METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES

• US 20160349754A1
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Clearpath Robotics, Inc. (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clearpath Robotics, Inc. (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaynama, Shahab, Mohr, Paul, Gariepy, Ryan Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/166,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20160349754A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• 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 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0223 involving speed control of the vehicle vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for controlling self-driving vehicles. The system comprises: a processor, a memory storing operational constraints for a self-driving vehicle, and a communications interface. A plurality of path portions are assembled at the system to define an area in a physical space in which the self-driving vehicle is to navigate, each of the plurality of path portions associated with a respective given subset of operational constraints stored in the memory. The system provides, to the self-driving vehicle, respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area, and associated positions of each of the plurality of path portions in the physical space.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor, a memory storing operational constraints for a self-driving vehicle, and a communications interface, the processor configured to;

assemble a plurality of path portions to define an area in a physical space in which the self-driving vehicle is to navigate, each of the plurality of path portions associated with a respective given subset of operational constraints stored in the memory; and

,

provide, to the self-driving vehicle, respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area, and associated positions of each of the plurality of path portions in the physical space.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input device, wherein the plurality of path portions are assembled based on data received from the input device, the data indicating one or more of selections of each of the plurality of path portions and an order of the plurality of path portions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the area defines a path between at least two positions in the physical space.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to assemble the plurality of path portions by:

rendering, at a display device, representations of the plurality of path portions at a representation of the physical space.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the operational constraints stored in the memory define a rule that the self-driving vehicle is to follow when located in an associated position.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

define one or more values associated with the respective given subset of operational constraints; and

provide, to the self-driving vehicle, the one or more values with the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide, to the self-driving vehicle, an indication of the area with the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of path portions comprises a feature associated with an operational constraint in the respective given subset of operational constraints associated therewith.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the feature comprises a general indication of a rule that the self-driving vehicle is to follow, and the operational constraint associated with the feature comprises a more precise rule that the self-driving vehicle is to follow, the self-driving vehicle navigating according to the more precise rule and not the general indication of the rule when located in an associated position.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising the self-driving vehicle, one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle configured to:

plan a path between two positions in the physical space based on the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising the self-driving vehicle, one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle configured to:

plan a path between two positions in the physical space based on an indication of the area in the physical space defined by the plurality of path portions.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising the self-driving vehicle, one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle configured to:

restrict a position of the self-driving vehicle only to positions in the physical space defined by the plurality of path portions.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is a component of the self-driving vehicle.

14. A method comprising:

at a system comprising;

a processor, a memory storing operational constraints for a self-driving vehicle, and a communications interface,

assembling, at the processor, a plurality of path portions to define an area in a physical space in which the self-driving vehicle is to navigate, each of the plurality of path portions associated with a respective given subset of operational constraints stored in the memory; and

,

providing, using the processor, to the self-driving vehicle, respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area, and associated positions of each of the plurality of path portions in the physical space.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the system further comprises an input device, and wherein the plurality of path portions are assembled based on data received from the input device, the data indicating one or more of selections of each of the plurality of path portions and an order of the plurality of path portions.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

assembling, using the processor, the plurality of path portions by;

rendering, at a display device, representations of the plurality of path portions at a representation of the physical space.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising one or more of:

defining, at the processor, one or more values associated with the respective given subset of operational constraints; and

provide, to the self-driving vehicle, the one or more values with the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area; and

,

providing, using the processor, to the self-driving vehicle, an indication of the area with the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of path portions comprises a feature associated with an operational constraint in the respective given subset of operational constraints associated therewith.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the system further comprises the self-driving vehicle, and the method further comprises:

one or more of;

planning, at one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle, a path between two positions in the physical space based on the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area;

planning, at one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle, a path between the two positions in the physical space based on an indication of the area in the physical space defined by the plurality of path portions; and

,

restricting, at one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle, a position of the self-driving vehicle only to positions in the physical space defined by the plurality of path portions.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program, wherein execution of the computer program is for:

at a system comprising;

a processor, a memory storing operational constraints for a self-driving vehicle, and a communications interface,

assembling, at the processor, a plurality of path portions to define an area in a physical space in which the self-driving vehicle is to navigate, each of the plurality of path portions associated with a respective given subset of operational constraints stored in the memory; and

,

providing, using the processor, to the self-driving vehicle, respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area, and associated positions of each of the plurality of path portions in the physical space.