US 12,190,741 B2
Conflict detection and avoidance along a current route of a robot
Margaret Reagan, Cambridge, MA (US); Jeffery Saunders, Quincy, MA (US); and William R. Bosworth, Somerville, MA (US)
Assigned to Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company, Manassas, VA (US)
Filed by Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company, Manassas, VA (US)
Filed on Jan. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/573,085.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/155,560, filed on Mar. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0301440 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. G08G 5/00 (2006.01); G08G 5/04 (2006.01)
CPC G08G 5/006 (2013.01) [G08G 5/003 (2013.01); G08G 5/0043 (2013.01); G08G 5/0069 (2013.01); G08G 5/0086 (2013.01); G08G 5/045 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for detecting and avoiding conflict along a current route of a robot, the apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store computer-readable program code; and
processing circuitry configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause the apparatus to at least:
access a trajectory of the robot on the current route of the robot, and a predicted trajectory of a nearby moving object;
detect a conflict between the robot and the nearby moving object from a comparison of the robot on the trajectory of the robot on the current route and the nearby moving object on the predicted trajectory of the nearby moving object;
determine alternate routes for the robot, each of the alternate routes including an alternative route segment having a predefined geometric offset from the current route such that the alternative route segment of the alternate routes is spaced apart from the current route, and a transition segment disposed between the current route and the respective alternative route segment of the alternate routes such that the transition segment connects the current route to the respective alternative route segment of the alternate routes;
evaluate routes including the alternate routes according to a cost metric that depends on a time or distance to a point of approach between the nearby moving object and the robot, and a distance from the current route; and
select a route from the routes for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to avoid the conflict;
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute the computer-readable program code to cause the apparatus to further cause the robot to travel the route as selected.