SENSE AND AVOID FOR AUTOMATED MOBILE VEHICLES

• US 20180372868A1
• Filed: 08/14/2018
• Published: 12/27/2018
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,908,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A computer implemented method for altering a path of an automated mobile vehicle, comprising:

detecting a presence of an object;

determining a distance from the object, wherein the distance is determined based at least in part on a distance determining element of a motor coupled to the automated mobile vehicle; and

altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle to avoid the object.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining that communication exists between the automated mobile vehicle and the object; and

determining, based at least in part on the communication, an intent of the object.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining a position of the automated mobile vehicle.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 17, wherein detecting the presence of an object, further includes:

altering at least one of a pitch of the automated mobile vehicle, a yaw of the automated mobile vehicle, or a roll of the automated mobile vehicle.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 20, wherein altering at least one of the pitch of the automated mobile vehicle, the yaw of the automated mobile vehicle, or the roll of the automated mobile vehicle increases a scanning ability of the distance determining element.

26. The computer implemented method of claim 17, wherein the distance determining element comprises at least one of an ultrasonic ranging module, a laser rangefinder, a radar distance measurement module, stadiametric based rangefinder, a parallax based rangefinder, a coincidence based rangefinder, a Lidar based rangefinder, Sonar based range finder, or a time-of-flight based rangefinder.

22. A computer implemented method for altering a path of an automated mobile vehicle, comprising:

detecting a presence of an object;

determining a distance from the object, wherein the distance is determined based at least in part on a distance determining element of a motor coupled to the automated mobile vehicle; and

wherein determining the distance from the object further comprises;

emitting a laser signal toward the object from a laser rangefinder of the distance determining element; and

receiving the laser signal reflected from the object; and

altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle to avoid the object.

23. The computer implemented method of claim 22, wherein the laser rangefinder is coupled to and configured to rotate with the motor, and wherein emitting the laser signal further comprises:

emitting the laser signal on a plane based at least in part on rotation of the laser rangefinder.

24. The computer implemented method of claim 22, wherein the laser signal is emitted through at least one opening of an exterior component of the motor.

25. The computer implemented method of claim 22, wherein the laser signal is emitted toward at least one reflective surface of the motor such that the laser signal is reflected and emitted toward the object.

27. A method to alter a path of an automated mobile vehicle, comprising:

detecting a presence of an object;

determining, using a distance determining element associated with a motor coupled to the automated mobile vehicle, a distance from the object; and

altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle based at least in part on the distance.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein determining the distance from the object further comprises:

emitting a ranging signal toward the object from a rangefinder of the distance determining element; and

receiving the ranging signal reflected from the object.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the ranging signal is emitted through at least one opening of an exterior component of the motor.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the ranging signal is emitted toward at least one reflective surface of the motor such that the ranging signal is reflected and emitted toward the object.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the rangefinder is coupled to and configured to rotate with the motor, and wherein emitting the ranging signal further comprises:

emitting the ranging signal on a plane based at least in part on rotation of the rangefinder.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

determining, using a second distance determining element associated with a second motor coupled to the automated mobile vehicle, a second distance from the object; and

altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle further based at least in part on the second distance.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the second distance from the object further comprises:

emitting a second ranging signal toward the object from a second rangefinder of the second distance determining element; and

receiving the second ranging signal reflected from the object.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the second rangefinder is coupled to and configured to rotate with the second motor, and wherein emitting the second ranging signal further comprises:

emitting the second ranging signal on a second plane based at least in part on rotation of the second rangefinder;

wherein the plane and the second plane intersect.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

determining, using a third distance determining element associated with the motor coupled to the automated mobile vehicle, the distance from the object;

wherein a third ranging signal is emitted from a third rangefinder of the third distance determining element on a third plane based at least in part on rotation of the third rangefinder.

36. A method to control an automated mobile vehicle, comprising:

detecting a presence of an object;

determining, using a distance determining element associated with a motor coupled to the automated mobile vehicle, a distance from the object;

determining that a path of the automated mobile vehicle is to be changed based at least in part on the distance; and

altering the path of the automated mobile vehicle based at least in part on the distance.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

determining a position of the automated mobile vehicle; and

determining at least one of a position, a direction, or a speed of the object relative to the automated mobile vehicle based at least in part on the distance;

wherein determining that the path of the automated mobile vehicle is to be changed is further based at least in part on the position of the automated mobile vehicle, and at least one of the position, the direction, or the speed of the object relative to the automated mobile vehicle.