System for maintaining communication between teams of vehicles

• US 7,970,506 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Mehravari, Nader, Szczerba, Robert J., DeMarco, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/334,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/3, 701/25, 701/23, 701/301, 345/442, 342/1, 342/29, 342/104, 342/20, 244/3.15, 244/3.16, 244/3.18, 709/223
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

A system maintains communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment. The system includes a sensor component and an evaluator. The sensor component senses objects within the environment. The sensor component is located on a first unmanned vehicle. The evaluator evaluates data from the sensor component. The evaluator is located on the first unmanned vehicle. The evaluator compares data for the first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle and determines whether a trajectory of one of the first and second unmanned vehicles may be modified to maintain communication between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for maintaining communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment, said system comprising:

a sensor component configured to sense objects within the environment, said sensor component being located on a first unmanned vehicle; and

an evaluator configured to evaluate data from said sensor component, said evaluator being located on said first unmanned vehicle,

said evaluator being configured to determine if a sensed object in the environment is expected to interfere with communications between the first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle of the plurality of unmanned vehicles and compare trajectory data for said first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle to determine whether a trajectory of one of said first and second unmanned vehicles may be modified to maintain communication between said first unmanned vehicle and said second unmanned vehicle.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a trajectory computer subsystem for calculating an initial trajectory for said first and second unmanned vehicles.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said evaluator determines whether communication is maintained between said first and second unmanned vehicles within predetermined acceptable limits.

4. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said evaluator determines whether a trajectory of one of said first and second unmanned vehicles and a third unmanned vehicle may be modified to maintain communication between said first unmanned vehicle, said second unmanned vehicle, and said third unmanned vehicle.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said evaluator determines whether communication is maintained between said first and second unmanned vehicles within acceptable limits, said evaluator utilizing line of sight, data link quality of service, and router efficiency for calculating the acceptable limits.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a digital terrain map for maintaining a current model of the environment.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a data link for communicating between said first unmanned vehicle and said second unmanned vehicle.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a data link for distributing an initial set of draft trajectories from said first unmanned vehicle to said second unmanned vehicle and a third unmanned vehicle.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a plan reviser for modifying the trajectory of said second unmanned vehicle to maintain communication with said first unmanned vehicle.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a learning subsystem for altering criteria for acceptable trajectories.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1, the evaluator being configured to determine whether the trajectory of both of said first and second unmanned vehicles may be modified to maintain communication between said first unmanned vehicle and said second unmanned vehicle.

12. A system for maintaining communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment, said system comprising:

a sensor component for sensing objects within the environment and updating a digital map to include at least one obstacle within the environment, said sensor component being located on a first unmanned vehicle; and

an evaluator for evaluating data from said sensor component, said evaluator being located on said first unmanned vehicle,

said evaluator comparing data for said first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle and identifying obstacles within the environment that are positioned to obstruct communications between a first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle of the plurality of unmanned vehicles given a current speed and trajectory of each of the first and second unmanned vehicles, and determining whether one of the speed and the trajectory of each of said first and second unmanned vehicles can be modified to mitigate potential disruptions in communication between said first unmanned vehicle and said second unmanned vehicle in view of the data for each of the first and second unmanned vehicles and the identified obstacles;

13. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said evaluator determines whether communication is maintained between said first and second unmanned vehicles within predetermined acceptable limits.

14. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said evaluator determines whether one of a speed and a velocity of each of said first unmanned vehicle, said second unmanned vehicle, and a third unmanned vehicle can be modified to maintain communication between said first unmanned vehicle, said second unmanned vehicle, and said third unmanned vehicle.

15. The system as set forth in claim 12, the evaluator further comprising a digital terrain map for maintaining a current model of the environment.

16. The system as set forth in claim 12 further including a data link for distributing an initial set of draft trajectories from said first unmanned vehicle to said second unmanned vehicle and a third unmanned vehicle.

17. The system as set forth in claim 12, the evaluator determining whether the speed and the trajectory of both of said first and second unmanned vehicles can be modified to mitigate potential disruptions in communication.