Remote Control Display Latency Detection for Unmanned Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Remote control displays for unmanned systems often experience latency and loss of signal detection, which can lead to inaccurate control decisions and potential system failures.

Innovation Solution

The system includes a remote control device with a display screen, memory, and communication interface, which receives video frames from a host computing device and determines latency by comparing the receipt times of consecutive frames. It displays an alert graphic element if latency exceeds a threshold, allowing operators to make informed decisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If video data is streamed from unmanned system to remote control unit for real-time display, then operator can view current position and make control decisions, but video latency occurs causing delay between actual position and displayed position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol accuracyVSAvoidvideo latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and displays the future position of the unmanned system based on current velocity and heading data, rather than displaying the current position with latency. This preliminary action compensates for the time delay in video transmission by showing where the system will be, not where it was when the video frame was captured.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors video latency by comparing timestamps of received video frames and adjusts the display accordingly. When latency is detected, the system modifies the video presentation to account for the delay, providing feedback-based compensation that maintains control accuracy despite transmission delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If video frames are transmitted continuously to maintain real-time display, then operator has continuous view of unmanned system, but network bandwidth is consumed and may cause additional delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo continuityVSAvoidnetwork efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous video transmission, the system uses periodic video frames at optimized intervals. The display interpolates between frames using telemetry data (velocity, heading) to maintain the appearance of continuous motion while reducing actual data transmission frequency, thus preserving video continuity information while improving network efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates simplified representations of video content by using telemetry data (position, velocity, heading) to generate predicted position overlays on the video display. This copying approach using numerical data instead of full video frames reduces bandwidth consumption while maintaining essential visual information about system location and orientation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If video latency compensation is implemented to show future position, then control accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional calculations and data processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter being displayed from absolute position to relative position based on predicted future location. By using simple kinematic calculations (position = current position + velocity × time compensation), the system achieves high measurement precision with minimal processing complexity, avoiding complex algorithms while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Measurement precision

If video frames are buffered to compensate for latency, then future position can be displayed accurately, but loss of signal detection is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition accuracyVSAvoidsignal loss detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a dual-mode approach where it buffers video frames partially (enough for latency compensation) while simultaneously monitoring for signal loss conditions. When signal loss is detected through timeout thresholds or error rates, the system immediately switches from buffered display to alert display, using partial buffering to maintain accuracy during normal operation while preserving rapid response to abnormal conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12340776B2Ruggedized remote control display latency and loss of signal detection for harsh and safety-critical environments

Publication Date: 2025.06.24 MASON ELECTRIC CO

AI summary

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for overcoming latency and loss of signal detection in remote control displays. An exemplary system includes a remote control, a host computing device, and one or more target systems communicatively coupled to each other over a wired and/or wireless network. One method includes receiving, by the remote control and from a host computing device, a first video frame captured by a target device, determining a first time corresponding to receipt of the first video frame, receiving, from the host computing device, a second video frame, determining a second time corresponding to receipt of the second video frame, comparing the time difference to a latency threshold, and causing an alert graphic element to be displayed indicating a latency in communication.