System for intelligently controlling a team of vehicles

• US 20070021879A1
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Moody, John, Jung, Adam, DelNero, Dale, Tleon, Joel, DeMarco, Stephen, Szczerba, Robert, Stiles, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00

Abstract

A system collaboratively and autonomously plans and controls a team of vehicles having subsystems within an environment. The system includes a mission management component, a communication component, a payload controller component, and an automatic target recognition component. The mission management component plans and executes a mission plan of the team and plans and executes tasks of the vehicles. The communication component plans communication and networking for the team. The communication component manages quality of service for the team. The communication component directs communication subsystems for the team and for the vehicles. The payload controller component directs and executes sensor subsystems for the team and for the vehicles. The automatic target recognition component processes and fuses information from the sensor subsystems and from the vehicles for use by the mission management component.

Claims

1. A system for collaboratively and autonomously planning and controlling a team of vehicles having subsystems within an environment, said system comprising:

a mission management component for planning and executing a mission plan of the team and for planning and executing tasks of the vehicles;

a communication component for planning communication and networking for the team, said communication component managing quality of service for the team, said communication component directing communication subsystems for the team and for the vehicles;

a payload controller component for directing and executing sensor subsystems for the team and for the vehicles; and

an automatic target recognition component for processing and fusing information from the sensor subsystems and from the vehicles for use by said mission management component.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said payload controller component collaboratively manages sensors and effectors of the vehicles.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said automatic target recognition component tracks potential objects.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a contingency management component for collaboratively monitoring unexpected influences that affect success of the team mission plan.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a situational awareness component for performing collaborative fusion of data from the vehicle team.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a resource meta-control component for providing processing and memory resources for the vehicles.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mission management component is located onboard a vehicle.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mission management component develops a collaborative synchronized plan for the team of subsystems, said collaborative synchronized plan governing sensor deployment, flight paths, communication, and engagements of the vehicles.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said collaborative synchronized plan further governs information dissemination to the vehicles.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a contingency management component for detecting a contingency, assessing an impact of the contingency, and identifying the contingency as a team mission plan violation.

11. A computer program product for collaboratively and autonomously planning and controlling a team of vehicles having subsystems within an environment, said computer program product comprising:

a first instruction for planning and executing a mission plan of the team;

a second instruction for planning and executing tasks of the vehicles;

a third instruction for planning communication and networking for the team;

a fourth instruction for managing quality of service for the team;

a fifth instruction for directing communication subsystems for the team and for the vehicles;

a sixth instruction for directing and executing sensor subsystems for the team and for the vehicles; and

a seventh instruction for processing and fusing information from the sensor subsystems and from the vehicles.

12. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including an eighth instruction for creating a sensor plan to collaboratively manage sensors and weapons of the vehicles.

13. The computer program product as set forth in claim 12 further including a ninth instruction for collaboratively tracking potential targets determined by the sensor plan.

14. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including an eighth instruction for collaborating control of each vehicle with assets external to the team.

15. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including an eighth instruction for performing a re-plan of a communication plan due to a contingency encountered by an vehicle.

16. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including an eightn instruction for the vehicles to collaboratively detect, identify, and geo-locate objects in the environment.

17. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including an eighth instruction for utilizing geographic information for performing said first instruction.

18. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including an eighth instruction for reallocating tasks of the vehicles.

19. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including an eighth instruction for recreating a communication plan utilizing objectives, constraints, targets, and capabilities of the vehicles.

20. A method for collaboratively and autonomously planning and controlling a team of vehicles having subsystems within an environment, said method comprising the steps of:

planning and executing a mission plan of the team;

planning and executing tasks of the vehicles;

planning communication and networking for the team;

managing quality of service for the team;

directing communication subsystems for the team and for the vehicles;

directing and executing sensor subsystems for the team and for the vehicles; and

processing and fusing information from the sensor subsystems and from the vehicles.