Mesh-Network Mobile Platform Control for Low-Latency Node Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unmanned mobile sensor platforms, such as UAVs, ROVs, USVs, and UGVs, face challenges in completing operations due to insufficient sensor and navigation capabilities, particularly in exchanging information between neighboring nodes.
Innovation Solution
A control station with a communication system, user interface, and logic circuit is provided to facilitate wireless communication and command execution between a mobile platform and a mesh network of nodes, enabling commands like navigation, image tracking, and landing based on position information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional sensor and navigation technologies are used in mobile platforms, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to exchange information between neighboring nodes and complete operations is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mesh network as an intermediary communication infrastructure between mobile platforms and control stations. The mesh network enables indirect communication through intermediate nodes, allowing information exchange without requiring direct line-of-sight or complex point-to-point communication systems between each platform and control station.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh network nodes serve multiple functions: they act as communication relays, provide position information, enable command transmission, and support various operations (navigation, imaging, landing). This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate specialized systems for each function.
2Loss of time
If direct communication between control station and mobile platform is used, then the device complexity is low, but signal latency increases and operation precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh network acts as an intermediary communication layer that routes signals between control stations and mobile platforms. This intermediary infrastructure enables optimized signal paths and reduces latency by allowing direct platform-to-node communication for time-sensitive operations while maintaining system manageability.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system is segmented into multiple independent nodes forming a mesh network. This segmentation allows parallel communication paths and distributed signal routing, reducing bottlenecks and latency compared to centralized direct communication while maintaining system simplicity through modular node design.
3Measurement precision
If mesh network with multiple nodes is implemented, then the ability to perform complex operations like following, imaging, and landing with precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each mesh network node autonomously determines its position and relays information to neighboring nodes without requiring centralized coordination. This self-service approach enables precise position tracking and complex operations while keeping individual node complexity low, as each node operates independently based on local information exchange.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods related to operating a mobile platform using mesh networks are disclosed. In one embodiment, a control station may have a user interface that displays nodes participating in a mesh network. The control station may provide the positions of the nodes using position information broadcasted from the nodes and received by the control station. A user may select a node in the user interface and enter a command to have a mobile platform interact with the node. The control station may send the command to the mobile platform and cause the mobile platform to establish a wireless connection to the node, subscribe to position information corresponding to the node and received from the node by the wireless connection, and operate the mobile platform in response to the position information of the selected node, such as by following the node, image tracking the node, or landing near the node.