Method, system and apparatus for controlling self-driving vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349754-A1
Application number	US-201615166533-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	May 29, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for controlling self-driving vehicles. The system comprises: a processor, a memory storing operational constraints for a self-driving vehicle, and a communications interface. A plurality of path portions are assembled at the system to define an area in a physical space in which the self-driving vehicle is to navigate, each of the plurality of path portions associated with a respective given subset of operational constraints stored in the memory. The system provides, to the self-driving vehicle, respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area, and associated positions of each of the plurality of path portions in the physical space.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A system comprising:
a processor, a memory storing operational constraints for a self-driving vehicle, and a communications interface, the processor configured to: assemble a plurality of path portions to define an area in a physical space in which the self-driving vehicle is to navigate, each of the plurality of path portions associated with a respective given subset of operational constraints stored in the memory; and, provide, to the self-driving vehicle, respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area, and associated positions of each of the plurality of path portions in the physical space.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an input device, wherein the plurality of path portions are assembled based on data received from the input device, the data indicating one or more of selections of each of the plurality of path portions and an order of the plurality of path portions.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the area defines a path between at least two positions in the physical space.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to assemble the plurality of path portions by: rendering, at a display device, representations of the plurality of path portions at a representation of the physical space.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the operational constraints stored in the memory define a rule that the self-driving vehicle is to follow when located in an associated position.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: define one or more values associated with the respective given subset of operational constraints; and provide, to the self-driving vehicle, the one or more values with the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide, to the self-driving vehicle, an indication of the area with the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of path portions comprises a feature associated with an operational constraint in the respective given subset of operational constraints associated therewith.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the feature comprises a general indication of a rule that the self-driving vehicle is to follow, and the operational constraint associated with the feature comprises a more precise rule that the self-driving vehicle is to follow, the self-driving vehicle navigating according to the more precise rule and not the general indication of the rule when located in an associated position.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the self-driving vehicle, one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle configured to: plan a path between two positions in the physical space based on the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the self-driving vehicle, one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle configured to: plan a path between two positions in the physical space based on an indication of the area in the physical space defined by the plurality of path portions.

12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the self-driving vehicle, one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle configured to: restrict a position of the self-driving vehicle only to positions in the physical space defined by the plurality of path portions.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is a component of the self-driving vehicle.

14 . A method comprising:
at a system comprising: a processor, a memory storing operational constraints for a self-driving vehicle, and a communications interface, assembling, at the processor, a plurality of path portions to define an area in a physical space in which the self-driving vehicle is to navigate, each of the plurality of path portions associated with a respective given subset of operational constraints stored in the memory; and, providing, using the processor, to the self-driving vehicle, respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area, and associated positions of each of the plurality of path portions in the physical space.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the system further comprises an input device, and wherein the plurality of path portions are assembled based on data received from the input device, the data indicating one or more of selections of each of the plurality of path portions and an order of the plurality of path portions.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising: assembling, using the processor, the plurality of path portions by: rendering, at a display device, representations of the plurality of path portions at a representation of the physical space.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising one or more of:
defining, at the processor, one or more values associated with the respective given subset of operational constraints; and provide, to the self-driving vehicle, the one or more values with the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area; and, providing, using the processor, to the self-driving vehicle, an indication of the area with the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of path portions comprises a feature associated with an operational constraint in the respective given subset of operational constraints associated therewith.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the system further comprises the self-driving vehicle, and the method further comprises: one or more of:
planning, at one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle, a path between two positions in the physical space based on the respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area; planning, at one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle, a path between the two positions in the physical space based on an indication of the area in the physical space defined by the plurality of path portions; and, restricting, at one or more of the processor and the self-driving vehicle, a position of the self-driving vehicle only to positions in the physical space defined by the plurality of path portions.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program, wherein execution of the computer program is for:
at a system comprising: a processor, a memory storing operational constraints for a self-driving vehicle, and a communications interface, assembling, at the processor, a plurality of path portions to define an area in a physical space in which the self-driving vehicle is to navigate, each of the plurality of path portions associated with a respective given subset of operational constraints stored in the memory; and, providing, using the processor, to the self-driving vehicle, respective given subsets of the operational constraints of the plurality of path portions that define the area, and associated positions of each of the plurality of path portions in the physical space.

Assignees

• Clearpath Robotics Inc

Inventors

• Mohr Paul
• Gariepy Ryan Christopher
• Kaynama Shahab

Classifications

• G01C21/3407 Primary

  specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• B66F9/063

  Automatically guided · CPC title

• G05D1/0088 Primary

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title

• G05D1/0212 Primary

  with means for defining a desired trajectory (involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287) · CPC title

• G05D1/0223

  involving speed control of the vehicle (vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00) · CPC title