Application of potential field methods in directing agents

• US 9,137,847 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ayyagari, Arun, Battles, Craig Farris, Dorsett, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOYER, DALE S
• Application Number:
  US12/494,089
• Time in Patent Office: 2,269 Days
• Field of Search: 700245-264
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods are disclosed for the application of potential field methods in directing agents. A task is assigned for each of a plurality of mobile communication nodes. A dynamic model is assigned for characterizing a behavior of the nodes. Potential fields are applied to the dynamic model to direct movement of each of the nodes such that the nodes each perform the assigned task with the plurality of mobile communications nodes providing a communications network to serve a communications area.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a task at a processor of a first mobile communication node of a plurality of mobile communication nodes, wherein the first mobile communication node is to coordinate performance of the task with remaining mobile communication nodes of the plurality of mobile communication nodes;

assigning, at the processor, a dynamic model characterizing a behavior of the first node and a behavior of each of the remaining mobile communication nodes during the performance of the task;

applying, at the processor, potential fields to the dynamic model to determine a trajectory of the first mobile communication node and to determine a trajectory of each of the remaining mobile communication nodes; and

directing, at the processor, movement of the first mobile communication node based on the trajectory of the first mobile communication node and the trajectory of each of the remaining mobile communication nodes such that when each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes performs the task, the plurality of mobile communication nodes provide a communication network to serve a communication area.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein applying potential fields to the dynamic model to direct movement of each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes is based on:

operational considerations potentially affecting one of movability and communication capabilities of each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes; and

maintaining communication between each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes based on communication range parameters for each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the operational considerations comprise physical conditions including at least one of terrain, nautical conditions, atmospheric conditions, and one or more obstacles.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the communication range parameters of each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes include at least one of:

maximum distance to communicate with another of the plurality of mobile communication nodes; and

minimum distance to communicate with another of the plurality of mobile communication nodes.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the operational considerations include a minimum separation distance between adjacent mobile communication nodes of the plurality of mobile communication nodes.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the potential fields is subordinate to another one of the potential fields.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein a first potential field corresponds to the minimum separation distance between adjacent mobile communication nodes and wherein a second potential field corresponds to the minimum distance to communicate with another of the plurality of mobile communication nodes.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the second potential field is subordinate to the first potential field.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the first mobile communication node;

determining a generalized acceleration for the plurality of mobile communication nodes from the potential fields; and

integrating the generalized acceleration for each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes to generate the trajectory of the first mobile communication node and to generate the trajectories of each of the remaining mobile communication nodes.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes includes one of a ground-based communication node, a water-based communication node, and an air-based communication node.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the first mobile communication node;

monitoring a status of each of the remaining mobile communication nodes to identify a failure of an identified mobile communication node of the plurality of mobile communication nodes;

upon identification of the failure;

removing the identified mobile communication node from the remaining mobile communication nodes to generate a subset of remaining mobile communication nodes; and

reapplying potential fields to the dynamic model to determine a trajectory of the first mobile communication node and to determine a trajectory of each mobile communication node in the subset of remaining mobile communication nodes; and

redirecting movement of the first mobile communication node based on the trajectory of the first mobile communication node and the trajectory of each mobile communication node in the subset of remaining mobile communication nodes to modify a coverage of the communications network to provide service to at least a portion of the communications area previously served by the identified mobile communication node.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the failure includes one of a current failure and an impending failure.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of mobile communication nodes is a self-deployed robotic agent.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic model includes a model of a vector representing generalized physical forces and an acceleration for each of the plurality of mobile communication nodes.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communication node communicates with the remaining mobile communication nodes via a first communication system and wherein the first mobile communication node provides at least a portion of the communication network via a second communication system that is different than the first communication system.