UNMANNED AIRCRAFT DETECTION AND TARGETING OF OTHER AIRCRAFT FOR COLLISION AVOIDANCE
First Claim
1. An apparatus provides on-board collision avoidance information for unmanned vehicle systems (UAS) comprising:
- a microcontroller operating under stored program instructions disposed on the UAS;
a first sensor disposed on the UAS of one type detects and tracks other in-flight aircraft, the first sensor sending first measurements of the other in-flight aircraft to the microcontroller;
a second sensor disposed on the UAS of a type different from the one type for detecting and tracking other in-flight aircraft;
the microcontroller, upon determining the first measurements representing the other in-flight aircraft is within a field of collision avoidance, sends instructions to the second sensor causing it to attempt to detect and track the other in-flight aircraft based on location information of the other in-flight aircraft received from the first sensor;
the microcontroller, upon receiving second measurements from the second sensor representing the results of a scan by the second sensor to detect and track the other in-flight aircraft, determines based on the first and second measurements the other in-flight aircraft is within the field of collision avoidance, and sends a potential collision alert and targeting information of the other in-flight aircraft to an aircraft control system for a determination of whether collision avoidance maneuvering by the UAS should be executed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary method is implemented by an on-board microcontroller provides collision avoidance information for unmanned vehicle systems (UAS). A first UAS sensor provides first measurements of the other in-flight aircraft facilitating a determination that the other in-flight aircraft is within a field of collision avoidance. Instructions are sent to a second UAS sensor of a type different from the type of the first sensor, where the instructions direct the second UAS sensor to attempt to detect and track the other in-flight aircraft based on location information received from the first sensor. The instructions cause the initiation of a limited field of regard scan by the second sensor. Second measurements of the other in-flight aircraft are received from the second UAS sensor. A determination that the other in-flight aircraft is within a field of collision avoidance concern is based on the both the first and second measurements. A potential collision alert and targeting information of the other in-flight aircraft is sent to an aircraft control system for a determination of whether collision avoidance maneuvering should be executed.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus provides on-board collision avoidance information for unmanned vehicle systems (UAS) comprising:
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a microcontroller operating under stored program instructions disposed on the UAS; a first sensor disposed on the UAS of one type detects and tracks other in-flight aircraft, the first sensor sending first measurements of the other in-flight aircraft to the microcontroller; a second sensor disposed on the UAS of a type different from the one type for detecting and tracking other in-flight aircraft; the microcontroller, upon determining the first measurements representing the other in-flight aircraft is within a field of collision avoidance, sends instructions to the second sensor causing it to attempt to detect and track the other in-flight aircraft based on location information of the other in-flight aircraft received from the first sensor; the microcontroller, upon receiving second measurements from the second sensor representing the results of a scan by the second sensor to detect and track the other in-flight aircraft, determines based on the first and second measurements the other in-flight aircraft is within the field of collision avoidance, and sends a potential collision alert and targeting information of the other in-flight aircraft to an aircraft control system for a determination of whether collision avoidance maneuvering by the UAS should be executed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method implemented by an on-board microcontroller provides collision avoidance information for unmanned vehicle systems (UAS) comprising the steps of:
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receiving from a first UAS sensor first measurements of the other in-flight aircraft; determining that the other in-flight aircraft is within a field of collision avoidance based on the first measurements; sending instructions to a second UAS sensor of a type different from the type of the first sensor, the instructions directing the second UAS sensor to attempt to detect and track the other in-flight aircraft based on location information of the other in-flight aircraft received from the first sensor; the instructions causing the initiation of a field of regard scan by the second sensor where the field of regard scan is limited to less than 10% of the second sensor'"'"'s maximum field of regard scan and oriented to location information determined by the first sensor; receiving from the second UAS sensor second measurements of the other in-flight aircraft; determining that the other in-flight aircraft is within a field of collision avoidance concern based on the both the first and second measurements; sending a potential collision alert and targeting information of the other in-flight aircraft to an aircraft control system for a determination of whether collision avoidance maneuvering should be executed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification