Collision avoiding method and associated system

• US 8,838,292 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kollmorgen Automation AB (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kollmorgen Saro AB
• Inventors: Palm, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US13/985,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20130325210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701300-302, 701 23- 26, 701/96, 340/425.5, 340/436
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A collisions avoiding method for avoiding collisions between vehicles (10; 12) moving in a predetermined area (14), wherein said vehicles may include unmanned vehicles (10) and manned vehicles (12). The method includes storing a map covering at least said predetermined area, said map including possible routes used by said vehicles (10;12). Vehicles moving in said predetermined area continuously transfer data relating to their present positions to a collision avoidance calculation module (20). Also included is continuously predicting specific paths of vehicles based on present positions and possible routes of said vehicles (10;12), preventing collisions between vehicles (10;12) by continuously comparing said predicted paths and possible routes to detect overlapping positions of different vehicles (10; 12) and forwarding interrupting commands to vehicles (10;12) heading to an overlapping position. The apparatus comprises a collision avoidance calculation module (20) and a processing unit (25), said processing unit (25) being arranged to continuously compare said predicted paths of each pair of the vehicles moving in said predetermined area (14) to detect overlapping positions.

Claims

1. A collisions avoiding method for avoiding collisions between vehicles moving in a predetermined area, wherein said vehicles may include autonomous vehicles and manned vehicles, comprising:

storing a map covering at least said predetermined area in a collision avoidance calculation module, said map including possible routes used by any of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles and including preferred routes used by manned vehicles,

continuously sending position information from said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles to said collision avoidance calculation module and updating a first set of data relating to present positions of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles moving in said area,

continuously predicting in said collision avoidance calculation module specific paths of said autonomous vehicles based on present positions and possible routes of said autonomous vehicles,

storing and updating a second set of data relating to currently used paths for said autonomous vehicles when moving in at least said predetermined area,

continuously predicting specific paths of manned vehicles based on present positions and preferred routes of said manned vehicles, and

preventing collisions between said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles by continuously comparing said predicted paths with said currently used paths to detect overlapping positions and by forwarding interrupting commands from said collision avoidance calculation module to any of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles heading to an overlapping position.

2. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of storing locations and sizes of fixed installations and structures in said predetermined area.

3. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of enabling receiving and storing information relating to destination of manned vehicles.

4. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of storing a sweep area covered by at least said autonomous vehicles.

5. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of sending a slow down or stop signal to an autonomous vehicle heading towards the overlapping position.

6. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of storing in said map of said predetermined area preferred routes used by manned vehicles and continuously predicting specific paths of manned vehicles based on present positions and said preferred routes of said manned vehicles.

7. A collisions avoiding system for avoiding collisions between vehicles moving in a predetermined area, wherein said vehicles may include autonomous vehicles and manned vehicles, comprising

a collision avoidance calculation module arranged to receive and store position data relating to the position of each of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles transporting in said predetermined area, and

a processing unit continuously calculating and predicting specific paths of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles moving in said predetermined area based on present positions and possible routes of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles, said processing unit being arranged to continuously compare said predicted paths of each pair of any of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles moving in said predetermined area to detect overlapping positions and to forward interrupting commands to any of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles heading to an overlapping position, said processing unit being arranged to continuously calculate and predict specific paths of manned vehicles based on present positions and preferred routes of said manned vehicles, and to continuously compare said predicted paths with currently used predetermined paths of autonomous vehicles to detect overlapping positions and to forward interrupting commands to any of said autonomous vehicles and said manned vehicles heading to an overlapping position.