Granted Patent B2

US 8,244,469 · App. 12/405,207 · Granted Aug 14, 2012

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A collaborative engagement system comprising:

at least two unmanned vehicles comprising an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track a target; and

a controller facilitating control of, and communication and exchange of data to and among the unmanned vehicles, the controller facilitating data exchange via a common protocol;

wherein the collaborative engagement system controls the unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned vehicles, geolocating the predetermined target with the unmanned air vehicle and transmitting information regarding the position of the unmanned air vehicle and information regarding a position of the target relative to the unmanned air vehicle to the unmanned ground vehicle so that the unmanned ground vehicle can do path planning based on a geolocation of the target, and

wherein updated information regarding target position is sent to the unmanned ground vehicle at predetermined intervals.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is an operator control unit.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein an operator identifies the predetermined target via the operator control unit.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when a first unmanned vehicle has line-of-sight to the predetermined target, another unmanned vehicle utilizes information regarding the position of the first unmanned vehicle and information regarding a position of the target relative to the first unmanned vehicle to plan a path to reach a position that has or will have line-of-sight to the predetermined target.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the position that has or will have line-of-sight to the predetermined target takes into account a projected path of the target.

6. A collaborative engagement system comprising:

at least two unmanned vehicles comprising an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track a target; and

a controller facilitating control of, and communication and exchange of data to and among the unmanned vehicles, the controller facilitating data exchange via a common protocol,

wherein the collaborative engagement system controls the unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned vehicles, and

wherein the unmanned air vehicle orbits a building containing the predetermined target and determines if the predetermined target exits the building.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the unmanned air vehicle sends information regarding predetermined target building entry and exit to one or more unmanned ground vehicles that can surround and/or enter the building to follow the predetermined target.

8. A collaborative engagement system comprising:

at least two unmanned vehicles comprising an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track a target; and

a controller facilitating control of, and communication and exchange of data to and among the unmanned vehicles, the controller facilitating data exchange via a common protocol,

wherein the collaborative engagement system controls the unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned vehicles using waypoint navigation.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system controls the unmanned vehicles to obtain or maintain line-of-sight using path planning.

10. A collaborative engagement system comprising:

at least two unmanned vehicles comprising an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track a target; and

a controller facilitating control of, and communication and exchange of data to and among the unmanned vehicles, the controller facilitating data exchange via a common protocol,

wherein the collaborative engagement system controls the unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned vehicles using an object avoidance behavior.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system allows operator override to control the unmanned vehicles.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system allows the operator to override waypoint navigation.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system controls the unmanned vehicles to assist the operator in searching for a target.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operator designates an area in which the unmanned vehicles navigate to assist the operator in searching for a target.

Assignments (8)