IP Library Granted Patent US 12698096
Granted Patent B2
US 12698096 · App. 18/874,884 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Unmanned aircraft traction control system without traction rod and intelligent tractor

Inventors: Binglong Shen (Nantong, CN); Wenhui Meng (Nantong, CN); Hongyu Wang (Nantong, CN)
Assignee: Shanghai Longyuhui Technology Co., Ltd.
B64F1/228B64F1/002B64F1/227G05D1/437G08G5/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12698096
App. No.
18/874,884
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An unmanned aircraft traction control system without a traction rod and an intelligent tractor relate to the technical fields of aircraft ground motion and man-machine coordination. The traction control system includes an aircraft light identification and induction module, a main sensing system module, an aircraft sound identification and induction module and a control module which are arranged on the tractor. When the tractor and an aircraft carry out a wheel holding operation, the aircraft light identification and induction module, the main sensing system module and the aircraft sound identification and induction module acquire a brightness signal of an aircraft nose landing gear taxi light, an aircraft turning signal, an aircraft resistance signal and an aircraft horn signal autonomously transmitted by a pilot. The purpose that a pilot autonomously controls the tractor to pull an aircraft to an aircraft parking position or a designated taxiway position is realized through the above signals.

Claims (52)

1 . An unmanned aircraft traction control system, comprising:

an aircraft light identification and induction module arranged at a tail of a tractor and used for acquiring an aircraft brightness signal in a man-machine interaction mode,

wherein the aircraft brightness signal is a signal output by a pilot located in a cockpit of the aircraft after controlling an aircraft nose landing gear taxi light;

a main sensing system module, arranged on the tractor and used for acquiring an aircraft turning signal or an aircraft resistance signal in the man-machine interaction mode, wherein the aircraft turning signal is a signal output by the pilot located in the cockpit of the aircraft after controlling an aircraft turning system; the aircraft resistance signal is a signal output by the pilot located in the cockpit of the aircraft after controlling an aircraft braking system;

an aircraft sound identification and induction module, arranged at the tail of the tractor and used for acquiring an aircraft sound signal in the man-machine interaction mode, wherein the aircraft sound signal is a signal output by the pilot located in the cockpit of the aircraft after controlling an aircraft horn; and

a control module, arranged on the tractor and used for:

in the man-machine interaction mode,

outputting a first control command when receiving the aircraft brightness signal; the first control command is used for controlling the tractor to pull forward, so that the aircraft changes from a stop state to a forward traveling state;

outputting a second control command when receiving the aircraft turning signal; the second control command is used for controlling the tractor to turn and pull, so that the aircraft changes from the forward traveling state to a forward turning traveling state;

outputting a third control command when receiving the aircraft resistance signal; the third control command is used for controlling the tractor to brake, so that the aircraft changes from the forward traveling state to the stop state; and

outputting a fourth control command when receiving the aircraft sound signal; the fourth control command is used for controlling the tractor to release a wheel holding mechanism, so that the aircraft is separated from the tractor.

2 . The unmanned aircraft traction control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a dispatching control center used for controlling the tractor to reach a designated position, wherein the designated position is an aircraft parking position or a taxiway position of a cleared active runway after landing.

3 . The unmanned aircraft traction control system according to claim 2 , wherein the dispatching control center, interacting information with an airport operation control center:

acquires aircraft operation information sent by the airport operation control center; the aircraft operation information comprises take-off time, landing time, take-off and landing direction, the aircraft parking position, a runway and a taxiway; and

determines a traveling track set of each tractor according to the aircraft operation information; the traveling track set comprises a first traveling track reaching the designated position from a tractor parking position, a second traveling track reaching a destination from the designated position, and a third traveling track reaching the tractor parking position from the destination; the destination is the destination reached by the tractor pulling the aircraft.

4 . The unmanned aircraft traction control system according to claim 3 , further comprising a communication module installed on the tractor;

the dispatching control center sending the traveling track set of the tractor to the communication module through 5G (fifth-generation) network signals or preset magnetic marker signals; and

the communication module sending the traveling track set of the tractor to the control module.

5 . The unmanned aircraft traction control system according to claim 4 , wherein the control module:

controls the tractor to reach the designated position according to the first traveling track from the tractor parking position to the designated position, and controlling the tractor to complete wheel holding connection of front wheels of the aircraft; the preset magnetic marker used to align the wheel holding mechanism and nose wheel;

controls the tractor to pull the aircraft to the destination according to the second traveling track from the designated position to the destination in an automatic control mode;

controls the tractor to reach the tractors parking position according to the third traveling track from the destination to the tractor parking position after the tractor releases the wheel holding mechanism and the aircraft is separated from the tractor.

6 . The unmanned aircraft traction control system according to claim 2 , further comprising a wheel holding sensing module arranged on the tractor;

the control module outputting a working command of the wheel holding sensing module when the tractor reaches the designated position; the preset magnetic marker used to align the wheel holding mechanism and nose wheel;

the wheel holding sensing module adjusting wheel holding parameters of the wheel holding mechanism according to the working command of the wheel holding sensing module, so that the tractor can carry out wheel holding operation with the aircraft.

7 . The unmanned aircraft traction control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a wheel holding sensing module arranged on the tractor;

the control module outputting a working command of the wheel holding sensing module according to a wheel holding command sent by a ground operation worker;

the wheel holding sensing module adjusting wheel holding parameters of the wheel holding mechanism according to the working command of the wheel holding sensing module, so that the tractor can carry out wheel holding operation with the aircraft.

8 . The unmanned aircraft traction control system according to claim 1 , wherein after the tractor and the aircraft carry out a wheel holding operation, a distance between the aircraft light identification and induction module and the aircraft nose landing gear taxi light is less than or equal to a first target value;

after the tractor and the aircraft carry out wheel holding operation, a distance between the aircraft sound identification and induction module and the aircraft horn is less than or equal to a second target value.

9 . An intelligent tractor, comprising the tractor and the unmanned aircraft traction control system installed on the tractor according to claim 1 .

10 . The intelligent tractor according to claim 9 , further comprising a dispatching control center for controlling the tractor to reach a designated position, wherein the designated position is an aircraft parking position or a taxiway position of a cleared active runway after landing.

11 . The intelligent tractor according to claim 10 , wherein the dispatching control center, interacting information with an airport operation control center:

acquires aircraft operation information sent by the airport operation control center; the aircraft operation information comprises take-off time, landing time, take-off and landing direction, the aircraft parking position, a runway and a taxiway;

determines a traveling track set of each tractor according to the aircraft operation information; the traveling track set comprises a first traveling track reaching the designated

position from a tractor parking position, a second traveling track reaching a destination from the designated position, and a third traveling track reaching the tractor parking position from the destination; the destination is the destination reached by the tractor pulling the aircraft.

12 . The intelligent tractor according to claim 11 , further comprising a communication module installed on the tractor;

the dispatching control center sending the traveling track set of the tractor to the communication module through 5G (fifth-generation) network signals or preset magnetic marker signals;

the communication module sending the traveling track set of the tractor to the control module.

13 . The intelligent tractor according to claim 12 , wherein the control module is also used for:

controlling the tractor to reach the designated position according to the first traveling track from the tractor parking position to the designated position, and controlling the tractor to complete wheel holding connection of front wheels of the aircraft;

controlling the tractor to pull the aircraft to the destination according to the second traveling track from the designated position to the destination in an automatic control mode; and

controlling the tractor to reach the tractor parking position according to the third traveling track from the destination to the tractor parking position after the tractor releases the wheel holding mechanism and the aircraft is separated from the tractor.

14 . The intelligent tractor according to claim 10 , further comprising a wheel holding sensing module arranged on the tractor;

the control module outputting a working command of the wheel holding sensing module when the tractor reaches the designated position; and

the wheel holding sensing module adjusting wheel holding parameters of the wheel holding mechanism according to the working command of the wheel holding sensing module, the preset magnetic marker used to align the wheel holding mechanism and nose wheel; so that the tractor can carry out wheel holding operation with the aircraft.

15 . The intelligent tractor according to claim 9 , further comprising a wheel holding sensing module arranged on the tractor;

the control module outputting a working command of the wheel holding sensing module according to a wheel holding command sent by a ground operation worker;

the wheel holding sensing module adjusting wheel holding parameters of the wheel holding mechanism according to the working command of the wheel holding sensing module, so that the tractor can carry out wheel holding operation with the aircraft.

16 . The intelligent tractor according to claim 9 , wherein

after the tractor and an aircraft carry out wheel holding operation, a distance between the aircraft light identification and induction module and the aircraft nose landing gear taxi light is less than or equal to a first target value; and

after the tractor and the aircraft carry out wheel holding operation, a distance between the aircraft sound identification and induction module and the aircraft horn is less than or equal to a second target value.