Self-calibrating sensors and actuators for unmanned vehicles
First Claim
1. An unmanned vehicle comprising:
- a communication interface; and
a processor for controlling a propulsion system of the unmanned vehicle and receiving sensor data from one or more sensors mounted on a chassis of the unmanned vehicle, the processor configured to;
in a guided calibration mode, while controlling the propulsion system according to commands received via the communications interface from an external guided control system, process the sensor data to determine at least one degree of certainty on a calibration of one or more of the sensor data and a position of the chassis;
automatically switch operation of the propulsion system to an autonomous calibration mode when the degree of certainty is above a first threshold value associated with safe operation of the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode;
thereafter, operate the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode by;
while automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis, collecting the sensor data from the one or more sensors; and
,further processing the sensor data using one or more uncertainty propagation models to determine at least one further degree of certainty on the calibration; and
,automatically switch operation of the propulsion system to an operational mode when the further degree of certainty is above a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, method, and system of self-calibrating sensors and actuators for unmanned vehicles is provided, which includes an unmanned vehicle comprising: a chassis; a propulsion system; one or more sensors configured to sense features around the chassis; a memory; a communication interface; and a processor configured to: operate the propulsion system in a guided calibration mode; automatically switch operation of the propulsion system to an autonomous calibration mode when a degree of certainty on a calibration of one or more of sensor data and a position of the chassis is above a first threshold value associated with safe operation of the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode; thereafter, operate the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode; and, automatically switch operation of the propulsion system to an operational mode when the degree of certainty is above a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An unmanned vehicle comprising:
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a communication interface; and a processor for controlling a propulsion system of the unmanned vehicle and receiving sensor data from one or more sensors mounted on a chassis of the unmanned vehicle, the processor configured to; in a guided calibration mode, while controlling the propulsion system according to commands received via the communications interface from an external guided control system, process the sensor data to determine at least one degree of certainty on a calibration of one or more of the sensor data and a position of the chassis; automatically switch operation of the propulsion system to an autonomous calibration mode when the degree of certainty is above a first threshold value associated with safe operation of the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode; thereafter, operate the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode by; while automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis, collecting the sensor data from the one or more sensors; and
,further processing the sensor data using one or more uncertainty propagation models to determine at least one further degree of certainty on the calibration; and
,automatically switch operation of the propulsion system to an operational mode when the further degree of certainty is above a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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while controlling, using a processor of an unmanned vehicle, a propulsion system of the unmanned vehicle according to commands received via a communications interface from an external guided control system in a guided calibration mode;
processing sensor data received at the processor from one or more sensors mounted on a chassis of the unmanned vehicle to determine at least one degree of certainty on a calibration of one or more of the sensor data and a position of the chassis;automatically switching, using the processor, operation of the propulsion system to an autonomous calibration mode when the degree of certainty is above a first threshold value associated with safe operation of the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode; thereafter, operating, using the processor, the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode by;
while automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis, collecting the sensor data from the one or more sensors; and
, further processing the sensor data using one or more uncertainty propagation models to determine at least one further degree of certainty on the calibration; and
,automatically switching, using the processor, operation of the propulsion system to an operational mode when the further degree of certainty is above a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:
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while controlling, using a processor of an unmanned vehicle, a propulsion system of the unmanned vehicle according to commands received via a communications interface from an external guided control system in a guided calibration mode;
processing sensor data received at the processor from one or more sensors mounted on a chassis of the unmanned vehicle to determine at least one degree of certainty on a calibration of one or more of the sensor data and a position of the chassis;automatically switching, using the processor, operation of the propulsion system to an autonomous calibration mode when the degree of certainty is above a first threshold value associated with safe operation of the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode; thereafter, operating, using the processor, the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode by;
while automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis, collecting the sensor data from the one or more sensors; and
, further processing the sensor data using one or more uncertainty propagation models to determine at least one further degree of certainty on the calibration; and
,automatically switching, using the processor, operation of the propulsion system to an operational mode when the further degree of certainty is above a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.
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Specification