Distributed system of autonomously controlled mobile agents
DCFirst Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a surface having machine-readable indications of locations, the surface defining a roadway, at least one indication indicating lateral position with respect to the roadway; and
one or more mobile agents configured to travel along the surface, each of the one or more mobile agents being narrower than the width of the roadway and being capable of assuming a plurality of different lateral positions within and with respect to at least one section of the roadway while traveling along the roadway, each of the one or more mobile agents being unconstrained in its lateral position with respect to the roadway, each of the one or more mobile agents comprising;
a propulsion mechanism, configured to impart motive force to the mobile agent;
a sensor, configured to detect the machine-readable indications as the mobile agent travels along the surface, to ascertain a current lateral position of the mobile agent with respect to the roadway; and
a microcontroller, operatively coupled to the propulsion mechanism and the sensor, the microcontroller configured to;
control movement of the mobile agent on the surface responsive to the detected machine-readable indications;
cause the mobile agent to autonomously follow the roadway along a first lateral position with respect to the roadway; and
in response to an instruction, selectively change the lateral position of the mobile agent with respect to the roadway from the first lateral position to a different lateral position, while the mobile agent follows the roadway;
wherein each mobile agent comprises at least one of a robotically controlled vehicle and a toy vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system includes a drivable surface that includes location encoding markings. A mobile agent is provided that is capable of assuming a plurality of different lateral positions while traveling along the surface. The mobile agent includes a drive motor, an imaging system, a vehicle wireless transceiver, and a microcontroller. The mobile agent is adapted to detect the markings as the mobile agent travels along the surface, to ascertain a current lateral position of the mobile agent with respect to the surface, and to maintain a substantially consistent lateral position of the mobile agent with respect to the surface (for example to follow a lane). A basestation may be provided that includes a controller operatively coupled to a basestation wireless transceiver. An action to be implemented by the mobile agent can be determined by the basestation and wirelessly communicated to the mobile agent.
39 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a surface having machine-readable indications of locations, the surface defining a roadway, at least one indication indicating lateral position with respect to the roadway; and one or more mobile agents configured to travel along the surface, each of the one or more mobile agents being narrower than the width of the roadway and being capable of assuming a plurality of different lateral positions within and with respect to at least one section of the roadway while traveling along the roadway, each of the one or more mobile agents being unconstrained in its lateral position with respect to the roadway, each of the one or more mobile agents comprising; a propulsion mechanism, configured to impart motive force to the mobile agent; a sensor, configured to detect the machine-readable indications as the mobile agent travels along the surface, to ascertain a current lateral position of the mobile agent with respect to the roadway; and a microcontroller, operatively coupled to the propulsion mechanism and the sensor, the microcontroller configured to; control movement of the mobile agent on the surface responsive to the detected machine-readable indications; cause the mobile agent to autonomously follow the roadway along a first lateral position with respect to the roadway; and in response to an instruction, selectively change the lateral position of the mobile agent with respect to the roadway from the first lateral position to a different lateral position, while the mobile agent follows the roadway; wherein each mobile agent comprises at least one of a robotically controlled vehicle and a toy vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of controlling movement of at least one self-propelled mobile agent on a surface having a plurality of machine-readable indications of locations on the surface, the surface defining a roadway, at least one indication indicating lateral position with respect to the roadway, wherein each mobile agent is narrower than the width of the roadway and is capable of assuming a plurality of different lateral positions within and with respect to at least one section of the roadway while traveling along the roadway, and wherein each of the one or more mobile agents is unconstrained in its lateral position with respect to the roadway, the method comprising:
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(a) while traveling on the surface, a mobile agent detecting at least one of the machine-readable indications via the mobile agent'"'"'s sensor and ascertaining a current lateral position of the mobile agent with respect to the surface; (b) responsive to detecting the at least one machine-readable indications, the mobile agent controlling its movement on the surface; (c) the mobile agent autonomously following the roadway along a first lateral position with respect to the roadway; and (d) in response to an instruction, the mobile agent selectively changing its lateral position with respect to the roadway from the first lateral position to a different lateral position, while the mobile agent follows the roadway; wherein each mobile agent comprises at least one of a robotically controlled vehicle and a toy vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification