Navigation and control system for autonomous vehicles

• US 20070219720A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: The Gray Insurance Company (Gray & Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kinney, Powell, Wilson, Bruce, Goeller, Keith, Schneider, Carl, Nagel, Jorge, Trepagnier, Paul, Dooner, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0213 Road vehicle, e.g. car or truck

Abstract

A navigation and control system including a sensor configured to locate objects in a predetermined field of view from a vehicle. The sensor has an emitter configured to repeatedly scan a beam into a two-dimensional sector of a plane defined with respect to a first predetermined axis of the vehicle, and a detector configured to detect a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects. The sensor includes a panning mechanism configured to pan the plane in which the beam is scanned about a second predetermined axis to produce a three dimensional field of view. The navigation and control system includes a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects in the three dimensional field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of the beam and a reception of the reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects.

Claims

1. A navigation and control system comprising:

a sensor configured to locate objects in a predetermined field of view from a vehicle, including,

an emitter configured to repeatedly scan a beam into a two-dimensional sector of a plane defined with respect to a first predetermined axis of the vehicle,

a detector configured to detect a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects, and

a panning mechanism configured to pan the plane in which the beam is scanned about a second predetermined axis to produce a three dimensional field of view; and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects in the three dimensional field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of the beam and a reception of the reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine said existence and location of the objects independent of whether the vehicle is in motion.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a positioning device configured to provide at least one of a heading of the vehicle and a geospatial position of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the positioning device comprises a global positioning system device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the positioning device comprises:

an inertial navigation system coupled to the global positioning system device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises:

a geospatial coordinate determination device configured to translate the locations of the objects relative to the vehicle into geospatial coordinates based on respective distances to the object, respective directions to the object, the heading of the vehicle, and a geospatial position of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the panning mechanism comprises:

an angular determination mechanism configured to determine the angular coordinate of the beam relative to the second predetermined axis upon emission of the beam.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to offset the angular coordinate by an amount indicative of the time delay in receiving a signal indicative of the angular coordinate at the processor from the angular determination mechanism.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the angular determination mechanism comprises a motor rotating the panning mechanism, and the processor directs a motor to scan respective angular sectors at respective panning rates.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of the respective angular sectors and the respective panning rates based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the beam, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the emitter is configured to emit the beam into a two-dimensional sector of a substantially vertical plane.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a light detection and ranging device configured to produce said beam and detect the reflection of the beam from the objects.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a laser radar device configured to produce said beam and detect the reflection at the wavelength of the emitted beam from the objects.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary sensor configured to at least one of scan an auxiliary beam in a plane rotated from said plane defined with respect to the first predetermined axis to provide complementary information to the processor regarding the locations of the objects and scan the auxiliary beam in a predetermined sector known to have an obstacle therein.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an altimeter configured to determine an altitude of the vehicle,

wherein the processor is configured to determine respective elevations of points on the objects by correlating the respective locations of the points relative to the vehicle with the position of the vehicle and the altitude of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed with an obstacle identification algorithm to determine if one of the objects is an obstacle.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said processor comprises a memory including storage elements corresponding to subsectors in the three-dimensional field of view, said storage elements configured to store indicators of whether an obstacle exists in the subsector of said field of view.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said processor is configured to determine if a projected path of the vehicle intersects one of the subsectors containing the indicators.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor, when executing the obstacle identification algorithm, determines if there exists a first point on a contour map of one of the objects that is farther away from the vehicle than a second point on the contour map, if a slope between the first point and the second point is greater than a predetermined slope, and if a height between the first point and the second point is greater than a predetermined height.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to provide at least one of direction and speed control instructions to the vehicle.

21. A method for navigation and control of a vehicle, comprising:

scanning repeatedly a beam into a two-dimensional sector of a plane defined with respect to a first predetermined axis of the vehicle;

detecting a reflection of the emitted beam from an object removed from the vehicle;

panning the plane in which the beam is scanned about a second predetermined axis to produce a three dimensional field of view;

determining the existence and location of the object in the three dimensional field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of the beam and a reception of the reflection of the emitted beam.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the scanning comprises:

scanning the beam into a two-dimensional sector of a substantially vertical plane.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining an angular coordinate of the beam relative to the second predetermined axis for the direction to the object.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

offsetting the angular coordinate by an amount indicative of a time delay in receiving a signal indicative of the angular coordinate at a processor configured to calculate the location of the objects.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

obtaining positioning data from a global positioning system device disposed on the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

obtaining orientation data for the second predetermined axis of the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

providing wheel speed data to correlate with the positioning and orientation data.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

processing at least one of the angular coordinate, the positioning data, and the orientation data to determine the location of the object in geospatial coordinates.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

directing the beam into respective angular sectors at respective panning rates.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining at least one of the respective angular sectors and the respective panning rates based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the beam, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

ascertaining an altitude of the vehicle;

determining an elevation of the object by correlating the location of the object relative to the vehicle with the geospatial position of the vehicle and the altitude of the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining if the object is an obstacle.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

storing in memory indicators of whether an obstacle exists in a subsector of said three dimensional field of view.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determine if a projected path of the vehicle intersects one of the subsectors containing the indicators.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein determining if the object is an obstacle comprises:

determining if there exists a first point on a contour map of the object that is farther away from the vehicle than a second point on the contour map, if a slope between the first point and the second point is greater than a predetermined slope, and if a height between the first point and the second point is greater than a predetermined height.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

determining if the obstacle is to be avoided by determining if a geospatial position of the obstacle and a projected path of the vehicle provide lateral clearance between the obstacle and the vehicle.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

providing at least one of direction and speed control to the vehicle in order to avoid the obstacle.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

obtaining a destination of the vehicle; and

directing the vehicle in order to avoid the obstacle and to return on course to the destination.

39. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing data from an auxiliary sensing beam that is at least one of scanned in a plane rotated from the plane defined with respect to the first predetermined axis of the vehicle and scanned in a predetermined sector known to have an obstacle therein.

40. A drivable unit comprising:

a vehicle including,

a sensor configured to locate objects in a predetermined field of view from a vehicle, including,

an emitter configured to scan a beam into a sector of a plane defined with respect to a first predetermined axis of the vehicle,

a detector configured to detect a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects, and

a panning mechanism configured to pan the plane in which the beam is scanned about a second predetermined axis to produce a three dimensional field of view, and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects in the three dimensional field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of the beam and a reception of the reflection of the emitted beam.

41. The unit of claim 40, wherein the vehicle comprises a land-based vehicle.

42. The unit of claim 41, wherein the land-based vehicle comprises at least one of an automobile, a truck, a sport utility vehicle, rescue vehicle, an agricultural vehicle, a mining vehicle, an escort vehicle, a toy vehicle, a reconnaissance vehicle, a test-track vehicle, and an armored vehicle.

43. The unit of claim 40, wherein the vehicle comprises watercraft.

44. The unit of claim 43, wherein the watercraft comprises at least one of a boat, a ship, a barge, a tanker, an amphibious vehicle, a hovercraft, and an armored ship.

45. The unit of claim 40, wherein the vehicle comprises aircraft.

46. The unit of claim 45, wherein the aircraft comprises at least one of an airplane, a helicopter, a lighter-than-air vehicle, and reconnaissance aircraft.

47. The unit of claim 40, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle without driver-assisted control.

48. The unit of claim 40, wherein the vehicle comprises a driver-controlled vehicle with computer-assisted control.

49. The unit of claim 48, wherein the processor is configured to recognize driver impairment.

50. The unit of claim 49, wherein the processor is configured to recognize driver impairment from a biometric sensor or from an analysis of driver-control of the vehicle.

51. The unit of claim 48, wherein the processor is configured to control the vehicle in an event of an input command.

52. A navigation and control system comprising:

a sensor configured to locate objects in a field of view from a vehicle;

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects in the field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of a beam from the sensor and a reception of a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects;

said processor comprising a memory including storage elements corresponding to subsectors in the field of view; and

said processor configured to perform an obstacle identification algorithm to determine if any object is an obstacle, to determine in which of said field of view subsectors a determined obstacle exists, and to store in each corresponding memory element an obstacle indicator indicative that an obstacle exists in the corresponding subsector.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the processor is configured to determine if a projected path of the vehicle intersects any subsector storing an indicator.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein the processor is configured to execute an obstacle identification algorithm comprising:

determining first and second points on a contour map of an object,

determining if said first point is farther away from the vehicle than said second point,

determining a slope between the first point and the second point,

determining if said slope is greater than a predetermined slope, and

determining if a height between the first point and the second point is greater than a predetermined height, and if so, determining the object is an obstacle.

55. A drivable unit comprising:

a vehicle including,

a sensor configured to locate objects in a field of view from the vehicle, and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects in the field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of a beam from the sensor and a reception of a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects,

said processor comprising a memory including storage elements corresponding to subsectors in the field of view, and

said processor configured to perform an obstacle identification algorithm to determine if any object is an obstacle, to determine in which of said field of view subsectors a determined obstacle exists, and to store in each corresponding memory element an obstacle indicator indicative that an obstacle exists in the corresponding subsector.

56. The unit of claim 55, wherein the processor is configured to determine if a projected path of the vehicle intersects any subsector storing an indicator.

57. The unit of claim 55, wherein the processor is configured to execute an obstacle identification algorithm comprising:

determining first and second points on a contour map of an object,

determining if said first point is farther away from the vehicle than said second point,

determining a slope between the first point and the second point,

determining if said slope is greater than a predetermined slope, and

determining if a height between the first point and the second point is greater than a predetermined height, and if so, determining the object is an obstacle.

58. A navigation and control system comprising:

a sensor configured to locate objects removed from a vehicle; and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of a beam from the sensor and a reception of a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects,

wherein the processor is configured to direct the sensor to scan a first sector associated with a path of the vehicle, and

the processor is configured to direct the sensor to scan a second sector identified with an obstacle.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of the first and second sectors based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the sensors, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

60. A drivable unit comprising:

a vehicle including,

a sensor configured to locate objects removed from the vehicle, and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of a beam from the sensor and a reception of a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects,

wherein the processor is configured to direct the sensor to scan a first sector associated with a path of the vehicle, and

the processor is configured to direct the sensor to scan a second sector identified with an obstacle.

61. The unit of claim 60, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of the first and second sectors based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the sensors, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

62. A navigation and control system comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to locate objects removed from a vehicle; and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of a beam from one of the sensors and a reception of a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects,

wherein the processor is configured to direct one of the sensors to scan a first sector associated with a path of the vehicle, and

the processor is configured to direct another of the sensors to scan a second sector identified with an obstacle.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of the first and second sectors based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the sensors, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

64. A drivable unit comprising:

a vehicle including,

a plurality of sensors configured to locate objects removed from the vehicle, and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of a beam from one of the sensors and a reception of a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects,

wherein the processor is configured to direct one of the sensors to scan a first sector associated with a path of the vehicle, and

the processor is configured to direct another of the sensors to scan a second sector identified with an obstacle.

65. The unit of claim 64, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of the first and second sectors based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the sensors, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

66. A navigation and control system comprising:

a sensor configured to locate objects removed from a vehicle; and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of a beam from the sensor and a reception of a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects,

wherein the processor is configured to direct the sensor to scan selectively a sector associated with a projected turn in a path of the vehicle.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the processor is configured to determine the sector to scan based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the sensors, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

68. A drivable unit comprising:

a vehicle including,

a sensor configured to locate objects removed from the vehicle, and

a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of a beam from the sensor and a reception of a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects,

wherein the processor is configured to direct the sensor to scan selectively a sector associated with a projected turn in a path of the vehicle.

69. The unit of claim 68, wherein the processor is configured to determine the sector to scan based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the sensors, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

70. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a processor in a vehicle, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the functions of:

scanning repeatedly a beam into a two-dimensional sector of a plane defined with respect to a first predetermined axis of the vehicle;

detecting a reflection of the emitted beam from an object removed from the vehicle;

panning the plane in which the beam is scanned about a second predetermined axis to produce a three dimensional field of view;

determining the existence and location of the object in the three dimensional field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of the beam and a reception of the reflection of the emitted beam.

71. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a processor in a vehicle, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the functions of:

scanning objects in a field of view from the vehicle;

determining a location of the objects in the field of view;

determining first and second points on a contour map of an identified object;

determining if said first point is farther away from the vehicle than said second point;

determining a slope between the first point and the second point;

determining if said slope is greater than a predetermined slope; and

determining if a height between the first point and the second point is greater than a predetermined height, and if so, determining the object is an obstacle.

72. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a processor in a vehicle, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the functions of:

scanning objects in a field of view from the vehicle;

determining a location of the objects in the field of view;

performing an obstacle identification algorithm to determine if any object is an obstacle;

determining a field of view subsector in which a determined obstacle exists; and

storing in a corresponding memory element an obstacle indicator indicative that an obstacle exists in a corresponding subsector.

73. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a processor in a vehicle, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the functions of:

scanning objects in a field of view from the vehicle;

determining a location of the objects in the field of view;

directing a scan in a first sector associated with a path of the vehicle, and

directing a scan in a second sector identified with an obstacle.

74. The medium of claim 73, wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine at least one of the first and second sectors based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the sensors, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.

75. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a processor in a vehicle, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the functions of:

scanning objects in a field of view from the vehicle;

determining a location of the objects in the field of view;

directing a scan selectively in a sector associated with a projected turn in a path of the vehicle.

76. The medium of claim 75, wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine the sector to be scanned based on at least one of a vehicle speed, an identified obstacle location, a projected path of the vehicle, a resolution required to resolve a complex obstacle or a collection of obstacles to be resolved, sensory input other than from the sensors, an identified priority sector in which an obstacle has been identified, and auxiliary information indicating the presence of an obstacle, a moving obstacle, another vehicle, a landmark, or an area of interest.