SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCOMPANYING A USER WITH AN AUTOMATED VEHICLE

• US 20110010024A1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Salisbury, Curt
• Application Number:
  US12/827,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010024A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0076 Remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/00 Accessories or details specially adapted for children's carriages or perambulators providing for travelling on snow B62B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves

Abstract

A system and method for accompanying a pedestrian user with an automated, remote vehicle that includes a vehicle control system including a propulsion subsystem that promotes motion of the vehicle and a steering subsystem that controls the direction of motion of the vehicle, a joint goniometer input device wearable by the user that measures an anatomical motion of the user, a communication system that communicates the input of the joint goniometer to the steering subsystem, and a pacing system that outputs a propulsion input that is dependent on the user.

Claims

1. A system for accompanying a pedestrian user with an automated, remote vehicle comprising:

a vehicle control system for automated motion of the remotely located vehicle determined by vehicle control inputs including;

a propulsion subsystem that promotes motion of the vehicle;

a steering subsystem that controls the direction of motion of the vehicle;

a joint goniometer input device wearable by the user;

a communication system that communicates the input of the joint goniometer to the steering subsystem; and

a pacing system that outputs a propulsion input that is dependent on the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the goniometer input device includes proximal portion and a distal portion and a sensor to measure the relative rotation between the proximal portion and the distal portion.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pacing system dependent on the user includes a distance sensor that measures the relative distance from the user to the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the communication system is a wireless communicator.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the distance sensor includes a plurality of distance sensors that determine at least a two-dimensional relative position of the user near the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the pacing system includes an extendable cord connectable between the vehicle and the user, wherein the distance sensor detects the length of the cord extended.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the extendable cord has a set length above which the propulsion subsystem and steering subsystem deactivate control of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the extendable cord includes an electrical communication channel integrated with the communication system.

9. A system of claim 1, further comprising a processor with a path learning process that augments the control of the vehicle control system.

10. A system of claim 9, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS), wherein the path-learning process stores data from the GPS and inputs of the vehicle control;

and the path-learning process outputs modified vehicle control inputs.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a manual control connected to the vehicle that detects when engaged and deactivates the vehicle control system.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a manual control connected to the vehicle that detect when engaged and deactivates the vehicle control system;

wherein the goniometer input device includes a proximal portion and a distal portion and a sensor to measure the relative rotation between the proximal portion and the distal portion;

wherein the pacing system dependent on the user includes a distance sensor that measures the relative distance from the user to the vehicle.

13. A method for accompanying a pedestrian user with an automated, remote vehicle comprising:

measuring an anatomical motion of the user;

controlling the vehicle from control inputs while the user is remotely located including;

steering the vehicle based on the measured anatomical motion; and

adjusting the propulsion of the vehicle through a user influenced input.

14. The method of claim 13, adjusting the propulsion of the vehicle through a user-influenced input includes receiving a user input from a throttle;

wherein the user-influenced input is the user input from the throttle.

15. The method of claim 13, adjusting the propulsion of the vehicle through a user-influenced input includes measuring a relative position between the user and the vehicle;

wherein the user-influenced input is the measured relative position.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the propulsion of the vehicle through a user influenced input includes reducing the speed of the vehicle if the relative position of the user exceeds a first distance;

and increasing the speed of the vehicle if the relative position of the user is below a second distance.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein measuring an anatomical motion of a user includes measuring a relative rotation between a distal portion of a forearm of the user and a proximal portion of a forearm of the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein steering the vehicle based on the measured anatomical motion further includes steering the vehicle in a first direction when measuring a forearm rotation towards a pronation of the forearm;

and steering the vehicle in a second direction when measuring a forearm rotation towards a supination of the forearm.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting contact on a manual control apparatus of the vehicle;

and disengaging steering and propulsion upon sensing of contact.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising collecting global positioning system (GPS) data;

storing a historical record of GPS and control inputs;

predicting control inputs for steering and propulsion of the vehicle based on the historical record and a current GPS coordinate; and

augmenting the measured anatomical motion and user-influenced input with the predicted control inputs.