US2017076615A1PendingUtilityA1
Audiovisual display modes for sense-and-avoid system for aerial vehicles
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 3, 2005Filed: Jun 19, 2014Published: Mar 16, 2017
Est. expiryMay 3, 2025(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Stanley R. Herwitz
G08G 5/045B64C 39/024G08G 5/0069G08G 5/727G08G 5/57G08G 5/55G08G 5/26G08G 5/22G08G 5/80B64U 2201/00G01S 7/003G01S 13/003G01S 13/91G01S 13/86
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Claims
Abstract
The invention provides six different display modes illustrating interaction and relative locations of two or more aerial vehicles (AVs), with at least one of the AVs being controllable by a ground-based or airborne-based controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or a pilot of a standard manned aircraft. Some display modes also indicate a predicted distance of closest approach of two AVs, the possibility of conflict or collision, and a remaining time, measured relative to the present time, before this conflict occurs. An audio and/or visual indicator advises the AV controller if this conflict event is likely to occur and recommends an acceleration or deceleration increment that may avoid such conflict.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modifiedWhat is claimed is:
1 . A method for displaying present and predicted future locations, velocities and accelerations of each of at least first and second aerial vehicles (AVs), the method comprising providing a computer that is programmed:
to receive or otherwise provide estimates of present locations rj (t0) of a selected number J of AVs, numbered j=1, . . . , J (J≧2), for a present time, t=t0, where the locations rj(t0) are determined with reference to a Cartesian coordinate system (x,y,z) having unit length vectors i, j and k oriented parallel to x-, y- and z-coordinate axes, with initial vector location values rj(t0)=(xj0,yj0,zj0); to provide estimates of at least one of present velocity vectors vj (t0) and present acceleration vectors aj(t0) for the J AVs, for the present time, t=t0; to provide an estimate of location vectors rj(t), velocity vectors vj(t) and acceleration vectors aj(t) for at least two spaced apart times t that are greater than t0; to provide an estimate of a time, t=t(min)≧t0, for which a square of a distance separation value d(t;1,2) 2 =|Δr12(t)| 2 =|r1(t)−r2(t)| 2 attains a locally minimum value for the AVs j=1 and j=2, and to estimate the locations rj(t=t(min)) for j=1 and j=2; to choose said value t=t(min) to be a value of time that is greater than said value t=t0 and that satisfies
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where d(t;1;2) 2 =|Δr12(t)|2=|r1(t)−r2(t)| 2 is a distance of separation squared between the locations r1(t) and r2(t);
to provide a unit length normal vector
n={v10̂a10}/|v10̂a10|, of a display plane for the J AVs, where v10 and a10 are not approximately parallel to each other,
and to choose an anchor point AP for the display plane Π to be at least one of the locations r10 and r20;
to visually represent, on a display screen, a display plane Π defined by the normal vector n and passing through at least one display plane anchor point AP;
to visually represent, on the display screen, the locations r1(t0) and r2(t0) on or adjacent to the display plane Π, determined with reference to the normal vector n.
to determine whether the separation value d(t(min);1,2) satisfies d(t(min);1,2)≦r(thr0), where r(thr0) is a selected positive conflict radius; and
when d(t(min);1,2)≦r(thr0), to estimate a first value, t=t1, in time that satisfies t0≦t1≦t(min) and d(t1;1,2)=r(thr0), to estimate and to display a remaining time Δt(rem)=t1-t0 as at least one of a visually perceptible signal and an audibly perceptible signal, and to estimate a predicted location r1(t=t1),
to display a circle on the display plane Π, centered at the location r1(t=t1) and having a circle radius r(thr0); and
to display a location r1(t′) for at least two values of time t′ in a range t0≦t′≦t1; and
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said computer is further programmed to provide a recommended acceleration increment Δa1, to be added to said acceleration vector a10, that may allow said AV 1 and said AV 2 to avoid a condition d(t;1,2)≦r(thr0) for any value of time t in the range t0≦t<t(min).
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said computer is further programmed:
to determine a normal vector n2 for an approach plane Π′ by a relation n2={v20̂a20}/|v20̂a20|, where v20 and a20 are not approximately parallel to each other; and to recommend said acceleration increment Δa2 for said AV 1 to be approximately parallel or approximately anti-parallel to the approach plane normal vector n2.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said computer is further programmed:
to recommend, as said acceleration increment Δa1 for said AV 1 , a reduction of a magnitude of said velocity v10, while maintaining a direction of said velocity v10 approximately unchanged.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said computer is further programmed:
to estimate said time t=t1 at which said separation distance satisfies d(t=t1;1,2)=r(thr0), according to a real valued solution, t1-t0, of an equation
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6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said computer is programmed to execute said operations in claim 1 only when a present separation distance d(t0;1,2) is less than a selected positive first potential conflict radius r(thr1) that is greater than said radius r(thr0).
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said computer is further programmed to execute said operations in claim 1 only when an estimated future separation distance, defined by d(1,2;t0+Δtest) 2 =|r10-r20+{Δt(∂/∂t) (r1(t)−r2(t))(t=t0)}| 2 , is less than a selected second potential conflict radius r(thr2) that is greater than said radius r(thr0), where Δt is a selected positive time value.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
when at least one time value, t=t1, in a range t0≦t≦t(min) exists for which d(t1;1,2)≦r(th0), providing at least one of an audio indication and a visual indication that advises said controller that said first and second AVs are predicted to move within a separation distance r(thr0) of each other.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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