Machine to machine targeting maintaining positive identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11112787-B2
Application number	US-201615080389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A method of targeting, which involves capturing a first video of a scene about a potential targeting coordinate by a first video sensor on a first aircraft; transmitting the first video and associated potential targeting coordinate by the first aircraft; receiving the first video on a first display in communication with a processor, the processor also receiving the potential targeting coordinate; selecting the potential targeting coordinate to be an actual targeting coordinate for a second aircraft in response to viewing the first video on the first display; and guiding a second aircraft toward the actual targeting coordinate; where positive identification of a target corresponding to the actual targeting coordinate is maintained from selection of the actual targeting coordinate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A targeting method, comprising:
capturing, by a first processor, a first video of a scene about a potential targeting coordinate by a first video sensor on a first aircraft, the first aircraft comprising the first processor, and the first processor in communication with the first video sensor;
transmitting, by the first processor, the first video and associated potential targeting coordinate;
receiving, by a second processor, the first video on a first display in communication with the second processor, the second processor also receiving the potential targeting coordinate;
selecting, by the second processor, the potential targeting coordinate to be an actual targeting coordinate for a second aircraft based on the first video on the first display, wherein the selected actual targeting coordinate is a geographical coordinate corresponding to a pixel in the field of view (FOV) of the captured first video; and
guiding, by the second processor, to launch the second aircraft toward the actual targeting coordinate, the second aircraft comprising a third processor;
capturing, by the third processor, a second video of the scene by a second video sensor on the second aircraft after being launched;
displaying, by the second processor, the second video proximate to the first video as the second aircraft approaches the actual targeting coordinate;
wherein a positive identification is executed, by the second processor, based on a target being identified in both is in the first video and the second video simultaneously; and
controlling, by the second processor, the second aircraft to impact the target while maintaining the positive identification.

2. The method claim 1 , further comprising:
launching the second aircraft, the second aircraft having the second video sensor; and
guiding, by the second processor, the first aircraft about the actual targeting coordinate to maintain a field of view (FOV) of the first video sensor about the actual targeting coordinate.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
setting, via the second processor, an entry point, to the actual targeting coordinate, for the second aircraft based on a predetermined distance from the target and wind speed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positive identification transfer further comprises:
comparing, by a user of the second processor, the received first video of the scene and the received second video of the scene on the first display to confirm the second aircraft is approaching the actual targeting coordinate.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting, by the second processor, a terminal homing mode on the target by the second aircraft in response to viewing the first video and the second video on the first display.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the terminal homing mode further comprises at least one of: impacting the target by the second aircraft, impacting the target by a payload deployed by the second aircraft, and impacting the target by a marker deployed by the second aircraft.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
confirming a condition of the target after impact in response to viewing the first video on the first display.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
capturing, by the first processor, a new first video of a new scene about a new potential targeting coordinate by the first video sensor on the first aircraft;
transmitting, by the first processor, the new first video and associated new potential targeting coordinate by the first aircraft;
receiving, by the second processor, the new first video on the first display in communication with the second processor, the second processor also receiving the new potential targeting coordinate;
selecting, by the second processor, the new potential targeting coordinate to be a new actual targeting coordinate for a third aircraft in response to viewing the new first video on the first display; and
guiding, by a second processor, the third aircraft toward the new actual targeting coordinate, the third aircraft comprising a fourth processor;
wherein positive identification of a new target corresponding to the new actual targeting coordinate is maintained from selection of the new actual targeting coordinate.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the selected potential targeting coordinate is a geographical coordinate corresponding to a center field of view (CFOV) of the captured new first video.

10. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a ground control system (GCS) comprising a first processor, a first video stream from a first aircraft and a potential targeting coordinate related to the first video stream, the first aircraft comprising a second processor and configured to transmit the first video stream;
selecting, by the GCS, the potential targeting coordinate corresponding to a target as an actual targeting coordinate, wherein the selected actual targeting coordinate is a geographical coordinate corresponding to a pixel in the field of view (FOV) of the received first video stream;
receiving, by the GCS, a second video stream from a second aircraft, the second aircraft comprising a third processor and configured to transmit the second video stream; and
guiding, by the GCS, the second aircraft towards the actual targeting coordinate;
wherein a positive identification is executed, by the second processor of the GCS, based on the target being identified in both a field of view (FOV) of the received first video stream and a FOV of the received second video stream simultaneously; and
controlling, by the second processor of the GCS, the second aircraft to impact the target while maintaining the positive identification.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
selecting, by the GCS, a terminal homing mode on the target by the second aircraft.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the terminal homing mode comprises at least one of: impacting the target by the second aircraft, impacting the target by a payload deployed by the second aircraft, and impacting the target by a marker deployed by the second aircraft.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
confirming, via the GCS, a condition of the target after impact via the received first video stream from the first aircraft.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
selecting, by the GCS, a new potential targeting coordinate corresponding to a new target as a new actual targeting coordinate;
receiving, by the GCS, a third video stream from a third aircraft, the third aircraft comprising a fourth processor and configured to transmit the third video stream; and
guiding, by the GCS, the third aircraft towards the new actual targeting coordinate;
wherein positive identification of the new target corresponding to the new actual targeting coordinate is maintained from selection of the new actual targeting coordinate.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the selected potential targeting coordinate is a geographical coordinate corresponding to a center field of view (CFOV) of the received first video stream.

16. A system comprising:
a first aircraft, the first aircraft comprising a first processor and configured to transmit a first video stream and a potential targeting coordinate related to the first video stream;
a second aircraft, the second aircraft comprising a second processor and configured to transmit a second video stream;
a first ground control system (GCS), the first GCS comprising a third processor, and wherein the first GCS is configured to guide the first aircraft; and
a second ground control system (GC

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Peebles Macdonald John
• Martin Andrew
• Baker Charles Lawrence
• Wang Daisy
• Aguilar Kevin Jay
• Hanna Matthew Allen
• Young Brian
• Sornborger Eric
• Aagaard Eric James

Classifications

• G08G5/50

  Navigation or guidance aids · CPC title

• G08G5/32

  for flight plan preparation · CPC title

• G08G5/26

  Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations · CPC title

• G08G5/22

  located on the ground · CPC title

• G01C23/00

  Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration · CPC title