UGV Navigation Control with Delay-Aware Steering Commands
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) face navigation challenges due to command execution delays, which can result in collisions with obstacles or deviations from planned paths, as they continue moving during the delay period before command execution.
Innovation Solution
The UGV estimates its future state at the time of command execution by processing pending commands and generating navigation commands based on this predicted state, accounting for the accumulated effects of all commands set to be executed during the delay period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If steering commands are generated based on current location ignoring expected delay, then command generation is simple and fast, but collision with obstacles or deviations from designated path occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary estimation of the future state at command execution time before generating the steering command. This includes predicting position, orientation, and velocity based on current state and expected delay, then using this predicted state as the basis for command generation. This preliminary action prevents collisions and path deviations while maintaining responsive control.
2Device complexity
If multiple pending commands are executed during command execution delay, then command execution delay is inherent in system architecture, but accumulative change in UGV location, heading and speed causes navigation errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback by estimating the future state that accounts for the accumulative effects of all pending commands to be executed during the delay period. This feedback mechanism adjusts the current steering command based on the predicted impact of pending commands, ensuring accurate navigation despite the inherent command execution delay and multiple command queueing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A method, an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), a system mountable on a UGV and a computer program product, the method comprising: receiving an indication for generating a new navigation command; estimating, by the processor, an expected state of the UGV when the new navigation command is to be executed, based on accumulated effects of pending commands; generating, by the processor, the new navigation command based on the expected state; and following execution of pending commands, executing the new navigation command, thereby steering the UGV.