Optical Spatial Vehicle Control for Complex Path Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle control systems are inherently 'one-dimensional' or 'linear', lacking the ability to determine a vehicle's actual spatial position and spatial relationship between paths, leading to inefficiencies in obstacle avoidance, path adjustment, and inflexibility in navigating complex trajectories.
Innovation Solution
A control system incorporating an optical movement sensor that scans the surface beneath the vehicle, providing relative movement signals to a controller, combined with inertial sensors and potentially a GNSS system, to enable accurate spatial positioning and attitude determination, allowing for multi-dimensional control and autonomous navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS/INS signals are used to determine vehicle position and heading, then the controller can calculate deviation from the desired path, but the controller cannot accurately determine the vehicle's actual spatial position in three-dimensional space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional path-following control (lateral deviation only) to three-dimensional spatial awareness by integrating optical movement sensors that provide X, Y, and Z axis position data. This enables the controller to determine the vehicle's actual spatial position and relationships between multiple paths, not just deviation from a single desired trajectory.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the controller operates based on one-dimensional path geometry and distance traveled, then the system is simpler to implement, but the system lacks flexibility in navigating complex trajectories and avoiding obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing systems (optical movement sensors, GPS, INS) and integrates their data streams into a unified spatial database. This merging of information sources creates a comprehensive multi-dimensional view of vehicle position and environment, enabling flexible navigation of complex trajectories while managing system complexity through integrated architecture.
3Reliability
If the controller only knows the geometry of the path and distance traveled along the path, then computational requirements are reduced, but the system cannot perform effective obstacle avoidance or adapt to spatial deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-processes and stores spatial data from multiple sources into a spatial database before control decisions are required. By organizing position, orientation, and environmental information in advance, the system reduces real-time computational requirements while maintaining high reliability for obstacle avoidance and adaptive navigation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the vehicle's ability to accurately follow complex paths, avoid obstacles, and adapt to deviations, improving navigation efficiency and reducing computational overhead by directly utilizing spatial data for control decisions.
Implementation Method 1
an optical movement sensor which scans a surface over which the vehicle is moving
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control system having a controller and a spatial database adapted to provide spatial data to the controller at control speed. The spatial data provided from the spatial database to the controller includes images collected from an optical sensor subsystem in addition to other data collected by a variety of sensor types, including a GNSS or inertial measurement system. The spatial data received by the controller from the database forms at least part of the control inputs that the controller operates on to control the vehicle. The advantage provided by the present invention allows control system to “think” directly in terms of spatial location. A vehicle control system in accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention comprises a task path generator, a spatial database, at least one external spatial data receiver, a vehicle attitude compensation module, a position error generator, a controller, and actuators to control the vehicle.