SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOTELY COLLABORATIVE VEHICLES

• US 20110010022A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Beavin, William C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005

Abstract

Methods and architecture systems for controlling vehicle systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of remotely controlling a vehicle includes estimating a position of the vehicle. A position estimation algorithm may estimate the position of the vehicle. A position data packet received from the vehicle may be used to update the estimated position of the vehicle. A display device may display a virtual representation of the vehicle based on the updated estimated position of the vehicle. Command signals may be transmitted to the vehicle based on the displayed virtual representation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of remotely controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:

estimating a position of the vehicle;

updating the estimated position of the vehicle when a position data packet is received from the vehicle;

displaying a virtual representation of the vehicle on a display device based on the estimated position of the vehicle; and

transmitting one or more command signals to the vehicle based on the displayed virtual representation of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating a position of the vehicle includes using a dead reckoning algorithm to estimate the position of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the control signals to the vehicle includes using a dead reckoning algorithm to estimate the position of the control input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting one or more command signals to the vehicle includes transmitting a control signal data packet to the vehicle, the control signal data packet transmitted when an estimated position of the control input and an actual position of the control input exceeds a position deviation threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the control signal data packet includes a time stamp indicating a time at which the control signal data packet is valid.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the actual position of the control input is acquired via an accelerometer on a control input device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the position data packet received from the vehicle is received when a difference between the estimated position of the vehicle and an actual position of the vehicle exceeds a position deviation threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the actual position of the vehicle is acquired via a global positioning system aboard the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating the estimated position of the vehicle includes updating the estimated position of the vehicle based on location, orientation, and kinematic data stored in the position data packet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the updating the estimated position of the vehicle further includes updating the estimated position of the vehicle based on a time stamp stored in the position data packet.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving one or more virtual objects to display on the display device, the one or more virtual objects being texture pattern images captured from an imaging sensor onboard the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing one or more real world images via one or more image sensors.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing the one or more real world images to a virtual environment database when there is a discrepancy between the sensed real world images and one or more images stored in the virtual environment database.

14. A method of communicating a position of a vehicle, the method comprising:

estimating a position of the vehicle;

acquiring an actual position of the vehicle;

generating a first position data packet when a difference between the estimated position of the vehicle and the acquired actual position of the vehicle exceeds a position deviation threshold, the first position data packet including location, orientation, and kinematic data; and

transmitting the first position data packet to one or more systems when the difference between the estimated position of the vehicle and the actual position of the vehicle exceeds the position deviation threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the actual position is acquired via a global positioning system.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first position data packet further includes a time stamp indicating a time for which the position data packet is valid.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle is at least one of an unmanned vehicle and a manned vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a second position data packet from one or more remotely operable vehicles to realize a position of the remotely operable vehicle in relation to the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting the first position data packet to one or more systems includes transmitting the first position data packet to a remote operator system, the remote operator system enabled to at least partially control a path of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising sensing one or more real world measurements via one or more range sensors.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising storing the one or more real world measurements to a virtual environment database when there is a discrepancy between the sensed real world measurements and one or more measurements stored in the virtual environment database.

22. A remotely operable vehicle system architecture, comprising:

a remotely operable vehicle, the remotely operable vehicle comprising;

a vehicle based estimated position module to estimate a position of the vehicle;

an acquired position module to acquire a position of the vehicle;

a position comparison module to generate a position data packet when a difference between the estimated position of the vehicle and the actual position of the vehicle is greater than a position deviation threshold;

a communication module to communicate the position data packet to a remote operator platform; and

a control module to control a trajectory of the vehicle; and

a remote operator, the remote operator comprising;

an operator based estimated position module to estimate the position of the vehicle;

a position update module to update the estimated position of the vehicle when the position data packet is communicated from the vehicle;

a display module to display a virtual representation of the vehicle on a display device based on the updated estimated position of the vehicle; and

a command module to communicate one or more operational commands to the vehicle.

23. The system architecture of claim 22, wherein the control module uses an estimated position of the control input to control a trajectory of the vehicle.

24. The system architecture of claim 22, wherein the vehicle based estimated position module and the operator based estimated position module estimate the position of the vehicle using the same dead reckoning algorithm.

25. The system architecture of claim 22, wherein the position update module updates the estimated position of the vehicle based on location, orientation, and kinematic data stored in the position data packet.

26. The system architecture of claim 25, wherein the position update module further updates the estimated position of the vehicle based on a time stamp in the position data packet.

27. A remotely operable vehicle collaboration system architecture, comprising:

a first remotely operable vehicle, the first remotely operable vehicle comprising;

a first vehicle estimated position module to estimate a position of the first vehicle;

a first vehicle acquired position module to acquire a position of the first vehicle;

a first vehicle communication module to communicate a first vehicle position data packet when a difference between the estimated position of the first vehicle and the actual position of the first vehicle is greater than a first position deviation threshold;

a first vehicle position update module to update the estimated position of the first vehicle based on the first vehicle position data packet;

a first vehicle command module to receive one or more operational commands; and

a first vehicle control module to control a trajectory of the first vehicle; and

a second remotely operable vehicle, the second remotely operable vehicle comprising;

a second vehicle estimated position module to estimate a position of the first vehicle and to further estimate a position of the second vehicle;

a second vehicle acquired position module to acquire a position of the second vehicle;

a second vehicle communication module to communicate a second vehicle position data packet to at least the first vehicle when a difference between the estimated position of the second vehicle and the actual position of the second vehicle is greater than a second position deviation threshold;

a second vehicle position update module to update the estimated position of the second vehicle based on the second vehicle position data packet when the estimated position of the second vehicle and the actual position of the second vehicle is greater than the second position deviation threshold, the second vehicle position update module further to update the second vehicle'"'"'s estimated position of the first vehicle based on a receipt of the first vehicle position data packet;

a second vehicle command module to receive one or more operational commands; and

a second vehicle control module to control a trajectory of the second vehicle; and

28. The system architecture of claim 27, wherein the first position deviation threshold is equal to the second position deviation threshold.

29. The system architecture of claim 27, wherein the second vehicle estimated position module estimates the position of the first vehicle and estimates the position of the second vehicle using a single dead reckoning algorithm.

30. The system architecture of claim 27, wherein the first vehicle command module and the second vehicle command module receives the one or more operational commands from a remote operator.

31. The system architecture of claim 27, wherein the first vehicle command module exchanges operational commands with the second vehicle command module.