System and method for simulation of conditions along route

• US 7,774,107 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Brown, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/668,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20080183346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 701/21, 701/209, 701/207, 701/211, 701/117, 703/6, 715/700
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/00 Maritime or waterways transport

Abstract

A system for simulating conditions along a route traveled by a mobile platform (such as a train, marine vessel, aircraft or automobile) is provided. The system includes a source of user input. The system also includes a navigation control module that generates navigation data. The navigation data includes a route for the mobile platform based upon at least the user input. The system further includes a conditions control module that determines at least one condition associated with the route. The at least one condition includes at least a lighting condition associated with the travel of the mobile platform along the route.

Claims

1. A system for simulating conditions along a route traveled by a mobile platform comprising:

a source of user input;

a navigation control module that generates navigation data that includes at least a continuous subportion of a route for the mobile platform based upon at least the user input;

a conditions control module that determines at least one condition associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route, the at least one condition including at least a lighting condition associated with the travel of the mobile platform along the at least continuous subportion of the route;

a graphical user interface (GUI) manager module that populates a graphical user interface (GUI) to display the at least continuous subportion of the route and the at least one condition associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route, and that receives the user input; and

wherein the at least continuous subportion of the route displayed on the GUI is an aerial, overhead view of the at least continuous subportion of the route along with the at least one condition superimposed on the aerial overhead view at one or more locations along the at least continuous subportion of the route.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition is selected from the group comprising a weather condition, a mobile platform traffic condition, a route characteristic condition, the lighting condition and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the conditions control module further comprises:

a source of weather data; and

a weather control module that determines the weather condition associated with the at least a continuous subportion of the route based on the weather data.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the conditions control module further comprises:

a source of adjacent mobile platform data; and

a mobile platform control module that determines, based on the adjacent mobile platform data, the mobile platform traffic condition associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the conditions control module further comprises:

a geographic datastore that stores geographic data;

a route characteristics control module that generates, based on the at least continuous subportion of the route, the geographic data associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route; and

wherein the geographic data associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route is the route characteristics condition.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the conditions control module further comprises:

a lighting conditions control module that computes the lighting condition along the at least continuous subportion of the route based on the navigation data, the lighting condition including at least one of day lighting condition and night lighting condition that occurs as the mobile platform travels along the at least continuous subportion of the route.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the night lighting condition that occurs along the at least continuous subportion of the route is represented as shading on the GUI, and the day lighting condition is represented by no shading on the GUI.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the navigation control module further comprises:

a source of speed data for the mobile platform;

a source of location data regarding a current position of the mobile platform;

a route datastore that stores route data, the route data including routes for the mobile platform to travel throughout the world;

a route control module that determines the navigation data for the mobile platform, the navigation data including the route received from the route datastore based on the user input and the location of the mobile platform, a location of the mobile platform and a timeline to travel the route based on the speed; and

wherein the lighting condition is generated based on the speed and the location of the mobile platform, the lighting condition corresponding to the timeline.

9. A method of controlling a display of route conditions to assist in the navigation of a mobile platform comprising:

receiving at least one user input that provides at least a destination for the mobile platform;

computing at least a continuous subportion of a route for the mobile platform based on a location of the mobile platform and the destination;

computing at least one condition along the at least continuous subportion of the route, the condition including at least one lighting condition along the at least continuous subportion of the route; and

generating an aerial overhead visual display that displays the at least continuous subportion of the route from an aerial, overhead perspective, the aerial overhead visual display of the at least continuous subportion of the route including the location of the mobile platform and the at least one lighting condition along the at least continuous subportion of the route.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein computing the at least one condition further comprises:

computing weather data for the at least continuous subportion of the route; and

displaying the weather data on the display.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein computing the at least one condition further comprises:

computing mobile platform traffic adjacent to the at least continuous subportion of the route; and

displaying the mobile platform traffic on the display.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein computing the at least one condition further comprises:

computing characteristics of the at least continuous subportion of the route, the route characteristics including at least one of landmark associated with travel along the at least continuous subportion of the route; and

displaying the characteristics on the display.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

computing a speed of the mobile platform;

determining if the at least one condition, the speed or the at least continuous subportion of the route has changed; and

re-computing the at least one condition or the at least continuous subportion of the route based on the changed at least one condition, the changed speed or a change of the at least continuous subportion of the route.

14. A marine vessel comprising:

a pilot house;

a display located within the pilot house, the display controlled by a route conditions control system, the route conditions control system including;

a graphical user interface (GUI) manager module that populates a graphical user interface (GUI) and that receives the user input;

a navigation control module that generates navigation data that includes at least a continuous subportion of a route for the marine vessel based on at least the user input;

a conditions control module that determines at least one condition associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route, the at least one condition including at least a lighting condition associated with the travel of the marine vessel along the at least continuous subportion of the route; and

the GUI displays the route and the at least one condition associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route in an aerial, overhead view with the at least one condition superimposed on the at least continuous subportion of the route at least at one location along the at least continuous subportion of the route.

15. The marine vessel of claim 14, wherein the at least one condition is selected from the group comprising a weather condition, a mobile platform traffic condition, a route characteristic condition, the lighting condition and combinations thereof.

16. The marine vessel of claim 15, further comprising:

a source of weather data;

a source of adjacent mobile platform data;

a weather control module that determines the weather condition associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route based on the weather data;

a mobile platform control module that determines, based on the adjacent mobile platform data, the mobile platform traffic condition associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route;

a geographic datastore that stores geographic data;

a route characteristics control module that generates, based on the at least continuous subportion of the route, the geographic data associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route; and

wherein the geographic data associated with the at least continuous subportion of the route is the route characteristic condition.

17. The marine vessel of claim 15, further comprising:

a lighting conditions control module that computes the lighting condition along the at least continuous subportion of the route based on the navigation data, the lighting condition including at least one of day lighting condition and night lighting condition that occurs as the mobile platform travels along the at least continuous subportion of the route.

18. The marine vessel of claim 15, wherein the night lighting condition that occurs along the at least continuous subportion of the route is represented as shading on the GUI, and the day lighting condition is represented by no shading on the GUI.

19. The marine vessel of claim 18, wherein the navigation control module further comprises:

a source of speed data for the mobile platform;

a source of location data regarding a current position of the mobile platform;

a route datastore that stores route data, the route data including routes for the mobile platform to travel throughout the world;

a route control module that determines the navigation data for the mobile platform, the navigation data including the route received from the route datastore based on the user input and the location of the mobile platform, a location of the mobile platform and a timeline to travel the route based on the speed; and

wherein the lighting condition is generated based on the speed and the location of the mobile platform, the lighting condition corresponding to the timeline.