Automated air traffic communications

• US 10,186,158 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2018
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Burgess, James, Thouppuarachchi, Chirath, Whiting, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US15/860,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20180182251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 340931, 340970
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/185 Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systemsH04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]

Abstract

Apparatus and methods related to aviation communications are included. A computing device can receive position data indicating a position of an aerial vehicle. The position can include an altitude. The computing device can determine, from a plurality of possible airspace classifications, a first airspace classification at the position of the aerial vehicle, where each airspace classification specifies one or more communication parameters for communication within an associated airspace. The computing device can select, from a plurality of communication repositories, a first communication repository that is associated with the first airspace classification, where each communication repository specifies a set of pre-defined communication components for at least one associated airspace classification. The computing device can generate a communication related to the aerial vehicle using the first communication repository. The computing device can send the generated communication to at least one recipient.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving (i) position information for an unmanned aerial vehicle, and (ii) audio data encoding one or more aviation communications;

determining an airspace classification based on the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle;

obtaining, by an automated speech recognizer, a transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification; and

providing the transcription of the audio data for processing by the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more aviation communications are directed to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises GPS coordinates for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification comprises:

selecting one or more topics of communication associated with the airspace classification.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification comprises:

limiting a vocabulary associated with the automated speech recognizer based at least on the airspace classification.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein limiting the vocabulary comprises selecting a subset of communication data from among a universal set of possible communication data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification comprises:

selecting a subset of a universal set of communications data based at least on the airspace classification.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the automated speech recognizer comprises speech recognition software.

10. A system comprising:

a processor configured to execute computer program instructions; and

a computer storage medium encoded with the computer program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving (i) position information for an unmanned aerial vehicle, and (ii) audio data encoding one or more aviation communications;

determining an airspace classification based on the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle;

obtaining, by an automated speech recognizer, a transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification; and

providing the transcription of the audio data for processing by the unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more aviation communications are directed to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises GPS coordinates for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein obtaining the transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification comprises:

selecting one or more topics of communication associated with the airspace classification.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein obtaining the transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification comprises:

limiting a vocabulary associated with the automated speech recognizer based at least on the airspace classification.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein obtaining the transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification comprises:

selecting a subset of a universal set of communications data based at least on the airspace classification.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving (i) position information for an unmanned aerial vehicle, and (ii) audio data encoding one or more aviation communications;

determining an airspace classification based on the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle;

obtaining, by an automated speech recognizer, a transcription of the audio data based at least on the airspace classification; and

providing the transcription of the audio data for processing by the unmanned aerial vehicle.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more aviation communications are directed to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the position information for the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises GPS coordinates for the unmanned aerial vehicle.