Vehicle-based automatic traffic conflict and collision avoidance

• US 9,243,930 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bushnell, Glenn S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US14/170,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20140309916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/4, 701/14, 701/17, 701120-122, 701/466, 701/527, 701/528, 701/301, 701/302, 340/951, 340/961, 342/29, 342 34- 36, 342/455
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing vehicle-centric collision avoidance are disclosed. An example method includes determining a first flight trajectory for a first aircraft, determining a second flight trajectory for a second aircraft, predicting a distance between the first aircraft and the second aircraft at a predicted closest point of approach based on the first and second flight trajectories, comparing the distance to a separation perimeter layer, the separation perimeter layer configured to provide a minimum separation distance from the first aircraft to the second aircraft, and altering the first flight trajectory when the distance breaches the separation perimeter layer.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage device comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to at least:

determine a first flight trajectory for a first aircraft;

determine a second flight trajectory for a second aircraft;

predict a distance between the first aircraft and the second aircraft at a predicted closest point of approach based on the first and second flight trajectories;

compare the distance to a separation perimeter layer, the separation perimeter layer configured to provide at least a threshold separation distance from the first aircraft to the second aircraft; and

in response to the distance breaching the separation perimeter layer and without human input, alter the first flight trajectory.

2. The storage device as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to compute a first direction from a current position of the first aircraft to the predicted closest point of approach, the instructions to cause the processor to alter the first flight trajectory by altering the first flight trajectory in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

3. The storage device as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to predict the distance by continuously predicting the distance to the separation perimeter layer as the first aircraft moves along the first flight trajectory, the instructions to further cause the processor to reinstate at least a portion of the first flight trajectory when the distance does not breach the separation perimeter layer.

4. The storage device as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to reinstate at least a portion of the first flight trajectory when the distance between the first aircraft and the second aircraft at the predicted closest point of approach does not breach the separation perimeter layer.

5. The storage device as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to generate flight control commands to cause the first aircraft to implement the first flight trajectory, the instructions to cause the processor to alter the first flight trajectory by assigning a gain prior to implementing the first flight trajectory as flight control commands.

6. The storage device as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to predict a time to reach the predicted closest point of approach from a current position of the first aircraft, the instructions to cause the processor to alter the first flight trajectory by altering the first flight trajectory using a magnitude that varies inversely to a duration of the time to reach the predicted closest point of approach.

7. The storage device as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to alter the first flight trajectory by altering the first flight trajectory using a magnitude that varies inversely to a length of the predicted distance between the first aircraft and the second aircraft at the predicted closest point of approach.

8. An aircraft, comprising:

a structural assembly;

a trajectory generator to determine a first flight trajectory for the aircraft; and

a collision avoidance component to;

predict a distance between the aircraft and a second aircraft at a predicted closest point of approach based on the first flight trajectory and a second flight trajectory;

compare the distance to a separation perimeter layer, the separation perimeter layer configured to provide at least a threshold separation distance from the aircraft to the second aircraft; and

in response to the distance breaching the separation perimeter layer and without human input, alter the first flight trajectory.

9. The aircraft as defined in claim 8, wherein the collision avoidance component is to compute a first direction from a current position of the aircraft to the predicted closest point of approach, the collision avoidance component to alter the first flight trajectory by altering the first flight trajectory in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

10. The aircraft as defined in claim 8, wherein the collision avoidance component is to predict the distance by continuously predicting the distance to the separation perimeter layer as the aircraft moves along the first flight trajectory, the collision avoidance component to reinstate at least a portion of the first flight trajectory when the distance does not breach the separation perimeter layer.

11. The aircraft as defined in claim 8, wherein the collision avoidance component is to reinstate at least a portion of the first flight trajectory when the distance between the aircraft and the second aircraft at the predicted closest point of approach does not breach the separation perimeter layer.

12. The aircraft as defined in claim 8, wherein the collision avoidance component is to generate flight control commands to cause the aircraft to implement the first flight trajectory, the collision avoidance component to alter the first flight trajectory by assigning a gain prior to implementing the first flight trajectory as flight control commands.

13. The aircraft as defined in claim 8, wherein the collision avoidance component is to predict a time to reach the predicted closest point of approach from a current position of the aircraft, the collision avoidance component to alter the first flight trajectory by altering the first flight trajectory using a magnitude that varies inversely to a duration of the time to reach the predicted closest point of approach.

14. The aircraft as defined in claim 8, wherein the collision avoidance component is to alter the first flight trajectory by altering the first flight trajectory using a magnitude that varies inversely to a length of the predicted distance between the aircraft and the second aircraft at the predicted closest point of approach.

15. The aircraft as defined in claim 8, wherein the trajectory generator is to determine the second flight trajectory for the second aircraft.

16. The aircraft as defined in claim 8, wherein the aircraft comprises an unmanned aircraft.

17. A method comprising:

determining a first trajectory for a first vehicle;

determining a second trajectory for a second vehicle;

predicting a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle at a predicted closest point of approach based on the first and second trajectories;

comparing the distance to a separation perimeter layer, the separation perimeter layer configured to provide at least a threshold separation distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle; and

in response to the distance approaching the separation perimeter layer and without human input, altering the first trajectory to avoid a breach of the separation perimeter layer by the first vehicle or second vehicle.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising altering the second trajectory of the second vehicle automatically and without human input in response to the distance approaching the separation perimeter layer.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein altering the second trajectory decreases an amount of alteration of the first trajectory to avoid a breach of the separation perimeter layer.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein the second vehicle resumes the second trajectory after determining that the distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle at the predicted closest point of approach is not approaching the separation perimeter layer.