Machine to machine targeting maintaining positive identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11714407-B2
Application number	US-202117395102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2021
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

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 a first video of a scene about a potential targeting coordinate by a first video sensor on a first aircraft;
selecting the potential targeting coordinate to be an actual targeting coordinate for a second aircraft based on the first video;
guiding the second aircraft toward the actual targeting coordinate;
capturing a second video of the scene by a second video sensor on the second aircraft after being launched;
displaying the second video proximate to the first video as the second aircraft approaches the actual targeting coordinate;
wherein a positive identification is executed based on a target being identified in both the first video and the second video simultaneously; and
controlling the second aircraft to impact the target while maintaining the positive identification.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected actual targeting coordinate is a geographical coordinate corresponding to a pixel in a field of view (FOV) of the captured first video.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting the first video and associated potential targeting coordinate; and
receiving the first video on a first display in communication with a second processor, the second processor also receiving the potential targeting coordinate.

4. The method claim 1 , further comprising:
launching the second aircraft, the second aircraft having the second video sensor; and
guiding 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.

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

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

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

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

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
capturing a new first video of a new scene about a new potential targeting coordinate by the first video sensor on the first aircraft;
transmitting the new first video and associated new potential targeting coordinate by the first aircraft;
receiving the new first video on a first display, and receiving the new potential targeting coordinate;
selecting 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 the third aircraft toward the new actual targeting coordinate;
wherein positive identification of a new target corresponding to the new actual targeting coordinate is maintained from selection of the new actual targeting coordinate; and
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), a first video stream from a first aircraft and a potential targeting coordinate related to the first video stream, the first aircraft configured to transmit the first video stream;
selecting, by the GCS, the potential targeting coordinate corresponding to a target as an actual targeting coordinate;
receiving, by the GCS, a second video stream from a second aircraft, the second aircraft 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 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 GCS, the second aircraft to impact the target while maintaining the positive identification.

11. The method of claim 10 , 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.

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

13. The method of claim 12 , 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.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
confirming, via the GCS, a condition of the target after impact via the received first video stream from the first aircraft;
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 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 configured to transmit a first video stream and a potential targeting coordinate related to the first video stream;
a second aircraft, the second aircraft configured to transmit a second video stream;
a ground control system (GCS), the GCS configured to:
receive the first video stream and the potential targeting coordinate related to the first video stream;
select the potential targeting coordinate corresponding to a target as an actual targeting coordinate;
receive the second video stream;
guide the second aircraft towards the actual targeting coordinate;
wherein a positive identification is executed based on the target being identified in both the first video stream and the second video stream simultaneously; and
control the second aircraft to impact the target while maintaining the positive identification.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the GCS further comprises a first digital data link (DDL) to guide the first aircraft and receive the first video stream.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the selected potential targeting coordinate is a geographical coordinate corresponding to a center field of view (CFOV) of the first video stream.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the GCS is further configured to:
select a terminal homing mode on the target by the second aircraft.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the

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