Navigational control apparatus and method for autonomus vehicles
First Claim
1. An autonomous self-navigating vehicle comprising:
- (a) digitally controlled drive means connected to a vehicle structure for driving the vehicle structure along a line across a substantially horizontal and planar work surface in either a forward direction or a rearward direction, and for turning the vehicle structure in either a clockwise direction or counterclockwise direction with zero turning radius;
(b) obstacle sensor means connected to the vehicle structure for detecting an obstacle adjacent to the vehicle structure and for producing a plurality of obstacle signals, one of the obstacle signals being produced each time the obstacle sensor means detects an obstacle;
(c) search memory storage means connected to the vehicle structure for storing a two-dimensional memory array having sufficient size to represent a work area in which the vehicle is to operate, the two-dimensional memory array comprising a plurality of array elements, each array element representing a unique work area increment within the work area, and the work area being arbitrarily shaped and bounded entirely by an obstacle; and
(d) data processing means connected to the vehicle structure for producing a plurality of drive signals that direct the drive means to drive the vehicle into successive work area increments from an origin work area increment represented by an array element containing an origin marker, and for recording in each successive array element corresponding to each said successive work area increment an obstacle marker upon receipt of one of the obstacle signals from the obstacle sensor means, a direction vector indicating the direction taken by the vehicle to initially reach said successive work area increment, and an explored marker until the vehicle reaches the origin work area increment and all adjacent array elements representing work area increments adjacent to the origin work area increment contain either one of the explored markers or one of the obstacle markers.
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Abstract
A navigational apparatus and method is provided for autonomous vehicles having digitally controlled drive means for driving the vehicle along a line in either forward or rearward direction and for turning the vehicle either clockwise or counterclockwise with zero turning radius. The navigational apparatus includes obstacle sensors connected to the vehicle for producing an obstacle signal in response to contact or other desired proximity between an obstacle and a vehicle as the vehicle is driven through a work area. The work area comprises a substantially horizontal planar work surface bounded on all sides by an obstacle. The navigational apparatus also includes a search memory storage device connected to the vehicle for storing a two-dimensional memory array comprising a sufficient number of array elements to represent the work area to a desired resolution and with each array element representing a unique work area increment within the work area. A data processing device connected to the vehicle communicates with the memory storage device to produce a plurality of drive signals capable of directing the vehicle'"'"'s drive motors to drive the vehicle from an origin work area increment into successive work area increments until the entire work area is explored. The obstacle sensors produce obstacle signals when the vehicle encounters an obstacle in the work area and these obstacle signals are used by the data processor to navigate the vehicle around the obstacles.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An autonomous self-navigating vehicle comprising:
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(a) digitally controlled drive means connected to a vehicle structure for driving the vehicle structure along a line across a substantially horizontal and planar work surface in either a forward direction or a rearward direction, and for turning the vehicle structure in either a clockwise direction or counterclockwise direction with zero turning radius; (b) obstacle sensor means connected to the vehicle structure for detecting an obstacle adjacent to the vehicle structure and for producing a plurality of obstacle signals, one of the obstacle signals being produced each time the obstacle sensor means detects an obstacle; (c) search memory storage means connected to the vehicle structure for storing a two-dimensional memory array having sufficient size to represent a work area in which the vehicle is to operate, the two-dimensional memory array comprising a plurality of array elements, each array element representing a unique work area increment within the work area, and the work area being arbitrarily shaped and bounded entirely by an obstacle; and (d) data processing means connected to the vehicle structure for producing a plurality of drive signals that direct the drive means to drive the vehicle into successive work area increments from an origin work area increment represented by an array element containing an origin marker, and for recording in each successive array element corresponding to each said successive work area increment an obstacle marker upon receipt of one of the obstacle signals from the obstacle sensor means, a direction vector indicating the direction taken by the vehicle to initially reach said successive work area increment, and an explored marker until the vehicle reaches the origin work area increment and all adjacent array elements representing work area increments adjacent to the origin work area increment contain either one of the explored markers or one of the obstacle markers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A navigational apparatus for navigating an autonomous vehicle within an arbitrarily shaped work area bounded on all sides by an obstacle and comprising a substantially horizontal work surface, the vehicle having digitally controlled drive means for driving the vehicle along a line in either a forward direction or a rearward direction, or about a turn either clockwise or counterclockwise with a zero turning radius, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) obstacle sensor means connected to the vehicle for detecting an obstacle within a predetermined proximity of the vehicle as the vehicle is driven by the drive means within the work area and for producing a plurality of obstacle signals, one of the obstacle signals being produced each time the obstacle sensor means detects an obstacle; (b) search memory storage means connected to the vehicle for storing a two-dimensional memory array having sufficient size to represent the work area, the two-dimensional memory array comprising a plurality of array elements, each array element representing a unique work area increment within the work area; and (c) data processing means connected to the vehicle for producing a plurality of drive signals that direct the drive means to drive the vehicle into successive work area increments in the work area from an origin work area increment represented by an array element containing an origin marker, and for recording in each successive array element corresponding to each said successive work area increment an obstacle marker upon receipt of an obstacle signal from the obstacle sensor means, a direction vector indicating the direction taken to reach said successive work area increment, and an explored marker until the vehicle reaches the origin work area increment and all adjacent array elements representing work area increments adjacent to the origin work area increment contain either one of the explored markers or one of the obstacle markers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for navigating an autonomous vehicle within an arbitrarily shaped work area bounded on all sides by an obstacle and comprising a substantially planar work surface, the vehicle having drive means for driving the vehicle across the work surface along a line in a forward or rearward direction and also for turning the vehicle either clockwise or counterclockwise with zero turning radius, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) initializing a two-dimensional memory array having sufficient size to represent the work area, the two-dimensional memory array comprising a plurality of array elements, each array element representing a unique work area increment within the work area; (b) recording an origin marker in an origin array element located at the center of the two-dimensional memory array, the origin array element representing an initial location of the vehicle within the work area; (c) producing drive signals that direct the drive means to drive the vehicle from the origin work area increment represented by the origin array element into successive work area increments until the vehicle reaches the origin work area increment and each adjacent array element representing a different work area increment adjacent to the origin work area increment contains one of a plurality of explored markers; (d) prior to initially driving the vehicle into each said successive work area increment in response to one of the drive signals, recording one of the explored markers and a direction vector in each successive array element corresponding to each said successive work area increment into which the vehicle is driven, the direction vector indicating the direction taken by the vehicle to reach said successive work area increment; (e) producing an obstacle signal in response to an obstacle in the work area within a predetermined proximity of the vehicle; and (f) recording an obstacle marker in the array element representing the work area increment into which the vehicle is being driven upon receipt of the obstacle signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification