Safe Path Memory for Autonomous Urban Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous mobile units face challenges in efficiently mapping unknown environments and identifying safe, traversable paths due to the accumulation of measurement errors from sensors, which limits their operational range and accuracy, especially in urban settings where manual re-evaluation of GIS data is time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
A method involving manual or semi-manual mapping by a human operator using a combination of sensors like GPS, video, and laser to create a memory of safe paths, with multiple scans under varying conditions to determine maximum deviation, allowing for the development of safe operating tolerances and reducing positional errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous units use sensors to map unknown environments and identify safe paths, then they can operate autonomously, but measurement errors accumulate with path distance, limiting operational range and accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mapping safe and traversable paths using GPS and other sensors before autonomous units operate in the environment. These pre-established paths are stored in a database, allowing units to follow known safe routes without accumulating measurement errors during autonomous mapping, thus resolving the contradiction between automation extent and measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the environment in the form of pre-mapped safe paths stored in a database. Instead of requiring autonomous units to continuously map and navigate unknown environments, the system uses stored path representations that can be repeatedly traversed without error accumulation, maintaining accuracy while enabling autonomous operation
2Reliability
If manual re-evaluation of GIS data is performed to ensure route safety, then route accuracy is maintained, but time consumption and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling autonomous units to automatically traverse pre-mapped safe paths using GPS navigation without requiring continuous manual re-evaluation of GIS data. The system maintains route safety through automated path following while eliminating time-consuming manual updates, resolving the contradiction between reliability and time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary path safety evaluation by pre-mapping routes and storing them in a database before autonomous operation begins. This upfront mapping effort eliminates the need for continuous manual re-evaluation during operations, maintaining route safety while significantly reducing time consumption
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 approach enables autonomous units to efficiently and accurately identify and maintain safe, traversable paths within urban environments, reducing the need for extensive hardware and computational resources, thus enhancing their operational capability and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
Data include Earth topography and vegetation, as mostly gathered by satellite imagery. Other Features, such as the centerline of a road, are gathered by driving a vehicle with a GPS (Global Positioning System) system
Implementation Method 2
laser to create a memory of safe paths
Implementation Method 3
video, and laser to create a memory of safe paths
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manually or semi-manually mapping an urban environment to locate a safe, traversable path within the environment is provided herein. An area is mapped by an entity that traverses sidewalks, ramps, driveways, crosswalks, and other terrain in the area to create a memory of usable paths to reach addressed destinations. A human operator, possibly assisted by a computer-executed mathematical algorithm, approves routes that are considered safe. When a route is approved, it enters the memory as a safe, traversable route. If a route is not approved, it is marked as unsafe and the entity finds an alternate route to get to the same location such as by going around the block or in another direction.