Cooperative communication control between vehicles

• US 20130282201A1
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: Chief of Naval Research
• Inventors: Thomas, William Howard II, Kolodgie, Shawn M., Lavery, Michael J., Lim, Michael W., McCready, Nicholas E., Melendez, Xavier, Noble, Ashley R., Ragsdale, Ryan M., Serbinski, Matthew, McLintock, Brian Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/00 Defence installations; Defence devices constructional aspects see Section E, e.g. air-raid shelters E04H9/04; protective arrangements for buildings E04B1/92; extinguishing or preventing the spread of fire from, incendiary bombs A62C3/06; dynamic armour F41H5/007; ballistically deployed systems for restraining persons or animals F41H13/0006; electronic countermeasures G01S
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A method is provided for receiving sensor information by a plurality of motor vehicles with respect to sensor information regarding locations of objects; sharing the sensor information by the plurality of motor vehicles; displaying the shared sensor information on a user interface on each of the plurality of motor vehicles; and controlling the receiving, sharing, and displaying the sensor information with a software library.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving sensor information from a plurality of motor vehicles, the sensor information including;

locations of objects;

sharing the sensor information between users in the plurality of motor vehicles;

displaying the shared sensor information on a user interface on each of the plurality of motor vehicles;

controlling the receiving, sharing; and

displaying of the sensor information with a software library.

2. The method of claim 1, including:

automatically recognizing communication equipment from different vendors and different software platforms.

3. The method of claim 1, including:

dynamically updating of the shared sensor information on the user interface in each of the plurality of motor vehicles.

4. An automated processor for providing cooperative communication control between vehicles, said processor being operable via a computer-readable program ram code on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising:

an input receiver to receive sensor information by a plurality of motor vehicles with respect to sensor information regarding locations of objects;

an input editor to dynamically add first sensors and delete specified second sensors;

an information distributor to share the sensor information by the plurality of motor vehicles; and

a display medium to display the shared sensor information on a user interface.

5. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

a device detector for automatic recognition of newly installed devices.

6. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

computer-readable program code for automatic recognition of communication equipment from different vendors and different software platforms.

7. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

computer-readable program code for sharing video information.

8. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

computer-readable program code for cooperative mission planning with chat capability.

9. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

computer-readable program code for sharing vehicle navigation and mapping, including loading changeable mapping situations and programs.

10. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

a projectile detector for detection of military projectiles.

11. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

a display algorithm for displaying simulation of movement of a plurality of motor vehicles.

12. The automated processor of claim 11, including:

a video display for playback of the simulation of movement of the plurality of motor vehicles.

13. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

an input prompter for dynamic updating of the shared sensor information on the user interface in each of the plurality of motor vehicles.

14. The automated processor of claim 4, including:

a remote control device for overriding a user interface in each of the plurality of motor vehicles.

15. A system comprising:

a plurality of motor vehicles;

a plurality of sensors positioned both inside the plurality of motor vehicles and separated from the plurality of motor vehicles;

a software library;

a plurality of cameras within the plurality of motor vehicles configured to respond to the plurality of sensors through control of the software library;

the plurality of motor vehicles configured to receive input from the plurality of cameras by utilizing the software library;

the plurality of motor vehicles configured to share the received input from the plurality of cameras with each of the other motor vehicles by utilizing the software library; and

a user interface configured to display input from the plurality of motor vehicles regarding information received from the cameras by utilizing the software library,

wherein the information displayed on the user interface is provided to a user in one of the motor vehicles.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the software library is configured to:

cooperate between vehicles and operators in engaging a target;

recognize plug-in devices;

recognize multiple platforms and vendor hardware;

navigate vehicles and map terrain;

detect weapon shots; and

remotely control the user interface.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the software library is configured to:

manipulate camera view boxes to a user defined size and layout.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the software library is configured to:

create redundant communication between the vehicles.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the software library is configured to:

recognize a plurality of types of vehicles.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein mesh network technology is utilized to configure communication between multiple vehicles.