High integrity perception program

• US 8,478,493 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US12/208,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20100063664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/34, 701/50, 700/253, 700/3, 700/11, 700/13, 706/50, 340/438, 373/48, 374/14
• US Class Current: 701/50
• 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 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• 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 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

The illustrative embodiments provide a computer program product for processing sensor data and controlling the movement of a vehicle. In an illustrative embodiment, an operating environment around the vehicle is identified and sensor data is selected from a set of sensors. A dynamic condition is identified using a plurality of different types of sensors on the vehicle. In response to the dynamic condition being identified, the movement of the vehicle is controlled. In another illustrative embodiment, an environment around the vehicle is identified to form an operating environment. Sensor data is selected from a set of sensors in a plurality of redundant sensors based on the operating environment.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable tangible storage device;

computer usable program code, stored on the computer-readable tangible storage device, for identifying a dynamic condition using a plurality of different types of sensors on the vehicle, wherein some types of sensors are more accurate than other types of sensors within the plurality of different types of sensors in a particular environment; and

computer usable program code for, responsive to identifying the dynamic condition, controlling movement of the vehicle using a knowledge base, wherein the knowledge base is used to select sensors of the plurality of different types of sensors for use in planning paths and obstacle avoidance for the vehicle, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying the dynamic condition further comprises;

computer usable program code for receiving data from the plurality of different types of sensors for the vehicle to form received data; and

computer usable program code for generating a thematic map using the received data and the knowledge base, wherein the knowledge base further comprises an online knowledge base that dynamically provides information to a machine control process which enables adjustment to sensor data processing and site-specific sensor accuracy calculations, a priori knowledge base that contains static information about the operating environment of a vehicle, and a learned knowledge base that contains knowledge learned as the vehicle spends time in a specific work area.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying the dynamic condition further comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying an environment using the plurality of different types of sensors on the vehicle.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code for generating the thematic map further comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying the location of the vehicle;

computer usable program code for identifying a map based on the location of the vehicle; and

computer usable program code for placing thematic features into the map using the data received and the knowledge base.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying the dynamic condition using the plurality of different types of sensors on the vehicle further comprises:

computer usable program code for receiving sensor data from the plurality of different types of sensors for the vehicle; and

computer usable program code for applying weights to the sensor data using the online knowledge base to form weighted sensor data.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, further comprising:

computer usable program code for selecting a portion of the weighted sensor data to form selected sensor data; and

computer usable program code for performing localization using the selected sensor data.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the computer usable program code for performing localization using the selected sensor data further comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying a set of objects in an environment around the vehicle using the selected sensor data; and

computer usable program code for identifying a location of the vehicle using the location of the set of objects.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying the set of objects in the environment around the vehicle using the selected sensor data further comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying the set of objects using the sensor data and the knowledge base.

8. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying the dynamic condition further comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying a set of differences between an environment as detected by the plurality of sensors for the vehicle and a description of the environment in the knowledge base.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the set of differences comprises at least one of a change in an object in the environment, a new object in the environment, and a missing object from the environment.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable program code for monitoring the plurality of different types of sensors for sensor integrity.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer usable program code for identifying a fault in at least one sensor in the plurality of different types of sensors.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the fault in at least one sensor is sensor degradation.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the fault in at least one sensor is sensor failure.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for, responsive to identifying the fault in at least one sensor in the plurality of different types of sensors, generating an alert displaying the fault in at least one sensor in the plurality of different types of sensors.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for, responsive to identifying the fault in at least one sensor in the plurality of different types of sensors, selecting a different sensor to compensate for the fault in at least one sensor.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for, responsive to identifying the fault in at least one sensor in the plurality of different types of sensors, transmitting a request for sensor data to a sensor system of another vehicle.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving the sensor data from the sensor system of another vehicle; and

computer usable program code for performing localization based on the sensor data from the sensor system of another vehicle.