System for maintaining communication between teams of vehicles

• US 20070168090A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Mehravari, Nader, DeMarco, Stephen, Szczerba, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• 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: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

A system maintains communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment. The system includes a sensor component and an evaluator. The sensor component senses objects within the environment. The sensor component is located on a first unmanned vehicle. The evaluator evaluates data from the sensor component. The evaluator is located on the first unmanned vehicle. The evaluator compares data for the first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle and determines whether a trajectory of one of the first and second unmanned vehicles may be modified to maintain communication between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for maintaining communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment, said system comprising:

a sensor component for sensing objects within the environment, said sensor component being located on a first unmanned vehicle; and

an evaluator for evaluating data from said sensor component, said evaluator being located on said first unmanned vehicle,

said evaluator comparing data for said first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle and determining whether a trajectory of one of said first and second unmanned vehicles may be modified to maintain communication between said first unmanned vehicle and said second unmanned vehicle.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said evaluator determines whether communication is maintained between said first and second unmanned vehicles within acceptable limits, said evaluator utilizing line of sight, data link quality of service, and router efficiency for calculating the acceptable limits.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a digital terrain map for maintaining a current model of the environment.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a data link for communicating between said first unmanned vehicle and said second unmanned vehicle.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a data link for distributing an initial set of draft trajectories from said first unmanned vehicle to said second unmanned vehicle and a third unmanned vehicle.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a plan reviser for modifying the trajectory of said second unmanned vehicle to maintain communication with said first unmanned vehicle.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a learning subsystem for altering criteria for acceptable trajectories.

2. The system as set forth in claim 2 further including a trajectory computer subsystem for calculating an initial trajectory for said first and second unmanned vehicles.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said evaluator determines whether communication is maintained between said first and second unmanned vehicles within predetermined acceptable limits.

4. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said evaluator determines whether a trajectory of one of said first and second unmanned vehicles and a third unmanned vehicle may be modified to maintain communication between said first unmanned vehicle, said second unmanned vehicle, and said third unmanned vehicle.

11. A computer program product for maintaining communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment, said computer program product comprising:

a first instruction for sensing objects within the environment by a sensor component;

a second instruction for evaluating data from the sensor component;

a third instruction for comparing line of sight data for a first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle; and

a fourth instruction for determining whether a trajectory of one of the first and second unmanned vehicles may be modified to maintain communication between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle.

12. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including a fifth instruction for calculating an initial trajectory for the first and second unmanned vehicles.

13. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including a fifth instruction for determining whether communication is maintained between the first and second unmanned vehicles within predetermined acceptable limits.

14. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including a fifth instruction for determining whether a trajectory of one of the first and second unmanned vehicles and a third unmanned vehicle may be modified to maintain communication between the first unmanned vehicle, the second unmanned vehicle, and the third unmanned vehicle.

15. The computer program product as set forth in claim 11 further including a fifth instruction for determining whether communication is maintained between the first and second unmanned vehicles within acceptable limits.

16. A method for maintaining communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing objects within the environment by a sensor component;

evaluating data from the sensor component;

comparing data for a first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle;

determining whether a trajectory of one of the first and second unmanned vehicles may be modified to maintain communication between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle; and

utilizing line of sight, data link quality of service, and router efficiency for calculating predetermined acceptable limits for communication maintenance.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 further including the step of maintaining a current model of the environment.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16 further including the step of distributing an initial set of draft trajectories from the first unmanned vehicle to the second unmanned vehicle and a third unmanned vehicle.

19. The method as set forth in claim 16 further including the step of modifying the trajectory of the second unmanned vehicle to maintain communication with the first unmanned vehicle.

20. The method as set forth in claim 16 further including the step of altering criteria for acceptable trajectories