Automated plan synthesizer and plan execution method
First Claim
1. A reactive planning and plan execution method for accomplishing a specified set of goals with a predefined set of actuators in a physical system, the steps of the method comprising:
- storing a specified set of primitives that define said physical system, primitive actions that can be performed by said actuators, and changes in the defined physical system effected by said primitive actions;
said set of primitives including primitives that specify goals and subgoals with respect to each primitive action that can be performed by said actuators;
generating and storing in said computer memory, based on said stored set of primitives and without regard to said specified set of goals, a set of confinement rules for ordering achievement of combinations of said goals and subgoals, each confinement rule containing both a single first goal (the rule'"'"'s First-Goal) to be achieved and a set of goals (the rule'"'"'s Conflict-Goals-Set), such that at least one goal in said Conflict-Goals-Set cannot be kept true when said First-Goal is being achieved;
wherein a first plurality of said confinement rules have at least two goals in their respective Conflict-Goals-Sets and constrain order of achievement of at least three goals without constraining order of achievement of any pair of said at least three goals;
generating and storing in a computer memory, based on said set of primitives and said predefined set of goals, a universal plan tree comprising a hierarchy of plans for accomplishing defined goals, said defined goals including said specified set of goals and subgoals thereof, wherein each plan in said hierarchy of plans specifies an action for accomplishing one of said defined goals, preconditions for taking said specified action and a set of subgoals that must be met before performing said specified action;
selecting and performing actions specified in said universal plan tree, said actions being performed using said predefined set of actuators in sequences consistent with said confinement rules, and repeating said selecting and performing steps until said specified set of goals is achieved.
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Abstract
A reactive planning system automatically generates a universal plan for achieving specified goals. The universal plan is derived from a set of primitive and deductive rules governing operation of one or more actuators, and the specified goals. The universal plan contains tree structure defining predicates, actions and subplans for achieving the specified goals, and subgoals of those goals. Also included in the universal plan generated by the system are a set of confinement rules which determine the proper order for achieving unmet goals. During operation of the system, after the universal plan has been formulated, a plan interpreter or executer determines the subgoals that have yet to be met, and then selects one or more subgoals as being the appropriate ones to be worked on at the current time. More particularly, to select a goal or subgoal for processing, the plan executer first determines the set of goals that are currently achievable, which is the set of goals for which all preconditions and subgoals have been met. Then all the confinement rules in the universal plan are scanned to determine which of those rules are applicable to the goals that are currently achievable. Application of the confinement rules evaluates all interactions between subplans and determines what goals are protectable and thus can be achieved without causing a conflict between subplans.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A reactive planning and plan execution method for accomplishing a specified set of goals with a predefined set of actuators in a physical system, the steps of the method comprising:
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storing a specified set of primitives that define said physical system, primitive actions that can be performed by said actuators, and changes in the defined physical system effected by said primitive actions;
said set of primitives including primitives that specify goals and subgoals with respect to each primitive action that can be performed by said actuators;generating and storing in said computer memory, based on said stored set of primitives and without regard to said specified set of goals, a set of confinement rules for ordering achievement of combinations of said goals and subgoals, each confinement rule containing both a single first goal (the rule'"'"'s First-Goal) to be achieved and a set of goals (the rule'"'"'s Conflict-Goals-Set), such that at least one goal in said Conflict-Goals-Set cannot be kept true when said First-Goal is being achieved;
wherein a first plurality of said confinement rules have at least two goals in their respective Conflict-Goals-Sets and constrain order of achievement of at least three goals without constraining order of achievement of any pair of said at least three goals;generating and storing in a computer memory, based on said set of primitives and said predefined set of goals, a universal plan tree comprising a hierarchy of plans for accomplishing defined goals, said defined goals including said specified set of goals and subgoals thereof, wherein each plan in said hierarchy of plans specifies an action for accomplishing one of said defined goals, preconditions for taking said specified action and a set of subgoals that must be met before performing said specified action; selecting and performing actions specified in said universal plan tree, said actions being performed using said predefined set of actuators in sequences consistent with said confinement rules, and repeating said selecting and performing steps until said specified set of goals is achieved. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A reactive planning and plan execution method for accomplishing a specified set of goals with a predefined set of actuators in a physical system, the steps of the method comprising:
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storing a specified set of primitives that define said physical system, primitive actions that can be performed by said actuators, and changes in the defined physical system effected by said primitive actions;
said set of primitives including primitives that specify goals and subgoals with respect to each primitive action that can be performed by said actuators;generating and storing in said computer memory, based on said stored set of primitives, a set of confinement rules for ordering said specified set of goals and all goals and subgoals of said primitive actions, each confinement rule containing both a single first goal (the rule'"'"'s First-Goal) to be achieved and a set of goals (the rule'"'"'s Conflict-Goals-Set), such that at least one goal in said Conflict-Goals-Set cannot all be kept true when said First-Goal is being achieved;
wherein a first plurality of said confinement rules have at least two goals in their respective Conflict-Goals-Sets and constrain order of achievement of at least three goals without constraining order of achievement of any pair of said at least three goals; and
wherein a second plurality of said confinement rules each include (A) a qualifier such that said each confinement rule is applicable only when said qualifier represents a condition that is true and (B) subgoals that must be accomplished prior to achievement of said First-Goal and prior to achievement of the goals in said Conflict-Goals-Set;selecting and performing actions to achieve said specified set of goals and subgoals thereof, said actions being performed using said predefined set of actuators in sequences consistent with said confinement rules, and repeating said selecting and performing steps until said specified set of goals is achieved. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification