Visual Cues for Spatial Communication Coverage in Urban Air Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Urban air mobility vehicles face challenges in maintaining communication connectivity due to line-of-sight obstacles and limited range of ground transceivers, requiring operators to manually scan for alternative communication channels, which is distracting and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that generate visual cues for spatial communication coverage by analyzing communication channel characteristics, calculating vehicle position and velocity, and presenting channel availability through a graphical user interface, allowing operators to identify accessible channels and relay paths, thereby reducing operator burden and ensuring safe navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operators manually scan communication channels during unexpected outages, then they can identify alternative communication channels, but this process is distracting and challenging for vehicle operators
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores alternative communication channel information before communication outages occur. The graphical user interface pre-displays multiple communication channels and their coverage areas, so when an outage happens, operators can immediately switch to pre-identified alternative channels without manual scanning, thus reducing operator workload while maintaining communication reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface acts as an intermediary between the communication system and the operator. It automatically monitors communication channel status, identifies available alternatives, and presents them in an intuitive visual format, eliminating the need for operators to manually scan channels while ensuring communication connectivity is maintained
2Loss of information
If the system provides comprehensive communication channel information, then operators can identify accessible channels and relay paths, but this requires complex analysis and real-time calculation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing communication channel characteristics, calculating coverage areas, and identifying relay paths without requiring external intervention. The processor autonomously processes communication data, determines channel availability, and updates the graphical user interface, reducing system complexity from the operator's perspective while providing comprehensive communication information
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical scanning and analysis with automated electronic processing. The processor electronically analyzes communication channel data, calculates coverage areas using mathematical models, and generates visual representations, substituting complex manual operations with streamlined electronic computation that reduces overall system complexity
3Measurement precision
If the system calculates present position and velocity for predictive analysis, then communication channel availability can be determined more accurately, but this increases computational requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by calculating communication channel availability only for relevant positions along the proposed travel path rather than continuously for all possible positions. The processor focuses computational resources on predicting channel availability at critical points where communication outages are most likely to occur, improving prediction accuracy while reducing overall computational energy consumption
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable media for generating visual cues for spatial communication coverage. For instance, the method may include obtaining a proposed travel path for a vehicle; locating one or more communication channels accessible to an operator of the vehicle in an area that includes at least a portion of the proposed travel path; and analyzing one or more characteristics of the one or more communication channels to determine one or more positions within the area at which the one or more communication channels will be inaccessible to the operator. The method may further include calculating a present position and a velocity of the vehicle; determining communication channel availability; and presenting the communication channel availability to the operator via a graphical user interface.