# US 2018/0025653 A1 · Prediction of vehicle maneuvers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0025653 A1 - Document ID: US20180025653A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/219,235 - Filed: 2016-07-25 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Applicants: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Guoqing Wang; Rong Zhang; Zhong Chen; Ruy C. Brandao; Yang Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025653A1 ## CPC - G08G 5/80: Anti-collision systems - G08G 5/21: located onboard the aircraft - G08G 5/22: located on the ground - G08G 5/25: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft - G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations - G08G 5/265: for managing air traffic control [ATC] clearance - G08G 5/51: for control when on the ground, e.g. taxiing or rolling - G08G 5/53: for cruising - G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft - G08G 5/56: for two or more aircraft - G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft - G08G 5/723: {from the aircraft} - G08G 5/727: {from a ground station} - 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 is described that is configured to receive surveillance data from a vehicle, determine a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data, and determine a course of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data. The system is further configured to predict a future vehicle maneuver for the vehicle based at least in part on the location and the course of the vehicle, and based at least in part on a set of protocol data indicating one or more standard procedures for one or more vehicle maneuvers. The system is further configured to determine, based at least in part on the predicted future vehicle maneuver, a modified protection volume for the vehicle that is modified relative to a baseline protection volume for the vehicle. The system is further configured to generate an output based on the modified protection volume. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a transceiver configured to receive surveillance data from a vehicle; one or more processors configured to: determine a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data; determine a course of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data; predict a future vehicle maneuver for the vehicle based at least in part on the location of the vehicle and the course of the vehicle, and based at least in part on a set of protocol data indicating one or more standard procedures for one or more vehicle maneuvers, wherein the set of protocol data is associated with a certain region and the one or more standard procedures are followed by vehicles operating within the certain region; determine, based at least in part on the predicted future vehicle maneuver, a modified protection volume for the vehicle that is modified relative to a baseline protection volume for the vehicle; and generate an output based on the modified protection volume. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the location is a first location, the course is a first course, the output is a first output, and the one or more processors are configured to determine the first location and the first course at a first time, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine a second course of the vehicle at a second time; determine a second location of the vehicle at the second time; determine, based at least in part on the second course of the vehicle and the second location of the vehicle, that the vehicle has started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; switch from generating an output based on the modified protection volume to generating an output based on the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the vehicle has started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and generate a second output based on the baseline protection volume. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine the course of the vehicle by at least determining a course of the vehicle relative to a runway based at least in part on the received surveillance data; and determine the location of the vehicle by at least determining a location of the vehicle relative to the runway based at least in part on the received surveillance data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more standard procedures comprises an airfield traffic pattern, and the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises a turn, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to: determine that the vehicle has passed an end of the runway; determine that the vehicle has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and determine the modified protection volume with a larger horizontal dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the vehicle has passed the end of the runway and has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more standard procedures comprises an airfield traffic pattern, and the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises a decrease in altitude, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to: determine that the vehicle has passed an end of the runway; determine that the vehicle has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and determine the modified protection volume with a larger vertical dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the vehicle has passed the end of the runway and has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more standard procedures comprises a takeoff, and the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises an increase in altitude, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to: determine a horizontal velocity of the vehicle; determine that the horizontal velocity of the vehicle exceeds a threshold horizontal velocity; determine that the vehicle has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and determine the modified protection volume with a larger vertical dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the horizontal velocity of the vehicle exceeds the threshold horizontal velocity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a helicopter, the one or more standard procedures comprises a takeoff, and the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises an increase in horizontal velocity, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to: determine a vertical velocity of the vehicle; determine that the vertical velocity of the vehicle exceeds a threshold vertical velocity; determine that the vehicle has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and determine the modified protection volume with a larger horizontal dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the horizontal velocity of the vehicle exceeds the threshold vertical velocity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more standard procedures comprises a turn during cruise, and the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises a change in altitude, and wherein one or more processors are configured to: determine that the course of the vehicle has changed relative to magnetic north; and determine the modified protection volume with a larger vertical dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the course of the vehicle has changed relative to magnetic north. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the output comprises an alert in response to a second vehicle being detected inside the modified protection volume. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a first vehicle, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: predict a trajectory for a second vehicle; propagate the trajectory for the second vehicle; and generate the output by at least generating an alert indicating that the propagated trajectory for the second vehicle is on course to enter the modified protection volume. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a current vehicle maneuver for the vehicle based at least in part on the location of the vehicle and the course of the vehicle, wherein the system is configured to predict the future vehicle maneuver for the vehicle based at least in part on the current vehicle maneuver for the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine an acceleration of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data; propagate a trajectory of the vehicle based at least in part on the predicted future vehicle maneuver and on the acceleration of the vehicle; and determine, based at least in part on the propagated trajectory of the vehicle, a modified protection volume for the vehicle that is modified relative to the baseline protection volume for the vehicle. ### Claim 13 A method comprising: receiving surveillance data from a vehicle; determining a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data; determining a course of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data; predicting a future vehicle maneuver for the vehicle based at least in part on the location of the vehicle and the course of the vehicle, and based at least in part on a set of protocol data indicating one or more standard procedures for one or more vehicle maneuvers, wherein the set of protocol data is associated with a certain region and the one or more standard procedures are followed by vehicles operating within the certain region; determining, based at least in part on the predicted future vehicle maneuver, a modified protection volume for the vehicle that is modified relative to a baseline protection volume for the vehicle; and generating an output based on the modified protection volume. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the location is a first location, the course is a first course, the output is a first output, and the one or more processors are configured to determine the first location and the first course at a first time, the method further comprising: determining a second course of the vehicle at a second time; determining a second location of the vehicle at the second time; determining, based at least in part on the second course of the vehicle and the second location of the vehicle, that the vehicle has started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; switching from generating an output based on the modified protection volume to generating an output based on the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the vehicle has started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and generating a second output based on the baseline protection volume. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining the course of the vehicle by at least determining a course of the vehicle relative to a runway based at least in part on the received surveillance data; and determining the location of the vehicle by at least determining a location of the vehicle relative to the runway based at least in part on the received surveillance data, wherein: the one or more standard procedures comprises an airfield traffic pattern; the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises a turn; and the method further comprising: determining that the vehicle has passed an end of the runway; determining that the vehicle has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and determining the modified protection volume with a larger horizontal dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the vehicle has passed the end of the runway and has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining the course of the vehicle by at least determining a course of the vehicle relative to a runway based at least in part on the received surveillance data; and determining the location of the vehicle by at least determining a location of the vehicle relative to the runway based at least in part on the received surveillance data, wherein: the one or more standard procedures comprises an airfield traffic pattern; the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises a decrease in altitude; and the method further comprising: determining that the vehicle has passed an end of the runway; determining that the vehicle has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and determining the modified protection volume with a larger vertical dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the vehicle has passed the end of the runway and has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein: the one or more standard procedures comprises a takeoff; the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises an increase in altitude; and the method further comprising: determining a horizontal velocity of the vehicle; determining that the horizontal velocity of the vehicle exceeds a threshold horizontal velocity; determining that the vehicle has not started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and determining the modified protection volume with a larger vertical dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the horizontal velocity of the vehicle exceeds the threshold horizontal velocity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein: the one or more standard procedures comprises a turn during cruise; the predicted future vehicle maneuver comprises a change in altitude; the method further comprises: determining that the course of the vehicle has changed relative to a magnetic north; and determining the modified protection volume with a larger vertical dimension than the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the course of the vehicle has changed relative to the magnetic north. ### Claim 19 A system comprising: means for receiving surveillance data from a vehicle; means for determining a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data; means for determining a course of the vehicle based at least in part on the received surveillance data; means for predicting a future vehicle maneuver for the vehicle based at least in part on the location of the vehicle and the course of the vehicle, and based at least in part on a set of protocol data indicating one or more standard procedures for one or more vehicle maneuvers, wherein the set of protocol data is associated with a certain region and the one or more standard procedures are followed by vehicles operating within the certain region; means for determining, based at least in part on the predicted future vehicle maneuver, a modified protection volume for the vehicle that is modified relative to a baseline protection volume for the vehicle; and means for generating an output based on the modified protection volume. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the location is a first location, the course is a first course, the output is a first output, and the one or more processors are configured to determine the first location and the first course at a first time, the system further comprising: means for determining a second course of the vehicle at a second time; means for determining a second location of the vehicle at the second time; means for determining, based at least in part on the second course of the vehicle and the second location of the vehicle, that the vehicle has started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; means for switching from generating an output based on the modified protection volume to generating an output based on the baseline protection volume based at least in part on determining that the vehicle has started the predicted future vehicle maneuver; and means for generating a second output based on the baseline protection volume.