US 8,380,367 B2 · Adaptive surveillance and guidance system for vehicle collision avoidance and interception

Abstract

A surveillance and guidance method and system for use with autonomously guided, man-on-the-loop or man-in-the-loop guided vehicles where the presence of obstacles must be considered in guiding the vehicle towards a target includes a navigation system configured to determine the position of the vehicle on which it is equipped. A communication system is configured for data exchange between the vehicle, neighboring vehicles and ground stations. A surveillance system is configured to detect and locate fixed or moving targets and obstacles. A computer is configured to track the position of targets and obstacles and to provide guidance commands or 4D flight paths to perform collision avoidance with respect to traffic regulations and procedures, and operational airspace restrictions. Additional computer tasks include station keeping or interception of targets. A command and control system is configured to interact with a user interface and control the vehicle's actuators.

Claims31

Dependent claims

An aircraft guidance system for use with an aircraft, the system comprising:

a communication subsystem configured for data exchange with cooperative airborne vehicles to acquire cooperative airborne vehicle location data and ground surveillance sources to acquire airborne vehicle location data for other airborne vehicles;
a surveillance sensor subsystem configured to detect azimuth, elevation, and range location data for additional non-cooperative airborne objects, non-airborne obstacles and targets;
and
an embedded computer having associated software installed on the aircraft and operably connected to both the surveillance sensor subsystem and the communication subsystem operable to collect location information from the other airborne vehicles and the non-cooperative airborne objects, non-airborne obstacles and targets within a vicinity of the aircraft, predict four-dimensional trajectories of the other airborne vehicles and the non-cooperative airborne objects, non-airborne obstacles and targets within a variable number of miles, assess collision threat potential with respect to the aircraft's current flight path, and determine a trajectory to avoid collision with any of the other airborne vehicles and the non-cooperative airborne objects, non-airborne obstacles and targets.

1 more element

A surveillance and guidance system for an aircraft, the system comprising:

a navigation system configured to determine navigation information that includes a position, velocity and intended trajectory of the aircraft;
a communication system configured to communicate location data with at least one of an airborne vehicle, a ground vehicle, a ground station and a radio beacon;
a surveillance sensor configured to sense position data of at least one of a fixed target, a moving target, an obstacle, an airport, a runway and a taxiway within a vicinity of the aircraft;
a flight computer configured to provide one or more guidance commands to guide the aircraft towards a target in the presence of obstacles as a function of the navigation information, the location data and the surveillance position data, wherein the flight computer is configured to track a position of one or more of the fixed target, the moving target, the obstacle, the airport, the runway, the taxiway and navigation aids and is configured to determine a velocity and an intended trajectory of the moving target and obstacles, and wherein the flight computer is configured to generate aircraft status, navigation and surveillance information, alerts and guidance commands for performing at least one of collision avoidance, station keeping and interception of targets;
and
a control system configured to process the guidance commands to control the aircraft.

3 more elements

A method for collision avoidance and interception for an aircraft, the method comprising:

determining position, velocity and trajectory information for the aircraft;
receiving positions, velocities and intended trajectories of any cooperative and non-cooperative vehicles;
sensing positions of any neighboring targets, obstacles, airports, runways, taxiways, and navigation aids;
determining velocities and trajectory information of the neighboring targets, obstacles, airports, runways, taxiways, and navigation aids if moving;
receiving inputs from a user interface;
fusing the determined position, velocity and trajectory information for the aircraft, the received positions, velocities and intended trajectories of the cooperative and non-cooperative vehicles, the sensed positions of the neighboring targets, obstacles, airports, runways, taxiways, and navigation aids and the determined velocities and trajectory information of the neighboring targets, obstacles, airports, runways, taxiways, and navigation aids as a fused data set;
displaying the fused data set on the user interface;
comparing the position, velocity and intended trajectory information for the aircraft with the positions of the neighboring targets, obstacles, airports, runways, taxiways and navigation aids, as well as the velocities and intended trajectories of the cooperative and non-cooperative vehicles;
and
if the aircraft is on-target, performing an on-target procedure;
or
if the aircraft is not on-target, performing the following steps:
activating one or more behaviors as a function of the fused data set;
generating an objective function as a function of the activated behaviors;
generating a guidance command determined in accordance with the objective function.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Adaptive surveillance and guidance system for vehicle collision avoidance and interception

Life of this patent

Adaptive surveillance and guidance system for vehicle collision avoidance and interception

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31