Vehicle control system including related methods and components

• US 8,068,949 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Unmanned Systems, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Duggan, David S., Petersen, Jerry L., Felio, David A., Pate, Billy B., Bergee, Mark J., Longhi, Vince R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/712,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20100292874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 701/11, 701/13, 701/15, 701/24, 701/33, 701/36, 244/75.1, 244/76.R, 244/158.1
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle variable autonomy control system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a control mode interface that provides a plurality of selectable control modes for an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein one of the plurality of selectable control modes comprises an autonomous landing mode. Also included is a route editing interface that, following a selection of the autonomous landing mode, facilitates a receipt of an input indicative of a landing location. The system also includes a communications component that transmits a command to the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the command is based at least in part on the input indicative of the landing location.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle variable autonomy control system, the system comprising:

a control mode interface that provides a plurality of selectable control modes for an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein one of the plurality of selectable control modes comprises an autonomous landing mode;

a route editing interface that, following a selection of the autonomous landing mode, facilitates a receipt of an input indicative of a landing location; and

a communications component that transmits a command to the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the command is based at least in part on the input indicative of the landing location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the input indicative of the landing location comprises an input communicated by way of a graphical user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the input indicative of the landing location comprises a coordinate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the input indicative of the landing location comprises a preprogrammed input.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the input indicative of the landing location comprises a real-time input.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a situational interface that provides a graphical representation of the unmanned aerial vehicle and at least a portion of its surrounding environment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle automatically lands at the landing location upon a mission completion.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle automatically lands at the landing location upon a mission abortion.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle automatically lands at the landing location upon a loss of a communication capability with the variable autonomy control system.

10. The system of claim 1 and further comprising:

a route analysis component that provides an alert based at least in part on a determination that the input indicative of a landing location corresponds to a landing location that is not physically realizable.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the landing location is determined to be not physically realizable based at least in part on a performance constraint of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the landing location is determined to be not physically realizable based at least in part on a potential for a terrain collision.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein a second one of the plurality of selectable control modes comprises an autonomous take-off mode.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle variable autonomy control system, the system comprising:

a control mode interface that provides a plurality of selectable control modes for an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein one of the plurality of selectable control modes comprises an autonomous take-off mode;

a route editing interface that, following a selection of autonomous take-off mode, facilitates a receipt of an input indicative of a take-off path; and

a communications component that transmits a command to the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the command is based at least in part on the input indicative of a take-off path.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the input indicative of the take-off path comprises an input communicated by way of a graphical user interface.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the input indicative of the take-off path comprises a coordinate.

17. The system of claim 14 and further comprising:

a route analysis component that provides an alert based at least in part on a determination that the input indicative of a take-off path corresponds to a take-off path that is not physically realizable.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the take-off path is determined to be not physically realizable based at least in part on a performance constraint of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the take-off path is determined to be not physically realizable based at least in part on a potential for a terrain collision.

20. An unmanned aerial vehicle variable autonomy control system, the system comprising:

a control mode interface that provides a plurality of selectable control modes for an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the plurality of selectable control modes comprises an autonomous landing mode and an autonomous take-off mode;

a situational interface that provides a graphical representation of the unmanned aerial vehicle and at least a portion of its surrounding environment;

a route editing interface that is configured to receive an input indicative of a landing location and an input indicative of a take-off path; and

a communications component that transmits a first command and a second command to the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the first command is based at least in part on the input indicative of a landing location and the second command is based at least in part on the input indicative of a take-off path.