PATH DETERMINATION

• US 20120150379A1
• Filed: 09/07/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Inventors: Day, Peter Stephen, Wragg, David Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A system for controlling a vehicle to follow at least one person includes a detection device for detecting a location of at least one person. The system further includes a storage device for recording locations of at least one person at a plurality of points in time, and a path determination device for determining a driveable path for a vehicle based on the recorded locations. The system further includes a control device for operating vehicle to follow one or more persons over the driveable path.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a vehicle to follow at least one person, the system including:

a detection device for detecting a location of at least one person;

a storage device for recording locations of at least one person at a plurality of points in time;

a path determination device for determining a driveable path for a vehicle based on the recorded locations; and

a control device for operating said vehicle to follow said at least one person over the driveable path.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the detection device is configured for detecting a location signal transmitted by at least one GNSS or GPS enabled device that transmits location signals at intervals in time.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the detection device and storage device are provided for detecting and storing location data for a plurality of persons and are configured to follow one person selected from amongst the plurality of persons.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the system is configured to select said one person based on a plurality of system operating modes.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the system operating modes include:

following a nominated person;

following a computed centroid of the plurality of persons; and

/or

automatically switching between said persons based on a specified operational context.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein the system is configured, if ordered, to stop following said one person and start following another person, provided the system has been recording locations of both said persons in order to determine the driveable path.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the path determination device is configured in receiving signals from the detection device to determine a path that avoids collision with a person and/or avoids un-driveable terrain.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the path determination device is configured for:

computing vectors corresponding to stored locations of the person being followed; and

performing a curve-fitting operation to determine a path between the stored locations.

9. A system according to claim 8, comprising non-linear optimisation processes for calculating a vector between a pair of said stored locations.

10. A system according to claim 1, in combination with a vehicle.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle is at least partially autonomous.

12. A method of controlling a vehicle to follow at least one person, the method including:

detecting a location of at least one person;

recording locations of said at least one person at a plurality of points in time;

determining a driveable path for the vehicle based on the recorded locations; and

operating the vehicle to follow said at least one person over the driveable path.

13. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium, having thereon computer program code which, when the program code is loaded, will cause the computer to execute a method according to claim 12.