Vehicle management system

• US 9,731,417 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: 5D Robotics, Inc. (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Hartley, R. Scott, Bruemmer, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US14/717,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20150285646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 701123, 701522
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/08 characterised by modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1684 Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/256 of results relating to different input data, e.g. multimodal recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/10 Sensor physically contacts and follows work contour

Abstract

A system and method to identify optimal vehicular movement based on reactive and deliberative components is described. Modifiable use conditions, such as speeding, excessive idling, gear selection, acceleration and deceleration profiles, as well as optimal path determination and follow distance are identified and optimized based on a reactive interaction between the vehicles and infrastructure on a real-time basis. Using active positioning tags placed within the environment and/or attached to each vehicle a vehicle'"'"'s position can be determined relative to other proximal vehicles or relative to its environment. With such information a vehicle'"'"'s path can be optimized.

Claims

1. A method for coordinated movement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

collecting real time vehicular and environmental data from a plurality of sensors;

determining a location for the vehicle within an environment based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

determining a relative location for the vehicle relative to one or more other proximal vehicles based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

communicating the relative location and the location of the vehicle among the one or more other proximal vehicles;

receiving position data from the plurality of sensors;

determining a vehicle path based on position data from the plurality of sensors, the location of the vehicle, and the relative location of the vehicle from the one or more other proximal vehicles; and

determining a vehicle speed based on the location of the vehicle along the vehicle path, the relative location of the vehicle from the one or more other proximal vehicles and operation as a collaborative unit wherein the vehicle speed based on operation as a collaborative unit is an aggregate optimal speed for the one or more other proximal vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors are associated with the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors are associated with the environment along the vehicle path.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the plurality of sensors associated with the environment is proximal to the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the vehicle path includes collaborating with the one or more other proximal vehicles to identify an optimal route and optimal speed.

6. The method of claim 1 where the vehicle path is a collective path shared by the one or more other proximal vehicles.

7. A method for coordinated movement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

collecting real time vehicular and environmental data from a plurality of sensors;

determining a location for the vehicle within an environment based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

determining a relative location for the vehicle relative to one or more other proximal vehicles based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

communicating the relative location and the location of the vehicle among the one or more other proximal vehicles wherein communicating includes using ultra-wide band technology to communicate data among the one or more other proximal vehicles and wherein determining a relative location for the vehicle relative to one or more other proximal vehicles occurs simultaneously and in parallel by each of the plurality of vehicles;

receiving position data from the plurality of sensors; and

determining a vehicle path based on information data from the plurality of sensors, the location of the vehicle, and the relative location of the vehicle from the one or more other proximal vehicles.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a processor wherein said program of instructions comprises a plurality of program codes for coordinated movement of a vehicle, said program of instructions comprising:

program code for collecting real time vehicular and environmental data from a plurality of sensors;

program code for determining a location for the vehicle within an environment based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

program code for determining a relative location for the vehicle relative to one or more other proximal vehicles based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

program code for communicating the relative location and the location of the vehicle among the one or more other proximal vehicles;

program code for receiving position data from the plurality of sensors; and

program code for determining a vehicle path based on position data from the plurality of sensors, the location of the vehicle, and the relative location of the vehicle from the one or more other proximal vehicles, and collaborating with the one or more other proximal vehicles to identify an optimal route and optimal speed.

9. The program of instructions embodied on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further compromising program code for determining a vehicle speed based on the location of the vehicle along the path, the relative location of the vehicle from the one or more other proximal vehicles and operation as a collaborative unit.

10. The program of instructions embodied on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the vehicle speed based on operation as a collaborative unit is an aggregate optimal speed for the one or more other proximal vehicles.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a processor wherein said program of instructions comprises a plurality of program codes for coordinated movement of a vehicle, said program of instructions comprising:

program code for collecting real time vehicular and environmental data from a plurality of sensors;

program code for determining a location for the vehicle within an environment based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

program code for determining a relative location for the vehicle relative to one or more other proximal vehicles, simultaneously and in parallel by each of the plurality of vehicles, based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

program code for communicating the relative location and the location of the vehicle among the one or more other proximal vehicles;

program code for receiving position data from the plurality of sensors; and

program code for determining a vehicle path based on position data from the plurality of sensors, the location of the vehicle, and the relative location of the vehicle from the one or more other proximal vehicles.