Unmanned vehicle, system and method for transmitting signals

• US 9,711,851 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2016
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IRIS ISR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Proxy Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Cesarano, Patrick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US15/092,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20170227956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/02 Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/006 using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/17 taken from planes or by drones
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/176 Urban or other man-made structures
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 9/02 : Anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 : varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2617 : Array of identical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/28 : varying the amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 : with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 : for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 : Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to an unmanned vehicle for transmitting signals. The unmanned vehicle includes a transmitting unit that is configured to transmit a signal towards an object. The unmanned vehicle also includes a control unit that is in communication with at least one companion unmanned vehicle. The control unit is configured to determine a position of the at least one companion unmanned vehicle relative to the unmanned vehicle. The control unit is further configured to control the transmitting element based on at least the position of the at least one unmanned vehicle such that the transmitting element forms a phased-array transmitter with a transmitting element of the at least one companion unnamed vehicle, the phased-array transmitter emitting a transmission beam in a predetermined direction.

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle for transmitting signals, the unmanned vehicle comprising:

a transmitting element that is configured to transmit a signal towards an object; and

a control unit that is in communication with at least one companion unmanned vehicle, the control unit configured to;

determine a position of the at least one companion unmanned vehicle relative to the unmanned vehicle; and

control the transmitting element based on at least the position of the at least one companion unmanned vehicle such that the transmitting element forms a phased-array transmitter with a transmitting element of the at least one companion unmanned vehicle, the phased-array transmitter emitting a transmission beam in a predetermined direction;

determine whether the unmanned vehicle and the at least one companion unmanned vehicle is assigned to a particular cluster of unmanned vehicles; and

further control the transmitting element based on the particular cluster determination such that the frequency of the transmission beam is at a first frequency or a second frequency.

2. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to control at least one of a phase, an amplitude and a frequency of the signal that is transmitted by the transmitting element.

3. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to control a movement of the unmanned vehicle such that the transmitting element forms the phased-array transmitter with the transmitting element of the at least one unmanned vehicle.

4. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the unmanned vehicle further includes a receiving element that is configured to receive a signal from the object.

5. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the receiving element to form a phased-array receiver with a receiving element of the at least one companion unmanned vehicle based on at least the position of the at least one unmanned vehicle, the phased-array receiver receiving the reflected signals resulting from the transmission beam.

6. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is further configured to control a movement of the unmanned vehicle such that the receiving element forms the phased-array receiver with the receiving element of the at least one companion unmanned vehicle.

7. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is further configured to control at least one of a phase, an amplitude and a frequency of the signal that is received by the receiving element.

8. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is in communication with a central platform, and wherein the control unit is further configured to receive a control signal indicative of the predetermined direction from the central platform.

9. A system for transmitting and receiving signals, the system comprising:

a plurality of transmitting unmanned vehicles spaced from each other, each of the plurality of transmitting unmanned vehicles including a transmitting element that is configured to transmit a signal towards an object, the transmitting elements of the plurality of transmitting unmanned vehicles together forming a phased-array transmitter that emits a transmission beam in a predetermined direction; and

at least one receiving unmanned vehicle including;

a receiving element that is configured to receive a reflected signal from the object; and

a control unit that is in communication with the plurality of transmitting unmanned vehicles, wherein the control unit is configured to position the at least one receiving unmanned vehicle relative to the plurality of transmitting unmanned vehicles such that the receiving element is spatially clear of a path of the transmission beam.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a central platform that is communication with the plurality of transmitting unmanned vehicles, wherein the central platform is configured to control movements of the plurality of transmitting unmanned vehicles such that the transmitting elements of the plurality of transmitting unmanned vehicles together form the phased-array transmitter.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the central platform is one of a fixed base station, an unmanned aerial vehicle and an unmanned ground vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of transmitting vehicles includes a control unit that is configured to control at least one of a phase, an amplitude and a frequency of the signal transmitted by the transmitting element.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to control at least one of a phase, an amplitude and a frequency of a signal received by the receiving element.

14. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a plurality of receiving unmanned vehicles spaced from each other, the receiving elements of the plurality of receiving unmanned vehicles together forming a phased-array receiver that is configured to receive the reflected signals resulting from the transmission beam.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a central platform that is in communication with the plurality of receiving unmanned vehicles, wherein the central platform is configured to control movements of the plurality of receiving unmanned vehicles such that the receiving elements of the plurality of receiving unmanned vehicles together form the phased-array receiver.

16. A method of controlling a plurality of unmanned vehicles, each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles including a transmitting element that is configured to transmit a signal, the method comprising:

receiving a control signal indicative of a predetermined direction;

determining positions of the plurality of unmanned vehicles relative to each other;

regulating the transmitting elements of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to together form a phased-array transmitter based on at least the positions of the plurality of unmanned vehicles; and

emitting a transmission beam in the predetermined direction using the phased-array transmitter;

determining a position of at least one receiving unmanned vehicle relative to the plurality of unmanned vehicles, the at least one receiving unmanned vehicle including a receiving element that is configured to receive a signal; and

controlling a movement of the at least one receiving unmanned vehicle such that the at least one receiving unmanned vehicle is spatially clear of a path of the transmission beam.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising controlling at least one of a phase, an amplitude and a frequency of the signal that is transmitted by the transmitting element.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising controlling movements of the plurality of unmanned vehicles such that the transmitting elements of the plurality of unmanned vehicles together form the phased-array transmitter.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising controlling at least one of a phase, an amplitude and a frequency of the signal received by the receiving element of the at least one receiving unmanned vehicle.