Distributed Aerial Vehicle Event Management for Faster Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Operators of aerial vehicles face challenges in accurately and timely responding to multiple events impacting the vehicle's operation due to limited time and knowledge, leading to potential safety and efficiency issues.

Innovation Solution

A distributed event management framework that utilizes a machine learning-based event management engine across onboard and offboard computing devices to analyze sensor data, classify events, and generate actionable recommendations, allowing for efficient decision-making and control of vehicle systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If operators manually evaluate multiple events impacting aerial vehicle operation, then they can assess the scope and criticality of events, but they face limited time and knowledge which prevents accurate determination of appropriate mitigative actions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of event assessmentVSAvoidtime available for operator response
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an event management framework as an intermediary system between the multiple event sources and the operator. This framework includes an event management engine that receives data from various sensors and systems, processes events through classification and prioritization, and presents consolidated information to the operator. The intermediary framework handles the complex evaluation work, allowing the operator to receive pre-processed, prioritized event information without needing to manually assess each individual event, thus resolving the contradiction between assessment accuracy and response time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical evaluation process with an automated computational system. The event management engine uses algorithms to automatically classify, prioritize, and evaluate multiple events based on sensor data and predefined criteria. This substitution of manual operator analysis with automated mechanical/computational processing enables rapid assessment of multiple events simultaneously, overcoming both the time limitation and the knowledge requirement for accurate event evaluation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If a centralized event management system is used to process all events, then comprehensive analysis can be performed, but system complexity and processing delays increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomprehensiveness of event analysisVSAvoidcomplexity of event management system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the event management system into multiple independent components: an event management engine that performs initial processing, a classification module that categorizes events, a prioritization module that ranks events by urgency, and an output interface that presents information to the operator. Each segment handles specific aspects of event management independently, allowing comprehensive analysis to be distributed across multiple simpler modules rather than concentrated in a single complex centralized system, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive analysis capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial processing by handling only the most critical aspects of event management in real-time. The event management engine performs selective classification and prioritization of events based on predefined thresholds and criteria, focusing computational resources on the most urgent events rather than attempting to fully analyze all possible events with equal depth. This partial action approach provides comprehensive coverage of critical events while avoiding the excessive complexity that would result from exhaustive analysis of all event types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of information

If operators are provided with detailed information from multiple sensors and systems, then situational awareness is improved, but cognitive workload increases making accurate decision-making difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesituational awarenessVSAvoidcognitive workload on operator
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential and relevant information from the vast amount of sensor data and system outputs. The event management framework selectively extracts key event parameters, classification labels, and prioritization indicators, removing unnecessary detailed data that would contribute to cognitive overload. By taking out only the critical information needed for decision-making and presenting it in a simplified format, the system maintains comprehensive situational awareness while significantly reducing the cognitive workload on the operator

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If multiple systems and sensors are integrated to monitor aerial vehicle operation, then event detection capability is improved, but the complexity of managing and responding to events increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent detection capabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of event management framework
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal event management framework that can handle multiple types of events from various sensors and systems through a single standardized interface. The event management engine is designed with multi-functional capabilities to process different event types (sensor anomalies, system failures, operational deviations) using common classification and prioritization algorithms. This universal approach allows comprehensive event detection from multiple sources while managing complexity through a unified processing architecture rather than requiring separate handling mechanisms for each event type

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4443355A1Distributed event management framework for aerial vehicles
Publication Date: 2024.10.09 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
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AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an event management framework configured to mitigate events impacting the operation of a vehicle. Embodiments can receive a set of vehicle operation constraints, receive vehicle sensor data, and receive travel event data associated with the operation of the aerial vehicle. Embodiments include an event management engine configured to determine a set of recommendations related to the events. The event management engine is distributed across multiple operational segments of the event management framework. The event management engine can determine a respective computing device of the multiple operational segments for determining the set of recommendations based at least in part on a respective classification of the one or more events. The event management engine can also cause execution of the respective recommendations, where causing the execution of the respective recommendations causes operation of one or more vehicle systems affecting control of the aerial vehicle.