Multi-agent autonomous system
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a craft within an operational area, comprising:
- providing a tracking and command system that is afloat and coupled to the craft through a transceiver;
generating imaging information of an operational area by the tracking and command system;
generating a path for the craft by the tracking and command system using the imaging information;
generating a set of craft commands for the craft by the tracking and command system using the path; and
transmitting the craft commands by the tracking and command system to the craft via the transceiver.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-agent autonomous system for exploration of hazardous or inaccessible locations. The multi-agent autonomous system includes simple surface-based agents or craft controlled by an airborne tracking and command system. The airborne tracking and command system includes an instrument suite used to image an operational area and any craft deployed within the operational area. The image data is used to identify the craft, targets for exploration, and obstacles in the operational area. The tracking and command system determines paths for the surface-based craft using the identified targets and obstacles and commands the craft using simple movement commands to move through the operational area to the targets while avoiding the obstacles. Each craft includes its own instrument suite to collect information about the operational area that is transmitted back to the tracking and command system. The tracking and command system may be further coupled to a satellite system to provide additional image information about the operational area and provide operational and location commands to the tracking and command system.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a craft within an operational area, comprising:
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providing a tracking and command system that is afloat and coupled to the craft through a transceiver;
generating imaging information of an operational area by the tracking and command system;
generating a path for the craft by the tracking and command system using the imaging information;
generating a set of craft commands for the craft by the tracking and command system using the path; and
transmitting the craft commands by the tracking and command system to the craft via the transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A multi-agent autonomous system, comprising:
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a tracking and command system that is afloat, the tracking and command system including;
a transceiver;
an operational area imager; and
a craft path planning module coupled to the operational area imager and the transceiver; and
a craft coupled to the tracking and command system through the transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 30)
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19. A tracking and command system for controlling a craft within an operational area, comprising:
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a processor;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions executable by the processor stored therein, the program instructions including;
generating imaging information of an operational area;
generating a path for the craft using the imaging information;
generating a set of commands for the craft using the path; and
transmitting the craft commands to the craft via a transceiver, wherein the tracking and command system is afloat. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A multi-agent autonomous system, comprising:
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a self-propelled craft deployed in an operational area;
a tracking and command system that is afloat and coupled to the craft, the tracking and command system including;
an imager for generating imaging information of the operational area;
a path planner for planning a path for the craft using the imaging information;
a craft command generator for generation of craft commands using the path; and
a craft commander for transmitting the craft commands to the craft. - View Dependent Claims (29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for controlling a craft within an operational area, comprising:
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providing a first tracking and command system at a first distance from the operational area and coupled to the craft through a transceiver;
providing an operational area imager at a second distance from the operational area;
generating a first imaging dataset of the operational area by the first tracking and command system;
generating a second imaging dataset of the operational area by the operational area imager;
generating a first path for the craft by the first tracking and command system using the first imaging dataset;
generating a first set of commands for the craft by the first tracking and command system using the first path; and
transmitting the first set of commands by the first tracking and command system to the craft via the transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method for controlling a craft within an operational area, comprising:
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providing a mobile tracking and command system coupled to the craft through a transceiver;
generating imaging information of an operational area by the tracking and command system;
generating a path for the craft by the tracking and command system using the imaging information;
generating a set of craft commands for the craft by the tracking and command system using the path; and
transmitting the craft commands by the tracking and command system to the craft via the transceiver.
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41. A multi-agent autonomous system, comprising:
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a first tracking and command system at a first distance from an operational area, the tracking and command system including;
a transceiver;
a first operational area imager; and
a first path planning module coupled to the operational area imager and the transceiver;
a second operational area imager at a second distance from the operational area and coupled to the first tracking and command system; and
a craft coupled to the first tracking and command system through the transceiver, wherein the first distance and the second distance are different. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A multi-agent autonomous system, comprising:
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a mobile tracking and command system, the tracking and command system including;
a transceiver;
an operational area imager; and
a craft path planning module coupled to the operational area imager and the transceiver; and
a craft coupled to the tracking and command system through the transceiver.
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44. A tracking and command system for controlling a craft within an operational area, comprising:
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a processor;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions executable by the processor stored therein, the program instructions including;
generating imaging information of the operational area;
generating a path for the craft using the imaging information;
generating a set of commands for the craft using the path; and
transmitting the craft commands to the craft via a transceiver, wherein the tracking and command system is mobile.
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45. A multi-agent autonomous system, comprising:
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a self-propelled craft deployed in an operational area;
a first tracking and command system at a first distance from the operational area and coupled to the craft, the first tracking and command system including;
a first imager for generating a first imaging dataset of the operational area;
a first path planner for planning a first path for the craft using the first imaging dataset;
a first command generator for generation of a first set of commands using the path; and
a first craft commander for transmitting the first set of commands to the craft; and
a second imager at a second distance from the operational area for generating a second imaging dataset of the operational area, the second imager coupled to the first tracking and command system, wherein the first distance and the second distance are different. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A multi-agent autonomous system, comprising:
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a self-propelled craft deployed in an operational area;
a mobile tracking and command system coupled to the craft, the tracking and command system including;
an imager for generating imaging information of the operational area;
a path planner for planning a path for the craft using the imaging information;
a craft command generator for generation of craft commands using the path; and
a craft commander for transmitting the craft commands to the craft.
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48. A method of gathering and processing information from an area comprising:
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providing a first sensor with a first perspective of the area;
providing a second sensor with a second perspective of the area;
sensing a first characteristic of the area with the first sensor to generate a first dataset;
sensing a second characteristic of a portion of the area with the second sensor to generate a second dataset;
generating a combined dataset by integrating the second dataset into the first dataset; and
storing the combined dataset. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification