System and method for avoiding collision between vector and solid objects
First Claim
1. A path analyzer, comprising:
- a collision detector for receiving coordinates representing a specified path'"'"'s first and second endpoints (A, B) in three dimensional space and a specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent and for generating a preliminary result signal indicating whether the specified path does not intercept the specified obstacle, unavoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, or avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle; and
a collision avoidance path generator, activated when the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, the collision avoidance path generator including apparatus for selecting a vertex (C) of a predefined geometric shape corresponding to the specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent, such that a modified path A-C-B from the first specified path endpoint to the selected vertex to the second specified path endpoint circumnavigates the obstacle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for analyzing a specified path A-B with respect to a specified obstacle determines if the path intersects the obstacle and determines a collision avoidance path when the path is determined to intersect the obstacle. The apparatus is preferably a dedicated path analyzer that provides high speed path analysis support to a host computer performing navigation functions. The path analyzer includes a collision detector and a collision avoidance path generator. The path analyzer receives from the host computer coordinates representing the specified path'"'"'s first and second endpoints (A and B) in three dimensional space and the specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent. The collision detector generates a preliminary result signal indicating whether the specified path does not intercept the specified obstacle, unavoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, or avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle. When the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, the collision avoidance path generator selecting a vertex (C) of a parallelepiped corresponding to the specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent, such that a modified path A-C-B from the first specified path endpoint to the selected vertex to the second specified path endpoint circumnavigates the obstacle. The path analyzer returns signals to the host computer representing the preliminary result signal and, when the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, the selected vertex.
56 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A path analyzer, comprising:
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a collision detector for receiving coordinates representing a specified path'"'"'s first and second endpoints (A, B) in three dimensional space and a specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent and for generating a preliminary result signal indicating whether the specified path does not intercept the specified obstacle, unavoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, or avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle; and a collision avoidance path generator, activated when the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, the collision avoidance path generator including apparatus for selecting a vertex (C) of a predefined geometric shape corresponding to the specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent, such that a modified path A-C-B from the first specified path endpoint to the selected vertex to the second specified path endpoint circumnavigates the obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of analyzing a path, comprising
receiving from a host computer coordinates representing a specified path'"'"'s first and second endpoints (A, B) in three dimensional space and a specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent; -
generating a preliminary result signal indicating whether the specified path does not intercept the specified obstacle, unavoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, or avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle; and when the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, selecting a vertex (C) of a predefined geometric shape corresponding to the specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent, such that a modified path A-C-B from the first specified path endpoint to the selected vertex to the second specified path endpoint circumnavigates the obstacle; and returning signals to the host computer representing the preliminary result signal and, when the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, the selected vertex. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A path analyzer, comprising:
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a collision detector for receiving coordinates representing a specified path'"'"'s first and second endpoints (A, B) in three dimensional space and a specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent and for generating a preliminary result signal indicating whether the specified path intercepts the specified obstacle; and a collision avoidance path generator, activated when the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, the collision avoidance path generator including apparatus for selecting a vertex (C) of a predefined geometric shape corresponding to the specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent, such that a modified path from the first specified path endpoint (A) to the second specified path endpoint (B) that passes through the selected vertex C circumnavigates the obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of analyzing a path, comprising
receiving from a host computer coordinates representing a specified path'"'"'s first and second endpoints (A, B) in three dimensional space and a specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent; -
generating a preliminary result signal indicating whether the specified path intercepts the specified obstacle; and when the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, selecting a vertex (C) of a predefined geometric shape corresponding to the specified obstacle'"'"'s physical extent, such that a modified path from the first specified path endpoint (A) to the selected vertex to the second specified path endpoint (B) that passes through the selected vertex (C) circumnavigates the obstacle; and returning signals to the host computer representing the preliminary result signal and, when the preliminary result signal indicates that the specified path avoidably intercepts the specified obstacle, the selected vertex. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification