SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FINE POSITIONING OF VTOL STARE POINT

• US 20140379178A1
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Goossen, Emray Rein, Goossen, Katherine
• Application Number:
  US13/925,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20140379178A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/15
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft

Abstract

A method for fine positioning of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle comprises: receiving a command to execute a bump, wherein a bump is a movement of the vehicle by a bump distance in a singular direction, wherein the bump distance is a pre-determined distance moved by the vehicle in a bump; generating a control signal based on the command to execute a bump, wherein the control signal causes a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle to move a bump distance.

Claims

1. A method for fine positioning of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle comprising:

receiving a command to execute a bump, wherein a bump is a movement of the vehicle by a bump distance in a singular direction, wherein the bump distance is a pre-determined distance moved by the vehicle in a bump; and

generating a control signal based on the command to execute a bump, wherein the control signal causes a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle to move a bump distance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the bump distance is static.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bump distance is configurable by a user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the bump distance is limited to a range from within which the user can select a bump distance.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the bump is an altitudinal movement of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the bump is one of a lateral movement of the vehicle or heading movement of the vehicle.

7. A system for fine positioning of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle comprising:

a user interface device including a first radio;

a VTOL vehicle including;

a second radio configured to communicate with the first radio;

a processor;

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor, the computer readable medium including instructions to implement a bump function, wherein the bump function causes the microprocessor to;

receive a command to execute a bump, wherein a bump is a movement of the vehicle by a bump distance in a singular direction, wherein the bump distance is a pre-determined distance moved by the vehicle in a bump;

generate flight commands to execute a bump based on the command to execute a bump; and

a vehicle control system coupled to the processor, wherein the vehicle control system controls the flight of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle control system generates a control signal based on the flight commands, wherein the control signal causes the vehicle to move a bump distance.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the bump distance is static.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the bump distance is configurable by a user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the bump distance is limited to a range from within which the user can select a bump distance.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the bump is an altitudinal movement of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the bump is one of a lateral movement of the vehicle or heading movement of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the user interface device is an inertial control stick.

14. The system of claim 7, comprising a sensor system including:

an onboard sensor, wherein the onboard sensor is mounted on a gimbal; and

a gimbal controller.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the onboard sensor is an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the gimbal controller is configured to reposition the onboard sensor to keep an object of interest in view of the onboard sensor after the vehicle executes a bump.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a user interface device, wherein the user interface device is configured to provide a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle with bump functionality, wherein a bump is a movement of the vehicle by a bump distance in a singular direction, wherein the bump distance is a pre-determined distance moved by the vehicle during a bump, the user interface device further comprising;

a bump control, capable of generating a bump command, wherein the bump command causes the vehicle to execute a bump; and

a radio configured to communicate with the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the bump distance is user configurable, the user interface device comprising a means for a user to select a bump distance.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user interface device is an inertial control stick.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user interface device is configured to send flight commands to the vehicle, wherein the flight commands cause a control system of a vehicle to generate control signals that cause the vehicle to move a bump distance.