# US 2019/0170515 A1 · Systems and methods for continuous replanning of vehicle trajectories > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170515 A1 - Document ID: US20190170515A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/267,921 - Filed: 2019-02-05 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-04-01 - Assignees: Smartsky Networks LLC - Applicants: Smartsky Networks LLC - Inventors: James W. Herriot - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170515A1 ## CPC - G08G 5/34: for flight plan modification - G01C 21/3881: {Tile-based structures} - G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) - G08G 5/32: for flight plan preparation - G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft - G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft - G08G 5/723: {from the aircraft} - G08G 5/727: {from a ground station} - G08G 5/80: Anti-collision systems - 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}) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 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. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein associating the value comprises: summing up the repulsion signals and offsetting the sum of the repulsion signals by an attraction signal associated with the primary aircraft. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the repulsion signals are strongest proximate to the aircraft and the obstacles with which each of the repulsion signals are associated, and wherein a strength of the repulsion signals reduces with distance from the aircraft and the obstacles with which each of the repulsion signals are associated. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the attraction signal is strongest proximate to the primary aircraft, and wherein a strength of the attraction signal reduces with distance from the primary aircraft. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein determining the flight path comprises determining, into future time, a series of consecutive sub-areas having one of a greatest or least value and satisfying a rule relative to flight path calculation. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein determining the flight path is repeated in response to appearance of a new object. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein determining the flight path is repeated at a predetermined frequency. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein determining the flight path is repeated in response to a change in a direction, heading, or altitude of the primary aircraft. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the obstacles include weather events. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying a grid heat map based on the value of each of the sub areas. ### Claim 31 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. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, wherein associating the value comprises: summing up the repulsion signals and offsetting the sum of the repulsion signals by an attraction signal associated with the primary aircraft. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The system of claim 32, wherein the repulsion signals are strongest proximate to the aircraft and the obstacles with which each of the repulsion signals are associated, and wherein a strength of the repulsion signals reduces with distance from the aircraft and the obstacles with which each of the repulsion signals are associated. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The system of claim 33, wherein the attraction signal is strongest proximate to the primary aircraft, and wherein a strength of the attraction signal reduces with distance from the primary aircraft. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein determining the flight path comprises determining, into future time, a series of consecutive sub-areas having one of a greatest or least value and satisfying a rule relative to flight path calculation. ### Claim 36 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, wherein determining the flight path is repeated in response to appearance of a new object. ### Claim 37 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, wherein determining the flight path is repeated at a predetermined frequency. ### Claim 38 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, wherein determining the flight path is repeated in response to a change in a direction, heading, or altitude of the primary aircraft. ### Claim 39 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, wherein the obstacles include weather events. ### Claim 40 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, wherein the processor is further configured to display a grid heat map based on the value of each of the sub areas.