Airborne Antenna Path Planning for Radio Connectivity Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current flight path planning for airborne communication systems is complex and inefficient, requiring manual generation and involving numerous variables such as communication subscriber nodes, terrain, and radio capabilities, leading to a combinatorial explosion of interacting factors, which is difficult to manage and predict effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for automatically generating a flight path and antenna configuration for airborne communication vehicles based on connectivity between the vehicle and communication nodes, using a communication travel plan generation system that receives and processes location information to optimize the path and antenna settings over time, reducing the need for multi-disciplinary expertise and enabling dynamic re-planning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual flight path planning is used by mission planners, then the system can handle complex communication requirements, but the complexity of the planning process increases significantly due to combinatorial explosion of variables

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle communication requirementsVSAvoidcomplexity of planning process

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by allowing the flight path planning system to automatically generate and optimize flight paths without requiring manual intervention from mission planners. The system takes communication requirements as input and autonomously computes optimal trajectories, eliminating the need for planners to manually manage the combinatorial explosion of variables while maintaining adaptability to complex communication needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Quantity of substance

If the number of communication subscriber nodes and their requirements increase, then the communication coverage improves, but the difficulty of managing interacting variables increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of communication subscriber nodesVSAvoiddifficulty of managing interacting variables

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical approach of manual variable management with an automated computational system. The flight path planning system uses algorithms to automatically process and optimize multiple interacting variables including subscriber node locations, communication requirements, and flight constraints, substituting human cognitive processing with automated computational methods that can efficiently handle the complexity of managing numerous subscriber nodes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If sophisticated non-deterministic algorithms are used to find approximate solutions, then the path optimization improves, but the computational complexity and time required increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepath optimization qualityVSAvoidcomputational time required

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary action by pre-processing communication requirements and subscriber node information before generating flight paths. The flight path planning system prepares and organizes input data, constraints, and optimization parameters in advance, which enables more efficient computation during the actual path generation phase, reducing the overall computational time while maintaining optimization quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If mission planners enter waypoints manually, then the flight path can be defined, but the ability to measure or predict connectivity effectiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of entering flight pathVSAvoidpredictability of connectivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by automatically evaluating and predicting connectivity effectiveness based on generated flight paths. The flight path planning system computes connectivity metrics and performance predictions for each proposed trajectory, providing feedback information about expected communication quality. This enables mission planners to assess connectivity effectiveness before finalizing flight paths, maintaining ease of operation while restoring predictability of connectivity outcomes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20240013662A1System for generation of plan defining motion and antenna configuration for a vehicle

Publication Date: 2024.01.11 ARCHITECTURE TECH CORP

AI summary

A method of generating a plan for a vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving information indicating a location of each of a plurality of communication nodes and the vehicle during a first time period and a second time period. The vehicle is configured to send wireless signals to and receive wireless signals with the plurality of communication nodes. The method includes developing a plan that defines a path of motion for the vehicle and a configuration for an antenna on the vehicle during the first time period and the second time period based on connectivity between the vehicle and the plurality of communication nodes.