US 12,148,183 B2
Determining a current pose estimate of an aircraft relative to a runway to support the aircraft on approach
Nick S. Evans, Lynnwood, WA (US); Eric R. Muir, Bothell, WA (US); Cullen W. Billhartz, Seattle, WA (US); and Jasper P. Corleis, Renton, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/527,783.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/127,526, filed on Dec. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0198703 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. G06T 7/73 (2017.01); G06T 3/40 (2024.01); G08G 5/02 (2006.01)
CPC G06T 7/74 (2017.01) [G06T 3/40 (2013.01); G08G 5/025 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10032 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20081 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20132 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20164 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30204 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for supporting an aircraft approaching a runway on an airfield, the apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store computer-readable program code; and
processing circuitry configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause the apparatus to at least:
receive a sequence of images of the airfield, captured by at least one camera onboard the aircraft approaching the runway; and for at least one image of the sequence of images,
apply the at least one image to a machine learning model trained to predict a pose of the aircraft relative to the runway, the machine learning model configured to map the at least one image to the pose based on a training set of labeled images with respective ground truth poses of the aircraft relative to the runway; and
output the pose as a current pose estimate of the aircraft relative to the runway for use in at least one of monitoring the current pose estimate, generating an alert based on the current pose estimate, or guidance or control of the aircraft on a final approach.