US 11,841,703 B2
System and method for autonomous operation of a machine
William J. Schlacks, IV, Columbia, MO (US); Brian Adams, Columbia, MO (US); James Dianics, Columbia, MO (US); Ian Graves, Columbia, MO (US); Rob Martin, Columbia, MO (US); and Scott Pfursich, Columbia, MO (US)
Assigned to EQUIPMENTSHARE.COM INC., Columbia, MO (US)
Filed by EQUIPMENTSHARE.COM INC, Columbia, MO (US)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/363,528.
Application 17/363,528 is a continuation of application No. 16/939,358, filed on Jul. 27, 2020, granted, now 11,079,755.
Application 16/939,358 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/026877, filed on Apr. 6, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/987,062, filed on Mar. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/829,986, filed on Apr. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0325877 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01)
CPC G05D 1/0044 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0027 (2013.01); G05D 1/0055 (2013.01); G05D 1/0238 (2013.01); G05D 1/0255 (2013.01); G05D 1/0278 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of a vehicle, comprising:
a sensor system mounted on the vehicle, wherein the sensor system is configured to collect sensor data as the vehicle travels along a command path to perform a task within an autonomous operating zone; and
a robotics processing unit configured to:
generate the command path;
control operation of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels the command path;
detect an obstacle positioned on the command path by (a) receiving the sensor data from the sensor system and converting the sensor data into a point cloud comprising a plurality of points, (b) filtering the points to return points above or below at least one first pre-defined threshold, (c) sorting the filtered points along an axis, (d) for at least one selected point within the sorted points, identifying a number of the sorted points located within a pre-defined distance of the selected point, (e) determining whether the number of identified points is greater than a second pre-defined threshold, and (f) when the determination is affirmative, calculating a rectangle that contains all of the filtered points and determining a world position of the rectangle to represent the obstacle; and
upon detection of the obstacle, either (a) update the command path to avoid the detected obstacle or (b) pause the vehicle.