Maneuver prediction for surrounding traffic

• US 10,319,242 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sindlinger, Andreas, Parra, Garoe Gonzalez, Schulze, Jonas Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LaRose, Renee
• Application Number:
  US15/351,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20180137765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0004 Transmission of traffic-related information to or from an aircraft airborne radio transmission systems in general H04B7/185; airborne wireless networks H04W84/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• 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

This disclosure relates to navigating a vehicle based on predicted trajectories of other vehicles. Systems, methods, and computer-program products consistent with the disclosure perform operations including receiving location information of other vehicles. The operations also include comparing the location information of the other vehicles with an intended trajectory information of the vehicle. The operations further include determining that interference exists based on the comparing. Additionally, the operations include determining a modification to the intended trajectory information of the vehicle that resolves the interference with one of the other vehicles. Moreover, the operations include presenting the modification to the intended trajectory information of the vehicle to an operator of the vehicle. Further, the operations include modifying the intended trajectory using the modification.

Claims

1. A processing system for a vehicle comprising:

a processor;

a display unit;

a computer-readable hardware storage device;

program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device for execution by the processor, the program instructions causing the processing system to perform operations comprising;

obtaining location information of a plurality of other vehicles and travel plans of the plurality of other vehicles;

comparing the location information of the plurality of other vehicles and the travel plans of the plurality of other vehicles with intended trajectory information of the vehicle, wherein the intended trajectory information of the vehicle includes a plurality of preplanned maneuvers of the vehicle through a plurality of predefined travel corridors;

determining that interference exists based on the comparing;

determining a modification to the intended trajectory information of the vehicle that resolves the interference with at least one of the plurality of other vehicles;

presenting, via the display unit, the modification to the intended trajectory information of the vehicle to an operator of the vehicle; and

modifying the intended trajectory information of the vehicle using the modification.

2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft;

the intended trajectory information comprises a flight plan of the aircraft;

the plurality of other vehicles are other aircraft; and

the interference comprises one or more of the other aircraft obstructing the flight plan of the aircraft in a predefined travel corridor.

3. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the modification comprises a step climb.

4. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the location information comprises Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) information.

5. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the location information comprises historical information recorded during previous flights by the other aircraft.

6. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the location information comprises intended trajectory information of the plurality of other vehicles.

7. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining one or more relevant vehicles among the plurality of other vehicles based on the location information and the intended trajectory information of the vehicle.

8. The processing system of claim 7, wherein the comparing the location information comprises:

determining predicted locations of the one or more relevant vehicles; and

comparing the predicted locations of the one or more relevant vehicles with the intended trajectory information of the vehicle.

9. The processing system of claim 8, wherein the determining that the interference exists comprises:

determining an interference between the vehicle and a first relevant vehicle of the one or more relevant vehicles based on the comparing the predicted locations of the one or more relevant vehicles with the intended trajectory information of the vehicle;

determining a probability of the interference between the vehicle and the first relevant vehicle; and

determining a time of the interference between the vehicle and the first relevant vehicle.

10. The processing system of claim 9, wherein the presenting the modification comprises displaying the modification, the probability of the interference, and the time of the interference.

21. The processing system of claim 1, wherein determining the interference comprises determining that the interference will delay the intended trajectory information of the vehicle.

22. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the interference does not include a physical collision between the vehicle and any of the plurality of other vehicles.

23. The processing system of claim 1, wherein determining the modification to the intended trajectory comprises modifying performance of one or more of the plurality of preplanned maneuvers of the vehicle to avoid the interference.

24. The processing system of claim 23, wherein modifying the performance of the one or more of the plurality of preplanned maneuvers of the vehicle to avoid the interference comprises determining a new time of performance of the preplanned maneuver that minimizes travel time of the vehicle or fuel use of the vehicle.

25. The processing system of claim 1, wherein:

a first maneuver of the plurality of preplanned maneuvers comprises maneuvering the vehicle from a first travel corridor of the plurality of the predefined travel corridors to a second travel corridor of the plurality of the predefined travel corridors at a predefined time or at a predefined location; and

the modification to the intended trajectory comprises performing the first maneuver at a different time than the predefined time or at a different location than the predefined location.

11. A method for navigating a vehicle comprising:

receiving, by a communication system of the vehicle from a traffic information system, location information of a plurality of other vehicles and travel plans of the plurality of other vehicles; and

using a vehicle processing system to perform the steps of;

comparing the location information of the plurality of other vehicles and the travel plans of the plurality of other vehicles with intended trajectory information of the vehicle, wherein the intended trajectory information of the vehicle includes a plurality of preplanned maneuvers of the vehicle through a plurality of predefined travel corridors;

determining that interference exists based on the comparing;

determining a modification to the intended trajectory information of the vehicle that resolves the interference with one of the plurality of other vehicles;

presenting the modification to the intended trajectory information of the vehicle to an operator of the vehicle; and

modifying the intended trajectory information using the modification.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft;

the intended trajectory information comprises a flight plan of the aircraft;

the plurality of other vehicles are other aircraft; and

the interference comprises one or more of the other aircraft blocking transit of the aircraft through a predefined travel corridor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the modification comprises a step climb.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the location information comprises Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) information.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the location information comprises historical information recorded during previous flights by the other aircraft.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the location information comprises intended trajectory information of the plurality of other vehicles.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining one or more relevant vehicles among the plurality of other vehicles based on the location information and the intended trajectory information of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the comparing the location information comprises:

determining predicted locations of the one or more relevant vehicles; and

comparing the predicted locations of the one or more relevant vehicles with the intended trajectory information of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the determining that the interference exists comprises:

determining an interference between the vehicle and a first relevant vehicle of the one more relevant vehicles based on the comparing the predicted locations of the one or more relevant vehicles with the intended trajectory information of the vehicle;

determining a probability of the interference between the vehicle and the first relevant vehicle; and

determining a time of the interference between the vehicle and the first relevant vehicle.

20. A computer-program product comprising computer-readable program instructions stored on a computer-readable data storage device that, when executed by a processor, controls a computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving location information of a plurality of other vehicles and travel plans of the plurality of other vehicles;

comparing the location information of the plurality of other vehicles and the travel plans of the plurality of other vehicles with intended trajectory information of a vehicle, wherein the intended trajectory information of the vehicle includes a plurality of preplanned maneuvers of the vehicle through a plurality of predefined travel corridors;

determining that interference exists based on the comparing;

determining a modification to the intended trajectory information of the vehicle that resolves the interference with one of the plurality of other vehicles;

presenting the modification to the intended trajectory information of the vehicle to an operator of the vehicle; and

modifying the intended trajectory information using the modification.