Variable reference frames in unmanned vehicles

• US 9,891,630 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clearpath Robotics, Inc. (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gariepy, Ryan Christopher, Ma, Yan, Bencz, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/883,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20170038776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for implementation of variable references frames in unmanned vehicles is provided, which includes an unmanned vehicle comprising: a chassis; a propulsion system configured to move the chassis; sensor(s) configured to sense features around the chassis; a memory storing a global reference frame associated with an environment within which the chassis is to move; a communication interface; and a processor configured to: receive, using the interface, a command to move to a given coordinate in the global reference frame; control the propulsion system to move the chassis to the given coordinate; when the chassis is at the given coordinate, determine, using the sensor(s), that a given feature is detected; and, when so: automatically cease controlling the propulsion system according to the global reference frame; automatically move the chassis according to a local reference frame defined with reference to a point associated with the given feature.

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

a propulsion system configured to move the chassis;

one or more sensors configured to sense features around the chassis;

a memory storing a global reference frame associated with an environment within which the chassis is to move;

a communication interface; and

a processor configured to;

receive, using the communication interface, a command to move to a given coordinate in the global reference frame;

control the propulsion system to move the chassis to the given coordinate in the global reference frame based on the command;

when the chassis is at the given coordinate, determine, using the one or more sensors, that a given feature is detected; and

, when the given feature is detected;

automatically cease controlling the propulsion system according to the global reference frame; and

,

automatically control the propulsion system to move the chassis according to a local reference frame defined with reference to a dimension associated with the given feature.

2. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, using the communication interface, task data in association with receiving the command; and

, when the chassis is at the given coordinate and when the given feature is detected;

control the propulsion system to move the chassis according to the task data and according to the local reference frame.

3. The unmanned vehicle of claim 2, wherein the task data comprises one or more further commands for controlling the chassis to move with respect to the local reference frame.

4. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the global reference frame is associated with a digital map of the environment within which the chassis is to move.

5. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to switch to a reactive mode when automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis according the local reference frame.

6. The unmanned vehicle of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to operate in the reactive mode by controlling the propulsion system to perform given movements when given features are detected using sensor data.

7. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to change from a first set of control parameters to second set of control parameters when automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis according the local reference frame.

8. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores data representative of the feature, the processor further configured to determine that the feature is detected by comparing sensor data received from the one or more sensors with the data representative of the feature.

9. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the chassis is at the given coordinate, by one more of:

using the one or more sensors, at least one of the one or more sensors configured to observe coordinates of the chassis within the global reference frame;

using a GPS (Global Positioning System) device;

using simultaneous localization and mapping (“

SLAM”

) techniques;

using a motion capture system;

processing one or more geofences associated with the given coordinate; and

determining that the chassis is within a given distance from the given coordinate.

10. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

process task data when controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis according the local reference frame; and

, when processing of the task data is completed;

automatically cease controlling the propulsion system according to the local reference frame; and

,

automatically control the propulsion system to move the chassis according the global reference frame.

11. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically switch between using the global reference frame and using the local reference frame based on one or more of:

whether the chassis is at one or more given locations;

one or more given features detected using the one or more sensors; and

whether processing of task data has been completed.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, at a processor of an unmanned vehicle, using a communication interface of the unmanned vehicle, a command to move to a given coordinate in a global reference frame associated with an environment within which the unmanned vehicle is to move, the unmanned vehicle comprising;

a chassis;

a propulsion system configured to move the chassis;

one or more sensors configured to sense features around the chassis;

a memory storing the global reference frame;

the communication interface; and

the processor;

controlling, using the processor, the propulsion system to move the chassis to the given coordinate in the global reference frame based on the command;

when the chassis is at the given coordinate, determining, at the processor and using the one or more sensors, that a given feature is detected; and

, when the given feature is detected;

automatically ceasing, using the processor, controlling the propulsion system according to the global reference frame; and

,

automatically controlling, using the processor, the propulsion system to move the chassis according to a local reference frame defined with reference to a dimension associated with the given feature.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, using the communication interface, task data in association with receiving the command; and

, when the chassis is at the given coordinate and when the given feature is detected;

control the propulsion system to move the chassis according to the task data and according to the local reference frame.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the global reference frame is associated with a digital map of the environment within which the chassis is to move.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising switching to a reactive mode when automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis according the local reference frame.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising changing from a first set of control parameters to second set of control parameters when automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis according the local reference frame.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the memory further stores data representative of the feature, and the method further comprises determining that the feature is detected by comparing sensor data received from the one or more sensors with the data representative of the feature.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the chassis is at the given coordinate, by one more of:

using the one or more sensors, at least one of the one or more sensors configured to observe coordinates of the chassis within the global reference frame;

using a GPS (Global Positioning System) device;

using simultaneous localization and mapping (“

SLAM”

) techniques;

using a motion capture system;

processing one or more geofences associated with the given coordinate; and

determining that the chassis is within a given distance from the given coordinate.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

processing task data when controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis according the local reference frame; and

, when processing of the task data is completed;

automatically ceasing controlling the propulsion system according to the local reference frame; and

,

automatically controlling the propulsion system to move the chassis according the global reference frame.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically switching between using the global reference frame and using the local reference frame based on one or more of:

whether the chassis is at one or more given locations;

one or more given features detected using the one or more sensors; and

whether processing of task data has been completed.

21. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:

receiving, at a processor of an unmanned vehicle, using a communication interface of the unmanned vehicle, a command to move to a given coordinate in a global reference frame associated with an environment within which the unmanned vehicle is to move, the unmanned vehicle comprising;

a chassis;

a propulsion system configured to move the chassis;

one or more sensors configured to sense features around the chassis;

a memory storing the global reference frame;

the communication interface; and

the processor;

controlling, using the processor, the propulsion system to move the chassis to the given coordinate in the global reference frame based on the command;

when the chassis is at the given coordinate, determining, at the processor and using the one or more sensors, that a given feature is detected; and

, when the given feature is detected;

automatically ceasing, using the processor, controlling the propulsion system according to the global reference frame; and

,

automatically controlling, using the processor, the propulsion system to move the chassis according to a local reference frame defined with reference to a dimension associated with the given feature.