OBSTACLE DETECTION SYSTEM PROVIDING CONTEXT AWARENESS

• US 20150194059A1
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Starr, Jeffrey W., Buster, Duke, Lamkin, Andrew F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,472,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/934 on airport surfaces, e.g. while taxiing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0017 Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information head-up displays G02B27/01; ground or aircraft-carrier-deck-installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0073 Surveillance aids scene image recognition G06V20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

In sonic examples, an obstacle detection system is configured to generate and display a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes an overhead image of an area in which a vehicle is positioned, a graphical representation of the vehicle, and graphical representations of one or more obstacles, The graphical representations of the one or more obstacles and vehicle can be arranged relative to the overhead image to indicate determined real-world positions of the one or more obstacles and vehicle, respectively, relative to other features shown in the overhead (e.g., airport structure or other buildings).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a processor, a location of at least one obstacle proximate an aircraft;

determining, by the processor, a location of the aircraft; and

generating, by the processor, a graphical user interface based on the location of the obstacle and the location of the aircraft, the graphical user interface comprising a graphical representation of the aircraft and a graphical representation of the at least one obstacle on an overhead image of area in which the aircraft and the at least one obstacle are positioned.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the at least one obstacle comprises receiving, by the processor sensor data indicative of the location of the at least one obstacle, and wherein generating the graphical user interface comprises geo-registering the graphical representation of the at least one obstacle to a portion of the overhead image based on the sensor data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving sensor data indicative of the location of at least one obstacle comprises receiving at least one of Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor data, radar sensor data, or data from a camera,

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the aircraft comprises receiving, by the processor sensor data indicative of the location of the aircraft, and wherein generating the graphical user interface comprises geo-registering the graphical representation of the aircraft to a portion of the overhead image based on the sensor data indicative of the location of the portion of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sensor data indicates the location of each of a plurality of different portions of the aircraft, and wherein geo-registering the graphical representation of the aircraft to the portion of the overhead image comprises geo-registering each portion of the plurality of different portions of the aircraft to respective portions of the overhead image based on the sensor data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving sensor data indicative of the location the aircraft comprises receiving at least one of Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor data or an inertial navigation system of the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the overhead image comprises a satellite image.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the processor, sensor data indicative of a location of a user, wherein generating the graphical user interface comprises generating, based on the sensor data, the graphical user interface comprising a graphical representation of the user on the overhead image.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the graphical user interface comprises geo-registering the graphical representation of the user to a portion of the overhead image based on the sensor data indicative of the location of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, a threat level of the at least obstacle based on the location of the obstacle; and

generating, by the processor, the graphical representation of the at least one obstacle to include a characteristic that represents the determined threat level of the at least one of the obstacle or the area of unknown.

11. A system comprising:

a display; and

a processor configured to determine a location of at least one obstacle proximate an aircraft, determine a location of the aircraft, generate a graphical user interface based on the location of the obstacle and the location of the aircraft, and display the graphical user interface via the display, the graphical user interface comprising a graphical representation of the aircraft and a graphical representation of the at least one obstacle on an overhead image of area in which the aircraft and the at least one obstacle are positioned.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of the location of the at least one obstacle, wherein the processor is configured to determine the location of the at least one obstacle based on the sensor data, and generate the graphical user interface by at least geo-registering the graphical representation of the at least one obstacle to a portion of the overhead image based on the sensor data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, a radar sensor, or a camera.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of the location of the aircraft, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the location of the aircraft based on the sensor data, and generate the graphical user interface by at least geo-registering the graphical representation of the aircraft to a portion of the overhead image based on the sensor data indicative of the location of the portion of the aircraft.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor data indicates the location of each of a plurality of different portions of the aircraft, and wherein the processor is configured to geo-register the graphical representation of the aircraft to the portion of the overhead image by at least geo-registering each portion of the plurality of different portions of the aircraft to respective portions of the overhead image based on the sensor data.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor or an inertial navigation system of the aircraft.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprises a memory that stores the overhead image.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising a sensor at least one sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of a location of a user, wherein the processor is configured to generate the graphical user interface by at least generating, based on the sensor data, the graphical user interface comprising a graphical representation of the user on the overhead image.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a threat level of the at least obstacle based on the location of the obstacle, and generate the graphical representation of the at least one obstacle to include a characteristic that represents the determined threat level of the at least one of the obstacle or the area of unknown.

20. A system comprising:

means for determining a location of at least one obstacle proximate an aircraft;

means for determining a location of the aircraft;

means for receiving an overhead image of area in which the aircraft and the at least one obstacle are positioned; and

means for generating a graphical user interface based on the location of the obstacle and the location of the aircraft, the graphical user interface comprising a graphical representation of the aircraft and a graphical representation of the at least one obstacle on the overhead image.