# US 12,002,373 B2 · Adaptive sense and avoid system

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- Number: US 12,002,373 B2
- Document ID: US12002373B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/340,624
- Filed: 2021-06-07
- Published: 2021-09-23
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-12
- Assignees: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company
- Applicants: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
- Inventors: Timothy Dawson-Townsend
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002373B2

## CPC

- G08G 5/25: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft
- G08G 5/80: Anti-collision systems
- G01S 13/933: of aircraft or spacecraft
- G05D 1/0088: {characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00)}
- G05D 1/101: {specially adapted for aircraft}
- G05D 1/46: Control of position or course in three dimensions [3D]
- G05D 1/81: Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control
- G06V 20/10: Terrestrial scenes (scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59)
- G08G 5/21: located onboard the aircraft
- G08G 5/723: {from the aircraft}
- G08G 5/74: for monitoring terrain
- G08G 5/76: for monitoring atmospheric conditions
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

An adaptive sense and avoid system for use with an aerial vehicle in an environment, the adaptive sense and avoid system comprising a processor, a plurality of sensors, an obstacle detection circuit, and an avoidance trajectory circuit. The processor may be operatively coupled with a flight controller and a memory device, wherein the memory device comprises one or more databases. The plurality of sensors generates sensor data reflecting a position of an obstacle in the environment. The obstacle detection circuit, which is operatively coupled to the processor and the plurality of sensors, may be configured to identify obstacles based at least in part on the sensor data and to generate obstacle information that reflects a best estimate of a position of the obstacle in the environment. The obstacle detection circuit is configured to weigh the sensor data as a function of the aerial vehicle's state and its environment. The avoidance trajectory circuit, which is operatively coupled to the obstacle detection circuit and the processor, may be configured to calculate trajectory data as a function of the obstacle information and information from the one or more databases. The obstacle detection circuit is configured to communicate the trajectory data to the flight controller.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An adaptive sense and avoid system for use with an aerial vehicle in an environment, the adaptive sense and avoid system comprising:
a plurality of sensors coupled to the aerial vehicle, each of the plurality of sensors configured to generate sensor data reflecting a position of an obstacle in the environment; and
an obstacle detection circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the obstacle detection circuit configured to blend the sensor data from the plurality of sensors, identify the obstacle in the environment from the sensor data as blended, and generate obstacle information that reflects a best estimate of a position of the obstacle in the environment as identified,
wherein the obstacle detection circuit is configured to (i) set sensor modes for the plurality of sensors based on a present state of the aerial vehicle and a condition of the environment, and (ii) assign weights to the sensor data from the plurality of sensors as a function of sensor type, the present state of the aerial vehicle and the condition of the environment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The adaptive sense and avoid system of claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection circuit is configured to assign first and second weights to the sensor data from first and second ones of the plurality of sensors, as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The adaptive sense and avoid system of claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection circuit is configured to assign first and second weights to the sensor data from cooperative and non-cooperative ones of the plurality of sensors, as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The adaptive sense and avoid system of claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection circuit is configured to assign first and second weights to the sensor data from first and second ones of the plurality of sensors as a function of environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The adaptive sense and avoid system of claim 4, wherein the obstacle detection circuit is configured to assign a lower weight to the sensor data from visual sensors of the plurality of sensors when the environmental data reflects poor visibility for the environment.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The adaptive sense and avoid system of claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection circuit is configured to identify the obstacle dynamically as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment, environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment, and terrain data reflecting terrain characteristics of the environment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The adaptive sense and avoid system of claim 1 further comprising:
an avoidance trajectory circuit operatively coupled to the obstacle detection circuit, and configured to (i) calculate trajectory data as a function of the obstacle information and information from one or more databases, and (ii) communicate the trajectory data to a flight controller of the aerial vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The adaptive sense and avoid system of claim 7, wherein the avoidance trajectory circuit is configured to calculate the trajectory data dynamically as a function of at least one of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment, environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment, or terrain data reflecting terrain characteristics of the environment.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The adaptive sense and avoid system of claim 1, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is communicatively coupled with a human-machine interface to provide a control and communication interface between the adaptive sense and avoid system and a human operator.

### Claim 10

A method for navigating an aerial vehicle in an environment, the method comprising:
setting sensor modes for a plurality of sensors coupled to the aerial vehicle, based on a present state of the aerial vehicle and a condition of the environment;
assigning weights to sensor data from the plurality of sensors as a function of sensor type, the present state of the aerial vehicle and the condition of the environment;
generating the sensor data by the plurality of sensors, the sensor data reflecting a position of an obstacle in the environment;
blending the sensor data from the plurality of sensors;
identifying the obstacle in the environment from the sensor data as blended; and
generating obstacle information that reflects a best estimate of a position of the obstacle in the environment as identified.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein assigning the weights includes assigning first and second weights to the sensor data from first and second ones of the plurality of sensors, as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein assigning the weights includes assigning first and second weights to the sensor data from cooperative and non-cooperative ones of the plurality of sensors, as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein assigning the weights includes assigning first and second weights to the sensor data from first and second ones of the plurality of sensors as a function of environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein assigning the weights includes assigning a lower weight to the sensor data from visual sensors of the plurality of sensors when the environmental data reflects poor visibility for the environment.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the obstacle is identified dynamically as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment, environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment, and terrain data reflecting terrain characteristics of the environment.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further comprising:
calculating trajectory data as a function of the obstacle information and information from one or more databases; and
communicating the trajectory data to a flight controller of the aerial vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the trajectory data is calculated dynamically as a function of at least one of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment, environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment, or terrain data reflecting terrain characteristics of the environment.

### Claim 18

An aerial vehicle comprising:
a flight controller; and
an adaptive sense and avoid system including a plurality of sensors configured to generate sensor data reflecting a position of an obstacle in an environment, the adaptive sense and avoid system configured to blend the sensor data from the plurality of sensors, identify the obstacle in the environment from the sensor data as blended, and generate obstacle information that reflects a best estimate of a position of the obstacle in the environment as identified,
wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is configured to (i) set sensor modes for the plurality of sensors based on a present state of the aerial vehicle and a condition of the environment, and (ii) assign weights to the sensor data from the plurality of sensors as a function of sensor type, the present state of the aerial vehicle and the condition of the environment.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The aerial vehicle of claim 18, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is configured to assign first and second weights to the sensor data from first and second ones of the plurality of sensors, as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The aerial vehicle of claim 18, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is configured to assign first and second weights to the sensor data from cooperative and non-cooperative ones of the plurality of sensors, as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The aerial vehicle of claim 18, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is configured to assign first and second weights to the sensor data from first and second ones of the plurality of sensors as a function of environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The aerial vehicle of claim 21, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is configured to assign a lower weight to the sensor data from visual sensors of the plurality of sensors when the environmental data reflects poor visibility for the environment.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The aerial vehicle of claim 18, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is configured to identify the obstacle dynamically as a function of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment, environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment, and terrain data reflecting terrain characteristics of the environment.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The aerial vehicle of claim 18, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is further configured to (i) calculate trajectory data as a function of the obstacle information and information from one or more databases, and (ii) communicate the trajectory data to the flight controller.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The aerial vehicle of claim 24, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is configured to calculate the trajectory data dynamically as a function of at least one of airspace data reflecting a defined legal airspace for the environment, environmental data reflecting environmental factors for the environment, or terrain data reflecting terrain characteristics of the environment.

### Claim 26 (depends on 18)

The aerial vehicle of claim 18, wherein the adaptive sense and avoid system is communicatively coupled with a human-machine interface to provide a control and communication interface between the adaptive sense and avoid system and a human operator.