IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,320,645
Granted Patent B2
US 12,320,645 · App. 17/577,856 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Vehicle position verification

Inventors: Josh Daniel Eckhardt (St. Peters, MO); Seyed Mehran Dibaji (Quincy, MA)
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
G01C21/005G01C21/20G01S19/215
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,320,645
App. No.
17/577,856
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device includes a memory configured to store a first position estimate of a first vehicle. The device also includes a receiver configured to receive a second position estimate of a second vehicle. The device further includes a sensor configured to generate sensor data indicating a first relative position estimate of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle. The device also includes one or more processors configured to determine, based on a comparison of the first position estimate and the second position estimate, a second relative position estimate of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle. The one or more processors are also configured to determine whether the first position estimate is reliable based at least in part on determining whether the first relative position estimate matches the second relative position estimate.

Claims (49)

1. A device comprising:

a memory configured to store a first position estimate of a first vehicle;

a receiver configured to receive a second position estimate of a second vehicle, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a plurality of second position estimates of a plurality of second vehicles, wherein the plurality of second vehicles comprises the second vehicle;

a sensor configured to generate sensor data indicating a first relative position estimate of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle, wherein the sensor data indicates a plurality of first relative position estimates of the first vehicle relative to the plurality of second vehicles; and

one or more processors configured to:

determine, based on a comparison of the first position estimate and the plurality of second position estimates, a plurality of second relative position estimates of the first vehicle relative to the plurality of second vehicles, the plurality of second relative position estimates including a second relative position estimate of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle; and

based at least in part on determining whether the first relative position estimate matches the second relative position estimate:

compare a first subset of the plurality of first relative position estimates to a second subset of the plurality of second relative position estimates to determine a percentage of the plurality of first relative position estimates that match corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates, wherein each first relative position estimate of the first subset is compared to one or more corresponding second relative position estimates of the second subset, wherein a particular first relative position estimate of the plurality of first relative position estimates identifies a particular first relative position, wherein a particular second relative position estimate of the plurality of second relative position estimates identifies a particular second relative position, the particular first relative position estimate corresponding to the particular second relative position estimate, and wherein the particular first relative position estimate matches the particular second relative position estimate responsive to the particular first relative position identifying a position within a threshold distance of the particular second relative position;

determine whether the first position estimate is reliable, wherein the first position estimate is determined to be unreliable responsive to determining that the percentage indicates that at least a threshold percentage of the plurality of first relative position estimates do not match corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates; and

perform a control action to control movement of the first vehicle, wherein the control action is determined based in part on whether the first position estimate is reliable.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to, based at least in part on determining that the first relative position estimate does not match the second relative position estimate, generate an output indicating that the first position estimate is unreliable.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first position estimate is based on global positioning system (GPS) data, dead reckoning data, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data, a local positioning system (LPS) data, or a combination thereof.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprises lidar data, sonar data, radar data, time-of-flight data, or a combination thereof.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first position estimate identifies a first longitude, a first latitude, and a first altitude associated with the first vehicle, and wherein each second position estimate of the plurality of second position estimates identifies a particular second longitude, a particular second latitude, and a particular second altitude corresponding to a particular second vehicle.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of second relative position estimates identifies a particular distance and a particular angular position corresponding to the first vehicle and the particular second vehicle.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the threshold percentage is equal to 100 percent.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the threshold percentage is greater than or equal to 50 percent.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine a first trust value of the first vehicle based on a percentage of the plurality of first relative position estimates that do not match corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates; and

receive, via the receiver, a plurality of first trust values of the plurality of second vehicles, wherein whether the first position estimate is determined to be reliable is based at least in part on the first trust value, the plurality of first trust values, or a combination thereof.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to, in response to determining that the first trust value indicates that all of the plurality of first relative position estimates match the corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates, determine that the first position estimate is reliable.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to, in response to determining that the first trust value indicates that none of the plurality of first relative position estimates match the corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates, determine that the first position estimate is unreliable.

12. The device of claim 9 , further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the first trust value of the first vehicle to one or more of the plurality of second vehicles.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a second trust value of the first vehicle based on the plurality of first trust values, the plurality of first relative position estimates, and the plurality of second relative position estimates, wherein whether the first position estimate is determined to be reliable is based at least in part on the second trust value.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

receive, via the receiver, a plurality of second trust values of the plurality of second vehicles; and

determine a third trust value of the first vehicle based on the plurality of second trust values, the plurality of first relative position estimates, and the plurality of second relative position estimates, wherein whether the first position estimate is determined to be reliable is based at least in part on the third trust value.

15. A method comprising:

determining, by a device, a first position estimate of a first vehicle;

receiving, by the device, a plurality of second position estimates of a plurality of second vehicles including a second position estimate of a second vehicle, wherein the plurality of second vehicles comprises the second vehicle;

receiving, by the device, sensor data indicating a plurality of first relative position estimates of the first vehicle relative to the plurality of second vehicles including a first relative position estimate of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;

determining, based on a comparison of the first position estimate and the plurality of second position estimates, a plurality of second relative position estimates of the first vehicle relative to the plurality of second vehicles, the plurality of second relative position estimates including a second relative position estimate of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;

based at least in part on determining whether the first relative position estimate matches the second relative position estimate:

comparing a first subset of the plurality of first relative position estimates to a second subset of the plurality of second relative position estimates to determine a percentage of the plurality of first relative position estimates that match corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates, wherein each first relative position estimate of the first subset is compared to one or more corresponding second relative position estimates of the second subset, wherein a particular first relative position estimate of the plurality of first relative position estimates identifies a particular first relative position, wherein a particular second relative position estimate of the plurality of second relative position estimates identifies a particular second relative position, the particular first relative position estimate corresponding to the particular second relative position estimate, and wherein the particular first relative position estimate matches the particular second relative position estimate responsive to the particular first relative position identifying a position within a threshold distance of the particular second relative position;

determining whether the first position estimate is reliable, wherein the first position estimate is determined to be unreliable responsive to determining that the percentage indicates that at least a threshold percentage of the plurality of first relative position estimates do not match corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates; and

performing a control action to control movement of the first vehicle, wherein the control action is determined based in part on whether the first position estimate is reliable.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising generating an output indicating that the first position estimate is unreliable based at least in part on determining that the first relative position estimate does not match the second relative position estimate.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first position estimate is based on global positioning system (GPS) data, dead reckoning data, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data, a local positioning system (LPS) data, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the sensor data comprises lidar data, sonar data, radar data, time-of-flight data, or a combination thereof.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a first position estimate of a first vehicle;

receive a plurality of second position estimates of a plurality of second vehicles including a second position estimate of a second vehicle, wherein the plurality of second vehicles comprises the second vehicle;

receive sensor data indicating a plurality of first relative position estimates of the first vehicle relative to the plurality of second vehicles including a first relative position estimate of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;

determine, based on a comparison of the first position estimate and the plurality of second position estimates, a plurality of second relative position estimates of the first vehicle relative to the plurality of second vehicles, the plurality of second relative position estimates including a second relative position estimate of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;

based at least in part on determining whether the first relative position estimate matches the second relative position estimate,

compare a first subset of the plurality of first relative position estimates to a second subset of the plurality of second relative position estimates to determine a percentage of the plurality of first relative position estimates that match corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates, wherein each first relative position estimate of the first subset is compared to one or more corresponding second relative position estimates of the second subset, wherein a particular first relative position estimate of the plurality of first relative position estimates identifies a particular first relative position, wherein a particular second relative position estimate of the plurality of second relative position estimates identifies a particular second relative position, the particular first relative position estimate corresponding to the particular second relative position estimate, and wherein the particular first relative position estimate matches the particular second relative position estimate responsive to the particular first relative position identifying a position within a threshold distance of the particular second relative position;

determine whether the first position estimate is reliable, wherein the first position estimate is determined to be unreliable responsive to determining that the percentage indicates that at least a threshold percentage of the plurality of first relative position estimates do not match corresponding ones of the plurality of second relative position estimates; and

perform a control action to control movement of the first vehicle, wherein the control action is determined based in part on whether the first position estimate is reliable.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to generate an output indicating that the first position estimate is unreliable based at least in part on determining that the first relative position estimate does not match the second relative position estimate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 18, 2022
From: ECKHARDT, JOSH DANIEL; DIBAJI, SEYED MEHRAN
To: THE BOEING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 058680/0274 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63190316 · May 19, 2021
Related Publication 20220373333A1 · Nov 24, 2022
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