# US 12,769,320 B2 · Unmanned asset control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,769,320 B2 - Document ID: US12769320B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/794,241 - Filed: 2024-08-05 - Published: 2025-02-27 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2023-08-21 - Assignees: Rockwell Collins France - Applicants: Rockwell Collins France S.A.S. - Inventors: Eric Thomas; Elias Bitar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12769320B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/2232: {Touch screens} - G05D 1/2246: {displaying a map of the environment} - G05D 1/646: Following a predefined trajectory, e.g. a line marked on the floor or a flight path - G05D 1/69: Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles - G06F 3/04845: for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G08G 5/32: for flight plan preparation - G05D 2105/285: {postal packages} - G05D 2105/85: for patrolling or reconnaissance for police, security or military applications - G05D 2107/10: Outdoor regulated spaces - G05D 2109/20: Aircraft, e.g. drones - G08G 5/38: for identification of landing sites, e.g. of diversion airports - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - 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}) ## Abstract A system for controlling operation of unmanned assets. The system includes a graphical user interface displaying a map. The graphical user interface accepts graphical inputs drawn on the map. The system also includes a calculation unit having an input interpretation module that recognizes the graphical inputs and translates the graphical inputs into tasks and/or commands. The calculation unit also includes an operation planning module that generates operation instructions based on the tasks and/or commands; and a journey planning module that generates a journey plan for the unmanned assets based on the operation instructions. The system also includes a communications module that communicates with the unmanned assets to instruct the unmanned assets to operate according to the generated journey plan. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for controlling operation of one or more unmanned assets, the system comprising: a graphical user interface displaying a map, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to accept one or more graphical inputs which are drawn on the map by an unmanned asset commander; a calculation unit comprising: an input interpretation module configured to: recognize the graphical inputs based on their respective shapes; determine at least one geographical location corresponding to a position on the map at which the one or more graphical inputs are drawn; and translate the graphical inputs into tasks and/or commands by comparing the respective shapes to a library of known input symbols and their corresponding commands associated with the respective shapes to be performed at the at least one geographical location, wherein each shape includes a first component configured to indicate an operating category of the one or more unmanned assets, and a second component configured to indicate the respective task and/or command, wherein the second component is spatially related to the first component in a manner representative of a relationship between the operating category and the respective task and/or command; an operation planning module configured to: generate operation instructions for one or more of the unmanned assets based at least on the tasks and/or; and a journey planning module configured to: generate a journey plan for one or more of the unmanned assets based at least on the operation instructions; and a communications module configured to communicate with the one or more unmanned assets to instruct the unmanned assets to operate according to the generated journey plan. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the operation planning module is configured to: obtain data indicative of external and/or environmental constraints; and generate operation instructions based on the data indicative of external and/or environmental constraints. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein the data indicative of external and/or environmental constraints comprises data indicative of one or more of: terrain information, weather, obstacles, air traffic, restricted and hazardous areas, published navigation information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to accept hand-drawn inputs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is for controlling operation of one or more unmanned assets including one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is for controlling operation of a plurality of unmanned assets comprising a plurality of different unmanned asset types. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the input interpretation module comprises a local memory, wherein the library of known input symbols and corresponding commands is stored in the local memory, or wherein the library of known input symbols and corresponding commands is stored in a remote memory, and the input interpretation module is configured to: obtain the library of known input symbols and corresponding commands from the remote memory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the operation planning module is configured to: receive position and/or status data from the one or more unmanned assets. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the operation planning module is configured to: allocate tasks associated with graphical inputs to different ones of a plurality of unmanned assets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, wherein the operation planning module is configured to: receive position and/or status data from the one or more unmanned assets; and wherein the allocation of tasks is based at least partially on the position and/or status data. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the graphical inputs correspond to commands including one or more of: take off from a location; land at a location; ditch at a location in case of emergency; rendezvous at a location at a time; deliver a payload to a location; pick up a payload from a location; inspect, one time, a portion of a highway, border, railway, or powerline; patrol, multiple times, a portion of a highway, border, railway, or powerline from a location; patrol or scan an area; avoid flying over an area; loiter at a location; monitor a point of interest in an orbit; monitor a point of interest in a figure-of-eight pattern; search an area for targets; search along a border for targets; gather at a location; and split from a location. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising: one or more unmanned assets. ### Claim 13 A method for controlling operation of one or more unmanned assets, the method comprising: displaying a map on a graphical user interface; accepting, via the graphical user interface, one or more graphical inputs which are drawn on the map by an unmanned asset commander; recognizing the graphical inputs by their respective shapes; determining at least one geographical location corresponding to a position on the map at which the one or more graphical inputs are drawn; translating the graphical inputs into tasks and/or commands by comparing the respective shapes to a library of known input symbols and their corresponding commands associated with the respective shapes to be performed at the at least one geographical location, wherein each shape includes a first component configured to indicate an operating category of the one or more unmanned assets and a second component configured to indicate the respective task and/or command, wherein the second component is spatially related to the first component in a manner representative of a relationship between the operating category and the respective task and/or command; generating operation instructions for one or more of the unmanned assets based at least on the tasks and/or commands; generating a journey plan for one or more of the unmanned assets based at least on the operation instructions; and communicating with the one or more unmanned assets to instruct the unmanned assets to operate according to the generated journey plan(s).