503 results about "Ground vehicles" patented technology

A collaborative engagement system comprises: 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. 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.

A quadrotor UAV including ruggedized, integral-battery, load-bearing body, two arms on the load-bearing body, each arm having two rotors, a control module mounted on the load-bearing body, a payload module mounted on the control module, and skids configured as landing gear. The two arms are replaceable with arms having wheels for ground vehicle use, with arms having floats and props for water-surface use, and with arms having pitch-controlled props for underwater use. The control module is configured to operate as an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned ground vehicle, an unmanned (water) surface vehicle, and an unmanned underwater vehicle, depending on the type of arms that are attached.

Systems and methods for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle. Autonomous control is achieved by using actuators that interact with input devices in the vehicle. The actuators (e.g., linkages) manipulate the input devices (e.g., articulation controls and drive controls, such as a throttle, brake, tie rods, steering gear, throttle lever, or accelerator) to direct the operation of the vehicle. Although operating autonomously, manual operation of the vehicle is possible following the detection of events that suggest manual control is desired. Subsequent autonomous control may be permitted, permitted after a prescribed delay, or prevented.

Systems and methods for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle. Autonomous control is achieved by using actuators that interact with input devices in the vehicle. The actuators (e.g., linkages) manipulate the input devices (e.g., articulation controls and drive controls, such as a throttle, brake, tie rods, steering gear, throttle lever, or accelerator) to direct the operation of the vehicle. Although operating autonomously, manual operation of the vehicle is possible following the detection of events that suggest manual control is desired. Subsequent autonomous control may be permitted, permitted after a prescribed delay, or prevented.

This is a fire suppression delivery system for the delivery of compressed powdered fire suppressant materials to extinguish fires in, but not limited to high rise, commercial, industrial buildings; tunnel structures; offshore structures; oil and gas platforms; marine vessels; and environmental areas. The system and methods employ basic platforms, to the use of advanced methods currently not employed for this purpose, including electronic programming, heat seeking, propulsion, microprocessor discharge; the use of carriers, launching devices; modification of fire fighting aircraft, ground vehicles, and unmanned aircraft or drones.

A motion planner for unmanned ground vehicles capable of traversing at high speeds to reach remote locations in partially known environments. The motion planner comprises a global path planner and a local path planner in communication with the global path planner. The global path planner determines a path to reach a goal location. The local motion planner revises the path determined by the global path planner to generate a motion profile accounting for constraints on the maneuverability of the unmanned ground vehicle. The motion profile provides a revised path for being traversed by the unmanned ground vehicle to reach the goal location.

The invention comprises, in its various embodiments and aspects, a method and apparatus for generating a dynamic mobility map. The method includes classifying a plurality of objects represented in a data set comprised of overhead imagery data; and classifying the objects through application of dynamic data pertaining to those objects. The apparatus includes a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform such a method and a computing apparatus programmed to perform such a method. The method, in alternative embodiments, may be employed in generating dynamic mobility maps and in association with a ground vehicle to operate the vehicle or simulate the operation of the vehicle.

The invention discloses an urban environment composition method for unmanned vehicles. Under the condition of being independent of external positioning sensors such as speedometers, GPS and inertial navigators, the trajectory tracking and environment map building of an unmanned vehicle are completed by just using few particles for 3D laser-point cloud data returned by a vehicle-mounted laser radar, thereby providing basis for the autonomous running of the unmanned ground vehicle in an unknown environment; and according to the invention, an ICP algorithm is applied to adjacent two frames of data so as to obtain a coarse estimation on the real position and posture of a vehicle, and then redundance is performed near the coarse estimation based on gaussian distribution. Although the coarse estimation is not the real position and posture of the vehicle, the coarse estimation is a high-probability area of the real position and posture of the vehicle, so that an effect of relatively accurate positioning and composition is achieved by using a small amount of particles in the process of subsequent redundance, thereby avoiding the fitting of a vehicle trajectory by using a large amount of particles in a traditional method, improving the efficiency of the algorithm, and effectively restraining a phenomenon of particle degeneracy caused by bad particle estimation.

A ceramic composite tile armor which is reinforced at the more vulnerable joint and free edge areas, using glass or ceramic strips or overlays bonded with an adhesive to the outer surface of the tile joints and free edges. This reinforcement provides improved ballistic threat protection for ground vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, spacecraft, and body (personnel) ceramic tile armor applications. Glass or ceramic overlay strips assist in fracturing impacting projectiles that strike the tile joints or free edges. The substrate laminate backing can then capture fragments of the projectile and broken ceramic and prevent penetration. The invention provides improved protection over conventional joint and edge enhancements with higher reliability of accurate positioning over joint and free-edge areas, with less added weight, and at lower associated production costs.

The present invention relates to a method of controlling an aircraft, missile, munition or ground vehicle with plasma actuators, and more particularly to controlling fluid flow across their surfaces or other surfaces, which would benefit from such a method. The method includes the design of an aerodynamic plasma actuator for the purpose of controlling airflow separation over a control surface of a aircraft, missile, or a ground vehicle, and more particularly to the method of determining a modulation frequency for the plasma actuator for the purpose of fluid flow control over these vehicles. The various embodiments provide the steps to increase the efficiency of aircraft, missiles, munitions and ground vehicles. The method of flow control provides a means for reducing aircraft, missile's, munition's and ground vehicle's power requirements. These methods also provide alternate means for aerodynamic control using low-power hingeless plasma actuator devices.

A method and apparatus is provided for detecting and avoiding an obstacle using a system of a vehicle. The method includes the steps of detecting a distance between the obstacle and the vehicle, generating an action when the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle is less than a threshold, determining whether an override of the system has been initiated, and disabling the action if it is determined that the override has been initiated. The system includes an obstacle detector, an action generator, an override mechanism, and a processor configured to implement the steps of the method set forth above.

A transceiver for facilitating two-way wireless communication between a baseband application and other nodes in a wireless network, wherein the transceiver provides baseband communication networking and necessary configuration and control functions along with transmitter, receiver, and antenna functions to enable the wireless communication. More specifically, the transceiver provides a long-range wireless duplex communication node or channel between the baseband application, which is associated with a mobile or fixed space, air, water, or ground vehicle or other platform, and other nodes in the wireless network or grid. The transceiver broadly comprises a communication processor; a flexible telemetry transceiver including a receiver and a transmitter; a power conversion and regulation mechanism; a diplexer; and a phased array antenna system, wherein these various components and certain subcomponents thereof may be separately enclosed and distributable relative to the other components and subcomponents.

A landmark-based method of estimating the position of an AGV (autonomous ground vehicle) or conventional vehicle, which has an onboard database of landmarks and their location coordinates. During travel, the AGV looks for and identifies landmarks. It navigates according to position estimations that are based on measured yaw rate and speed. When a landmark is encountered and recognized, its true location coordinates are looked up from the database. These true coordinates are then used to enhance position estimation accuracy between landmarks.

An intelligent communications capability that enhances legacy military tactical datalink systems by creating an interface between disparate civil and military communications systems onboard military aircraft, ground vehicles, and ground-based communications infrastructures. This capability performs various information management tasks to interface with avionics systems, ground vehicle computer systems, and ground-based infrastructure computer systems. The invention enhances message processing through automation in areas such as data collection, incoming message handling, outgoing message construction, communications network management, and message priority management and routing. The invention also incorporates learning techniques to improve the overall efficiency of integrated military missions, operations, and maintenance in areas such as intelligent consolidation of datalink information, intelligent message distribution, and adaptive message re-routing in response to communications network failures. These enhancements will benefit the military by improving mission effectiveness with real-time information integration and management while reducing their support costs.

A device for the reduction of aerodynamic drag and for improved performance and stability of ground vehicles by reducing the mass and velocity of the flow passing under a vehicle is described. The device is particularly suited for a tractor-trailer truck system that includes a motorized lead vehicle pulling one or more non-motorized vehicles. The device is designed to control the flow from entering the undercarriage region from the side of a trailer of a tractor-trailer truck system.

A ceramic composite tile armor which is reinforced at the more vulnerable joint and free edge areas, using glass or ceramic strips or overlays bonded with an adhesive to the outer surface of the tile joints and free edges. This reinforcement provides improved ballistic threat protection for ground vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, spacecraft, and body (personnel) ceramic tile armor applications. Glass or ceramic overlay strips assist in fracturing impacting projectiles that strike the tile joints or free edges. The substrate laminate backing can then capture fragments of the projectile and broken ceramic and prevent penetration. The invention provides improved protection over conventional joint and edge enhancements with higher reliability of accurate positioning over joint and free-edge areas, with less added weight, and at lower associated production costs.

A vehicle comprises a platform, a propulsion system, a communications system, a sensor system, and a computer system. The propulsion system, communications system, sensor system, and computer system are associated with the platform. The propulsion system is configured to move the platform on a ground. The communications system is configured to establish a wireless communications link to a remote location. The sensor system is configured to generate sensor data. The computer system is configured to run a number of control processes to perform a mission and configured to perform operations in response to a number of commands from the number of operators if the number of requests is valid.

Various embodiments relate to systems and methods for simultaneously switching input image streams to output devices, while providing optional image processing functions on the image streams. Certain embodiments may provide vision systems and methods suitable for use in vehicles, particularly windowless vehicles, such as armored ground vehicles, submerged watercraft, and spacecraft. Some embodiments may enable sharing of image streams (e.g., with one or more other vehicles), generation of panoramic views (e.g., from various camera feeds), intelligent encoding of image streams, and implementation of security features based on image streams.

There is provided a method for identifying, at the moment of verification, the situation of a threat to a protected ground, airspace and / or sea limits by an approaching ground vehicle, aircraft or sea-going vessel. The method includes an authorized driver / pilot / captain to select first state in which the vehicle, aircraft or sea-going vessel is not considered to present a threat and a second state in which the vehicle, aircraft or sea-going vessel is considered to present a threat. The method further provides entering the first and second PIN codes into a smart card for generating a One Time Indicia (OTI) for each of the PIN codes and disclosing the state associated with each of the first and second OTI codes to at least one control center. Upon the control center receiving an OTI code, the control center obtains positive identification of the driver / pilot / captain and the degree of the threat that the vehicle, aircraft or sea-going vessel presents.

Automatic homing systems are disclosed, operable between pairs of objects. One or both of the objects in the pair may be moving and / or unmanned. Examples of a pair of objects between which the inventive automatic homing systems may be operated are ground vehicles in leader-follower configuration, as well as aircraft, spacecraft, watercraft. The automatic homing systems are based on a relatively simple, elegant concept of rightness / leftness and a line-of-sight link between a respective leader vehicle and follower vehicle. Complex EO / IR cameras, LIDAR, RADAR, and / or SONAR-based sensor systems can be avoided. Convoys of vehicles in leader-follower configuration advantageously may be operated without needing human operators in the follower vehicles.

A device for the reduction of aerodynamic drag and for improved performance and stability of ground vehicles by reducing the mass and velocity of the flow passing under a vehicle is described. The device is particularly suited for a tractor-trailer truck system that includes a motorized lead vehicle pulling one or more non-motorized vehicles. The device is designed to control the flow from entering the undercarriage region from the side of a trailer of a tractor-trailer truck system.

The automatic method of tracking and organizing the movements of vehicles on the ground in a zone of an airport comprises the steps consisting in: acquiring data relating to the possible presence of at least one body in the zone; analyzing the acquired data; and where necessary as a result of the analysis, defining an action as a function of the result. The method also makes it possible to detect the presence of a foreign body in zones over which airplanes can travel, and in particular on runways.

The invention relates to the technical field of three-dimensional modeling, and discloses a real scene three-dimensional modeling method for an urban building. Aviation oblique photographic measurement and ground vehicle-mounted mobile measurement are organically combined to perform air-ground integrated extraction and processing of omni-directional spatial information so that an urban building real scene three-dimensional model can be rapidly established, the ground defect of aviation oblique photographic measurement can be compensated to the greatest extent, and the ground advantage of vehicle-mounted mobile measurement can be fully exerted.

A device for the reduction of aerodynamic drag and for improved performance and stability of ground vehicles by reducing the mass and velocity of the flow passing under a vehicle is described. The device is particularly suited for a tractor-trailer truck system that includes a motorized lead vehicle pulling one or more non-motorized vehicles. The device is designed to control the flow from entering the undercarriage region from the side of a trailer of a tractor-trailer truck system.

The present invention is a man-portable counter-mortar radar (MCMR) radar system that detects and tracks enemy mortar projectiles in flight and calculates their point of origin (launch point) to enable and direct countermeasures against the mortar and its personnel. In addition, MCMR may also perform air defense surveillance by detecting and tracking aircraft, helicopters, and ground vehicles. MCMR is a man-portable radar system that can be disassembled for transport, then quickly assembled in the field, and provides 360-degree coverage against an enemy mortar attack. MCMR comprises an antenna for radiating the radar pulses and for receiving the reflected target echoes, a transmitter that produces the radar pulses to be radiated from the antenna, a receiver-processor for performing measurements (range, azimuth and elevation) on the target echoes, associating multiple echoes to create target tracks, classifying the tracks as mortar projectiles, and calculating the probable location of the mortar weapon, and a control and display computer that permits the operation of the radar and the display and interpretation of the processed radar data.

An improved method and device for the reduction of aerodynamic drag and for increased fuel economy of ground vehicles by increasing the pressure on the rear surface of the vehicle with a plurality of vortices generated along the top and side surfaces of the ground vehicle that flow in to the base wake region of the vehicle. The invention is comprised of a minimum number of small surfaces that attach to the side and top exterior surfaces of a ground vehicle. The spacing and orientation of the small surfaces, comprising the device, are dependent upon the vehicle geometry and vehicle operating conditions. The plurality of small surfaces are located forward of the vehicle base area. The plurality of adjacent small surfaces and are distributed circumferentially over the side and top surfaces of the ground vehicle.

A communications system and method utilizes an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) capable of collecting data about an environment in which the USV resides. At least one micro-aerial vehicle (MAV), equipped for unmanned flight after a launch thereof, is mounted on the USV. Each MAV has onboard radio frequency (RF) communications. Each MAV launched into the air transmits the data collected by the USV using the MAV's RF communications.

A crane apparatus installed on a pier, wharf, bulkhead wharf or other foundation directly transships containers from a vessel moored alongside the foundation to another transportation mode without ground placement of the containers. The crane apparatus includes a parent crane displaceable along the foundation for unloading containers from the vessel and placing them on a first platform of the parent crane, and a sibling crane displaceable along the foundation independently of displacement of the parent crane for loading containers from the first platform directly onto over-the-ground vehicles or onto another vessel moored alongside the foundation. The parent crane has a first trolley-hoist-spreader movable along an outreach boom for unloading containers from the vessel and placing them on either the first platform or a second platform of the parent crane, and a second trolley-hoist-spreader movable along a backreach boom for loading containers from the second platform onto another vessel or onto over-the-ground vehicles. A container security scanning system may be provided on the second platform for scanning the containers while on the second platform to determine whether one or more preselected chemical, biological, explosive or nuclear materials are present in the containers.

A Ground Runway Awareness and Advisory System (GRAAS) that provides supplemental position information and airport situational awareness alerts and advisories to pedestrians and vehicle operators during surface operations by providing timely aural, textual, graphic or pictographic alerts and advisory messages to pedestrians and vehicle operators in a significant number of different scenarios that have led to past runway and taxiway incursion occurrences. These messages are optionally supplemented by a situational awareness video display wherein one or more of the user's position, heading and ground speed are superimposed on a graphic display of airport features of interest. The GRAAS thereby satisfies one clear requirement in reducing VPDs: that the pedestrians or vehicle operators have a clear understanding of the airport layout, including designations of runways and taxiways, and their position relative to the airport layout and features, including aircraft, other ground vehicle traffic and pedestrians where position information is available.