Abstract: The present invention provides a distributed agent-based computer infrastructure configured to manage a mission of an unmanned vehicle that includes generating a mission plan and executing the mission plan. The computer infrastructure comprises an operator interface component, an autonomous mission management component and a vehicle systems interface component. The autonomous mission management component comprises agents configured for receiving information from an operator, for generating a mission plan from the received information including a path to be traveled, and for monitoring execution of the mission plan.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for monitoring for security threats in computer network traffic is disclosed. The method comprises operating computer processing means to carry out the steps of: monitoring traffic between a network to be protected and a second network, through a first gateway; in response to determining traffic between the network to be protected and a new host in the second network, accessing the new host through a second gateway; and comparing traffic between the network to be protected and the new host through the first gateway with traffic between the computer processing means and the new host through the second gateway, to detect an anomaly therebetween. The apparatus comprising the computer processing means, the computer processing means programmed and operable to carry out the method.

Abstract: A method includes enabling a power supply of a ground sensor device to provide power to one or more components of the ground sensor device based on one or more rotations of a rotor of the ground sensor device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks that may include aircraft. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of providing routing data for use in routing a message from a source node to available destination nodes through a mobile ad hoc network. A list of neighbor nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication is obtained. For each neighbor node, a cost function is used to calculate the lowest costs of sending messages to respective available destination nodes; and routing data is generated based on these lowest costs. A message may be routed to the most suitable neighbor node by reference to the routing data.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for monitoring for security threats in computer network traffic is disclosed. The method comprises operating computer processing means (50) to carry out the steps of: monitoring (110) traffic between a network to be protected (10) and a second network (20), through a first gateway (40); in response to determining traffic between the network to be protected (10) and a new host in the second network (20), accessing (130) the new host through a second gateway (60); and comparing (140) traffic between the network to be protected (10) and the new host through the first gateway (40) with traffic between the computer processing means (50) and the new host through the second gateway (60), to detect an anomaly therebetween. The apparatus comprising the computer processing means (50), the computer processing means (50) programmed and operable to carry out the method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to voice-activated vehicle control, and to the control of UAVs (unmanned air vehicles) using speech in particular. A method of controlling a vehicle is provided that includes receiving one or more instructions issued as speech and analyzing the speech using speech recognition software to provide a sequence of words and a word confidence measure for each word so recognized. The sequence of words is analyzed to identify a semantic concept corresponding to an instruction based on the analysis, and a semantic confidence level for the semantic concept identified derived at least in part with reference to the word confidence measures of the words associated with the semantic concept. A spoken confirmation of the semantic concept so identified based on the semantic confidence level is provided, and the semantic concept is used to provide a control input for the vehicle.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to unattended ground sensors for detecting the presence of a pedestrian or vehicle in a monitored area using seismic sensors. Networks of simple and inexpensive sensors are disclosed that may be rapidly deployed. The networks may be formed from a dense array of low cost ground sensors having low sensitivity.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks, and to ad hoc networks using aircraft in particular. A method of maintaining data links to and from a source node in an ad hoc mobile network is provided. The network comprises nodes including neighbour nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication with the source node. The neighbour nodes comprise active neighbour nodes and inactive neighbour nodes, the active neighbour nodes being connected to the source node via respective active data links and the inactive neighbour nodes having respective inactive data links to the source node. One or more lost neighbour nodes are identified and revised configurations of data links are considered that account for the change in neighbour nodes. A new configuration is selected based at least partly on the cost of sending messages from the source node using the revised configurations.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks that may include aircraft. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of providing routing data for use in routing a message from a source node to available destination nodes through a mobile ad hoc network. A list of neighbour nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication is obtained. For each neighbour node, a cost function is used to calculate the lowest costs of sending messages to respective available destination nodes; and routing data is generated based on these lowest costs. A message may be routed to the most suitable neighbour node by reference to the routing data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to voice-activated vehicle control, and to the control of UAVs (unmanned air vehicles) using speech in particular. A method of controlling a vehicle is provided that includes receiving one or more instructions issued as speech and analyzing the speech using speech recognition software to provide a sequence of words and a word confidence measure for each word so recognized. The sequence of words is analyzed to identify a semantic concept corresponding to an instruction based on the analysis, and a semantic confidence level for the semantic concept identified derived at least in part with reference to the word confidence measures of the words associated with the semantic concept. A spoken confirmation of the semantic concept so identified based on the semantic confidence level is provided, and the semantic concept is used to provide a control input for the vehicle.