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Method for automatic avoidance of collisions between a craft and further objects

  • US 8,467,953 B2
  • Filed: 09/19/2008
  • Issued: 06/18/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling an avoidance maneuver of an object for the avoidance of collisions with obstacles, the method comprising:

  • detecting at least one non-stationary or stationary obstacle;

    defining a safety zone around the obstacle, wherein, when the obstacle is non-stationary, the safety zone moves together with the obstacle;

    detecting whether the obstacle, including the safety zone, is in a collision course with the object;

    calculating an avoidance trajectory, wherein the avoidance trajectory bypasses the obstacle, wherein the avoidance trajectory is at least approximately circularly shaped, and wherein the avoidance trajectory is tangent to the safety zone around the obstacle;

    performing the avoidance maneuver by steering the object, such that the object follows, at least approximately, the calculated avoidance trajectory, wherein the calculated avoidance trajectory is tangentially linked to a previous trajectory of the object,wherein, when the obstacle is non-stationary, calculating the avoidance trajectory includes;

    (A) calculating a tangential contact with the safety zone around the obstacle assuming that the safety zone stands still exactly at a time of tangency with the avoidance trajectory;

    (B) calculating a straight line which results from an extension of a vector which is formed by a subtraction of a velocity vector of the obstacle from a velocity vector of the object at the time of said assumed tangency;

    (C) calculating a length by which the straight line calculated in step B intrudes, as a chord, into the safety zone around the obstacle which is assumed to stand still at the time of tangency with the trajectory; and

    (D) repeating the calculation of the step A using an augmented safety zone, which is augmented by a circumferential strip having a width that equals the length as calculated in the step C.

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