System and method for operating an autonomous navigation system
First Claim
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1. A method of operating an autonomous navigation system for a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- (1) initializing the autonomous navigation system;
(2) waiting for messages to arrive in a message queue located in the autonomous navigation system;
(3) upon receipt of a message, determining and setting a series of status flags in the autonomous navigation system to place the autonomous navigation system in a known state particular to said message;
(4) carrying out an appropriate action in accordance with said message to operate the autonomous navigation system; and
(5) returning to step (2),wherein the step of determining and setting a series of flags includes the steps of;
(a) determining if a received message is a tele-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to tele-operation mode;
(b) determining if a received message is a manual-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to manual operation mode;
(c) determining if a received message is an auto-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to autonomous operation mode; and
(d) determining if a received message is a ready mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to ready operation mode.
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Abstract
A system (400) for positioning and navigating an autonomous vehicle (310) allows the vehicle (310) to travel between locations. Position information (432) is derived from global positioning system satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) or other sources (624) when the satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) are not in the view of the vehicle (310). Navigation of the vehicle (310) is obtained using the position information (432), route information (414), obstacle detection and avoidance data (416), and on board vehicle data (908 and 910).
122 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A method of operating an autonomous navigation system for a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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(1) initializing the autonomous navigation system; (2) waiting for messages to arrive in a message queue located in the autonomous navigation system; (3) upon receipt of a message, determining and setting a series of status flags in the autonomous navigation system to place the autonomous navigation system in a known state particular to said message; (4) carrying out an appropriate action in accordance with said message to operate the autonomous navigation system; and (5) returning to step (2), wherein the step of determining and setting a series of flags includes the steps of; (a) determining if a received message is a tele-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to tele-operation mode; (b) determining if a received message is a manual-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to manual operation mode; (c) determining if a received message is an auto-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to autonomous operation mode; and (d) determining if a received message is a ready mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to ready operation mode.
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2. A method of operating an autonomous navigation system for a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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(1) initializing the autonomous navigation system; (2) waiting for messages to arrive in a message queue located in the autonomous navigation system; (3) upon receipt of a message, determining and setting a series of status flags in the automous navigation system to place the autonomous navigation system in a known state particular to said message; (4) carrying out an appropriate action in accordance with said message to operate the autonomous navigation system; and (5) returning to step (2), wherein the step of determining and setting a series of flags includes the steps of; (a) determining if a received message is a new route directive message and if true, then in step (4) setting a route number for the vehicle to follow; (b) determining if a received message is a change speed directive message and if true, then in step (4) commanding a maximum speed for the vehicle; (c) determining if a received message is a vehicle responding message and if true;
then in step (4) setting status flags to healthy;(d) determining if a received message is a no vehicle responding message and if true, then in step (4) setting status flags to unhealthy; (e) determining if a received message is a vehicle checksum error message and if true, then in step (4) setting status flags to unhealthy; (f) determining if a received message is a tele-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to tele-operation mode; (g) determining if a received message is a manual-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to manual operation mode; (h) determining if a received message is an auto-mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to autonomous operation mode; (i) determining if a received message is a ready mode message and if true, then in step (4) setting the vehicle to ready operation mode; (j) determining if a received message is a timeout message and if true, then in step (4) conducting an emergency stop of the vehicle; (k) determining if a received message is a checksum error message and if true, then in step (4) conducting an emergency stop of the vehicle; (l) determining if a received message is a posture ready message and if true, then in step (4) setting a posture-ready flag true; (m) determining if a received message is a position ready message and if true, then in step (4) setting a position-ready flag true; (n) determining if a received message is a position align message and if true, then in step (4) waiting until a vehicle positioning system has completed initialization; (o) determining if a received message is an end of route message and if true, then in step (4) informing a host computer; (p) determining if a received message is a scan ready message and if true, then in step (4) beginning to scan for objects in front of the vehicle; (q) determining if a received message is a scan all clear message and if true, then in step (4) indicating that no objects have been detected; (r) determining if a received message is a scan obstacle message and if true, then in step (4) indicating that an obstacle has been detected in front of the vehicle; (s) determining if a received message is a tracker off course message and if true, then in step (4) indicating that the vehicle is not following a desired path within tolerance and stopping the vehicle; (t) determining if a received message is a tracker end of route message and if true, then in step (4) indicating that the vehicle has reached an end of the route and stopping the vehicle; (v) determining if a received message is a tracker stopped message and if true, then in step (4) indicating that the tracker has stopped the vehicle; and (w) determining if a received message is not one of the above messages and if true, then in step (4) informing a host computer of an error condition.
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3. An autonomous navigation system for a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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(1) means for initializing the autonomous navigation system; (2) means for waiting for messages to arrive in a message queue located in the autonomous navigation system, said means for waiting including means for setting a series of status flags to place the autonomous navigation system in a known state based on a particular message, said means for setting activated upon receipt of a message; and (3) means for carrying out an appropriate action in accordance with said message to operate the autonomous navigation system, wherein the means for waiting for messages includes; (a) means for determining if a received message is a tele-mode message and for causing said means for carrying out to set the vehicle to tele-operation mode; (b) means for determining if a received message is a manual-mode message and for causing said means for carrying out to set the vehicle to manual operation mode; (c) means for determining if a received message is an auto-mode message and for causing said means for carrying out to set the vehicle to autonomous operation mode; and (d) means for determining if a received message is a ready mode message and for causing said means for carrying out to set the vehicle to ready operation mode.
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4. An autonomous navigation system for a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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(1) means for initializing the autonomous navigation system; (2) means for waiting for messages to arrive in a message queue located in the autonomous navigation system, said means for waiting having means for setting a series of status flags to place the autonomous navigation system in a known state based on a particular message, said means for setting activated upon receipt of a message; and (3) means for carrying out an appropriate action in accordance with said message to operate the autonomous navigation system, wherein the means for waiting for messages further includes; (a) means for determining if a received message is a new route directive message and for causing said means for carrying out to set a route number for the vehicle to follow; (b) means for determining if a received message is a change speed directive message and for causing said means for carrying out to command a maximum speed for the vehicle; (c) means for determining if a received message is a vehicle responding message and for causing said means for carrying out to set status flags to healthy; (d) means for determining if a received message is a no vehicle responding message and for causing said means for carrying out to set status flags to unhealthy; (e) means for determining if a received message is a vehicle checksum error message and for causing said means for carrying out to set status flags to unhealthy; (f) means for determining if a received message is a tele-mode message and for causing said means for carrying out to set the vehicle to tele-operation mode; (g) means for determining if a received message is a manual-mode message and for causing said means for carrying out to set the vehicle to manual operation mode; (h) means for determining if a received message is an auto-mode message and for causing said means for carrying out to set the vehicle to autonomous operation mode; (i) means for determining if a received message is a ready mode message and for causing said means for carrying out to set the vehicle to ready operation mode; (j) means for determining if a received message is a timeout message and for causing said means for carrying out to conduct an emergency stop of the vehicle; (k) means for determining if a received message is a checksum error message and for causing said means for carrying out to conduct an emergency stop of the vehicle; (l) means for determining if a received message is a posture ready message and for causing said means for carrying out to set a posture-ready flag true; (m) means for determining if a received message is a position ready message and for causing said means for carrying out to set a position-ready flag true; (n) means for determining if a received message is a position align message and for causing said means for carrying out to wait until a vehicle positioning system has completed initialization; (o) means for determining if a received message is an end of route message and for causing said means for carrying out to inform a host computer; (p) means for determining if a received message is a scan ready message and for causing said means for carrying out to begin to scan for objects in front of the vehicle; (q) means for determining if a received message is a scan all clear message and for causing said means for carrying out to indicate no objects have been detected; (r) means for determining if a received message is a scan obstacle message and for causing said means for carrying out to indicate an obstacle has been detected in front of the vehicle; (s) means for determining if a received message is a tracker off course message and for causing said means for carrying out to indicate the vehicle is not following a desired path within tolerance and stop the vehicle; (t) means for determining if a received message is a tracker end of route message and for causing said means for carrying out to indicate the vehicle has reached an end of the route and stop the vehicle; (v) means for determining if a received message is a tracker stopped message and for causing said means for carrying out to indicate that the tracker has stopped the vehicle; and (w) means for determining if a received message is not one of the above messages and for causing said means for carrying out to inform a host computer of an error condition.
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Specification