GPS satellite (4) ranging signals (6) received (32) on comm1, and DGPS auxiliary range correction signals and pseudolite carrier phase ambiguity resolution signals (8) from a fixed known earth base station (10) received (34) on comm2, at one of a plurality of vehicles/aircraft/automobiles (2) are computer processed (36) to continuously determine the one's kinematic tracking position on a pathway (14) with centimeter accuracy. That GPS-based position is communicated with selected other status information to each other one of the plurality of vehicles (2), to the one station (10), and/or to one of a plurality of control centers (16), and the one vehicle receives therefrom each of the others' status information and kinematic tracking position. Objects (22) are detected from all directions (300) by multiple supplemental mechanisms, e.g., video (54), radar/lidar (56), laser and optical scanners. Data and information are computer processed and analyzed (50,52,200,452) in neural networks (132, FIGS. 6-8) in the one vehicle to identify, rank, and evaluate collision hazards/objects, an expert operating response to which is determined in a fuzzy logic associative memory (484) which generates control signals which actuate a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner to maneuver it laterally and longitudinally to avoid each collision hazard, or, for motor vehicles, when a collision is unavoidable, to minimize injury or damage therefrom. The operator is warned by a heads up display and other modes and may override. An automotive auto-pilot mode is provided.

GPS vehicle collision avoidance warning and control system and method

A system for transporting inventory items includes an inventory holder capable of storing inventory items and a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is capable of moving to a first point with the inventory holder at least one of coupled to and supported by the mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is additionally capable of determining a location of the inventory holder and calculating a difference between the location of the inventory holder and the first point. The mobile drive unit is then capable of determining whether the difference is greater than a predetermined tolerance. In response to determining that the difference is greater than the predetermined tolerance, the mobile drive unit is also capable of moving to a second point based on the location of the inventory holder, docking with the inventory holder, and moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder to the first point.

Method and system for transporting inventory items

A computer peripheral system including a mobile vehicle, a two-way wireless link to a host computer and software residing on the host computer for providing control and guidance is disclosed. The system is installed on an existing host computer as an add-on peripheral device whose function is to perform some automatic task (e.g. floor cleaning) in a working environment (e.g. a home or business). The mobile vehicle is equipped with a plurality of sensors, data from which is conveyed to the host system over the wireless link. Software on the host computer communicates control and movement commands to the mobile system. A method and apparatus for sensing the position of the mobile vehicle in a working environment is also disclosed. Software installed on the host computer can use data from the sensing apparatus to automatically construct and maintain a map of the operating environment and to guide the mobile vehicle through the environment in order to carry out its task. Also disclosed are methods and apparatus for providing entertainment for onlookers as the vehicle carries out its task.

Computer peripheral floor cleaning system and navigation method

A method and apparatus for determining position and rotational orientation of an object within a predetermined area is disclosed. Position markers, encoded with their identity, are viewed with a camera, images are captured and processed, and the position and rotational orientation of the object are calculated. Three embodiments are disclosed; the first having a camera mounted on the movable object while position markers bearing linear bar codes are fixed in location, the second having a camera mounted on the movable object while position markers bearing two-dimensional bar codes are fixed in location, and the third having a position marker of either type affixed to the object while the camera is fixed in location.

Method and apparatus for determining position and rotational orientation of an object

An inventory system includes a plurality of mobile drive units with a processor control and with a positioning system that enables the mobile drive units to navigate a factory floor. The mobile drive units interface with a material handling system to receive order requests and deliver inventory items to pack stations located on the factory floor. The inventory items are stored in trays stacked into movable inventory pods, which may be transported by the mobile drive units throughout the factory floor. The mobile drive units dock and undock with the movable inventory pods using a docking mechanism. The movable inventory pods are stored in a virtual storage grid when they are not being transported by the mobile drive units. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Material handling system using autonomous mobile drive units and movable inventory trays

The invention is a modular and hierarchically organized set of computer programs which comprise methods for controlling a system of semi-autonomous automatically guided vehicles, such as mobile robots. The methods include control programs which: execute in stationary control computers; communicate between the stationary control computer programs and corresponding programs which execute in mobile control computers aboard the vehicles; operate independently in mobile control computers aboard the vehicles. The invention allows the system executive program to command the mobile vehicles to start, to stop, to transfer material to or from the vehicles, to change batteries in the vehicles, to park the vehicles at specific points in a factory, to move the vehicles from point to point in a factory, and to remove the vehicles from the factory. The invention improves the performance of conventional automatically guided vehicle systems by maximizing the autonomy of individual vehicles while retaining sufficient supervisory control at the system executive level to provide the maximum flexibility in routing and scheduling the activity of the vehicles. The invention "closes the loop" in an automatically guided vehicle system by providing the highest level of control between mobile vehicles and stationary control computers.

Hierarchical control system for automatically guided vehicles

The invention is a method of static collision avoidance for multiple automatically guided vehicles (AGVs) on bidirectional paths. It defines the allowable travel path for an AGV as a series of path segments through or between possible destination points (called nodes) which are defined for the factory floor. AGVs can move to or through any of these nodes and can arrive in a predetermined order, according to "rules" defined by the method. The invention provides better performance than conventional AGV systems by allowing multiple AGVs to coexist in the same pathways without collision or excessive queueing in systems which use free-roving AGVs having programmable bidirectional paths. This new ability maximizes the degrees of freedom of AGV movement while minimizing collisions and "deadlock."

Static collision avoidance method for multiple automatically guided vehicles

A visual navigation system provides absolute position information to multiple automatically guided vehicles (AGVs) such as mobile robots. The beacon-equipped AGVs emit light visible to overhead television cameras. The beacons are arranged and controlled so that the vision systems can acquire, measure, and report the locations of multiple AGVs. The system controller incorporates a programmable "factory map", or knowledge base, of allowable paths of travel for the AGVs, which navigate by dead reckoning with periodic position updates from the visual navigation system. The visual navigation system notifies the autonomous AGVs and the system controller when an AGV strays from its command path. The combination of computer controls in the elements of the system provides the means to stop and to recover straying AGVs. The navigation system visually monitors normal AGV travel, off-course corrections, "lost" AGV searches, and recovery. Thus, it provides closed-loop, servo-like operation.

Closed-loop navigation system for mobile robots

The invention provides a method for communicating the need to move a mobile robot, such as an AGV¹, from one location (node) (2,4,6-10) to another, on a node-by-node basis, incrementally, among the nodes established in a physical environment such as a factory. The invention also provides the means to generate the commands necessary to accomplish this motion, by providing specific steering and drive information such as angle and speed to the mobile robot or AGV¹. The invention accomplishes these tasks in response to direct commands from a stationary controller as well as in response to continuous node-by-node position updates provided by an external navigation system, such as a visual navigation system, or an internal dead-reckoning navigation system, or both.

A method for controlling movements of a mobile robot in a multiple node factory

The invention is a method of dynamic collision avoidance for multiple automatically guided vehicles (AGVs) on bidirectional paths. It calculates windows, or areas of computer memory, against which it matches the reported positions of AGVs. The invention acts on information from a central data base in which the factory or operating space of the AGVs is mapped and from AGV position updates supplied by an independently operating visual navigation system. The invention dynamically calculates the locations and dimensions of the windows for each position update. Since these position updates occur in real time, many times each second, the invention provides the means for the AGV system's controller to prevent collisions between the AGVs and other objects without minimizing the degrees of freedom of AGV movement.

John P Williston

Papers

Hierarchical control system for automatically guided vehicles

Static collision avoidance method for multiple automatically guided vehicles

Closed-loop navigation system for mobile robots

A method for controlling movements of a mobile robot in a multiple node factory

System for dynamically determining position of multiple automatically guided vehicles