System for maintaining communication between teams of vehicles

• US 8,271,158 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• 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: DeMarco, Stephen J., Mehravari, Nader, Szczerba, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US13/025,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/23, 701/25, 701/301, 342/1, 342/20, 342/29, 342/104, 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 non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for maintaining communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment, computer executable instructions comprising:

a first instruction set for sensing objects within the environment by a sensor component;

a second instruction set for evaluating data from the sensor component;

a third instruction set for comparing line of sight data for a first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle; and

a fourth instruction set for determining 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.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise a fifth instruction set for calculating an initial trajectory for the first and second unmanned vehicles.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise a fifth instruction set for determining whether communication is maintained between the first and second unmanned vehicles within predetermined acceptable limits.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise a fifth instruction set for determining whether a trajectory of one of the first and second unmanned vehicles and a third unmanned vehicle may be modified to maintain communication between the first unmanned vehicle, the second unmanned vehicle, and the third unmanned vehicle.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise a fifth instruction set for determining whether communication is maintained between the first and second unmanned vehicles within acceptable limits.

6. A method for maintaining communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing objects within the environment by a sensor component;

evaluating data from the sensor component;

comparing data for a first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle;

determining 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; and

utilizing line of sight, data link quality of service, and router efficiency for calculating predetermined acceptable limits for communication maintenance.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 further including the step of maintaining a current model of the environment.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6 further including the step of distributing an initial set of draft trajectories from the first unmanned vehicle to the second unmanned vehicle and a third unmanned vehicle.

9. The method as set forth in claim 6 further including the step of modifying the trajectory of the second unmanned vehicle to maintain communication with the first unmanned vehicle.

10. The method as set forth in claim 6 further including the step of altering criteria for acceptable trajectories.