Autonomous Craft Control via Objective Decomposition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for controlling unmanned autonomous mobiles require a high number of operator actions, increasing cognitive load and reaction time, and do not allow for efficient individualized management or simultaneous management of multiple mobiles, leading to complex task planning and execution.
Innovation Solution
A method that breaks down objectives into optimal tasks based on input parameters and criteria, distributing task processing among mobiles, and determines an order for achieving these tasks, allowing for simplified control and reduced operator involvement, with adaptive trajectory recalculations and indicators for compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operator directly controls each mobile device individually through selection and command interface interactions, then individualized management of each mobile is possible, but the number of operator actions increases significantly, complicating data processing and increasing cognitive load
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the control interface by creating dedicated interaction zones for each mobile device on the display screen. Each zone contains graphical elements specific to that device, allowing the operator to interact with multiple devices simultaneously in parallel rather than sequentially, thus reducing the total number of actions required
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from one-dimensional sequential control (selecting one device at a time) to two-dimensional parallel control by spatially distributing interactive elements across the display screen. Each mobile device occupies a distinct spatial zone with its own set of controls, enabling the operator to manage multiple devices across the screen dimension simultaneously
2Device complexity
If the system groups all mobiles into a single fleet entity with aggregated information, then the number of objects to manage is reduced to one, but individualized management of each mobile device is lost and task planning becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the aggregated fleet information into device-specific graphical zones while maintaining the overall fleet context. Each mobile device is represented by its own interactive zone containing device-specific controls and information, allowing individualized management without requiring the operator to mentally aggregate all devices into a single complex entity
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by providing different levels of information and control granularity in different spatial zones. Each zone on the display screen is tailored to the specific mobile device it represents, showing only the relevant controls and information for that device, while the overall layout maintains fleet-wide context
3Reliability
If the system requires the operator to select each mobile device before entering commands, then direct control is maintained, but the operator's reaction time increases and cognitive load is elevated
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-organizing the display interface with dedicated graphical zones for each mobile device before the operator needs to interact with them. The zones are pre-configured with device-specific controls and information, so when the operator needs to control a device, the interface is already prepared and accessible, eliminating the need for sequential selection steps
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables simultaneous access to multiple device controls by spatially distributing them across the display screen. Instead of requiring the operator to move through a sequential selection process, all device controls are accessible in parallel across the screen dimension, reducing reaction time while maintaining control precision through dedicated zones
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Method of control of a plurality of pilotless autonomous craft. The invention relates to a method of control of a plurality of pilotless autonomous craft, the method comprising the following steps: - a) the provision (100) of input parameters specific to each craft, - b) the provision (102) of at least one objective is to be fulfilled by the various craft. The method furthermore comprises the following step: - c) the decomposition (110), according to at least a first criterion, of said at least one objective into several optimal tasks as a function of the input parameters, each optimal task of each objective being associated with a different craft.