Temporal tracking robot control system

• US 8,706,298 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Goulding, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US12/725,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 700245-251, 700/254, 700/259, 901/1
• US Class Current: 700/251
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour

Abstract

A temporal controller for mobile robot path planning includes a sensor module for receiving data corresponding to spatial locations of at least one object, and a temporal control module operatively coupled to the sensor module, the temporal control module configured to predict future locations of the at least one object based on data received by the sensor module. The controller further includes a temporal simulation module operatively coupled to the temporal control module, wherein the temporal simulation module configured to use the predicted future locations of the at least one object to simulate multiple robot motion hypothesis for object avoidance and trajectory planning.

Claims

1. A temporal robot controller, comprising:

a sensor module for receiving data corresponding to a location of at least one object in a robot environment, the robot environment corresponding to an occupancy grid with which the location of the at least one object is associated;

a storage module operatively coupled to said sensor module, said storage module configured to store at least one of data processed from data received by the sensor module or a priori data;

a temporal control module operatively coupled to said storage module, the temporal control module configured to temporally estimate a plurality of alternative future locations in the occupancy grid of the at least one object based on data retrieved from the storage module; and

a temporal simulation module operatively coupled to said storage module and said temporal control module, the temporal simulation module configured to use the data stored by the storage module and the temporally estimated alternative future locations in the occupancy grid to temporally simulate multiple robot control hypotheses for future robot state planning,

wherein iterating of the temporal simulation of the multiple robot control hypotheses by the temporal simulation module is performed asynchronously with respect to iterating of the temporal estimation of alternative future locations in the occupancy grid of the at least one object by the temporal control module and

wherein the temporal simulation module is configured to predict actions of the at least one object based on predicted reactions of the at least one obiect to the state of the robot.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the temporal simulation module is configured to time-propagate locations in the occupancy grid of the at least one object based on the received data corresponding to spatial locations, a priori map data, and a location of the robot in a common robot-centric representation.

3. The controller according to claim 1, further comprising a track file module operatively coupled between the sensor module and the temporal control module, the track file module configured to analyze data received by the sensor module and associate the data into tracks produced by the at least one object.

29. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the temporal simulation module is configured to simulate the multiple robot motion hypotheses from a robot-centric coordinate system.

4. A temporal robot controller, comprising:

a sensor module for receiving data corresponding to a state of at least one object in a robot environment;

a storage module operatively coupled to said sensor module, said storage module configured to store at least one of data processed from data received by the sensor module or a priori data;

a temporal control module operatively coupled to said storage module, the temporal control module configured to temporally estimate a plurality of alternative future states of the at least one object based on data retrieved from the storage module;

a temporal simulation module operatively coupled to said storage module and said temporal control module, the temporal simulation module configured to use the data stored by the storage module and the temporally estimated alternative future states to temporally simulate multiple robot control hypotheses for future robot state planning; and

a track file module operatively coupled between the sensor module and the temporal control module, the track file module configured to analyze data received by the sensor module and associate the data into tracks produced by the at least one object

wherein iterating of the temporal simulation of the multiple robot control hypotheses by the temporal simulation module is performed asynchronously with respect to iterating of the temporal estimation of alternative future states of the at least one object by the temporal control module, and

wherein the temporal simulation module is configured to further use the tracks and predicted locations of the at least one object to simulate actions taken by the at least one object in response to robot actions corresponding to the simulated robot control hypotheses.

5. The controller according to claim 4, wherein each track includes data corresponding to at least one of position, velocity, acceleration or heading.

6. The controller according to claim 4, wherein the temporal control module is configured to use the tracks to predict future locations of the at least one object.

7. The controller according to claim 4, further comprising a storage and maintenance module operatively coupled to the track file module, the storage and maintenance module configured to delete tracks based on expected or probable trajectory and motion control.

8. The controller according to claim 4, further comprising a scoring module operatively coupled to the temporal control module, the scoring module configured to provide a ranking indicative of a likelihood that the at least one object will occupy each predicted locations.

9. The controller according to claim 8, wherein the scoring module is further configured to provide a ranking indicative of a likelihood that the at least one object will follow a path through two or more predicted locations.

10. The controller according to claim 8, further comprising a memory, wherein the ranking is stored in the memory and associated with each predicted location.

11. The controller according to claim 4, wherein the temporal simulation module is configured to predict actions of the at least one object based on the state of the robot.

12. The controller according to claim 11, further comprising a scoring module operatively coupled to the temporal simulation module, the scoring module configured to provide a ranking indicative of a likelihood that the at least one object will act as predicted.

13. The controller according to claim 4, wherein the temporal simulation module is configured to simulate the multiple robot motion hypotheses from a robot-centric point of view.

14. The controller according to claim 4, wherein the temporal control module includes a Kalman filter, the temporal control module configured to use the Kalman filter to predict future locations of the at least one object.

15. The controller according to claim 4, further comprising a storage device for storing the predicted future locations.

16. The controller according to claim 4, wherein the temporal simulation module is configured to use a behavior model to generate multiple action hypotheses for the robot.

17. The controller according to claim 4, wherein the temporal control module is configured to operate in a sensor-centric reference frame.

18. A method for simulating multiple robot control hypotheses for robot path planning in a controller that includes a temporal control module and a temporal simulation module, the method comprising:

receiving data corresponding to a state of at least one object in a robot environment;

storing at least one of data processed from the received data or a priori data;

using the temporal control module of the controller to temporally estimate a plurality of alternative future states of the at least one object based on the stored data;

using the temporal simulation module of the controller to temporally simulate multiple robot control hypotheses for future robot state planning, said temporal simulation based on the estimated alternative future states of the at least one object and the stored data;

analyzing received data and associating the data into tracks produced by the at least one object; and

using the tracks and predicted locations of the at least one object to simulate actions taken by the at least one object in response to robot actions corresponding to the simulated robot control hypotheses,

wherein iterating of the temporal simulation of the multiple robot control hypotheses by the temporal simulation module of the controller is performed asynchronously with respect to iterating of the temporal estimation of alternative future states of the at least one object by the temporal control module of the controller.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising time-propagating locations of the at least one object based on the received data corresponding to spatial locations, a priori map data, and a location of the robot in a common robot-centric representation.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein each track includes data corresponding to at least one of position, velocity, acceleration or heading.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising using the tracks to predict future locations of the at least one object.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising deleting tracks based on expected or probable trajectory and motion control.

23. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing a ranking indicative of a likelihood that the at least one object will occupy each predicted locations.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising providing a ranking indicative of a likelihood that the at least one object will follow a path through two or more predicted locations.

25. The method according to claim 18, further comprising predicting actions of the at least one object based on the state of the robot.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising providing a ranking indicative of a likelihood that the at least one object will act as predicted.

27. The method according to claim 18, wherein simulating multiple robot motion hypotheses includes simulating the multiple robot motion hypotheses from a robot-centric point of view.

28. The method according to claim 18, further comprising using a behavior model to generate multiple action hypotheses for the robot.