Vehicle controller
AssigneeBAE SYSTEMS plc
InventorRobert Graham Wythe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling an unmanned vehicle is described. The apparatus comprises: a receiver for receiving a first vehicle control signal from a remote controller; a memory for storing a route for the vehicle to follow; and a processor. The processor is configured to: determine characteristics of the first vehicle control signal; and generate a second vehicle control signal, wherein the second vehicle control signal comprises an instruction for the vehicle to perform a manoeuvre to follow the route. The apparatus further comprises a transmitter configured to transmit the second vehicle control signal, arranged to have the determined characteristics, to the vehicle. A system and method for controlling an unmanned vehicle are also described.
Claims21
An apparatus for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle, the apparatus being moveable with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a receiver for intercepting a first control signal transmitted from a remote controller intended for the unmanned aerial vehicle, the first control signal containing an instruction to perform a first manoeuvre;
- a memory for storing a route for the unmanned aerial vehicle to follow, wherein the route is based on an initial route input from an external device;
- a processor configured to:
- determine characteristics of the first control signal intercepted by the receiver which was intended for the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the characteristics of the intercepted first control signal include at least one of a channel or a frequency on which the first control signal is transmitted from the remote controller;
- and
- generate a second control signal, wherein the second control signal comprises an instruction for the unmanned aerial vehicle to perform a second manoeuvre to follow the route, where in a first case the first manoeuvre is the same as the second manoeuvre and in a second case the first manoeuvre is different from the second manoeuvre;
- and
- a transmitter configured to transmit the second control signal, arranged to have the determined characteristics including the at least one of a channel or a frequency on which the first control signal is transmitted from the remote controller, to the unmanned aerial vehicle.
A method of controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving, an initial route from an external device;
- intercepting a first control signal from a remote controller intended for the unmanned aerial vehicle by a vehicle controller which is moveable with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the first control signal containing an instruction to perform a first manoeuvre;
- storing a route for the unmanned aerial vehicle to follow, the route stored is based on the initial route;
- determining characteristics of the first control signal intercepted which was intended for the unmanned aerial vehicle wherein the characteristics include a frequency and/or channel on which the intercepted first control signal is transmitted and the determining of the characteristics comprises determining the frequency and/or channel on which the first control signal was transmitted;
- generating a second control signal, wherein the second control signal comprises an instruction for the unmanned aerial vehicle to perform a second manoeuvre to follow the route, where in a first case the first manoeuvre is the same as the second manoeuvre and in a second case the first manoeuvre is different from the second manoeuvre;
- and
- transmitting the second control signal, arranged to have the determined characteristics including the at least one of a channel or a frequency on which the first control signal is transmitted from the remote controller, to the unmanned aerial vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.