Position reporting for vehicles

• US 10,522,046 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Haiming
• Primary Examiner(s): Lang, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US15/668,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20190043367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• 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 5/006 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: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

In some examples, a system for transmitting a location of an ownship vehicle is configured to be mounted on the ownship vehicle and includes a positioning system configured to receive positioning signals. In some examples, the system also includes a cellular transceiver, a surveillance transceiver, and processing circuitry configured to determine a position of the ownship vehicle based on the positioning signals. In some examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to determine that the ownship vehicle is located in an identified risk volume based on the position of the ownship vehicle and to cause the surveillance transceiver and the cellular transceiver to simultaneously transmit surveillance signals and cellular signals indicating the position of the ownship vehicle in response to determining that the ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting a position of an unmanned aerial ownship vehicle, wherein the system is configured to be mounted on the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle, the system comprising:

a positioning system configured to receive positioning signals;

a cellular transceiver;

a surveillance transceiver; and

processing circuitry configured to;

determine the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle based on the positioning signals;

determine that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located in an identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

cause the surveillance transceiver to transmit surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume; and

cause the cellular transceiver to transmit cellular signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle simultaneously with the surveillance transceiver transmitting the surveillance signals in response to determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume by at least determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located less than a threshold distance from a site,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located less than the threshold distance from the site, and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the cellular transceiver to transmit the cellular signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle simultaneously with the surveillance transceiver transmitting the surveillance signals in response to determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located less than the threshold distance from the site.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determine that the cellular transceiver lost a cellular connection during a time interval; and

cause the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume; and

determining that the cellular transceiver lost the cellular connection during the time interval.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determine that a latency for the cellular transceiver is greater than a threshold latency level; and

cause the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume; and

determining that the latency for the cellular transceiver is greater than the threshold latency level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determine that the surveillance transceiver received a signal indicating that surveillance signal interference is less than a threshold interference level; and

cause the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume; and

determining that the surveillance transceiver received the signal indicating that the surveillance signal interference is less than the threshold interference level.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determine that the cellular transceiver did not lose a cellular connection during a time interval;

determine that a latency for the cellular transceiver is not greater than a threshold latency level;

determine that surveillance signal interference is not greater than a threshold interference level; and

cause the cellular transceiver to transmit the cellular signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume;

determining that the cellular transceiver did not lose the cellular connection during the time interval;

determining that the latency for the cellular transceiver is not greater than the threshold latency level; and

determining that the surveillance signal interference is greater than the threshold interference level.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine that a quality level for cellular communication is less than a threshold quality level for cellular communication;

determine whether a quality level for surveillance communication is less than a threshold quality level for surveillance communication; and

cause the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle to perform a safety maneuver in response to;

determining that the quality level for cellular communication is less than the threshold quality level for cellular communication; and

determining that the quality level for surveillance communication is less than the threshold quality level for surveillance communication.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determine that a quality level for cellular communication is greater than a threshold quality level for cellular communication;

determine that a quality level for surveillance communication is greater than a threshold quality level for surveillance communication; and

cause the cellular transceiver to transmit the cellular signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume;

determining that the quality level for cellular communication is greater than the threshold quality level for cellular communication; and

determining that the quality level for surveillance communication is greater than the threshold quality level for surveillance communication.

9. A method for transmitting a position of an unmanned aerial ownship vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving positioning signals;

determining the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle based on the positioning signals;

determining that, in a first instance, the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located in an identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

cause a surveillance transceiver to transmit surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume; and

cause a cellular transceiver to transmit cellular signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle simultaneously with the surveillance transceiver transmitting the surveillance signals in response to determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume.

10. The method of claim 9,

wherein determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume comprises determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located less than a threshold distance from a site,

wherein causing the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is further in response to determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located less than the threshold distance from the site, and

wherein causing the cellular transceiver to transmit the cellular signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle simultaneously with the surveillance transceiver transmitting the surveillance signals is further in response to determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located less than the threshold distance from the site.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that, in a second instance, the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determining that the cellular transceiver lost a cellular connection during a time interval; and

causing the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume; and

determining that the cellular transceiver lost the cellular connection during the time interval.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that, in a second instance, the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determining that a latency for the cellular transceiver is greater than a threshold latency level; and

causing the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume; and

determining that the latency for the cellular transceiver is greater than the threshold latency level.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that, in a second instance, the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determining that the surveillance transceiver received a signal indicating that surveillance signal interference is less than a threshold interference level; and

causing the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume; and

determining that the surveillance transceiver received the signal indicating that the surveillance signal interference is less than the threshold interference level.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that, in a second instance, the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determining that the cellular transceiver did not lose a cellular connection during a time interval;

determining that a latency for the cellular transceiver is not greater than a threshold latency level;

determining that surveillance signal interference is not greater than a threshold interference level; and

causing the cellular transceiver to transmit the cellular signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume;

determining that the cellular transceiver did not lose the cellular connection during the time interval;

determining that the latency for the cellular transceiver is not greater than the threshold latency level; and

determining that the surveillance signal interference is greater than the threshold interference level.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that a quality level for cellular communication is less than a threshold quality level for cellular communication;

determining whether a quality level for surveillance communication is less than a threshold quality level for surveillance communication; and

causing the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle to perform a safety maneuver in response to;

determining that the quality level for cellular communication is less than the threshold quality level for cellular communication; and

determining that the quality level for surveillance communication is less than the threshold quality level for surveillance communication.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that, in a second instance, the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume based on the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle;

determining that a quality level for cellular communication is greater than a threshold quality level for cellular communication;

determining that a quality level for surveillance communication is greater than a threshold quality level for surveillance communication; and

causing the cellular transceiver to transmit the cellular signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to;

determining that the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle is located outside of the identified risk volume;

determining that the quality level for cellular communication is greater than the threshold quality level for cellular communication; and

determining that the quality level for surveillance communication is greater than the threshold quality level for surveillance communication.

17. A system for transmitting a position of an unmanned aerial ownship vehicle, wherein the system is configured to be mounted on the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle, the system comprising:

a positioning system configured to receive positioning signals;

a cellular transceiver;

a surveillance transceiver; and

processing circuitry configured to;

determine the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle based on the positioning signals;

determine that a quality level for cellular communication is less than a threshold quality level for cellular communication; and

cause the surveillance transceiver to transmit surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to determining that the quality level for cellular communication is less than the threshold quality level for cellular communication.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the quality level for cellular communication is less than the threshold quality level for cellular communication by at least determining that the cellular transceiver lost a cellular connection during a time interval, and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to determining that the cellular transceiver lost the cellular connection during the time interval.

19. The system of claim 17,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the quality level for cellular communication is less than the threshold quality level for cellular communication by at least determining that a latency for the cellular transceiver is greater than a threshold latency level, and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the surveillance transceiver to transmit the surveillance signals indicating the position of the unmanned aerial ownship vehicle in response to determining that the latency for the cellular transceiver is greater than the threshold latency level.

20. A system for transmitting a location of an ownship vehicle, wherein the system is configured to be mounted on the ownship vehicle, the system comprising:

a positioning system configured to receive positioning signals;

a cellular transceiver;

an automatic-dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) transceiver; and

processing circuitry configured to;

determine a position of the ownship vehicle based on the positioning signals;

determine that the ownship vehicle is located in an identified risk volume based on the position of the ownship vehicle;

cause the ADS-B transceiver to transmit ADS-B signals indicating the position of the ownship vehicle in response to determining that the ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume; and

cause the cellular transceiver to transmit cellular signals indicating the position of the ownship vehicle simultaneously with the ADS-B transceiver transmitting the ADS-B signals in response to determining that the ownship vehicle is located in the identified risk volume.