The Boeing Company

John N Sanders-Reed

Michael K Hollis

Dennis J Yelton

David Ray Riley

Michael R Abraham

Christian C Witt

Christopher J Musial

A method of improving integrity of a computer system includes executing certifiable and qualifiable software applications. The certifiable software application is composed of static program instructions executed sequentially to process input data to produce an output, and the qualifiable software application uses a model iteratively built using a machine learning algorithm to process the input data to produce a corresponding output. The certifiable software application is certifiable for the computer system according to a certification standard, and the qualifiable software application being non-certifiable for the computer system according to the certification standard. The method also includes cross-checking the output by comparison with the corresponding output to verify the output, and thereby improve integrity of the computer system. And the method includes generating an alert that the output is unverified when the comparison indicates that the output differs from the corresponding output by more than a threshold.

Computer system integrity through a combination of certifiable and qualifiable software

Aerial positioning systems and methods include a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) device mounted to a hub and one or more reflectors attached to a portion of an aircraft and configured to encode information scanable by the LIDAR device. The LIDAR device is configured to scan a field of view to identify the one or more reflectors and reflector encoded information to determine reflector position data.

Aerial positioning systems and methods

A method is provided for providing remote display of an enhanced image. The method receives data from the image source, creates an enhanced image with the received data, and transmits the enhanced image via a wireless link to a display device capable of displaying the enhanced image. The method may create the enhanced image by stitching image data from at least two image sources having different fields of view, fusing image data from at least two image sources having different image modalities, or combining image data from at least one image source with synthetic image data. The method may also modify at least one transmission characteristic based on a bandwidth of the wireless link. The transmission characteristic may be selected from the group comprising field of view, frame rate, resolution, and compression.

Methods for remote display of an enhanced image

A virtual sphere provided by an enhanced vision system includes synthetic imagery filling said virtual sphere and a common view window mapped to a dedicated position within the synthetic imagery. Imagery of the line of sight of a user is displayed in the common view window. By providing the common view window, visual communication between all users may be possible. By connecting a virtual user to the enhanced vision system and by displaying the imagery for the line of sight of the virtual user in the common view window, the workload of a human operator may be reduced and the time line of actions may be shortened. The enhanced vision system of the present invention may be used, but is not limited to, in a military aircraft to enhance the situational awareness of the flight crew.

Situational awareness components of an enhanced vision system

A system for providing remote display of an enhanced image comprises at least one image source and a processing element. The processing element is capable of receiving data from the image source, creating an enhanced image with the received data, and transmitting the enhanced image via a wireless link to a display device capable of displaying the enhanced image. The processing element may create the enhanced image by stitching image data from at least two image sources having different fields of view, fusing image data from at least two image sources having different image modalities, or combining image data from at least one image source with synthetic image data. The processing element may be further capable of modifying at least one transmission characteristic based on a bandwidth of the wireless link. The transmission characteristic may be selected from the group comprising field of view, frame rate, resolution, and compression.

Systems and methods for remote display of an enhanced image

A collision sense and avoidance system and method and an aircraft, such as an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) and/or Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV), including the collision sense and avoidance system. The collision sense and avoidance system includes an image interrogator identifies potential collision threats to the aircraft and provides maneuvers to avoid any identified threat. Motion sensors (e.g., imaging and/or infrared sensors) provide image frames of the surroundings to a clutter suppression and target detection unit that detects local targets moving in the frames. A Line Of Sight (LOS), multi-target tracking unit, tracks detected local targets and maintains a track history in LOS coordinates for each detected local target. A threat assessment unit determines whether any tracked local target poses a collision threat. An avoidance maneuver unit provides flight control and guidance with a maneuver to avoid any identified said collision threat.

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Cedar Crest, NM, United States of America

John N Sanders-Reed