Abstract: The application relates to an aircraft operation path planning method and a control device and a control equipment. The method comprises the following steps: obtaining a docking point, an operation point, and a safe point, wherein no obstacle exists within a safe distance range of the safe point (S100); planning a first path between the docking point and the safe point and a second path between the safe point and the operation point, so that the path between the docking point and the operation point passes through the safe point in a smooth transition manner (S200).

Abstract: A distance from an aerial vehicle to a terrain feature located forward and lower with respect to the aerial vehicle is measured. An orientation of the aerial vehicle with respect to a reference orientation is detected. At least the measured distance and the orientation of the aerial vehicle is utilized to determine a relative vertical difference between a vertical location of the aerial vehicle and a vertical location of the terrain feature. The determined relative vertical difference is utilized to automatically adjust a flight altitude of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A specification of an expected border of a bounded area is received. One or more images of at least a portion of the bounded area that is at least a threshold distance away from the expected border are received to generate a model of the bounded area. A current location position of the aerial vehicle is used to determine that the aerial vehicle is within the threshold distance away from the expected border. In response, an updated expected border is determined using the generated model of the bounded area and a border image of at least a portion of the expected border captured by an image sensor.

Abstract: A specification of an expected border of a bounded area is received. One or more images of at least a portion of the bounded area that is at least a threshold distance away from the expected border are received to generate a model of the bounded area. A current location position of the aerial vehicle is used to determine that the aerial vehicle is within the threshold distance away from the expected border. In response, an updated expected border is determined using the generated model of the bounded area and a border image of at least a portion of the expected border captured by an image sensor.

Abstract: A distance from an aerial vehicle to a terrain feature located forward and lower with respect to the aerial vehicle is measured. An orientation of the aerial vehicle with respect to a reference orientation is detected. At least the measured distance and the orientation of the aerial vehicle is utilized to determine a relative vertical difference between a vertical location of the aerial vehicle and a vertical location of the terrain feature. The determined relative vertical difference is utilized to automatically adjust a flight altitude of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A distance from an aerial vehicle to a terrain feature located forward and lower with respect to the aerial vehicle is measured. A current orientation of the aerial vehicle with respect to a reference orientation is detected. At least the measured distance and the current orientation is utilized to determine a relative vertical difference between a vertical location of the aerial vehicle and a vertical location of the terrain feature. The determined vertical difference is utilized to automatically adjust a flight altitude of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A distance from an aerial vehicle to a terrain feature located forward and lower with respect to the aerial vehicle is measured. A current orientation of the aerial vehicle with respect to a reference orientation is detected. At least the measured distance and the current orientation is utilized to determine a relative vertical difference between a vertical location of the aerial vehicle and a vertical location of the terrain feature is det. The determined vertical difference is utilized to automatically adjust a flight altitude of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A method for steering control of a vehicle having an actuator which turns steered wheels of the vehicle. The steering control method includes obtaining a location of a target point at a look-ahead distance away from the vehicle based on a maneuver the vehicle is performing, predicting a forward location of the vehicle at the look-ahead distance away from the vehicle, determining a distance between the location of the target point and the forward location, computing a normalized error by dividing the distance with the look-ahead distance, and determining a steering control command based on an integration of the normalized error. The actuator then turns the steered wheels of the vehicle according to the steering control command so as to steer the vehicle to perform various maneuvers.

Abstract: A method for steering control of a vehicle having an actuator which turns steered wheels of the vehicle. The steering control method comprises obtaining a location of a target point at a look-ahead distance away from the vehicle based on a maneuver the vehicle is performing, predicting a forward location of the vehicle at the look-ahead distance away from the vehicle, determining a distance between the location of the target point and the forward location, computing a normalized error by dividing the distance with the look-ahead distance, and determining a steering control command based on an integration of the normalized error. The actuator then turns the steered wheels of the vehicle according to the steering control command so as to steer the vehicle to perform various maneuvers.

Abstract: A method for trip management provided for an electronic guided bus that follows an electronic track. The method comprises receiving an assigned trip from a bus dispatch system, obtaining junction information based on the assigned trip, obtaining a current location of the electronic guided bus, identifying a junction the bus is at based on the current location of the bus and the junction information, and setting a main track for the bus to follow based on the desired track for the identified junction. The method provides an intelligent transit system in which dispatch processors estimate ridership demands based on the passengers' trip information, determine a plurality of trips based on estimated ridership demands, generate dispatch schedule for the trips, assign trips to the electronic guided buses, and communicate assigned trips to the electronic guided buses via communication devices.

Abstract: A method for dispatching buses in groups for a bus transit system comprising determining a service interval for each trip of the bus transit system, assembling group assignments based on the service interval for each trip, determining a dispatch schedule for each bus based on the service interval and the group assignment, communicating the dispatch schedule to each bus, and communicating group assignment information to each of a plurality of the buses in a group. The group assignment assigns a plurality of the buses into a group on a segment of the trip shared by the plurality of buses such that multiple buses for different trips can dock at a station at the same time like a train to facilitate transferring passengers.

Abstract: A method for determining a position deviation of an object with respect to a magnetic marker. The method senses at least two axial field strength components of the magnetic field emitted from the magnetic marker with each of at least two magnetic field sensors mounted on the object. For each axial direction, the method computes a difference in the axial field strength components sensed by the two sensors. The method then determines the position deviation of the object from the magnetic marker as a function of the two differences (i.e., one difference for each axial direction). The method can be used by an intelligent lateral control system to provide lateral deviation of a mobile object, such as a vehicle, from a desired path, and the intelligent lateral control determines and applies the desired steering control to the mobile object so as to guide it along a desired path automatically.

Abstract: A system is provided to associate containers with handling equipment (HE) in a container storage facility. In the system an operation detector, such as a twistlock sensor that indicates when a container is picked up or dropped off, is installed on a first HE which is a piece of container handling equipment (CHE) that can lift the container. An event detector, such as a vibration sensor or distance measuring radar, is further installed on a second HE that is a tractor with an attached chassis for receiving and transporting a container. The event detector indicates when a container-operation-related event, such as a container pick up or drop off, occurred on the tractor chassis. The two detectors (operation and event) are used by a processor to associate the container with either the CHE or the tractor. The operation and event detectors can further be used in conjunction with position sensors such as a GPS sensor to accurately determine the position of the tractor and the CHE in a container yard.

Abstract: A method is provided for calibrating past position estimates from a positioning system that provides real-time position estimates of a mobile object. The method first stores the real-time position estimates, which as time goes by become past position estimates and naturally form a first past trajectory depicting the past movement of the mobile object. Subsequently, a calibrated past trajectory is determined, which includes calibrated past position estimates that correspond to the same time instances as the past positions in the first past trajectory. When real-time positions have low qualities, this method calibrates them at a later time by using (higher-quality) real-time positions both before and after them. Errors in the past positions are then corrected based on the calibrated past trajectory. When used with event detectors that indicate inventory transactions, this method can correct position errors associated with inventory events so as to improve the performance of inventory tracking.

Abstract: A method automatically detects errors in a container inventory database associated with a container inventory tracking system of a container storage facility. A processor in the inventory tracking system performs a method that: obtains a first data record, identifies an event (e.g., pickup, drop-off, or movement) associated with the first record, provides a list of error types based on the identified event, and determines whether a data error has occurred through a checking process. In each of the checking steps, the processor selects an error type from the list of error types, determines a search criterion based on the selected error type and the first data record, queries the database using the search criterion, compares query results with the first data record to detect data conflicts between them, and upon the detection of the data conflicts, reports that a data error of the selected error type has been detected.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically locating a container in a stowage location of a container ship for loading and unloading of the container ship in container terminals. The method includes the following steps: obtaining the position information of the container ship from container ship positioning units, obtaining the position information of the container from container positioning units when the container is in its stowage location, and determining the stowage location of the container in the container ship by first computing a relative position of the container in the container ship based on both the position information of the container ship and the position information of the container and then correlating the relative position with a stowage plan of the container ship.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically locating a container in a stowage location of a container ship for loading and unloading of the container ship in container terminals. The method includes the following steps: obtaining the position information of the container ship from container ship positioning units, obtaining the position information of the container from container positioning units when the container is in its stowage location, and determining the stowage location of the container in the container ship by first computing a relative position of the container in the container ship based on both the position information of the container ship and the position information of the container and then correlating the relative position with a stowage plan of the container ship.

Abstract: A method automatically detects errors in a container inventory database associated with a container inventory tracking system of a container storage facility. A processor in the inventory tracking system performs a method that: obtains a first data record, identifies an event (e.g., pickup, drop-off, or movement) associated with the first record, provides a list of error types based on the identified event, and determines whether a data error has occurred through a checking process. In each of the checking steps, the processor selects an error type from the list of error types, determines a search criterion based on the selected error type and the first data record, queries the database using the search criterion, compares query results with the first data record to detect data conflicts between them, and upon the detection of the data conflicts, reports that a data error of the selected error type has been detected.

Abstract: A method automatically detects and corrects errors in a container inventory database associated with a container inventory tracking system of a container storage facility. A processor in the inventory tracking system performs a method to detect errors; this method of error detection obtains a first data record, identifies an event (e.g., pickup or drop-off of a container, or movement of handing equipment) associated with the first record, provides a list of error types based on the identified event, and determines whether a data error has occurred through a checking process. To correct the errors, this method further sets search criteria based on the error detection results, queries the inventory tracking database using the set criteria, determines error candidates based on the query results, evaluates the error candidates to identify a match or matches among the error candidates, and corrects the error(s) by modifying the error detection results together with the identified match or matches.

Abstract: A system is provided to associate containers with handling equipment (HE) in a container storage facility. In the system an operation detector, such as a twistlock sensor that indicates when a container is picked up or dropped off, is installed on a first HE which is a piece of container handling equipment (CHE) that can lift the container. An event detector, such as a vibration sensor or distance measuring radar, is further installed on a second HE that is a tractor with an attached chassis for receiving and transporting a container. The event detector indicates when a container-operation-related event, such as a container pick up or drop off, occurred on the tractor chassis. The two detectors (operation and event) are used by a processor to associate the container with either the CHE or the tractor. The operation and event detectors can further be used in conjunction with position sensors such as a GPS sensor to accurately determine the position of the tractor and the CHE in a container yard.