METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AT LEAST ONE VOTED FLIGHT TRAJECTORY OF A VEHICLE

• US 20090118896A1
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab AB
• Original Assignee: Saab AB
• Inventors: GUSTAFSSON, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

A method for generating a voted trajectory of a vehicle in a first vehicle. First trajectory data is received from at least one second vehicle in a receiver in the first vehicle. Trajectory data is calculated in a trajectory calculator in the first vehicle. The calculated trajectory data and the received first trajectory data concern a determined vehicle. The determined vehicle is determined from a group including the first and the second vehicles. The voted trajectory of the determined vehicle by a voting process based on the calculated trajectory data and the received first trajectory data.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a first vehicle adapted to generate a voted trajectory of at least one vehicle, wherein the apparatus is configured to

receive trajectory data from at least one second vehicle related to at least one determined vehicle, the determined vehicle being determined from a group comprising the first and the second vehicles,

retrieve a calculated trajectory from a trajectory calculator in the apparatus related to each determined vehicle, and

perform a voting process on the received trajectory data and the calculated trajectory for each determined vehicle to generate the voted trajectory of each determined vehicle.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determined vehicle is the first vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is arranged to receive local data concerning the first vehicle from sensors in the first vehicle, and wherein the local data is used in the trajectory calculator to calculate trajectory of the first vehicle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determined vehicle is the at least one second vehicle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus is arranged to receive data concerning the at least one second vehicle sent over the air, and wherein the data is used in the trajectory calculator to calculate trajectory of the at least one second vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus is arranged to generate a voted trajectory of the first vehicle as well as a voted trajectory of the at least one second vehicle.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to monitor the at least one second vehicle based on the voted calculated trajectory of the at least one second vehicle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further arranged to transmit the calculated trajectory data to the at least one second vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voting process results in any kind of middle trajectory or average trajectory, weighted or not weighted, of the calculated and received trajectories.

10. A vehicle, comprising:

an apparatus adapted to generate a voted trajectory of at least one vehicle, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive trajectory data from at least one second vehicle related to at least one determined vehicle, the determined vehicle being determined from a group comprising the first and the second vehicles, retrieve a calculated trajectory from a trajectory calculator in the apparatus related to each determined vehicle, and perform a voting process on the received trajectory data and the calculated trajectory for each determined vehicle to generate the voted trajectory of each determined vehicle,

a receiver configured to receive data from the at least one different vehicle, and

a transmitter configured to transmit data to external sources.

11. A method for generating at least one voted trajectory of a vehicle in a first vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving first trajectory data from at least one second vehicle in a receiver of the first vehicle,

calculating trajectory data in a trajectory calculator in the first vehicle, wherein the calculated trajectory data and the received first trajectory data concerns a determined vehicle, the determined vehicle being determined from a group comprising the first and the second vehicles, and

generating the at least one voted trajectory of a vehicle by a voting process based on the calculated trajectory data and the received first trajectory data.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving data from sensors arranged at the first vehicle to be used to calculate trajectory data concerning the first vehicle.

13. The method for generating a trajectory of a vehicle in a first vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving data from the at least one second vehicle to be used to calculate trajectory data concerning the at least one second vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting the calculated trajectory data to at least one second vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method generates a voted trajectory for the first vehicle and a voted trajectory for the second vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

transferring the at least one voted trajectory that concerns the at least one second vehicle to a monitoring process, in order to compare predicted and real position value of the at least one different vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

transferring the at least one voted trajectory to a control system of the first vehicle.