Methods and systems for area search using a plurality of unmanned vehicles
First Claim
1. A method for controlling movement of a first unmanned vehicle (UV) to search an area, the method comprising:
- generating a first trace associated with prior positions in which the first UV has been located at prior times;
changing with time a digital signal associated with said first trace;
receiving data relating to at least one additional UV, wherein for each additional UV the data comprises an additional trace generated by said UV associated with prior positions in which said additional UV has been located at prior times, and an identity of said additional UV;
determining a direction in which the first UV is to move using said first generated trace and at least one said additional trace;
causing the first UV to move in the determined direction; and
conducting at least one search,wherein no UV is in a master/slave relationship to another UV in determining the direction; and
wherein the digital signal comprises a numerical value associated with a prior position in which the first UV has been located at a prior time, and wherein that value is reduced as a function of a time that has elapsed since the first UV has been located at said prior position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and systems that include a method for controlling movement of a first unmanned vehicle (UV) to search an area, where the method includes generating a first trace associated with prior positions in which the first UV has been located, determining a direction in which the first UV is to move using the first generated trace, and causing the first UV to move in the determined direction. The trace may be a numerical value that decreases as a function of the time that has elapsed since the first trace was generated. The methods and systems may also include receiving data relating to a second trace, and using that second trace to determine the direction. The second trace may be generated by a second UV. The second trace may be associated with a position within a predetermined radius from a position associated with the first UV.
61 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for controlling movement of a first unmanned vehicle (UV) to search an area, the method comprising:
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generating a first trace associated with prior positions in which the first UV has been located at prior times; changing with time a digital signal associated with said first trace; receiving data relating to at least one additional UV, wherein for each additional UV the data comprises an additional trace generated by said UV associated with prior positions in which said additional UV has been located at prior times, and an identity of said additional UV; determining a direction in which the first UV is to move using said first generated trace and at least one said additional trace; causing the first UV to move in the determined direction; and conducting at least one search, wherein no UV is in a master/slave relationship to another UV in determining the direction; and wherein the digital signal comprises a numerical value associated with a prior position in which the first UV has been located at a prior time, and wherein that value is reduced as a function of a time that has elapsed since the first UV has been located at said prior position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling movement of a first unmanned vehicle (UV) to search an area, the method comprising:
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generating a first trace associated with prior positions in which the first UV has been located at prior times; receiving data relating to at least one additional UV, wherein for each additional UV the data comprises an additional trace generated by said UV associated with prior positions in which said additional UV has been located at prior times, and an identity of said additional UV; determining a direction in which the first UV is to move using said first generated trace and at least one said additional trace; causing the first UV to move in the determined direction; and conducting at least one search, wherein no UV is in a master/slave relationship to another UV in determining the direction; wherein determining the direction is further based on a decentralized control strategy; and wherein the decentralized control strategy includes at least one of;
baseline strategy, random strategy, repulsion strategy, and global strategy. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for controlling movement of a subject unmanned vehicle (UV) which is among a plurality of unmanned vehicles (UVs) to search an area, the method comprising:
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generating traces associated with at least some of the plurality of UVs, each of the traces associated with prior positions at which a corresponding UV has been located at prior times; changing with time digital signals associated with each of said traces; receiving at the subject UV data associated with at least some of the generated traces associated with the plurality of UVs; determining a direction in which the subject UV is to move using at least some of the received data and the trace associated with the subject UV, and causing the subject UV to move in the determined direction; wherein no UV is in a master/slave relationship to another UV in determining the direction, and wherein each digital signal comprises a numerical value associated with a prior position in which a UV has been located at a prior time, that is reduced as a function of a time that has elapsed since the said UV has been located at said prior position. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for controlling movement of a first unmanned vehicle (UV) to search an area, the system comprising:
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a trace generator for generating a first trace associated with prior positions in which the first UV has been located at prior times; a processor for changing with time a digital signal associated with said first trace; a communications receiver for receiving data relating to at least one additional UV, wherein for each additional UV the data comprises an additional trace generated by said UV associated with prior positions in which said additional UV has been located at prior times, and an identity of said additional UV, a search module for conducting at least one search; a navigation module for determining a direction in which the first UV is to move using said first generated trace and at least one said additional trace; and a propulsion module for causing the first UV to move in the determined direction; wherein no UV is in a master/slave relationship to another UV in determining the direction; and wherein the digital signal comprises a numerical value associated with a prior position in which the first UV has been located at a prior time, and wherein that value is reduced as a function of a time that has elapsed since the first UV has been located at said prior position. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for searching an area, the system comprising:
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a plurality of unmanned vehicles (UVs), wherein each of said plurality of UVs comprises; a trace generator for generating a trace associated with said UV, the trace associated with prior positions at which said UV has been located at prior times; a communications transmitter/receiver for transmitting to at least some other of said plurality of UVs data associated with the generated trace associated with said UV and receiving data associated with at least some of the generated traces associated with at least some other of said plurality of UVs; at least one processor for changing with time digital signals associated with each of said traces; a navigation module for determining a direction in which said UV is to move using at least some of the received data and the trace associated with said UV, and a propulsion module for causing said UV to move in the determined direction; wherein no UV is in a master/slave relationship to another UV in determining the direction; and wherein the digital signal comprises a numerical value associated with a prior position in which an UV has been located at a prior time, that is reduced as a function of a time that has elapsed since the said UV has been located at said prior position. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification