Air traffic communication

• US 10,347,136 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2016
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Whiting, Gregory, Burgess, James, Thouppuarachchi, Chirath
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Daniel L
• Application Number:
  US15/390,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20190156681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• 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 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

Apparatus and methods related to autonomous aerial communications are included. A computing device can detect data associated with relevant events, determine information related to the event that should be communicated and a target aerial vehicle for that information, identify one or more operational parameters of the target aerial vehicle, and, based on those operational parameters, select a language associated with the target aerial vehicle, and generate and transmit a message expressing that information in the selected language to the target aerial vehicle. In a further aspect, a computing device can detect data associated with relevant events, determine information related to the event that should be communicated and a target recipient for that information, identify one or more operational parameters of the target recipient, and, based on those operational parameters, select a language associated with those operational parameters, and generate and transmit a message expressing that information in the selected language to the target recipient.

Claims

1. A method for operating an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

detecting, by a control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, data associated with an event;

determining, by the control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, that information related to the event should be communicated;

determining, by the control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a target aerial vehicle that is to receive the information;

identifying, by the control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, whether the target aerial vehicle is human operated or is unmanned;

selecting, by the control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a natural language associated with human-operated target aerial vehicles if the target aerial vehicle is identified as human operated, or a machine language associated with unmanned aerial vehicles if the target aerial vehicle is identified as unmanned;

generating, by the control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a message expressing the information related to the event in the selected language; and

transmitting, by the control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the message to the target aerial vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying, by the control system, whether the target aerial vehicle is human operated or unmanned comprises referring to a repository of operational parameters which may be ascribed to a class of entities of which the target aerial vehicle may be a part.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the natural language associated with the human-operated target aerial vehicle comprises at least one natural language from a set of multiple natural-language communication capabilities.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the machine language associated with the computer-operated target aerial vehicle comprises at least one computer language from a set of multiple computer-language communication capabilities.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the target aerial vehicle comprises determining, by the control system, from a plurality of target aerial vehicles, at least one target aerial vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein detecting the data associated with the event comprises detecting, by the control system, data associated with at least one natural language or machine language input communication.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein detecting the data associated with the input communication comprises detecting, by the control system, data associated with flight management parameters of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the target aerial vehicle, or both.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein determining that the information related to the event should be communicated comprises determining, by the control system, a proposed flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle, the target aerial vehicle, or both.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein generating the message comprises generating, by the control system, a message inviting one or more aerial vehicles to a negotiation session, and wherein transmitting the message comprises establishing, by the control system, a negotiation session with one or more target aerial vehicles to determine the acceptability of the proposed flight paths of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the target aerial vehicle, or both.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the entity approving the results of the negotiation session is human operated, computer operated, or both.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the entity approving the results of the negotiation session, the parties to the negotiation session, or both, transmit the content and/or resolution of the negotiation session to the parties to the negotiation session, a centralized database, or other entities.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the target aerial vehicle includes at least one related terrestrial support system entity operating within a network, comprising a wholly or partially computer-automated air traffic control system, a human-operated air traffic controller station, or both.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the entity approving the results of the negotiation session is human operated, computer operated, or both.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the entity approving the results of the negotiation session, the parties to the negotiation session, or both, transmit the content and/or resolution of the negotiation session to the parties to the negotiation session, a centralized database, and/or other entities.

15. A system comprising:

at least one target aerial vehicle; and

at least one aerial vehicle with an autonomous aerial communications system, wherein the autonomous communications system comprises;

at least one interface for communication with other aerial vehicles;

and a control system configured to;

detect data associated with an event;

determine that information related to the event should be communicated;

determine the target aerial vehicle that is to receive the information;

identify whether the target aerial vehicle is human operated or is unmanned;

select, from a plurality of available languages, a natural language associated with human-operated target aerial vehicles if the target aerial vehicle is identified as human operated, or a machine language associated with unmanned aerial vehicles if the target aerial vehicle is identified as unmanned;

generate a message expressing the information related to the event in the selected language; and

transmit the message to the target aerial vehicle.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a control system to perform functions comprising:

detecting data associated with an event;

determining that information related to the event should be communicated;

determining a target aerial vehicle that is to receive the information;

identifying whether the target aerial vehicle is human operated or is unmanned;

selecting a natural language associated with human-operated target aerial vehicles if the target aerial vehicle is identified as human operated, or a machine language associated with unmanned aerial vehicles if the target aerial vehicle is identified as unmanned;

generating a message expressing the information related to the event in the selected language; and

transmitting the message to the target aerial vehicle.

17. A method for operating an aerial vehicle comprising:

detecting, by a control system of the aerial vehicle, data associated with an event;

determining, by the control system, that information related to the event should be

communicated;

identifying, by the control system, one or more operational parameters of a target recipient, wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise at least one parameter indicative of whether the target recipient is human operated, computer operated, or both;

selecting, by the control system, from a plurality of available languages, one or more languages associated with the one or more identified operational parameters, wherein the plurality of languages comprises at least one natural language and at least one machine language;

generating, by the control system, a message expressing the information related to the event in the selected language; and

transmitting, by the control system, the generated message.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the one or operational parameters are associated with a wholly or partially computer-automated air traffic control system, a human-operated air traffic controller station, or both.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the one or operational parameters are associated with a legacy aerial vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the one or operational parameters are associated with an unmanned aerial system.