Centralized Hub for Aerial and Terrestrial Vehicle Coordination
Solution Overview
Problem
Current aerial vehicles operated near the surface lack standardized rules of operation and communication systems, requiring human intervention for navigation and conflict resolution, which limits their efficiency and safety in shared environments.
Innovation Solution
A centralized hub system is established to authenticate and control aerial and terrestrial vehicles, defining travelways through mathematical models and enabling autonomous operation by coordinating vehicles through a distributed management system using wireless communication networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If human operators control each aerial vehicle individually, then vehicles can operate with current technology, but operational efficiency decreases and safety is compromised in shared environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized hub as an intermediary system that coordinates multiple aerial vehicles. This hub acts as a mediator between individual vehicles and human operators, managing vehicle authentication, travelway assignments, and conflict resolution. By placing this intermediary control system in between, the patent enables one operator to safely manage multiple vehicles simultaneously, improving operational efficiency without requiring each vehicle to have complex autonomous decision-making capabilities.
2Reliability
If aerial vehicles operate without standardized rules, then individual operators have flexibility in vehicle operation, but safety and coordination in shared environments deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes standardized parameters and rules for aerial vehicle operation, including defined travelways, speed limits, and communication protocols. These standardized parameters create a predictable operating environment that improves safety and reliability. The system allows flexibility within these parameters, such as allowing operators to choose which vehicles to manage and how to respond to situations within the established rules, thus maintaining ease of operation while significantly improving safety.
3Productivity
If one operator controls multiple vehicles, then operational efficiency improves, but the complexity of monitoring and coordinating vehicles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into distinct functional modules: vehicle authentication, travelway management, conflict detection, and communication coordination. This segmentation allows the centralized hub to handle multiple vehicles systematically by breaking down the complex coordination task into manageable segments. Each segment processes specific aspects of vehicle management independently, reducing the overall complexity burden on the operator while enabling efficient multi-vehicle control.
4Productivity
If aerial vehicles operate beyond line-of-sight autonomously, then operational efficiency and scalability improve, but the need for standardized communication and coordination systems increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication protocol and standardized data format that enables aerial vehicles to autonomously communicate with the centralized hub and with each other. This universal system serves multiple functions: authentication, location reporting, conflict notification, and coordination messaging. By creating a multi-functional communication framework, the patent enables autonomous beyond-line-of-sight operation without requiring separate specialized systems for each communication need, thus managing complexity while improving productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method of using a centralized hub that controls and authenticates which aerial and/or terrestrial vehicles are on a local vehicle operations travelway. Communications networks are established that can handle one-off decisions for local networks, regarding the vehicles. This centralized hub may be implemented for each location, and federated with other centralized hubs.