearances relative to obstacles. Repulsion signals emanating from obstacles and propagating through delineated sections of a grid representing a geographic space are summed along with values representing the relative distance of the sections from the vehicle origin and vehicle destination. The grid sections having optimal values according to a predetermined criteria represent an efficient and safe travel path between the vehicle origin and destination.
Claims20
A method for planning a path of a vehicle through an area, the method comprising:
- modeling, within a computer memory, a selected area of flight space as a plurality of sub-areas;
- associating a value with each of the sub-areas based on a propagation of both aircraft and obstacles through the sub-areas up to a current time and into future time;
- selecting one of the aircraft as a primary aircraft;
- and
- determining a flight path for the primary aircraft through the airspace based on a component of the value comprising repulsion signals associated with all aircraft other than the primary aircraft and the obstacles.
A system for planning a path of a vehicle through an area, the system comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor for storing data to be processed by the processor, the processor being configured to:
- model, within a computer memory, a selected area of flight space as a plurality of sub-areas;
- associate a value with each of the sub-areas based on a propagation of both aircraft and obstacles through the sub-areas up to a current time and into future time;
- select one of the aircraft as a primary aircraft;
- and
- determine a flight path for the primary aircraft through the airspace based on a component of the value comprising repulsion signals associated with all aircraft other than the primary aircraft and the obstacles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.