Method of dynamically generating navigation route data

• US 6,246,957 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitre Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitre Corporation
• Inventors: Barrer, John N., Forman, Joyce R., Flathers, George W., Greenbaum, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/541,076
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701/206, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/218, 340/286.14, 340/977, 340/995, 342/551, 342/452
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft

Abstract

There is provided a method and system for automatically generating navigation route data for a vehicle. The method and system provide for storing in computer readable form at least one path object having a predetermined path object type which corresponds to a distinct predefined path type; and, for selectively reading and executing at least one such path object to generate a composite navigation route for guiding the given vehicle'"'"'s travel. The composite navigation route may be formed by one or more path components defined by the path object. Each path object includes a plurality of defining parameters for geometrically configuring each path object'"'"'s corresponding path type to form at least one specific path component. Each path object also includes a predetermined set of instructions for geometrically rendering its path component in accordance with the defining parameters.

Claims

1. A method of automatically generating navigation route data for a vehicle comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a predefined reference system;

(b) storing in computer readable form at least one path object having a type selected from a plurality of predetermined path object types, each said path object type corresponding to a distinct predefined path type, each said path object including;

(1) a plurality of defining parameters for geometrically configuring said path type corresponding to said path object to define a specific path component; and

,

(2) a predetermined set of instructions for geometrically rendering said path component in accordance with said defining parameters; and

,

(c) selectively reading and executing at least one said path object to generate a composite navigation route formed by at least one said path component for guiding the travel of the vehicle.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (c) includes the step of generating a series of way point coordinates within said reference system, said series of way point coordinates substantially describing said geometrically rendered path components of said executed path objects.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said path types corresponding to said predetermined path object types include at least one curvilinear geometric pattern and at least one polygonal geometric pattern.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein each said predetermined set of instructions collectively prescribe a sequential trace of said corresponding path component.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein said path types corresponding to said predetermined path object types include:

a line segment, a turn, a path extension pattern, a maneuver pattern, a holding pattern, a procedure turn pattern, a traffic pattern, a generalized standard instrument arrival route pattern, and a generalized standard instrument departure route pattern.

6. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the step of converting said way point coordinates from said predefined reference frame to a local reference frame.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein said predefined reference frame includes absolute latitude, longitude, and altitude coordinates.

8. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein a plurality of said path objects are read and executed to generate said series of way point coordinates, said series of way point coordinates substantially describing a composite route collectively defined by a plurality of said geometrically rendered path components.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a sequence of predefined way points indicative of the route to be traveled by the vehicle;

(b) evaluating said sequence of predefined way points for correlation with said path types corresponding to said predetermined path object types;

(c) selecting at least one path object type for said sequence of predefined way points responsive to said evaluation; and

,

(d) setting said defining parameters of said path object types selected to configure each into one said path object.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said step of evaluating said sequence of predefined way points includes the steps of:

(a) testing a plurality of iteratively defined subsequences for correlation with said path types, each said subsequence containing a contiguous portion of said sequence;

(b) identifying responsive to said testing each said subsequence correlated to one of said path types;

(c) assigning to each said identified subsequence said path object type corresponding to said path type correlated therewith; and

,

(d) combining any adjacent subsequences collectively correlated to one of said path types.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said step of testing a plurality of said subsequences includes the step of performing for each said subsequence a curve fit analysis with reference to each of said path types corresponding to said predetermined path object types.

12. A method of dynamically generating navigation route data for a vehicle comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a predefined reference system;

(b) establishing a plurality of predetermined path object types, each said path object type corresponding to a distinct predefined path type;

(c) receiving a sequence of predefined way points indicative of the route to be traveled by the vehicle;

(d) evaluating said sequence for correlation with said path types to select at least one said path object type therefor;

(e) deriving from each said path object type selected and storing in computer readable form an executable path object, each said path object including;

(1) a plurality of defining parameters for geometrically configuring said path type thereof to define a specific path component; and

,

(2) a predetermined set of instructions for geometrically rendering said path component in accordance with said defining parameters;

(f) selectively reading and executing at least one said path object to generate a composite navigation route formed by at least one said path component; and

,

(g) passing said composite navigation route to a navigation control system of the vehicle.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said step of evaluating said sequence of predefined way points includes the steps of:

(a) testing a plurality of iteratively defined subsequences for correlation with said path types, each said subsequence containing a contiguous portion of said sequence;

(b) identifying responsive to said testing each said subsequence correlated to one of said path types;

(c) assigning to each said identified subsequence said path object type corresponding to said path type correlated therewith; and

,

(d) combining any adjacent subsequences collectively correlated to one of said path types.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said step of testing a plurality of said subsequences includes the step of performing for each said subsequence a curve fit analysis with reference to each of said path types corresponding to said predetermined path object types.

15. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein step (f) includes the step of substantially recovering said sequence of said predefined way points from said composite navigation route.

16. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising before step (f) the step of transmitting each said path object to the vehicle from a remote base station, steps (a) through (e) being executed at the remote base station.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein step (f) includes the step of substantially recovering said sequence of said predefined way points from said composite navigation route.

18. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said path types corresponding to said predetermined path object types include:

a line segment, a turn, a path extension pattern, a maneuver pattern, a holding pattern, a procedure turn pattern, a traffic pattern, a generalized standard instrument arrival route pattern, and a generalized standard instrument departure route pattern.

19. A system for generating navigation route data for a vehicle comprising:

(a) path object generator for generating responsive to a sequence of predefined positional coordinate points received thereby at least one computer executable path object indicative of a corresponding geometric path component, said path object generator having stored therein a plurality of predetermined path object types, said path object unit including a sequence processor operable to adaptively select and configure at least one of said path object types to form each said path object; and

,

(b) a path object processor operably coupled to said path object generator for receiving each said path object therefrom, said path object processor being operable to execute each said path object to render data for said path component corresponding thereto, said path object processor passing to a navigation control system of the vehicle composite navigation route data containing said path component data corresponding to each said path object.

20. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said predetermined path object types include:

a line segment type, a turn type, a path extension pattern type, a maneuver pattern type, a holding pattern type, a procedure turn pattern type, a traffic pattern type, a generalized standard instrument arrival route pattern type, and a generalized standard instrument departure route pattern type.

21. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said sequence processor of said path object generator is operable to selectively define at least one subsequence of said predefined positional coordinate points to be tested for correlation to one of said predetermined path object types.

22. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein said path object generator further includes a plurality of test modules each selectively actuable by said sequence processor to evaluate said subsequence against a plurality of correlation criteria pertaining to a preselected one of said predetermined path object types, each said test module being operable responsive to said evaluation to generate data for characterizing one said path object for said subsequence.

23. The system as recited in claim 22 wherein said correlation criteria has incorporated therein a geometric curve fitting scheme.

24. The system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a point data recovery unit coupled to said path object processor for substantially recovering said sequence of predefined positional coordinate points from said composite navigation route data.

25. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said path object generator and said path object processor are remotely disposed and operably coupled one to the other by a wireless data communications link.