Autonomous Behaviors for a Remove Vehicle

• US 20080086241A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Wolfe, James Gordon, Rudakevych, Pavlo E., Phillips, Emilie, Taka, Orjeta, Frost, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

A system and method for allowing an operator to switch between remote vehicle tele-operation and one or more remote vehicle autonomous behaviors, or for implementing remote vehicle autonomous behaviors. The system comprises an operator control system receiving input from the operator including instructions for the remote vehicle to execute an autonomous behavior, and a control system on the remote vehicle for receiving the instruction to execute an autonomous behavior from the operator control system. Upon receiving the instruction to execute an autonomous behavior, the remote vehicle executes that autonomous behavior.

Claims

1. A system for allowing an operator to switch between remote vehicle tele-operation and one or more remote vehicle autonomous behaviors, comprising:

an operator control system receiving input from the operator including instructions for the remote vehicle to execute an autonomous behavior;

a control system on the remote vehicle for receiving the instructions to execute an autonomous behavior from the operator control system and comprising an arbiter

wherein the autonomous behavior sends a vote to the arbiter requesting control of one or more actuators on the remote vehicle configured to perform the autonomous behavior and, if the voting autonomous behavior has a higher priority than a behavior currently in control of the one or more actuators the autonomous behavior executes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote vehicle executes the autonomous behavior if permitted.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the autonomous behavior is not permitted if one or more of the remote vehicle'"'"'s position within its environment, a current internal state of the remote vehicle, a current operational behavior of the remote vehicle, or the remote vehicle'"'"'s environment are incompatible with the autonomous behavior.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the autonomous behavior comprises one a ballistic behavior, a semi-ballistic behavior, and a persistent behavior.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the ballistic behavior comprises of stair climbing, a preset action, click-to-drive, click-to-grip, a preconfigured pose, retro traverse, self-righting, and autonomous flipper.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the semi-ballistic behavior comprises of quick brake, speed boost, and cruise control.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the persistent behavior comprises of retro traverse, self righting, obstacle avoidance, and autonomous flippers.

4-5. -5. (canceled)

10. A method for switching between remote vehicle tele-operation and one or more remote vehicle autonomous behaviors, comprising:

inputting instructions for a remote vehicle to execute an autonomous behavior;

determining whether one or more of the remote vehicle'"'"'s position within its environment, a current internal state of the remote vehicle, a current operational behavior of the remote vehicle, and the remote vehicle'"'"'s environment are incompatible with the autonomous behavior;

allowing the autonomous behavior to send a vote to an arbiter when it is determined that one or more of the remote vehicle'"'"'s position within its environment, the current internal state of the remote vehicle, the current operational behavior on the remote vehicle, and the remote vehicle'"'"'s environment are compatible with the autonomous behavior, wherein a vote to the arbiter requests control of one or more actuators on the remote vehicle configured to perform the autonomous behavior, and

executing the autonomous behavior if the voting autonomous behavior has a higher priority than a behavior currently in control of the one or more actuators.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the autonomous behavior comprises of a ballistic behavior, a semi-ballistic behavior, and a persistent behavior.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the ballistic behavior comprises one or more of stair climbing, a preset action, click-to-drive, click-to-grip, a preconfigured pose, retro traverse, self-righting, and autonomous flipper.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the semi-ballistic behavior comprises one of quick brake, speed boost, and cruise control.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the persistent behavior comprises one of retro traverse, self righting, obstacle avoidance, and autonomous flippers.

11. (canceled)

16-18. -18. (canceled)

21-22. -22. (canceled)

26. A method for implementing remote vehicle autonomous behaviors, comprising:

inputting instructions for the remote vehicle to execute an autonomous behavior comprising one of a ballistic a semi-ballistic and a persistent behavior;

evaluating one or more of the remote vehicle'"'"'s position within its environment, a current internal state of the remote vehicle, a current operational behavior of the remote vehicle, or the remote vehicle'"'"'s environment are incompatible with the autonomous behavior; and

allowing the autonomous behavior to send a vote to an arbiter if the remote vehicle'"'"'s position within its environment, the current internal state of the remote vehicle, the current operational behavior on the remote vehicle, or the remote vehicle'"'"'s environment are compatible with the autonomous behavior,

wherein a vote to the arbiter requests control of one or more actuators on the remote vehicle necessary configured to perform the autonomous behavior and

wherein a ballistic behavior comprises one of stair climbing, a preset action, click-to-drive, click-to-grip, a preconfigured pose, retro traverse, self-righting, and autonomous flipper.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising executing the autonomous behavior if the voting autonomous behavior has a higher priority than a behavior currently in control of the one or more actuators.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the semi-ballistic behavior comprises one of quick brake, speed boost, and cruise control.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the persistent behavior comprises one of retro traverse, self righting, obstacle avoidance, and autonomous flippers.

28-29. -29. (canceled)

32. A system for allowing an operator to switch between remote vehicle tele-operation and one or more remote vehicle autonomous behaviors, comprising:

an operator control system receiving input from the operator including instructions for the remote vehicle to execute an autonomous behavior; and

a control system on the remote vehicle for receiving the instructions to execute an autonomous behavior from the operator control system,

wherein the autonomous behavior comprises one of a ballistic behavior, a semi-ballistic behavior, and a persistent behavior, and

wherein the ballistic behavior comprises one of stair climbing, a preset action, click-to-drive, click-to-grip, a preconfigured pose, retro traverse, self-righting, and autonomous flipper.

19. The system of claim 32, wherein the control system comprises an arbiter, and wherein the autonomous behavior sends a vote to the arbiter requesting control of one or more actuators on the remote vehicle configured to perform the autonomous behavior.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein, if the voting autonomous behavior has a higher priority than a behavior currently in control of the one or more actuators, the autonomous behavior executes.

23. The system of claim 32, wherein the semi-ballistic behavior comprises one or more of quick brake, speed boost, and cruise control.

24. The system of claim 32, wherein the persistent behavior comprises one of retro traverse, self righting, obstacle avoidance, and autonomous flippers.

25. The system of claim 32, wherein the persistent autonomous behavior is executed continuously, upon input from one or more sensors of the remote vehicle, or upon being activated by another behavior.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the preconfigured pose comprises one of a prairie dog pose, a stowed pose, a driving on a flat surface pose, a driving on a bumpy or angled surface pose, and a stair climbing pose.

34. A system for implementing remote vehicle autonomous behaviors, comprising:

an operator control system receiving input from the operator including instructions for the remote vehicle to execute an autonomous behavior comprising a preconfigured pose; and

a control system on the remote vehicle for receiving the instructions to execute the autonomous behavior from the operator control system,

wherein the preconfigured pose comprises one of a prairie dog pose, a stowed pose, a driving on a flat surface pose, a driving on a bumpy or angled surface pose, and a stair climbing pose.