System and method for behavior based control of an autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017102701-A1
Application number	US-201615354526-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 17, 2016
Priority date	Oct 22, 2004
Publication date	Apr 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

System and method for behavior based control of an autonomous vehicle. Actuators (e.g., linkages) manipulate input devices (e.g., articulation controls and drive controls, such as a throttle lever, steering gear, tie rods, throttle, brake, accelerator, or transmission shifter) to direct the operation of the vehicle. Behaviors that characterize the operational mode of the vehicle are associated with the actuators. The behaviors include action sets ranked by priority, and the action sets include alternative actions that the vehicle can take to accomplish its task. The alternative actions are ranked by preference, and an arbiter selects the action to be performed and, optionally, modified.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for behavior based control of an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
identifying at least one input device in the autonomous vehicle; providing at least one actuator associated with the at least one input device; providing at least one arbiter associated with the at least one actuator; defining a plurality of behaviors associated with the at least one actuator, defining at least one action set, each action set characterized at least in part by a priority and comprising a plurality of alternative actions ranked according to a corresponding plurality of preferences; selecting, by the at least one arbiter, the action set having the highest corresponding priority; selecting, by the at least one arbiter, from the selected action set, of the alternative action having the highest corresponding preference; and operating the at least one input device in accordance with the selected alternative action; wherein each of the behaviors implements at least one of (i) a providing the at least one action set, and (ii) a modifying at least a portion of the selected action set.

2 .- 28 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Irobot Corp

Inventors

• Pack Robert Todd
• Allard James
• Barrett David S
• Filippov Misha
• Svendsen Selma

Classifications

• G06N3/008

  based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour · CPC title

• G05D1/0251

  extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision (stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593) · CPC title

• G05D1/027

  comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector (inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165) · CPC title

• G05D1/024

  in combination with a laser (lasers per se H01S) · CPC title

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title