Real-time moving platform management system

• US 8,477,190 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (Eagleview Technologies, Inc. /Wa/)
• Original Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (Eagleview Technologies, Inc. /Wa/)
• Inventors: Winkelbauer, Mark A., Mondello, Charles, Bradacs, Robert S., Woodward, Craig D., Schultz, Stephen L., Lawrence, Scott D., Kusak, Matt, Willard, Kevin G., Giuffrida, Frank D
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUQ, FARZANA B
• Application Number:
  US12/831,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20120007982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 348/116, 348/143, 348/144, 348/159, 348/206, 370/337, 370/344, 370/352, 370/428, 370/503, 455/427, 455429-431
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/02 Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/005 using at least one opto-electrical conversion device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

A moving platform system suitable for mounting and use on a moving platform, comprising a position system monitoring the location of the moving platform and generating a sequence of time-based position data, a non-line of sight communication system, a high-speed line of sight communication system, and a computer system monitoring the availability of the non-line of sight communication system and the high-speed line of sight communication system and initiating connections when the non-line of sight communication system and the high-speed line of sight communication system are available, and receiving the sequence of time-based position data and transmitting the sequence of time-based position data via the at least one of the currently available non-line of sight communication system and the high-speed line of sight communication system.

Claims

1. A system for communicating data between a moving platform system and a ground station system in real-time, comprising:

a moving platform system suitable for mounting and use on a moving platform, the moving platform system comprising;

a position system monitoring a location of the moving platform and generating a sequence of time-based position data;

a first non-line of sight communication system;

a first high-speed directional line of sight communication system;

a computer system monitoring an availability of the first non-line of sight communication system and the first high-speed directional line of sight communication system and initiating connections when the first non-line of sight communication system and the first high-speed directional line of sight communication system are available, and receiving the sequence of time-based position data and transmitting the sequence of time-based position data via at least one of a currently available first non-line of sight communication system and first high-speed directional line of sight communication system;

a ground station system comprising;

a second non-line of sight communication system adapted to communicate with the first non-line of sight communication system of the moving platform system;

a second high-speed directional line of sight communication system adapted to communicate with the first high-speed directional line of sight communication system of the moving platform system; and

a computer system adapted to monitor the location and altitude of the moving platform by receiving the sequence of time-based position data from at least one of the second non-line of sight communication system and the second high-speed directional line of sight communication system of the ground station system, filtering the input from the second non-line of sight communication system and the second high-speed directional line of sight communication system of the ground station system to properly time-sequence at least a portion of the position data to generate a predicted position of the moving platform; and

a tracking device comprising;

a multi-axis assembly connected to the second high-speed directional line of sight communication system; and

one or more controller receiving the predicted position of the moving platform, and controlling the multi-axis assembly to aim the second high-speed directional line of sight communication system of the ground station system to communicate with the first high-speed directional line of sight communication system of the moving platform system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted to function in real-time.