Unmanned Vehicle Mode Control for Safe Mission Upload

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Unmanned vehicles lack a stable control mode that prevents accidental or mistaken maneuvers during mission data upload, leading to potential crashes or deviations from course.

Innovation Solution

A dual-computer system that operates in safe, manual, and enroute modes, where mission commands are accepted but manual commands are refused in safe modes, and vice versa, allowing direct mode transitions between these states to prevent unauthorized control during critical operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the unmanned vehicle accepts both mission commands and manual commands during operation, then the vehicle has high operational flexibility and adaptability, but the risk of accidental or mistaken maneuvers increases leading to potential crashes or deviations from course

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidsafety during mission data upload

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically transitions between different operational modes (safe mode, manual mode, enroute mode) based on the current operational context. During mission data upload, the system enters safe mode where manual commands are refused, preventing accidental maneuvers. When mission data upload is complete, the system can transition to enroute mode where both mission and manual commands are accepted, providing operational flexibility when safe

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the acceptance parameter for manual commands based on the operational phase. In safe mode, the parameter for accepting manual commands is set to false, preventing mistaken maneuvers during critical operations like mission data upload. In enroute mode, the parameter is set to true, allowing operational flexibility. This dynamic parameter change resolves the contradiction between safety and flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If the unmanned vehicle allows direct mode transitions between any states, then the response time to changing operational conditions is reduced, but the risk of unauthorized control during critical operations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemode transition response timeVSAvoidcontrol authorization safety

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining valid mode transition paths before operations begin. The controller is configured with specific allowed transitions (safe mode to manual mode, safe mode to enroute mode, and vice versa). This preliminary configuration ensures that even during rapid transitions, the system only moves between authorized states, preventing unauthorized control while maintaining fast response times

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10216187B2Unmanned vehicle operating modes

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORP

AI summary

A vehicle includes a frame, drive elements configured to drive movements of the frame, and a computer configured to receive mission planning and manual commands and to control operations of the drive elements to operate in a safe mode in which mission commands are accepted but manual commands are refused, a manual mode in which mission commands are refused but manual commands are accepted and an enroute mode. The computer is further configured to only allow mode transitions directly between the safe mode and the manual mode and directly between the safe mode and the enroute mode.