Unmanned air vehicle interoperability agent

• US 8,918,540 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Corman, David E., Herm, Thomas S., Dorris, Steven A., Martens, Eric J., Paunicka, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilles, Jude Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Means, Jaren M
• Application Number:
  US11/235,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20070235584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,375 Days
• Field of Search: 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A method of coordinating communications between a plurality of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) operating in connection with differing communication languages. A common language is provided which includes common language commands and common language data objects. Common language commands are communicated from a user to a plurality of UAVs through a UAV Interoperability Agent (UIA), which converts the common language commands to UAV-specific commands which can be understood by the specific UAV. Additionally, UAVs send data in a native platform format to the UIA, which converts the native platform data to common language format for collection and interpretation by the user.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a plurality of mobile platforms having different communication languages, comprising:

using a control device to receive a command and data from a user;

using the control device to generate a first packet of common language information relating to the command;

sending said first packet of common language information to a translating subsystem;

said first packet of common language information including a common language command and common language data; and

using said translating subsystem to convert said first packet of said common language command and said common language data to a first packet of mobile platform specific information, said first packet of mobile platform specific information being understandable by at least one of the plurality of mobile platforms.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending said first packet of mobile platform specific information to said at least one mobile platform.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform receives said first packet of mobile platform specific information.

3. A method for communicating between a mobile platform and a control device, comprising:

generating a first packet of mobile platform specific information at said mobile platform;

sending said first packet of mobile platform specific information from said mobile platform to a translating subsystem;

using said translating subsystem to convert said first packet of mobile platform specific information to a second packet of common language information understandable by said control device, said common language information including a common language command and common language data;

using a publication manager of the translating subsystem to publish the second packet of common language information to said control device via a Global Information Grid (GIG);

sending said second packet of common language information from said GIG to said control device;

using the control device to receive a new command from a user;

using the control device to generate a third packet of common language information relating to the new command;

using the GIG to send said third packet of common language information to a subscription manager of said translating subsystem;

using said translating subsystem to translate said third packet of common language information to a fourth packet of mobile platform specific information; and

using said publication manager of said translating subsystem to transmit said fourth packet of mobile platform specific information to said mobile platform.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said generating a first packet of mobile platform specific information comprises generating a mobile platform specific data object.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said fourth packet of mobile platform specific information instructs said mobile platform to travel to a predetermined location.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein generating said first packet of mobile platform specific information comprises generating sensor data collected by said mobile platform.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising using said control device to generate an initial packet of mobile platform specific information that instructs said mobile platform to send said first packet of mobile platform specific information to said translating subsystem via said GIG, said first packet of mobile platform specific information comprising image data collected by said mobile platform.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising using said mobile platform to receive said fourth packet of mobile platform specific information, said fourth packet of mobile platform specific information instructing said mobile platform to transmit video data collected by said mobile platform back to said translating subsystem.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising using said control device to generate an initial packet of mobile platform specific information that instructs said mobile platform to initiate an electromagnetic jamming signal from said mobile platform.

19. The method of claim 3, further comprising using the mobile platform to receive the fourth packet of mobile platform specific information.

10. A method for enabling bi-directional communication between a user and a plurality of mobile platforms operating with differing communication languages, the method comprising:

using a control device to receive a command intended for use with a specific one of the mobile platforms;

using the control device to receive the command and to generate in response thereto a first packet of common language information, the common language information including a common language command and common language data, both of the common language command and the common language data relating to the command, the command being specifically tailored for use with the specific mobile platform;

using a translating subsystem to convert said first packet of common language information, which includes said common language command and said common language data, to a first packet of mobile platform specific information understandable by said specific mobile platform;

causing said specific mobile platform to generate a second packet of mobile platform specific information; and

using said translating subsystem to receive said second packet of mobile platform specific information and to generate a second packet of common language information therefrom that is understandable by said control device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said first packet of mobile platform specific information instructs said specific mobile platform to travel to a predetermined location.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said first packet of mobile platform specific information instructs said specific mobile platform to send said second packet of mobile platform specific information to said translating subsystem, said second packet of mobile platform specific information comprising sensor data collected by said specific mobile platform.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said first packet of mobile platform specific information instructs said specific mobile platform to send said second packet of mobile platform specific information to said translating subsystem, said second packet of mobile platform specific information comprising image data collected by said specific mobile platform.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said first packet of mobile platform specific information instructs said specific mobile platform to deploy a weapon carried by said specific mobile platform.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said first packet of mobile platform specific information instructs said specific mobile platform to send said second packet of mobile platform specific information to said translating subsystem, said second packet of mobile platform specific information comprising video data collected by said specific mobile platform.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said first packet of mobile platform specific information instructs said specific mobile platform to initiate an electromagnetic jamming signal from said specific mobile platform.

17. A system for enabling communication between a user and a plurality of mobile platforms operating with differing communication languages, the system comprising:

a control device adapted to receive a command and data from a user that is intended for use with a specific one of the mobile platforms, and to generate a first packet of common language information relating to the command and the data, the first packet of common language information including a first common language command and a first quantity of common language data;

an information network interface in communication with a universal information network at one of a plurality of connection points associated with said universal information network, said universal information network adapted for transmitting the first packet of common language information from the user to said information network interface;

a translating subsystem in communication with said information network interface, said translating subsystem adapted for translating said first packet of common language information into a first packet of mobile platform specific information understandable by said specific mobile platform;

a mobile platform communication module in communication with said translating subsystem and said specific mobile platform, said mobile platform communication module being adapted for transmitting said first packet of mobile platform specific information to said specific mobile platform; and

the translating subsystem further being adapted to receive a second packet of mobile platform specific information from said specific mobile platform and to translate said second packet of mobile platform specific information into a second packet of common language information useable by said user, said second packet of common language information including a second common language command and a second quantity of common language data.