Distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination

• US 9,552,503 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: 5D Robotics, Inc. (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Bruemmer, David J., Hardin, Benjamin C., Nielsen, Curtis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, QUANG
• Application Number:
  US13/873,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20140035725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• 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 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 ultra wide band

Abstract

A system and its associated methodology for distributed positioning and collaborative behavioral determination among a group of objects, interactive tags associated with each of a plurality of objects provide to each object relative positional data and state information regarding the other nearby objects. Using this information, each object develops a spatial awareness of its environment, including the position and action of nearby objects so as to, when necessary, modify its behavior to more effectively achieve an objective.

Claims

1. A method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by an object employed a system for collaborative spatial positioning, comprising:

identifying, by said system, a presence of one or more nearby objects based on at least one ultra wide band (UWB) tag associated with each of the one or more nearby objects, wherein each of the one or more nearby objects includes at least one ultra wide band transmitter and wherein the object is associated with two or more ultra wide band transceivers;

receiving, by said system, by each of the two or more ultra wide band transceivers associated with the object, positional determinative resources and state information from each of the one or more nearby objects wherein said state information includes object identification information, behavioral information and mission objectives of the one or more nearby objects and wherein the positional determinative resources information comprises information of a range localization and one or more of inertial systems, a global positioning system (GPS), and a path integration;

determining, by said system, a relational location of each of the one or more nearby objects by analyzing differences between the received positional determinative resources and state information at each of the two or more ultra wide band transceivers associated with the object;

developing, by said system, a spatial awareness of a local environment based on the relational location of the one or more nearby objects to identify potential collisions between the object and the one or more nearby objects;

prioritizing, by said system, the state information from each of the one or more nearby objects based on at least a mission objective of the object and the mission objectives of the one or more nearby objects;

prioritizing, by said system, the received positional determinative resources information from each of the one or more nearby objects based on perceived accuracy and historical variance of positional information provided by each resource of the positional determinative resources information;

modifying, by said system, mission behavior of the object based on the spatial awareness of the local environment, the prioritized positional determinative resources from each of the one or more nearby objects, the prioritized state information from each of the one or more nearby objects, and the potential collisions between the object and the one or more nearby objects; and

coordinating, by said system, mission behavior prioritization of the object and each of the one or more nearby objects to achieve a common tasking based on said modifying.

2. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1 wherein modifying said mission behavior includes modifying a drive control of the object to prevent a collision with the one or more nearby objects.

3. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1, wherein the relational location includes range and bearing information from the object to each of the one or more nearby objects.

4. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1, wherein modifying said mission behavior includes generating an escalating alert about the potential collisions.

5. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1, wherein orientation of the two or more ultra wide band transceivers associated with the object are self calibrating.

6. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1, wherein the object determines range and bearing information to each of the one or more nearby objects based solely on range information received by the two or more ultra wide band transceivers associated with the object.

7. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1, wherein the local environment includes a common reference point.

8. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1, wherein the spatial awareness of the one or more nearby objects is developed independently by the object.

9. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1, wherein prioritizing the state information is based on pre-established mission behavior logic.

10. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 1, wherein coordinating the mission behavior prioritization includes synchronizing mission behavior between the object and the one or more nearby objects.

11. The method for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by an object according to claim 1, wherein coordinating the mission behavior prioritization includes physical contact between two or more objects.

12. A collaborative spatial positioning system employed by an object for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object, the system comprising:

a ranging device, wherein the ranging device identifies a presence of one or more nearby objects based on at least one ultra wide band (UWB) tag associated with each of the one or more nearby objects;

wherein the ranging device detects a plurality of signals from the one or more nearby objects, each signal is transmitted by an UWB tag associated with each of the one or more nearby objects, and wherein each signal includes positional determinative resources and state information about the one or more nearby objects, said positional determinative resources information comprising information of a range localization and one or more of inertial systems, a global positioning system (GPS), and a path integration, and said state information including object identification information, behavioral information and mission objectives;

a spatial awareness engine, wherein the spatial awareness engine creates an independent relative representation of each of the one or more nearby objects based on the positional determinative resources and state information received from the plurality of signals and identifies potential conflicts and using that the independent relative representation of each of the one or more nearby objects creates a spatial awareness of a local environment of the one or more nearby objects;

a prioritization engine, wherein the prioritization engine prioritizes the state information from each of the one or more nearby objects based on at least a mission objective of the object and the mission objectives of the one or more nearby objects and prioritizes the positional determinative resources information from each of the one or more nearby objects based on perceived accuracy and historical variance of positional information provided by each resource of the positional determinative resources information; and

a behavior engine, wherein the behavior engine integrates and combines predictive behaviors to modify a mission objective of the object and coordinate activities between the object and the one or more nearby objects based on the spatial awareness of the local environment, the prioritized positional determinative resources information from each of the one or more nearby objects, the prioritized state information from each of the one or more nearby objects, and the potential conflicts between the object and the one or more nearby objects.

13. The system for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 12, wherein the spatial awareness engine uses ranging information from each Ultra Wide Area Band (UWB) tag to determine relative position of each of the one or more nearby objects.

14. The system for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 12, wherein relational information includes range, bearing and relative velocity information for each of the one or more nearby objects.

15. The system for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 12, wherein the ranging device receives each signal at two or more receivers associated with the object.

16. The system for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 12, wherein the independent spatial representation is object centric.

17. The system for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 12, wherein the independent spatial representation includes a common frame of reference.

18. The system for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 12, wherein the behavior engine generates an escalating alert based on the potential conflicts.

19. A collaborative spatial positioning system employed by an object for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object, the system comprising:

a detection module operable to receive a signal from each of one or more nearby objects to identify a presence of the one or more nearby objects, wherein each signal is generated by an ultra wide band (UWB) transmitter, wherein each signal includes positional determinative resources and state information about the one or more nearby objects, said positional determinative resources information comprises information of a range localization and one or more of inertial systems, a global positioning system (GPS), and a path integration, and said state information including object identification information, behavioral information and mission objectives;

a spatial awareness engine operable to create a relative representation of each of the one or more nearby objects from each received signal from each of one or more nearby objects and identify potential conflicts and using that the relative representation of each of the one or more nearby objects to create a spatial awareness of a local environment of the one or more nearby objects wherein the relative representation is object centric and provides translational information about each of the one or more nearby objects;

a prioritization engine operable to prioritize the state information from each of the one or more nearby objects based on at least a mission objective of the object and the mission objectives of the one or more nearby objects and prioritize the positional determinative resources information from each of the one or more nearby objects based on perceived accuracy and historical variance of positional information provided by each resource of the positional determinative resources information; and

a behavior engine operable to modify one or more mission objectives of the object by integrating and combining predictive behaviors based on the spatial awareness of the local environment, the prioritized positional determinative resources information from each of the one or more nearby objects, the prioritized state information from each of the one or more nearby objects, and the potential conflicts between the object and the one or more nearby objects to coordinate activities between the object and the one or more nearby objects.

20. The system for distributed positioning and collaborative behavior determination by the object according to claim 19, wherein the detection module receives each signal at two or more receivers.