Planning and monitoring of autonomous-mission

• US 9,547,311 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (Government of Israel)
• Original Assignee: Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (Government of Israel)
• Inventors: Tamir, Assaf, Sharon, Amira
• Primary Examiner(s): Jos, Basil T
• Application Number:
  US14/387,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20150051783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/10 Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions G05D1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30 Arrangements for executing machine instructions, e.g. instruction decode for executing microinstructions G06F9/22

Abstract

The presently disclosed subject matter includes a method and system of planning autonomous mission, the mission being executed by one or more autonomous agents. A generic mission template is obtained, the generic mission template being constructed from a plurality of mission-objects and defines logical connections between the plurality of mission-objects, wherein each mission-object is configured to logically represent a respective type of mission-element; one or more mission-object in the generic mission template are associated with a respective real world mission-element, thereby generating a specific mission plan; with the help of a processor an agent-specific mission plan is generated for the one or more agents, based on the generic mission template and the specific mission plan, wherein an agent specific mission plan comprises tasks assigned to a respective designated agent and is compatible with the technical requirement of the respective designated agent.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a mission plan for an autonomous mission, the mission plan being executed by one or more autonomous agents, the method comprising:

obtaining a generic mission template from a computer storage, the generic mission template being constructed from a plurality of mission-objects and defines logical connections between the plurality of mission-objects, wherein each mission-object is configured to logically represent a respective type of mission-element;

associating one or more mission-object in the generic mission template with a respective real world mission-element, thereby generating a specific mission plan;

using a processor for;

generating, based on the generic mission template and the specific mission plan, an agent-specific mission plan for each of said one or more agents, wherein an agent-specific mission plan comprises tasks assigned to a respective designated agent allowing for the controlling and updating in real-time of the tasks assigned to a specific agent individually from other agents operating under the same mission plan;

converting each agent-specific mission plan into a format which is compatible with the technical requirement of the respective designated agent;

continuously monitoring the progress of the mission, identifying in real-time that an update to a mission-element is required and updating the mission-element accordingly; and

determining, based on the generic mission plan whether there are logical connections between the updated mission-element and other mission-elements, and if yes, updating the other mission-elements to enable progress of the mission.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said obtaining comprises:

providing a plurality of mission-object types each type of mission-object being a variable configured to logically represent a respective type of real world mission-element;

selecting mission-objects from said plurality of mission-object types;

establishing connections between said plurality of selected mission-objects; and

generating said generic mission template.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

simulating the mission plan execution thereby validating that the mission plan is free of errors or undesirable logical connection between different mission-objects.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising,

transmitting each agent-specific mission plan to a respective designated agent.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on a display a graphical representation of the generic mission template;

indicating, with the help of said graphical representation, a real-time progress of said real world mission-elements in respect of the mission plan.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

updating, during the execution of the mission, information related to a first mission-object in said generic mission template;

responsive to said updating, associating a new mission-element with said first mission-object, thereby enabling to change the mission plan while the mission is in progress.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said new mission-element is an agent, and said information includes an agent-specific mission plan of the agent.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

in case a second mission-object in said generic mission template is logically connected to said first mission-object, updating information in respect of mission-element associated with said second mission-object.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said updating is performed automatically with the help of a processor, based on predefined logic.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said associating is performed automatically based on predefined logic.

11. A computer-implemented method of generating a mission plan for an autonomous mission, the mission plan being executed by one or more autonomous agents, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of mission-objects types each type of mission-object being a variable configured to logically represent a respective type of real world mission-element;

generating a plurality of selected mission-objects from said plurality of mission-object types;

establishing logical connections between said plurality of selected mission-objects;

generating a generic mission template;

using a processor for;

generating, based on the generic mission template and a specific mission plan, an agent-specific mission plan for each of said one or more agents, wherein an agent-specific mission plan comprises tasks assigned to a respective designated agent allowing for the controlling and updating in real-time of the tasks assigned to a specific agent individually from other agents operating under the same mission plan;

converting each agent-specific mission plan into a format which is compatible with the technical requirement of the respective designated agent;

continuously monitoring the progress of the mission, identifying in real-time that an update to a mission-element is required and updating the mission-element accordingly; and

determining, based on the generic mission plan whether there are logical connections between the updated mission-element and other mission-elements, and if yes, updating the other mission-elements to enable progress of the mission.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

associating one or more mission-object in the generic mission template with a respective real world mission-element, thereby generating the specific mission plan.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said generating of the generic mission template is performed automatically with the help of a processor based on predefined logic.

14. A computer-implemented system of generating a mission plan for an autonomous mission, the mission plan being executed by one or more autonomous agents, the system comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory and operable to:

obtain a generic mission template from a computer storage, the generic mission template being constructed from a plurality of mission-objects and defines logical connections between the plurality of mission-objects, wherein each mission-object is configured to logically represent a respective type of mission-element;

associate one or more mission-object in the generic mission template with a respective real world mission-element, thereby generating a specific mission plan;

generate, using the processor, based on the generic mission template and the specific mission plan, an agent-specific mission plan for each of said one or more agents, wherein an agent-specific mission plan comprises tasks assigned to a respective designated agent allowing for the controlling and updating in real-time of the tasks assigned to a specific agent individually from other agents operating under the same mission plan;

convert each agent-specific mission plan into a format which is compatible with the technical requirement of the respective designated agent;

continuously monitor the progress of the mission, identify in real-time that an update to a mission-element is required and update the mission-element accordingly; and

determine, based on the generic mission plan whether there are logical connections between the updated mission-element and other mission-elements, and if yes, update the other mission-elements to enable progress of the mission.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein said processor is further operable to:

provide a plurality of mission-object types, each type of mission-object being a variable configured to logically represent a respective type of real world mission-element;

select mission-objects from said plurality of mission-object types;

establish connections between said plurality of selected mission-objects; and

generate said generic mission template.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processor is further operable to:

simulate the mission plan thereby validate that the mission plan is free of errors.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processor is further operable to:

transmit each agent-specific mission plan to a respective designated agent.

18. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a display, wherein said processor is further operable to:

display on the display a graphical representation of the generic mission template;

indicate, with the help of said graphical representation, a real-time progress of said real world mission-elements in respect of the mission plan.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processor is further operable to:

update, a first mission-object in said generic mission template; and

responsive to said update, further update an agent-specific mission plan of an agent associated with said mission-object, thereby enabling to change the mission plan while the mission is in progress.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said processor is further operable to:

in case a second mission-object is logically connected to said first mission-object, determine whether the logical connection require to update instruction to a second agent associated with the second mission-object;

and if it is, update agent-specific mission plan of said second agent, while the mission is in progress.

21. The system according to claim 19 wherein said processor is operable to automatically perform said update, based on predefined logic.

22. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processor is operable to automatically associate one or more mission-object in the generic mission template with a respective real world mission-element, based on predefined logic.

23. A computer-implemented system of generating a mission plan for an autonomous mission, the mission plan being executed by one or more autonomous agents, the system comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory and operable to:

generate a plurality of mission-objects types each type of mission-object configured to logically represent a respective real world mission-element;

generate a plurality of selected mission-objects from said plurality of mission-object types;

establish connections between said plurality of selected mission-objects;

generate a generic mission template;

generate, using the processor, based on the generic mission template and a specific mission plan, an agent-specific mission plan for each of said one or more agents, wherein an agent-specific mission plan comprises tasks assigned to a respective designated agent allowing for the controlling and updating in real-time of the tasks assigned to a specific agent individually from other agents operating under the same mission plan;

convert each agent-specific mission plan into a format which is compatible with the technical requirement of the respective designated agent;

continuously monitor the progress of the mission, identify in real-time that an update to a mission-element is required and update the mission-element accordingly; and

determine, based on the generic mission plan whether there are logical connections between the updated mission-element and other mission-elements, and if yes, update the other mission-elements to enable progress of the mission.

24. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps of planning autonomous mission, the mission being executed by one or more autonomous agents, the method comprising:

obtaining a generic mission template from a computer storage, the generic mission template being constructed from a plurality of mission-objects and defines logical connections between the plurality of mission-objects, wherein each mission-object is configured to logically represent a respective type of mission-element;

associating one or more mission-object in the generic mission template with a respective real world mission-element, thereby generating a specific mission plan;

using a processor for;

generating, based on the generic mission template and the specific mission plan, an agent-specific mission plan for each of said one or more agents, wherein an agent-specific mission plan comprises tasks assigned to a respective designated agent allowing for the controlling and updating in real-time of the tasks assigned to a specific agent individually from other agents operating under the same mission plan;

converting each agent-specific mission plan into a format which is compatible with the technical requirement of the respective designated agent;

continuously monitoring the progress of the mission, identifying in real-time that an update to a mission-element is required and updating the mission-element accordingly; and

determining, based on the generic mission plan whether there are logical connections between the updated mission-element and other mission-elements, and if yes, updating the other mission-elements to enable progress of the mission.