Autonomous system, device and method to provide data of the autonomous system

• US 9,373,199 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Dippl, Sebastian, Eidenberger, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US14/255,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 700/66
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A device to provide data of an autonomous system is configured to receive, from the autonomous system, data that are generated by the autonomous system, and to send the received data to an archiving device for storage. The archiving device is arranged external to the autonomous system and is independent of the operation of the autonomous system. The device provides the stored data for an independent evaluation device. An improved data provision is ensured by the storage of the data accumulating in the autonomous system, independent of the operation of the autonomous system. The provided data can be used for maintenance or setup of the autonomous system. An autonomous system includes such a device, and a method to provide data of an autonomous system; and a method to produce an autonomous system operate by using such a device.

Claims

1. A system to provide data, comprising;

an autonomous apparatus comprising components that operate in an apparatus environment of the apparatus, sensors that generate sensor data describing the apparatus environment of the autonomous apparatus, and an apparatus processor provided with said sensor data and configured to generate environment models based thereon that model said apparatus environment;

a data transfer processor, in communication with said apparatus processor, that is provided with said models from said apparatus processor;

said data transfer processor being configured to transfer the received models to an archiving device for storage in said archiving device, said archiving device being external to said autonomous apparatus and independent of operation of said autonomous apparatus;

a feedback channel between said data transfer processor and said apparatus processor that prevents models from being redundantly re-generated in said apparatus processor that have already been generated and transferred to said transfer processor;

an independent evaluation computer having access to said archiving device; and

said independent evaluation computer being configured to evaluate said models independently of ongoing operation of said autonomous system and to generate calibration data dependent on the evaluation of the models, and said evaluation computer being configured to transmit said calibration data to said apparatus components of said autonomous apparatus, and said apparatus components being calibrated within said autonomous apparatus by said calibration data.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said archiving device is configured for scalable storage of said models.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said archiving device is configured for distributed storage of said models.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data transfer processor is configured to encode data in the received models prior to transfer of the models to said archiving device.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data transfer processor comprises a network interface configured to receive the models from the apparatus processor via a network.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data transfer processor is configured to pre-process said models prior to transfer of the models to the archiving device.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said data transfer processor is configured to index data in the models received from the apparatus processor.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said evaluation computer is configured to implement automatic detection of errors in the autonomous apparatus.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data transfer processor is configured to receive said models from the apparatus processor at predetermined time intervals.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data transfer processor is configured to receive the models from the apparatus processor continuously.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said archiving device is configured to store said models for a predetermined time duration.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said autonomous apparatus wherein said apparatus components are selected from the group consisting of forklifts, cranes, autopilots, cleaning machines, construction machines, excavators, and driver assistance devices.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apparatus processor is configured to generate said environment models comprising at least one of raw data, processed data, and protocol data.