Rotorcraft Guidance Using Visual Marker Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotorcraft guidance systems face challenges in noisy environments where radio communication is ineffective, and hand signals can be misinterpreted, especially when the operator lacks clear visibility of the payload or ground crew, leading to potential errors in guiding rotorcraft to desired locations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize onboard cameras to capture images of markers arranged in a predefined pattern, processing these images to determine guidance information relative to an off-board target, providing this information to the rotorcraft operator through a display and potentially audio, using markers that emit wireless signals like ultraviolet, visible, or infrared light, to enhance visibility and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radio communication is used for ground-to-air guidance, then communication can be maintained over distance, but communication becomes ineffective in noisy rotorcraft environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces radio communication (acoustic/electromagnetic wave system) with an optical vision-based system. The ground crew uses visual markers and the rotorcraft operator uses a camera-based vision system to receive guidance information, substituting the radio communication mechanism with an optical detection and image processing system that is immune to noise interference.
2Reliability
If hand signals are used for ground-to-air guidance, then communication can occur without radios, but hand signals may be confused or misinterpreted when visibility is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual markers placed on the ground that create a representational pattern corresponding to the ground crew's intended message. Instead of relying on direct observation of human hand signals, the system captures an optical pattern (copy) of the markers through a camera, processes it to extract guidance information, and presents it to the operator. This copying mechanism eliminates the ambiguity of hand signals while maintaining visual communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs markers with distinct visual characteristics including color variations to encode guidance information. Different colors or color patterns of the markers represent different directional or positional instructions, allowing the operator to interpret guidance unambiguously without needing to see the ground crew directly.
3Reliability
If visual markers are used for guidance, then communication can be clear and unambiguous, but the system complexity increases with multiple markers and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the guidance information into multiple discrete visual markers arranged in a pattern on the ground. Each marker or position in the pattern represents a specific piece of information (direction, distance, target identification). This segmentation allows the complex guidance message to be broken down into simple, detectable visual elements that can be processed sequentially by the image recognition system.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual marker system is designed to be self-explanatory and self-processing. The markers inherently encode the guidance information through their spatial arrangement and visual characteristics, eliminating the need for external interpretation by the ground crew. The image processing system automatically extracts the guidance information from the marker pattern without requiring manual analysis, reducing overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides clear and accurate guidance information to rotorcraft operators, reducing errors and misinterpretations, even in noisy or obstructed conditions, by using visual and wireless signals to convey the position and orientation of off-board targets, such as payloads or landing sites.
Implementation Method 1
acquiring one or more images of a plurality of markers of an off-board target using a camera onboard a rotorcraft
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of markers comprises beacons that propagate wireless signals, which comprise one or more of ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared light, and short wave infrared light
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a method that comprises acquiring one or more images of a plurality of markers of an off-board target using a camera onboard a rotorcraft, the plurality of markers arranged in a predefined pattern. The method also comprises processing, using an image processor, the one or more images of the plurality of markers to identify the predefined pattern of the plurality of markers. The method further comprises determining guidance information for the rotorcraft relative to the off-board target based on the identified predefined pattern of the plurality of markers, an orientation of the plurality of markers and a relative spacing of the plurality of markers. The method additionally comprises providing the determined guidance information to a display device within a field of view of an operator of the rotorcraft.