Network of Unmanned Vehicles
First Claim
1. A computer system for use in an unmanned vehicle capable of use in a co-operative network of unmanned vehicles, wherein the computer system is programmed to allow autonomous operation of an unmanned vehicle and comprises:
- an executive level configured to send control signals for controlling propulsion and steering of the unmanned vehicle, and to receive a status signal regarding a status of the unmanned vehicle; and
an automatic decision level configured to communicate with a ground control station and other unmanned vehicles, to receive task descriptions, to participate in task allocation, and to provide descriptions of tasks to be performed to the executive level for execution, wherein the automatic decision level comprises a task refining module and a task manager module;
wherein the task refining module is configured to receive an unallocated task description describing a task to be undertaken by one of the unmanned vehicle in the co-operative network, to determine if the unmanned vehicle is able to perform the task, and to calculate an execution cost for the unmanned vehicle to execute that task; and
wherein the task manager module is configured to receive elementary task descriptions, store the elementary task descriptions and forward the elementary task descriptions in a format suitable for the executive level to execute.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a co-operative network of unmanned vehicles that participate in co-operative task allocation. Each unmanned vehicle comprises a computer system with an executive level configured to control motion of the unmanned vehicle and an automatic decision level configured to communicate with other unmanned vehicles, to receive task descriptions, to participate in task allocation, and to provide descriptions of tasks to be performed to the executive level for execution. Each unmanned vehicle submits a bid for each task it can perform, the bid reflecting an execution cost for the task. The bids are compared and the task effectively auctioned to the unmanned vehicle with a lowest execution cost. Each unmanned vehicle builds a task plan from its allocated tasks, decomposes the associated task descriptions into elementary task descriptions and forwards the elementary task descriptions in a format suitable for the executive level to execute.
58 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer system for use in an unmanned vehicle capable of use in a co-operative network of unmanned vehicles, wherein the computer system is programmed to allow autonomous operation of an unmanned vehicle and comprises:
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an executive level configured to send control signals for controlling propulsion and steering of the unmanned vehicle, and to receive a status signal regarding a status of the unmanned vehicle; and an automatic decision level configured to communicate with a ground control station and other unmanned vehicles, to receive task descriptions, to participate in task allocation, and to provide descriptions of tasks to be performed to the executive level for execution, wherein the automatic decision level comprises a task refining module and a task manager module; wherein the task refining module is configured to receive an unallocated task description describing a task to be undertaken by one of the unmanned vehicle in the co-operative network, to determine if the unmanned vehicle is able to perform the task, and to calculate an execution cost for the unmanned vehicle to execute that task; and wherein the task manager module is configured to receive elementary task descriptions, store the elementary task descriptions and forward the elementary task descriptions in a format suitable for the executive level to execute. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An unmanned vehicle capable of use in a co-operative network of unmanned vehicles, comprising a computer system programmed to allow autonomous operation of the unmanned vehicle, wherein the computer system comprises:
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an executive level configured to send control signals for controlling propulsion and steering of the unmanned vehicle, and to receive a status signal regarding a status of the unmanned vehicle; and an automatic decision level configured to communicate with a ground control station and other unmanned vehicles, to receive task descriptions, to participate in task allocation, and to provide descriptions of tasks to be performed to the executive level for execution, wherein the automatic decision level comprises a task refining module and a task manager module; wherein the task refining module is configured to receive an unallocated task description describing a task to be undertaken by one of the unmanned vehicle in the co-operative network, to determine if the unmanned vehicle is able to perform the task, and to calculate an execution cost for the unmanned vehicle to execute that task; and wherein the task manager module is configured to receive elementary task descriptions, store the elementary task descriptions and forward the elementary task descriptions in a format suitable for the executive level to execute. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a network of unmanned vehicles, each unmanned vehicle comprising a computer system programmed to allow autonomous operation of the unmanned vehicle that is divided into an executive level configured to control motion of the unmanned vehicle and an automatic decision level configured to communicate with a ground control station and other unmanned vehicles and to provide descriptions of tasks to be performed to the executive level for execution, the method comprising:
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transmitting a set of task descriptions to the unmanned vehicles; each unmanned vehicle determining if the unmanned vehicle is able to perform a task, and calculating an execution cost for the unmanned vehicle to execute the task; allocating the tasks by holding an auction to allocate each task in which each bid corresponds to the execution cost of the unmanned vehicle to perform the task, the bid with a lowest execution cost is selected, and a winning unmanned vehicle is notified of their successful bid; and each unmanned vehicle executing the tasks it has been allocated. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification