Mission planning system and method

1. A system for planning missions, comprising:

at least one client computer coupled to a network; and

a server, coupled to the network, including a processor coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform a method for planning missions, the planning comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to the client computer, the GUI including a mission center screen and a plan edit screen, the mission center screen having a mission panel and a plan panel, and the plan edit screen having at least a map layer and a mission element panel,

in response to a sequence of requests from the client computer, creating a mission including a plan having a plurality of sequential stages, each stage having a plurality of sequential waypoints, each waypoint having a plurality of symbols and associated movement paths along the map layer, each movement path having a start location and an end location,

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path end location associated with a symbol in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path start location associated with the symbol in either the subsequent waypoint of the stage or the first waypoint of the subsequent stage,

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path start location associated with a symbol in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path end location associated with the symbol in either the preceding waypoint of the stage or the last waypoint of the preceding stage, and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mission is created in response to a sequence of collaborative requests from two or more client computers, and the updated plan is provided to each client computer.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the planning further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by adding a symbol to a waypoint of a stage, adding the symbol to each successive waypoint of the stage, and adding the symbol to each waypoint of each successive stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each symbol has a type, and the planning further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by hierarchically nesting a plurality of selected symbols in a waypoint of a stage based on symbol type, adding the nested symbols to each subsequent waypoint of the stage, and adding the nested symbols to each waypoint of each subsequent stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the planning further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path end location associated with the nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path start location associated with the nested symbols in either the subsequent waypoint of the stage or the first waypoint of the subsequent stage;

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path start location associated with the nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path end location associated with the nested symbols in either the preceding waypoint of the stage or the last waypoint of the preceding stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

6. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the planning further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by un-nesting at least one of a plurality of nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, adding the un-nested symbol to each successive waypoint of the stage, and adding the un-nested symbol to each waypoint of each successive stage, and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

7. The system according to claim 4 , wherein hierarchically nesting the plurality of symbols includes arranging the nested symbols according to a hierarchical rule set, and preventing the nesting of a particular symbol if a rule is violated.

8. A computer-based method for planning a mission, comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to a client computer, the GUI including a mission center screen and a plan edit screen, the mission center screen having a mission panel and a plan panel, and the plan edit screen having at least one map layer, an application toolbar and a mission element panel;

in response to a sequence of requests from the client computer, creating a mission including a plan having a plurality of sequential stages, each stage having a plurality of sequential waypoints, each waypoint having a plurality of symbols and associated movement paths along the map layer;

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path end location associated with a symbol in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path start location associated with the symbol in either the subsequent waypoint of the stage or the first waypoint of the subsequent stage;

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path start location associated with a symbol in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path end location associated with the symbol in either the preceding waypoint of the stage or the last waypoint of the preceding stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the mission is created in response to a sequence of collaborative requests from two or more client computers, and the updated plan is provided to each client computer.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by adding a symbol to a waypoint of a stage, adding the symbol to each successive waypoint of the stage, and adding the symbol to each waypoint of each successive stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein each symbol has a type, and the method further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by hierarchically nesting a plurality of selected symbols in a waypoint of a stage based on symbol type, adding the nested symbols to each successive waypoint of the stage, and adding the nested symbols to each waypoint of each successive stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path end location associated with the nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path start location associated with the nested symbols in either the subsequent waypoint of the stage or the first waypoint of the subsequent stage;

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path start location associated with the nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path end location associated with the nested symbols in either the preceding waypoint of the stage or the last waypoint of the preceding stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by un-nesting at least one of a plurality of nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, adding the un-nested symbol to each successive waypoint of the stage, and adding the un-nested symbol to each waypoint of each successive stage, and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein hierarchically nesting the plurality of symbols includes arranging the nested symbols according to a hierarchical rule set, and preventing the nesting of a particular symbol if a rule is violated.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor, perform a method for planning a mission, the planning comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to a client computer, the GUI including a mission center screen and a plan edit screen, the mission center screen having a mission panel and a plan panel, and the plan edit screen having at least one map layer, an application toolbar and a mission element panel;

in response to a sequence of requests from the client computer, creating a mission including a plan having a plurality of sequential stages, each stage having a plurality of sequential waypoints, each waypoint having a plurality of symbols and associated movement paths along the map layer;

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path end location associated with a symbol in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path start location associated with the symbol in either the subsequent waypoint of the stage or the first waypoint of the subsequent stage;

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path start location associated with a symbol in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path end location associated with the symbol in either the preceding waypoint of the stage or the last waypoint of the preceding stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the planning further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by adding a symbol to a waypoint of a stage, adding the symbol to each successive waypoint of the stage, and adding the symbol to each waypoint of each successive stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein each symbol has a type, and the planning further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by hierarchically nesting a plurality of selected symbols in a waypoint of a stage based on symbol type, adding the nested symbols to each successive waypoint of the stage, and adding the nested symbols to each waypoint of each successive stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 17 , wherein the planning further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path end location associated with the nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path start location associated with the nested symbols in either the subsequent waypoint of the stage or the first waypoint of the subsequent stage;

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by changing the movement path start location associated with the nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, and changing the movement path end location associated with the nested symbols in either the preceding waypoint of the stage or the last waypoint of the preceding stage; and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

19. The computer-readable medium according to claim 17 , wherein the planning further comprises:

in response to a further request from the client computer, updating the plan by un-nesting at least one of a plurality of nested symbols in a waypoint of a stage, adding the un-nested symbol to each successive waypoint of the stage, and adding the un-nested symbol to each waypoint of each successive stage, and

providing the updated plan to the client computer.

20. The computer-readable medium according to claim 17 , wherein hierarchically nesting the plurality of symbols includes arranging the nested symbols according to a hierarchical rule set, and preventing the nesting of a particular symbol if a rule is violated.