Method and system for remotely controlling a vehicle

• US 9,188,979 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Torti, Russell Guy, Reed, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US13/959,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20150046017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 701/25, 701/408, 701/468, 701/469, 701/474, 701/475, 701/476, 701/472, 702/141, 342/357.28, 342/357.25, 342/357.21, 342/357.22, 342/357.65, 342/357.71, 380/258
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/10 by using measurements of speed or acceleration G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1656 with passive imaging devices, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/188 for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/215 issues related to spoofing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0077 using redundant signals or controls

Abstract

A method for determining the physical location of a vehicle being guided with an onboard navigational positioning system capable of detecting and generating a positioning location vector for the vehicle. The method includes the steps of detecting and receiving a plurality of electromagnetic radiation signals. A plurality of ambient parameter measurements is also received. A confirming location position is calculated from the plurality of electromagnetic radiation signals and the plurality of ambient parameter measurements. The confirming location position is compared to the positioning location vector generated by the onboard system to create a differential vector. If the confirmation location position and the positioning location vector are greater than a predetermined value, the positioning location vector generated by the onboard navigational positioning system is prevented from being used in directing the movement of the vehicle until the position differential is below a predetermined error value.

Claims

1. A method for determining a physical location of a vehicle being guided with an onboard navigational positioning system capable of generating a location vector for a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of electrical signals;

calculating a confirming location position from the plurality of electrical signals;

calculating a position differential by comparing the confirming location position to a location vector; and

preventing use of the location vector in directing movement of the vehicle until the position differential is below a predetermined error value.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of electrical signals includes a plurality of electromagnetic radiation signals.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the plurality of electrical signals further includes a plurality of ambient parameter measurements.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein each signal of the plurality of electromagnetic radiation signals is from a plurality of spectral ranges.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the spectral ranges are broadband and encompass multiple spectral ranges.

6. A method as set forth in claim 3 including the step of determining the location and direction of the vehicle by matching the confirming location vector to ephemeris data.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of comparing includes combinatorial hashing of the ambient parameter measurements.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein step of comparing includes the use of ephemeris data.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the use of an onboard digital compass.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the use of an onboard three-axis gyroscope.

11. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the use of an onboard accelerometer.

12. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the use of an onboard ambient light sensor.

13. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of repeating the step of comparing the confirming location position to the GPS location position throughout a time period the vehicle is moving.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein each signal of the plurality of electromagnetic radiation signals is from a plurality of spectral ranges.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the spectral ranges are broadband and encompass multiple spectral ranges.

16. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of determining the location and direction of the vehicle by matching the confirming location vector to ephemeris data.

17. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the step of comparing includes combinatorial hashing of the ambient parameter measurements.

18. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein step of comparing includes the use of ephemeris data.

19. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the use of an onboard digital compass.

20. A method for determining a physical location of a vehicle being guided with an onboard navigational positioning system capable of generating a location vector for a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of electromagnetic radiation signals;

receiving a plurality of ambient parameter measurements;

measuring the time at which each of the plurality of ambient parameter measurements are made;

calculating a confirming location position from the time measurement, the plurality of electromagnetic radiation signals and the plurality of ambient parameter measurements;

creating a differential vector by comparing the confirming location position to a location vector; and

preventing use of the onboard navigational positioning system in directing movement of the vehicle until the differential vector is below a predetermined error value.