Sense and avoid for automated mobile vehicles

• US 10,078,136 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2014
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kimchi, Gur, Isaacs, Scott, Navot, Amir, Beckman, Brian C., Schaffalitzky, Frederik, Green, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US14/225,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20150277440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 26, 701301, 701 3, 701 11, 701300, 244189-190, 244 23 A, 244 76 A, 244 751, 244 76, 244 1, 244 24, 244 63, 705332, 705330, 340435, 180168, 342153, 356 72, 356614, 356 401, 347256, 347260, 369 4411, 720658-660, 3581961-197
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 : for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 : for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 : Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

This disclosure describes an automated mobile vehicle that includes one or more distance determining elements configured to detect the presence of objects and to cause the automated mobile vehicle to alter its path to avoid the object. For example, a distance determining element may be incorporated into one or more of the motors of the automated mobile vehicle and configured to determine a distance to an object. Based on the determined distance, a path of the automated mobile vehicle may be altered.

Claims

1. An automated vehicle, comprising:

a body;

a first motor coupled with the body at a first location, the first motor including;

a first exterior component having a first cavity and at least one opening on a side of the first exterior component;

a first interior component positioned substantially within the first cavity of the first exterior component; and

a first laser based rangefinder positioned substantially within the first cavity of the first exterior component, the first laser based rangefinder configured to emit a first laser signal that projects out of the at least one opening on the side of the first exterior component toward an object, reflects off the object and returns to the first laser based rangefinder through the at least one opening on the side of the first exterior component, and configured to receive the reflected first laser signal and determine a first distance to the object;

a first propeller coupled to and rotated by the first motor;

a second motor coupled with the body at a second location, the second motor including;

a second exterior component having a second cavity and at least one opening on a side of the second exterior component;

a second interior component positioned substantially within the second cavity of the second exterior component; and

a second laser based rangefinder positioned substantially within the second cavity of the second exterior component, the second laser based rangefinder configured to emit a second laser signal that projects out of the at least one opening on the side of the second exterior component toward the object, reflects off the object and returns to the second laser based rangefinder through the at least one opening on the side of the second exterior component, and configured to receive the reflected second laser signal and determine a second distance to the object; and

a second propeller coupled to and rotated by the second motor.

2. The automated vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first laser based rangefinder is coupled to a rotor of the first motor or a drive of the first motor and rotates with the rotor or the drive and emits the first laser signal on a 360 degree plane as the first laser based rangefinder rotates with a rotation of the first motor.

4. The automated vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of reflective surfaces coupled to an exterior surface of the first interior component of the first motor, at least two of the plurality of reflective surfaces positioned at different angles; and

wherein the first laser based rangefinder is coupled to an interior surface of the first exterior component that forms the first cavity and positioned such that the first laser signal emitted from the first laser based rangefinder reflects off at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces.

6. The automated vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

the first motor including at least one of a brushless motor or a brushed motor.

3. An automated vehicle comprising:

a body;

a first motor positioned at a first location on the body and at a first angle with respect to the body;

a first propeller coupled to and rotated by the first motor;

a first distance determining element coupled to at least a portion of the first motor and rotated with a rotation of the at least a portion of the first motor such that a first laser signal emitted by the first distance determining element forms a first detection pattern about the first motor and along a first plane corresponding to the first angle;

a second motor positioned at a second location on the body and at a second angle with respect to the body, the second angle being different than the first angle;

a second propeller coupled to and rotated by the second motor;

a second distance determining element coupled to at least a portion of the second motor and rotated with a rotation of the at least a portion of the second motor such that a second laser signal emitted by the second distance determining element forms a second detection pattern about the second motor and along a second plane corresponding to the second angle such that the second detection pattern at least partially intersects with the first detection pattern;

a third motor positioned at a third location on the body and at a third angle with respect to the body, the third angle being different than at least one of the first angle or the second angle;

a third propeller coupled to and rotated by the third motor; and

a third distance determining element coupled to at least a portion of the third motor and rotated with a rotation of the at least a portion of the third motor such that a third laser signal emitted by the third distance determining element forms a third detection pattern about the third motor and along a third plane corresponding to the third angle such that the third detection pattern at least partially intersects with at least one of the first detection pattern or the second detection pattern.

5. The automated vehicle of claim 3, further comprising:

a fourth distance determining element coupled to at least a second portion of the first motor and configured to rotate with a rotation of the at least a second portion of the first motor such that a fourth laser signal emitted by the fourth distance determining element forms a fourth detection pattern about the first motor and along a fourth plane corresponding to the first angle.

7. The automated vehicle of claim 5, wherein the second portion of the first motor is at an opposing end of the first motor from the portion of the first motor.

8. The automated vehicle of claim 5, wherein the portion of the first motor and the second portion of the first motor are along a drive or arm of the first motor.

9. The automated vehicle of claim 3, wherein the portion of the first motor is a first rotor.

10. The automated vehicle of claim 3, further comprising:

a positioning component configured to;

receive from each of at least three fixed locations, position information identifying a location of the fixed location; and

determine based at least in part on the received position information, a position of the automated vehicle.

11. The automated vehicle of claim 3, further comprising:

a positioning component configured to;

receive, from the first distance determining element, first distance information indicating a first distance between an object and the first motor;

receive, from the second distance determining element, second distance information indicating a second distance between the object and the second motor;

receive, from the third distance determining element, third distance information indicating a third distance between the object and the third motor; and

determine based at least in part on the received first distance information, second distance information, and third distance information, a position of the automated vehicle with respect to the object.

12. The automated vehicle of claim 3, further comprising:

a receiving component for receiving information from at least one of a second automated vehicle or a transmitter positioned at a fixed location.

13. The automated vehicle of claim 3, further comprising:

a transmitting component for transmitting at least one of a position of the automated vehicle, an intent of the automated vehicle, or a velocity of the automated vehicle.

14. The automated vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first motor and the second motor are separated by approximately 15 centimeters.