System for and method of controlling an unmanned vehicle

• US 8,996,225 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Spura, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fei, Jordan S
• Application Number:
  US12/244,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20100087980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,371 Days
• Field of Search: 701/24
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform

Abstract

A system and method of controlling an unmanned vehicle. The system includes a base station configured to transmit operational commands and an unmanned vehicle including a cellular communication interface and a controller. The cellular communication interface communicates with the base station through cellular communication. The controller communicates with the communication interface and operates the unmanned vehicle based on operational commands received from the base station.

Claims

1. A system configured to control the operation of an unmanned vehicle, comprising:

a base station configured to transmit operational commands via line of sight communication; and

an unmanned vehicle including

a first communication interface, the first communication interface being a line of sight communication interface,

a second communication interface, the second communication interface being a cellular communication interface configured to communicate with the base station through cellular communication,

a bus coupled to the first communication interface and the second communication interface, and

a controller configured

to communicate with the first communication interface and the second communication interface via the bus,

to operate the unmanned vehicle based on operational commands received from the base station via the line of sight communication,

to transfer total operational control of the unmanned vehicle between the first communication interface and the second communication interface; and

to operate the unmanned vehicle based on operational commands received via the cellular communication,

wherein total operational control of the unmanned vehicle is transferred between the first communication interface and the second communication interface during operation of the unmanned vehicle such that during a single mission, the unmanned vehicle is initially operated based on commands received from the base station via one of the line of sight communication and the cellular communication and is subsequently operated based on operational commands received via the other of the line of sight communication and the cellular communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to communicate with the unmanned vehicle when there is no line-of-sight contact between the base station and the unmanned vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station has a communication link to the unmanned vehicle via at least one of a land-line telephone connection and a cellular telephone connection.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cellular communication interface is further configured to communicate with a plurality of cellular towers.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the base station is further configured to call the unmanned vehicle to create a communications link with the unmanned vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second base station and a second communication interface configured to communicate with the second base station when the second communication interface has line-of-sight contact with the second base station.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second communication interface is a C-Band communication interface.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the unmanned vehicle is configured to transfer operational control from the second base station to the base station.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to provide operational and mission data to the base station and the second base station after transferring operational control to the base station.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the mission data includes a video stream.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to attempt to establish communication with the second base station if the communication link to the base station is interrupted.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to execute a stored operational sequence if communication cannot be reestablished with the base station or the second base station.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station is further configured to communicate with the unmanned vehicle using a tactical data link, the tactical data link being encrypted and providing authentication of the source of the communication.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the unmanned vehicle includes an unmanned aerial vehicle.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to attempt to reestablish communication with the base station following an interruption of the communication link.

16. A method of controlling an unmanned vehicle by a first base station and a second base station, the method comprising:

establishing a first communication link, the first communication link being a line of sight communication link, between the first base station and a first communication interface of the unmanned vehicle;

providing operational commands to the unmanned vehicle from the first base station via the first communication link;

establishing a second communication link, the second communication link being a cellular communication link, between the second base station and a second communication interface of the unmanned vehicle;

authenticating the second communication link; and

transferring total operational control of the unmanned vehicle, in a controller of the unmanned vehicle, from the first communication link to the second communication link after authenticating the second communication link while the unmanned vehicle is executing a mission.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second communication link includes a cellular link.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting data to the first base station and the second base station after transferring operational control to the second base station.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising reestablishing the second communications link following a break in the second communications link.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising reestablishing the first communications link if the reestablishing the second communications link fails, and executing a stored operational sequence if the reestablishing the first communications link fails.