SELF-STABILIZING AUTONOMOUS DEVICES AND USE THEREOF IN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
First Claim
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1. A device, comprising:
- a body member having a central axis extending therethrough, the body member having a first end and a second end;
a delivery platform disposed on the first end of the body member and orthogonal to the central axis;
a translation assembly disposed on the second end of the body member providing for movement of the device;
a ballast assembly; and
a controller that is configured to control operation of at least one of the translation assembly or the ballast assembly so as to balance forces exerted on the device and maintain the delivery platform in a desired orientation as the device moves across an operating surface.
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Abstract
Self-stabilizing autonomous devices and use thereof in autonomous vehicles are disclosed herein. An example device can include a body member having a central axis extending therethrough, a delivery platform disposed on a first end of the body member, a translation assembly disposed on a second end of the body member, a ballast assembly, and a controller that is configured to control operation of at least one of the translation assembly or the ballast assembly so as to balance forces exerted on the device and maintain the delivery platform in a desired orientation as the device moves across an operating surface.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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a body member having a central axis extending therethrough, the body member having a first end and a second end; a delivery platform disposed on the first end of the body member and orthogonal to the central axis; a translation assembly disposed on the second end of the body member providing for movement of the device; a ballast assembly; and a controller that is configured to control operation of at least one of the translation assembly or the ballast assembly so as to balance forces exerted on the device and maintain the delivery platform in a desired orientation as the device moves across an operating surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method, comprising:
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determining, by one or more processors coupled to at least one memory, a location of a contact point between a translation assembly of a ballbot and an operating surface of a transit vehicle; sensing a slope and movement of the ballbot on the operating surface using camera input from a camera; receiving transit vehicle force components for the transit vehicle; computing a slope of the operating surface with respect to gravity; sensing a location of the ballbot within the transit vehicle; determining forces on the ballbot at the contact point comprising any of the transit vehicle force components, the location of the contact point, the slope, the movement of the ballbot, the slope of the operating surface with respect to gravity, and the location of the contact point of the ballbot, or any combination thereof; and selectively controlling at least one of a ballast assembly and a translation assembly of the ballbot so as to balance the forces on the ballbot at the contact point. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system, comprising:
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a transit vehicle comprising an operating surface having one or more fiduciary objects positioned thereon; and a ballbot configured to move around the transit vehicle on the operating surface using the one or more fiduciary objects for navigation, wherein the ballbot transports at least one object placed on a delivery platform, the ballbot being configured to balance forces measured at a contact point between the ballbot and the operating surface, wherein the forces are caused by at least one of motion of the transit vehicle, motion of the ballbot, or gravity, wherein the ballbot balances the forces using at least one of a ballast assembly of the ballbot, a translation assembly of the ballbot, or a combination thereof, the forces being balanced so as to stabilize the ballbot and to prevent the at least one object from sliding off the delivery platform.
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Specification