US 12,223,678 B2
Navigation system and method
Ralph R. Galetti, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Nov. 29, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/522,625.
Application 18/522,625 is a continuation of application No. 17/496,339, filed on Oct. 7, 2021, granted, now 11,869,214.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/138,578, filed on Jan. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0095952 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 23/90 (2023.01); G06T 7/73 (2017.01)
CPC G06T 7/74 (2017.01) [H04N 23/90 (2023.01); G06T 2207/30252 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A navigation system for one or more vehicles located within a control volume, comprising:
a first camera configured to observe the one or more vehicles and first and second reference points within a first field of view, wherein the first and second reference points have first and second known spatial positions, respectively, the first camera having a known first camera spatial position and being further configured to produce a first output signal from the observed one or more vehicles and the first and second reference points;
a second camera configured to observe the one or more vehicles and the first and second reference points within a second field of view, the second camera having a known second camera spatial position and being further configured to produce a second output signal from the observed one or more vehicles and the first and second reference points; and
a processor operatively connected with the first and second cameras and configured to determine a respective spatial position for each of the one or more vehicles from the first and second output signals and from the known first and second camera spatial positions;
wherein the one or more vehicles and the control volume are, respectively, one or more aircraft and a landing zone including a first airspace above the landing zone, one or more ground vehicles and an area of terrain including a second airspace above the terrain, one or more surface watercraft and a region of open water including a third airspace above the open water, one or more submersible watercraft and a volume of navigable water, or one or more spacecraft and a volume of navigable space.