Unmanned aircraft navigation system

• US 8,977,481 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Downs, Joshua Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga X
• Application Number:
  US13/460,619
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 701300-301, 701/458, 340/903, 342/455
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0017 Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information head-up displays G02B27/01; ground or aircraft-carrier-deck-installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06

Abstract

A method and apparatus for assisting in management of a number of unmanned aerial vehicles. Symbols used to display a number of pre-planned routes for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles are identified on a top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes. Flight information with respect to time for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on a number of timelines is displayed using the symbols identified as being used to display the number of pre-planned routes for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes.

Claims

1. A method for assisting in management of a number of unmanned aerial vehicles, the method comprising:

identifying symbols used to display a number of pre-planned routes for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on a top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes, wherein the symbols include map symbols and event symbols, the map symbols represent each of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles, and the event symbols represent types of events of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles that correspond to the number of pre-planned routes; and

displaying, in a timeline view, flight information with respect to time for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on a number of timelines using the symbols identified as being used to display the number of pre-planned routes for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes, wherein the number of timelines are displayed parallel to each other in the timeline view and each comprise line segments representing amounts of time passing between the events of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of timelines is two or more timelines, and further comprising:

displaying, in the timeline view, an event on each of the two or more timelines for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the types of events represented by the event symbols are selected from one of hold, climb, take pictures, drop payload, drop flaps, raise flaps, and extend landing gear.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of timelines is displayed in the timeline view in a manner that indicates relative positions of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles to each other along the number of pre-planned routes.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, in the timeline view, a number of graphical indicators on the number of timelines, wherein the number of graphical indicators indicate a progress of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the number of timelines.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, in the timeline view, an incursion indicator for an incursion between the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the number of timelines.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

managing an operation of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein managing the operation of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles comprises:

re-routing a portion of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles.

10. A method for displaying information for operating an aircraft, the method comprising:

Identifying symbols used to display a pre-planned route for the aircraft on a top-down view of the pre-planned route, wherein the symbols include a map symbol and event symbols, the map symbol represent the aircraft, and the event symbols represent types of events of the aircraft that correspond to the pre-planned route; and

Displaying, in a timeline view, flight information with respect to time for the aircraft on a timeline using the symbols identified as being used to display the pre-planned route for the aircraft on the top-down view, wherein the timeline displayed in the timeline view is a horizontal timeline that comprises line segments representing amounts of time passing between the events of the aircraft;

Wherein, the symbols are first symbols, the pre-planned route is a first pre-planned route, and further comprising;

Identifying second symbols used to display a second pre-planned route for a second aircraft on the top-down view of the pre-planned route; and

Displaying, in the timeline view, the flight information with respect to time for the second aircraft on a second timeline using the second symbols identified as being used to display the second pre-planned route for the second aircraft on the top-down view of the second pre-planned route.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

displaying, in the timeline view, an event on the timeline for the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

displaying the top-down view of the route.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a display system; and

a navigation system configured to identify symbols used to display a number of pre-planned routes for a number of unmanned aerial vehicles on a top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes and display, in a timeline view, flight information with respect to time for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on a number of timelines using the symbols identified as being used to display the number of pre-planned routes for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes, wherein the symbols include map symbols and event symbols, the map symbols represent each of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles, the event symbols represent types of events of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles that correspond to the number of pre-planned routes, and the number of timelines displayed in the timeline view are displayed parallel to each other in the timeline view and each comprise line segments representing amounts of time passing between the events of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the number of timelines is two or more timelines, and the navigation system is further configured to display, in the timeline view, an event on each of the two or more timelines for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the navigation system is further configured to display the top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the navigation system is further configured to display, in the timeline view, the flight information with respect to the time for the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the number of timelines with displaying the top-down view of the number of pre-planned routes, such that changes in the number of pre-planned routes displayed on the top-down view are reflected in the number of timelines.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the number of timelines is displayed in the timeline view in a manner that indicates a number of relative positions of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles to each other along the number of pre-planned routes.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the navigation system is further configured to display, in the timeline view, a number of graphical indicators on the number of timelines, wherein the number of graphical indicators indicate a progress of the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the number of timelines.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the navigation system is further configured to display, in the timeline view, an incursion indicator for at least one of an incursion and a potential incursion between the number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the number of timelines.