	US 11,710,411 B2
	Systems and methods for autonomous hazardous area data collection
Adriaan J. Van Meeteren, East Greenwich, RI (US); Alex A. Shyshkov, Roxbury, CT (US); Ryan W. Bachiochi, Windsor Locks, CT (US); Nichole D. Fratini, Bristol, CT (US); and Pawel T. Parobek, South Windsor, CT (US)
Assigned to The Travelers Indemnity Company, Hartford, CT (US)
Filed by The Travelers Indemnity Company, Hartford, CT (US)
Filed on May 8, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/870,071.
Prior Publication US 2021/0350713 A1, Nov. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. G08G 5/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); H04W 4/40 (2018.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01)

CPC G08G 5/0013 (2013.01) [B64C 39/022 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); G05D 1/0022 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G05D 1/106 (2019.05); G08G 5/0069 (2013.01); H04W 4/40 (2018.02); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2201/202 (2023.01)]

14 Claims

1. A system for autonomous hazardous area data collection, comprising:

an autonomous vehicle comprising (i) a propulsion device, (ii) a wireless transmitter device, (iii) an imaging device, (iv) a chemical indicator disposed in a field of view of the imaging device, (v) an electronic processing unit, and (vi) a non-transitory memory device in communication with the electronic processing unit, wherein the non-transitory memory device stores instructions that define (a) a hazardous area data collection routine, (b) an AI image processing routine, (c) a three-dimensional mapping routine, and (d) a locational computation routine, that when executed by the electronic processing unit, result in:

acquiring, in response to an initiation of the hazardous area data collection routine by the electronic processing unit and utilizing the imaging device at a first location and at an initiation time, data descriptive of the first location;

identifying, by the electronic processing unit and utilizing the AI image processing routine to process the data descriptive of the first location, locations of a first plurality of landmarks in relation to the first location;

generating, by an execution of the three-dimensional mapping routine by the electronic processing unit and based on the identified locations of the first plurality of landmarks, a three-dimensional map descriptive of an area in which the autonomous vehicle is disposed;

navigating throughout the area in which the autonomous vehicle is disposed, wherein the navigating comprises:

(1) activating, by the autonomous vehicle and in response to an execution of the hazardous area data collection routine by the electronic processing unit, the propulsion device and thereby moving the autonomous vehicle from the first location to a new location;

(2) acquiring, in response to the execution of the hazardous area data collection routine by the electronic processing unit and utilizing the imaging device at the new location and at a new time, data descriptive of the new location;

(3) identifying, by the electronic processing unit and utilizing the AI image processing routine to process the data descriptive of the new location, locations of a new plurality of landmarks in relation to the new location;

(4) generating, by an execution of the three-dimensional mapping routine by the electronic processing unit and based on the identified locations of the new plurality of landmarks, an updated three-dimensional map descriptive of the area in which the autonomous vehicle is disposed;

(5) computing, by an execution of the locational computation routine by the electronic processing unit and based on a comparison of the locations of the first plurality of landmarks and the locations of the new plurality of landmarks, a location of the autonomous vehicle on the updated three-dimensional map; and

(6) repeating steps (1) through (5) until a triggering event is identified;

identifying, in accordance with the hazardous area data collection routine and by an execution of the AI image processing routine by the electronic processing unit, a reading of the chemical indicator;

correlating the reading of the chemical indicator with a respective location on the updated three-dimensional map;

identifying, in response to the execution of the hazardous area data collection routine by the electronic processing unit, the triggering event;

identifying, by the electronic processing unit that a base station is not within transmission range of the wireless transmitter device; and

repositioning the autonomous vehicle within the area in which the autonomous vehicle is disposed, utilizing the updated three-dimensional map to navigate to a location that is closer to the base station, wherein the repositioning comprises:

activating, by the autonomous vehicle and in response to the identifying that the base station is not within transmission range of the wireless transmitter device, the propulsion device and thereby moving the autonomous vehicle from a current location to a location that is closer to the base station; and

transmitting, from the closer location and to the base station, and utilizing the wireless transmitter device, data defining the updated three-dimensional map.