System and method for multi-modal control of an autonomous vehicle

• US 20060089800A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Allard, James, Svendsen, Selma, Filippov, Misha, Barrett, David S., Pack, Robert Todd
• Granted Patent: US 7,499,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0248 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

System and method for multi-modal control of a vehicle. Actuators (e.g., linkages) manipulate input devices (e.g., articulation controls and drive controls, such as a throttle, brake, accelerator, throttle lever, steering gear, tie rods, or transmission shifter) to direct the operation of the vehicle. Behaviors that characterize the operational mode of the vehicle are associated with the actuators. After receipt of a mode select command that dictates the operational mode of the vehicle (e.g., manned operation, remote unmanned tele-operation, assisted remote tele-operation, and autonomous unmanned operation), the actuators manipulate the operator input devices, in accordance with the behaviors, to affect the desired operational mode.

Claims

1. A method for selective control of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one input device in the vehicle;

providing at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;

defining a plurality of behaviors associated with the at least one actuator;

receiving at least one mode select command; and

manipulating the at least one input device in accordance with the at least one mode command.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mode select command comprises a manned operation command and the step of manipulating the at least one input device comprises disassociating the at least one actuator from the at least one input device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of reassociating the at least one actuator with the at least one input device.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of reassociating the at least one actuator with the at least one input device after at least one predetermined delay.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the mode select command comprises an autonomous unmanned operation command and the step of manipulating the at least one input device comprises operating the at least one input device in accordance with at least one of the plurality of behaviors.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the mode select command comprises a remote unmanned tele-operation command and the step of manipulating the at least one input device comprises operating the at least one input device in accordance with at least one remote transmission.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the mode select command comprises a assisted remote tele-operation command and the step of manipulating the at least one input device comprises operating the at least one input device in accordance with (i) at least one of the plurality of behaviors, and (ii) at least one remote transmission.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one of the plurality of behaviors comprises obstacle avoidance.

9. A system for selective control of a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one input device in the vehicle;

at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device;

a plurality of behaviors associated with the at least one actuator;

at least one receiver for receiving at least one mode select command; and

at least one controller in communication with the at least one actuator and the at least one receiver for executing a vehicle control program in accordance with the at least one mode command.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the mode select command comprises a manned operation command and the vehicle control program comprises an inhibitor for disassociating the at least one actuator from the at least one input device.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle control program comprises at least one predetermined delay.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the mode select command comprises an autonomous unmanned operation command and the vehicle control program comprises a vehicle control module associated with at least one of the plurality of behaviors.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the mode select command comprises a remote unmanned tele-operation command and the vehicle control program comprises a vehicle control module associated with at least one remote transmission.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the mode select command comprises an assisted remote tele-operation command and the vehicle control program comprises a vehicle control module associated with (i) at least one of the plurality of behaviors, and (ii) at least one remote transmission.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the at least one of the plurality of behaviors comprises obstacle avoidance.

16. A system for selective control of a vehicle, the system comprising:

means for controlling the vehicle;

means for actuating the vehicle control means;

means for defining a plurality of behaviors associated with the actuating means;

means for receiving at least one mode select command; and

means for manipulating the vehicle control means by the controlling

means in accordance with the at least one mode select command.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the mode select command comprises a manned operation command and the manipulation means comprises an inhibitor for disassociating the actuating means from the vehicle control means.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the vehicle control means comprises at least one predetermined delay.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the mode select command comprises an autonomous unmanned operation command and the manipulation means comprises at least one of the plurality of behaviors.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the mode select command comprises a remote unmanned tele-operation command and the manipulation means comprises at least one remote transmission.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the mode select command comprises a assisted remote tele-operation command and the manipulation means comprises at least one of the plurality of behaviors and at least one remote transmission.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the at least one of the plurality of behaviors comprises obstacle avoidance.

23. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for selective control of a vehicle, the computer readable program code in the article of manufacture including:

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 a plurality of behaviors associated with the at least one actuator;

computer readable code for causing a computer to receive at least one mode select command; and

computer readable code for causing a computer to manipulate the at least one input device in accordance with the at least one mode command, so as to achieve selective control of the vehicle.

24. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for selective control of a vehicle having at least one actuator associated with at least one input device in the vehicle, the method steps comprising:

defining a plurality of behaviors associated with the at least one actuator;

receiving at least one mode select command; and

manipulating the at least one input device in accordance with the received at least one mode command.