US 11,747,825 B2
Autonomous map traversal with waypoint matching
Dom Jonak, Waltham, MA (US); Marco da Silva, Arlington, MA (US); Joel Chestnutt, Waltham, MA (US); and Matt Klingensmith, Waltham, MA (US)
Assigned to Boston Dynamics, Inc., Waltham, MA (US)
Filed by Boston Dynamics, Inc., Waltham, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 7, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/295,592.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/745,013, filed on Oct. 12, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0117214 A1, Apr. 16, 2020
Int. Cl. G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G06T 7/73 (2017.01); G06T 7/521 (2017.01); G06T 7/13 (2017.01); G06T 7/593 (2017.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01); G06V 20/10 (2022.01)
CPC G05D 1/0274 (2013.01) [G01S 17/89 (2013.01); G05D 1/027 (2013.01); G05D 1/0251 (2013.01); G06T 7/13 (2017.01); G06T 7/521 (2017.01); G06T 7/593 (2017.01); G06T 7/74 (2017.01); G06V 20/10 (2022.01); G05B 2219/40298 (2013.01); G05D 1/0214 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10012 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10028 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at data processing hardware, sensor data of a robot maneuvering in an environment;
executing, by the data processing hardware, at least one waypoint heuristic based on the sensor data, the at least one waypoint heuristic configured to trigger placement of a waypoint on a waypoint map;
based on execution of the at least one waypoint heuristic, recording, by the data processing hardware:
the waypoint on the waypoint map, the waypoint associated with at least one waypoint edge, and
a basin zone of the waypoint, the basin zone defining an area relative to the waypoint, wherein movements of the robot relative to the waypoint are determined using different algorithms based on a location of the robot relative to the basin zone;
determining that a first location of the robot is outside of the basin zone;
based on determining that the first location of the robot is outside of the basin zone, determining a first movement of the robot relative to the waypoint using the sensor data and a kinematics algorithm;
determining that a second location of the robot is inside the basin zone; and
based on determining that the second location of the robot is inside the basin zone, determining a second movement of the robot relative to the waypoint using the sensor data and an iterative closest points (ICP) algorithm.