CONTROL AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTONOMOUSLY DRIVEN VEHICLES

• US 20140214259A1
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gray & Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gray & Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Trepagnier, Paul Gerard, Nagel, Jorge Emilio, Dooner, Matthew Taylor, Dewenter, Michael Thomas, Traft, Neil Michael, Drakunov, Sergey, Kinney, Powell, Lee, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US14/229,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0248 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• 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 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

An autonomous controller for a vehicle. The controller has a processor configured to receive position signals from position sensors and to generate operation control signals defining an updated travel path for the vehicle. The controller has a programmable interface providing communication among the position sensors, the operation control mechanisms, and the processor. The controller is configured to normalize inputs to the processor from the position sensors and to generate compatible operation control signals applied as the inputs to the operation control mechanisms. The processor and the programmable interface define a self-contained unit configurable for operation with a variety of different remote sensors and different remote operation control mechanisms.

Claims

1. A navigation system for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

an object sensor configured to generate object signals indicative of objects in a vicinity of the vehicle; and

a processor programmed with a route planning algorithm to

identify from said object signals a moving object in the vicinity of the vehicle,

identify in the vicinity of the vehicle a blind area where a field of view of the object sensor is blocked,

predict movement of the moving object in the blind area, and

calculate based on the predicted movement of the moving object in the blind area and a planned velocity of the vehicle an avoidance path of the vehicle to avoid collision with the moving object.