Vehicle control system including related methods and components

• US 7,343,232 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Geneva Aerospace
• Inventors: Duggan, David S., Petersen, Jerry L., Felio, David A., Pate, Billy B., Bergee, Mark J., Longhi, Vince R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/871,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 701/11, 701/13, 701/15, 701/24, 701/33, 701/36, 244/158.1, 244/75.1, 244/76.R, 746/65.A
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• 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: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed for a vehicle control system and related sub-components that together provide an operator with a plurality of specific modes of operation, wherein various modes of operation incorporate different levels of autonomous control. Through a control user interface, an operator can move between certain modes of control even after vehicle deployment. Specialized autopilot system components and methods are employed to ensure smooth transitions between control modes. Empowered by the multi-modal control system, an operator can even manage multiple vehicles simultaneously.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing an operator of a vehicle with a plurality of control modes, wherein the system is configured to support transitioning between control modes during operation of the vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a first operator input that corresponds to a first control mode;

generating a first directional representation of the first operator input;

processing the first directional representation through a unified autopilot system so as to generate a first control output;

mechanically adjusting a control component associated with the vehicle based on the first control output;

receiving a second operator input that corresponds to a request to transition from the first control mode to a second control mode;

transitioning from the first control mode to the second control mode;

receiving a third operator input that corresponds to the second control mode;

generating a second directional representation of the third operator input;

processing the second directional representation through the unified autopilot system so as to generate a second control output; and

mechanically adjusting a control component associated with the vehicle based on the second control output.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transitioning comprises processing a transition command through the unified autopilot system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a first directional representation comprises generating a first set of acceleration and bank angle commands.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transitioning from the first control mode comprises transitioning from a first control mode wherein the vehicle is controlled based on manipulations by the operator of an image sensor that is located onboard the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transitioning from the first control mode comprises transitioning from a line-of-sight-slave mode of operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transitioning from the first control mode comprises transitioning from a remote directional control mode of operation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transitioning from the first control mode comprises transitioning from a ground collision avoidance mode of operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing through a unified autopilot system comprises processing through an acceleration-based autopilot system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing the first and second directional representations through a unified autopilot system comprises adjusting for disturbance rejection.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the first and second directional representations to adjust for route following accuracy.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein transitioning from the first control mode to the second control mode comprises transitioning from a first mode offering a first level of system autonomy to a second mode offering a different level of system autonomy.

12. A multi-modal variable autonomy control system configured to support transitioning between control modes during operation of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first control mode component configured to respond to a first user input by generating a first control mode command;

a second control mode component configured to respond to a second user input by generating a second control mode command;

a control mode selection component for responding to an operator control mode selection input by transitioning between a first mode of control that corresponds to the first control mode component and a second mode of control that corresponds to the second control mode component; and

a unified autopilot system for processing the first or second control mode commands depending on which of the first and second modes of control has been selected.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a translation layer for translating the first or second control mode commands into a format appropriate for the unified autopilot system.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the first control mode component is further configured to generate a first control mode command in the form of a directional command representation; and

the second control mode component is further configured to generate a second control mode command in the form of a second directional command representation.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the first control mode component is further configured to generate a first control mode command in the form of acceleration and bank angle commands; and

the second control mode component is further configured to generate a second control mode command in the form of acceleration and bank angle commands.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the unified autopilot system is an acceleration-based autopilot system.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said first user input corresponds to a manipulation of an image sensor located on-board the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said first user input corresponds to an input originating from a multi-directional input mechanism.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said first user input corresponds to an input originating from a multi-directional input mechanism that is part of a game pad input device.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support a remote directional response mode of control.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support a line-of-sight-slave mode of control.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support a ground collision avoidance mode of control.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support an autonomous route following mode of control.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support loiter pattern modes of control.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support an oval-based loiter pattern mode of control.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support a figure-8 loiter pattern mode of control.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support an racetrack-shaped loiter pattern mode of control.

28. The system of claim 12, wherein the first control mode component is configured to support a programmed maneuvers mode of control.

29. The system of claim 12, further comprising an intelligence synthesizer layer configured to resolve functional conflicts between the first and second modes of control.

30. The system of claim 12, further comprising an intelligence synthesizer layer configured to provide commands to the unified autopilot system as necessary to support transition between the first and second modes of control.

31. A multi-modal variable autonomy control system, the system comprising:

a plurality of control mode components each corresponding to a different mode of control and being configured to respond to command inputs by generating directionally descriptive control commands; and

a unified autopilot component for processing said directionally descriptive control commands;

a vehicle control component for receiving processed commands from the unified autopilot system and actuating control devices accordingly.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said plurality of control mode components are associated with more than three different modes of control.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said plurality of control mode components are associated with both autonomous and user-input-based modes of control.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein said plurality of control modes are further configured to respond to command inputs by generating control commands in the form of acceleration and bank angle commands.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the unified autopilot component is an acceleration-based autopilot component.