Multi-agent autonomous system and method

• US 20060229801A1
• Filed: 01/10/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Tarbell, Mark A., Fink, Wolfgang, Dohm, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

A method of controlling a plurality of crafts in an operational area includes providing a command system, a first craft in the operational area coupled to the command system, and a second craft in the operational area coupled to the command system. The method further includes determining a first desired destination and a first trajectory to the first desired destination, sending a first command from the command system to the first craft to move a first distance along the first trajectory, and moving the first craft according to the first command. A second desired destination and a second trajectory to the second desired destination are determined and a second command is sent from the command system to the second craft to move a second distance along the second trajectory.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a plurality of crafts in an operational area, the method comprising:

providing a command system;

providing a first craft in the operational area and coupled to the command system;

providing a second craft in the operational area and coupled to the command system;

determining a first desired destination and a first trajectory to the first desired destination;

sending a first command from the command system to the first craft to move a first distance along the first trajectory;

moving the first craft according to the first command;

determining a second desired destination and a second trajectory to the second desired destination; and

sending a second command from the command system to the second craft to move a second distance along the second trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second command is sent after sending the first command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first distance is shorter than a distance of the first trajectory to the first desired destination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second distance is shorter than a distance of the second trajectory to the second desired destination.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first desired destination is the same as the second desired destination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first desired destination is different from the second desired destination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the command system is in the operational area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the command system is outside of the operational area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first craft is at least one of ground-based, subsurface-based, airborne, spaceborne, or waterborne.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a third craft in the operational area and coupled to the first craft, the second craft, or both;

determining a third desired destination and a third trajectory to the third desired destination;

sending a third command from the first craft, the second craft, or both to the third craft to move a third distance along the third trajectory;

moving the third craft according to the third command.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the second craft according to the second command after moving the first craft according to the first command.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a location of the second craft after moving the second craft according to the second command.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a location of the first craft after moving the first craft according to the first command.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a third trajectory.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the third trajectory is the same as the first trajectory.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the third trajectory is different from the first trajectory.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining of the third trajectory is based on the determined location of the first craft, and the third trajectory is toward the first desired destination.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a third desired destination, and wherein the third trajectory is a trajectory to the third desired destination.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending a third command from the command system to the first craft to move a third distance along the third trajectory.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting a characteristic, wherein the determining of the third trajectory is triggered by the detection of the characteristic.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the detecting the characteristic is by at least one of the first craft, the second craft, or the command system.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the characteristic is temporal.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the characteristic is spatial.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the characteristic is a location of the first craft.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the characteristic is a feature of the operational area.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the characteristic is a feature of an object in the operational area.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the object is an obstacle.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the feature is movement of the object.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the feature is a difference between the object and the operational area.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the feature is a composition of the object.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the feature is a location of the object.

32. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a first dataset of information;

sensing of the operational area to obtain sensing information;

comparing the sensing information to the first dataset to detect an anomaly,

wherein the determining of the third trajectory is triggered by detection of the anomaly.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first dataset of information comprises information sensed from the operational area at a previous time.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the first dataset of information comprises information sensed from a different operational area.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the first dataset of information comprises information expected to be sensed from the operational area.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the anomaly is a difference between the first dataset and the sensing information.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the sensing of the operational area is by at least one of the first craft, the second craft, or the command system.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing of the operational area by the first craft to obtain sensing information; and

transmitting the sensing information to the command system.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising determining a third trajectory for the first craft by the command system at least in part based on the sensing information.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising sending a third command to the first craft to move a third distance along the third trajectory.