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Navigation and control system for autonomous vehicles

  • US 8,346,480 B2
  • Filed: 09/22/2011
  • Issued: 01/01/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for navigation and control of an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

  • producing three dimensional images in a field of view in a direction of travel of the vehicle by scanning repeatedly an emitted beam from the vehicle about a first predetermined axis and through a first angular sector and panning the emitted beam about a second predetermined axis different from the first predetermined axis and through a second angular sector;

    detecting at the vehicle a returned part of the emitted beam scattered by an object;

    determining by a processor in the vehicle a geospatial coordinate of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and a heading of the vehicle,determining from the returned part of the emitted beam scattered by the object, by the processor in the vehicle, geospatial coordinates and a size of the object existing in the repeatedly produced 3D images; and

    controlling movement of the vehicle to avoid collision with the object based at least in part on at least one of the geospatial coordinates of the object, the size of the object, the geospatial coordinate of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle.

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