Systems and methods for control of an unmanned ground vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying at least one input device in the vehicle;
providing at least one control policy corresponding to the at least one input device;
providing at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;
detecting at least one disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator;
interrupting autonomous control of the vehicle based at least in part on the at least one disassociation;
detecting at least one restored association between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator; and
establishing a revised vehicle control based at least in part on the at least one restored association and the at least one control policy.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle. Autonomous control is achieved by using actuators that interact with input devices in the vehicle. The actuators (e.g., linkages) manipulate the input devices (e.g., articulation controls and drive controls, such as a throttle, brake, tie rods, steering gear, throttle lever, or accelerator) to direct the operation of the vehicle. Although operating autonomously, manual operation of the vehicle is possible following the detection of events that suggest manual control is desired. Subsequent autonomous control may be permitted, permitted after a prescribed delay, or prevented.
194 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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identifying at least one input device in the vehicle;
providing at least one control policy corresponding to the at least one input device;
providing at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;
detecting at least one disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator;
interrupting autonomous control of the vehicle based at least in part on the at least one disassociation;
detecting at least one restored association between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator; and
establishing a revised vehicle control based at least in part on the at least one restored association and the at least one control policy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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identifying at least one input device in the vehicle;
providing at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;
detecting at least one disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator; and
initiating a shutdown sequence based at least in part on the disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator.
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15. A system for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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at least one input device in the vehicle;
at least one control policy corresponding to the at least one input device;
at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;
at least one detector for detecting at least one of (i) a disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator, and (ii) a restored association between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator; and
at least one controller in communication with the at least one actuator and the at least one detector for interrupting autonomous control and executing a revised vehicle control program, the vehicle control program based at least in part on the at least one control policy. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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at least one input device in the vehicle;
at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;
at least one detector for detecting at least one disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator; and
at least one controller in communication with the at least one actuator and the at least one detector for initiating a shutdown sequence based at least in part on the disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator.
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27. A system for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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means for controlling the vehicle;
means for actuating the vehicle control means;
means for detecting at least one disassociation between the vehicle control means and the actuating means;
means for interrupting autonomous control of the vehicle in response to the at least one disassociation;
means for detecting by the controlling means at least one restored association between the vehicle control means and the actuating means; and
means for executing a revised vehicle control program in response to the at least one restored association. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A system for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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means for controlling the vehicle;
means for actuating the vehicle control means;
means for detecting by the controlling means at least one disassociation between the vehicle control means and the actuating means; and
means for initiating a shutdown sequence based at least in part on the disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator.
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39. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for providing interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the computer readable program code in the article of manufacture including:
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computer readable code for causing a computer to associate at least one input device in the vehicle with at least one actuator;
computer readable code for causing a computer to access at least one control policy corresponding to the at least one input device;
computer readable code for causing a computer to detect at least one disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator;
computer readable code for causing a computer to interrupt autonomous control of the vehicle based at least in part on the at least one disassociation;
computer readable code for causing a computer to detect at least one restored association between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator; and
computer readable code for causing a computer to establish a revised vehicle control based at least in part on the at least one restored association and the at least one control policy, so as to provide the interruptible autonomous control.
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40. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for providing interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the method steps comprising:
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identifying at least one input device in the vehicle;
providing at least one control policy corresponding to the at least one input device;
providing at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;
detecting at least one disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator;
interrupting autonomous control of the vehicle based at least in part on the at least one disassociation;
detecting at least one restored association between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator; and
establishing a revised vehicle control based at least in part on the at least one restored association and the at least one control policy.
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41. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for providing interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the computer readable program code in the article of manufacture including:
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computer readable code for causing a computer to associate at least one input device in the vehicle with at least one actuator;
computer readable code for causing a computer to detect at least one disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator;
computer readable code for causing a computer to initiate a shutdown sequence based at least in part on the disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator, so as to provide the interruptible autonomous control.
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42. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for providing interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle, the method steps comprising:
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identifying at least one input device in the vehicle;
providing at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;
detecting at least one disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator; and
initiating a shutdown sequence based at least in part on the disassociation between the at least one input device and the at least one actuator.
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Specification