Robot Route Conflict Avoidance With Offset Transition Segments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomy systems for robots are limited in extensibility as they typically focus on a narrow mission set, lacking comprehensive conflict detection and avoidance capabilities along a current route, especially when interacting with nearby moving objects.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for detecting conflicts between a robot and nearby moving objects by determining alternate routes with offset segments and transition segments, using a cost metric that considers time, distance, and environmental factors to guide the robot in avoiding collisions, while minimizing computational resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If comprehensive conflict detection and avoidance capabilities are implemented along the robot's current route, then the robot's safety and operational efficiency are improved, but the device complexity and computational resources required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The route is segmented into current route segments and alternate route segments. The conflict detection system divides the navigation space into regions (first region for current route, second region for alternate route) with different evaluation criteria. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by handling conflict detection and resolution in discrete, manageable segments rather than treating the entire route as a single complex problem.
Solution Approach 2:
Alternate routes are pre-determined with offset segments before mission execution. The system prepares multiple candidate alternate routes in advance, storing them for quick access during conflict detection. This preliminary action reduces real-time computational burden by having pre-validated route options ready, allowing the system to quickly evaluate and select from pre-prepared alternatives when conflicts are detected.
2Reliability
If alternate routes with offset segments are determined dynamically during the mission, then the robot can avoid conflicts more effectively, but the computational resources and time required for route planning increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple alternate routes with offset segments are determined and stored before the mission begins. These pre-determined routes include various offset distances and configurations that can be quickly evaluated during conflict detection without requiring real-time computation of entire alternate routes, thus reducing time loss while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically evaluates pre-determined alternate routes based on real-time conflict conditions. Rather than statically selecting a single alternate route, the system adaptively chooses from multiple pre-prepared options based on the specific conflict situation, robot state, and environmental factors, optimizing the balance between detection accuracy and response time.
3Reliability
If the robot plans an entire route back to the current route after maneuvering to avoid a conflict, then the robot ensures complete route validation, but the computational resources required increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and evaluates only the critical segments of the route (the alternate route segment and transition segment) rather than validating the entire route from start to finish. By focusing computational resources on the specific segments affected by the conflict and avoidance maneuver, the system maintains route validation reliability while significantly reducing the energy required for computation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different levels of route validation are applied to different segments. The alternate route segment undergoes terrain obstacle verification and dynamic feasibility checks, while the transition segment is evaluated for smooth connectivity. This localized quality approach ensures complete validation of critical segments without the excessive energy cost of re-validating the entire route.
4Productivity
If a cost metric depending on time or distance to point of approach and distance from current route is used, then the route selection optimality is improved, but the measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cost metric uses relative parameters (distance from current route, time to point of approach) rather than absolute precision requirements. By changing the measurement parameters to relative distances and times, the system achieves optimal route selection without requiring extremely high absolute measurement precision, as the cost function works with differential changes in position and time rather than absolute coordinates.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for detecting and avoiding conflict along a current route of a robot. The method includes accessing a trajectory of the robot on the current route of the robot, and a predicted trajectory of a nearby moving object, and from the trajectory and predicted trajectory, detecting a conflict between the robot and the nearby moving object. Alternate routes for the robot are determined, each of which includes an alternative route segment offset from the current route, and a transition segment from the current route to the alternative route segment. Routes including the current and alternative routes are evaluated according to a cost metric, and a route from the routes is selected for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to avoid the conflict.