Route planning system and method for minimizing exposure to threats

• US 9,255,808 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2011
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab AB
• Original Assignee: Saab AB
• Inventors: Andersson, Ingmar, Brege, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hutchinson, Alan D
• Application Number:
  US14/352,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20140249744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for route planning. The system is arranged to be mounted on a moving object. The system comprises a route planning module arranged to plan a route of the object upon request, wherein occasions of being visible from any point in the map within a shooting range during a predetermined time period is minimized. The system is characterized in that the route planning module is arranged to determine areas in the 3D map in which the object will be exposed to a potential threat during a predetermined time period based on line of sight calculations, and determining a re-planned route avoiding said potential threat areas.

Claims

1. System for route planning (700) configured to be mounted on a moving object, said system comprising:

a route planning module (705) configured to;

plan a route of the object upon request, the route being configured such that occasions of being visible from any point in the map within a shooting range during a predetermined time period are minimized;

determine areas (608) in the 3D map in which the object will be exposed to a potential threat during a predetermined time period based on line of sight calculations; and

determine a re-planned route based on exposure to said potential threat areas (608);

a position module (702) configured to;

register the present position of the moving object at the request; and

determine the travel path of the moving object during a predetermined time period preceding the request, wherein the present position represents a target position for firing; and

a firer location estimation module (704) configured to estimate the location of a firer based only on a combination of the registered position, the determined travel path, map data (701) comprising 3D geographical coordinates data, and line of sight calculations using the assumption that the object has been visible to the threat substantially during the whole predetermined time period,

wherein the route planning module (705) is further configured to plan a route of the object based on the determined location of the firer, and wherein the planned route is displayed or used for control of the moving object.

2. System according to claim 1, further comprising a communication module (711) configured to at least one of transmit firing area data to other objects or receive firing area data from other objects.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein the route planning module (706) is further configured to:

receive information related to identified threat areas (507) from the communication module (711); and

calculate the re-planned route based on these identified threat areas (507).

4. System according to claim 1, wherein the route planning module (706) is configured to:

determine safe areas in the 3D map (701) in which the object will be exposed during a predetermined time period from a safe location in the map; and

determine a re-planned route based on said safe areas.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is a ground based object.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is a vehicle.

7. System according to claim 1, wherein the route planning module (705) is configured to re-plan the route based on the extent of the firing area and based on the 3D map data (701).

8. System for route planning (700) configured to be mounted on a moving object, said system comprising:

a route planning module (705) configured to;

plan a route of the object upon request, the route being configured such that occasions of being visible from any point in the map within a shooting range during a predetermined time period are minimized;

determine areas (608) in the 3D map in which the object will be exposed to a potential threat during a predetermined time period based on line of sight calculations; and

determine a re-planned route based on exposure to said potential threat areas (608);

a position module (702) configured to;

register the present position of the moving object at the request; and

determine the travel path of the moving object during a predetermined time period preceding the request, wherein the present position represents a target position for firing; and

a firer location estimation module (704) configured to estimate the location of a firer based only on the registered position, the determined travel path, and map data (701) comprising 3D geographical coordinates data,

wherein the route planning module (705) is configured to;

determine a firing area reachable from the estimated firer location based on the 3D map data (701) and line of sight calculations; and

plan a route of the object based on the determined location of the firer and so as to avoid said firing area, and wherein the planned route is displayed or used for control of the moving object.

9. A computer-implemented method for re-route planning (1000) for an object moving according to a route to a planned destination, said method comprising the steps of:

determining, via one or more processing units, potential threat areas (1004) in a 3D map in which the object will be exposed to a potential threat during a predetermined time period based on line of sight calculations, said 3D map being stored in one or more databases and accessible via execution of the one or more processing units;

registering, via the one or more processing units, the present position of the moving object at the request;

determining, via the one or more processing units, the travel path of the moving object during a predetermined time period preceding the request, wherein the present position represents a target position for firing;

estimating, via the one or more processing units, the location of a firer based only on a combination of the registered position, the determined travel path, map data (701) comprising 3D geographical coordinates data, and line of sight calculations using the assumption that the object has been visible to the threat substantially during the whole predetermined time period; and

determining, via the one or more processing units, a re-planned route based on said potential threat areas and on the determined location of the firer, and wherein the planned route is displayed or used for control of the moving object.

10. A computer-implemented method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

determining, via the one or more processing units, threat areas in which the object will be exposed to an identified threat (1003) during a predetermined time period; and

determining, via the one or more processing units, a re-planned route based on said threat areas.

11. A computer-implemented method according to claim 9, wherein the calculation of the re-planned route (1000) comprises:

determining, via the one or more processing units, safe areas (1005) in the map in which the object will be exposed during a predetermined time period from a safe location in the map; and

determining, via the one or more processing units, a re-planned route based on said safe areas.

12. A computer-implemented method according to claim 9, wherein the re-route planning (1000) is based on terrain constraints that may prevent the object from moving unhindered.

13. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, wherein the terrain constraints comprise at least one of hills, rivers, forests, or other obstacles.

14. A computer-implemented method according to claim 9, wherein the re-planned route (1000) is calculated based on time constraints.

15. A computer program product for re-route planning for an object moving according to a route to a planned destination, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured for the steps of determining potential threat areas in a 3D map in which the object will be exposed to a potential threat during a predetermined time period based on line of sight calculations;

an executable portion configured for registering, via the one or more processing units, the present position of the moving object at the request;

an executable portion configured for determining, via the one or more processing units, the travel path of the moving object during a predetermined time period preceding the request, wherein the present position represents a target position for firing;

an executable portion configured for estimating, via the one or more processing units, the location of a firer based only on a combination of the registered position, the determined travel path, map data (701) comprising 3D geographical coordinates data, and line of sight calculations using the assumption that the object has been visible to the threat substantially during the whole predetermined time period; and

an executable portion configured for determining a re-planned route based on said potential threat areas and on the determined location of the firer, and wherein the planned route is displayed or used for control of the moving object.