Elta Systems Ltd.

Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.

Dina Appelman

Ofir Cohen

Arnon Degani

Roman Bronstein

Arieh Tsentsiper

Arkady Sigal

Alex Pinsky

The presently disclosed subject matter includes a computerized method and a control system mountable on a vehicle for autonomously controlling the vehicle and enabling to execute a point-turn while avoiding collision with nearby obstacles. More specifically, the proposed technique enables an autonomous vehicle, characterized by an asymmetric contour, to execute a collision free point-turn, in an area crowded with obstacles. The disclosed method enables execution of a point turn quickly, without requiring the vehicle to stop.

Obstacle avoidance in autonomous vehicles

The disclosed subject matter includes a method and system for navigating an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), that include:

Method of navigating a vehicle and system thereof

A computer-implemented method for controlling an excavation task by an autonomous excavation vehicle comprising a scanning device, the excavation task being described by a target map, the method comprising using an excavation vehicle control system for: a) according to data from the scanning device, maintaining a map representing current terrain; b) moving a sensor-equipped digging implement for executing an excavation operation; c) receiving data indicative of current terrain topography from the sensor; d) updating the maintained map according to the data indicative of current terrain topography; and e) calculating an excavation operation according to the difference between the maintained map and the target map.

Excavation by way of an unmanned vehicle

The disclosure relates to real-time autonomous path planning for a vehicle, and to the steering of the vehicle in accordance with the path. The path is planned in accordance with a given map of the area, and the path accuracy depends, inter alia, on the resolution and accuracy of the map.

Path planning within a traversed area

A system and method of navigating a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a scanning device and a self-contained navigation system (SCNS) operatively connected to a computer, the method comprising: operating the scanning device for repeatedly executing a scanning operation, each operation includes scanning an area surrounding the vehicle, thereby generating respective scanning output data; operating the computer for generating, based on the scanning output data, a relative map representing at least a part of the area, the map having known dimensions and being relative to a position of the vehicle, wherein the map comprises cells, each cell classified to a class from at least two classes, comprising traversable and non-traversable, and characterized by dimensions equal or larger than an accumulated drift value of the SCNS; wherein non-traversable cells correspond to identified obstacles; receiving SCNS data and updating a position of the vehicle relative to the cells based on the SCNS data.

The presently disclosed subject matter includes a system and a method of navigating an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) vehicle comprising a scanning device and an Inertial Navigation System (INS) being operatively connected to at least one processor. Operating the scanning device for scanning an area surrounding the UGV, and generate scanning output data; Generating, based on the scanning output data, a map representing at least a part of the area, the map being relative to a location of the UGV and comprising cells, each cell is classified to a class selected from at least two classes, comprising traversable and non-traversable, and characterized by dimensions larger than an accumulated drift value of the INS over a predefined distance; receiving INS data indicative of a current location of the UGV and updating a location of the UGV relative to cells in the map based on the INS data.

Method of navigating an unmanned vehicle and system thereof

Thus, according to some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, in order to reduce path planning time, information that has previously been calculated during planning of a path is reused during planning of other subsequent paths. Using the stored indication reduces time required for planning the path and thus enables to evaluate a greater number of optional paths within a given period of time. This can assist in increasing speed and smoothness of vehicle maneuverability.

Path planning for an unmanned vehicle

The disclosed subject matter includes a method and system for navigating an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), that include: generating, based on the scanning output data, a first map comprising a first group of cells and characterized by a first size; generating, based on the scanning output data, a second map representing an area smaller than that of the first map comprising a second group of cells, which are characterized by a second size being smaller than the first size; wherein each cell in the first group of cells and the second group of cells is classified to a class selected from at least two classes, comprising traversable and non-traversable, wherein the second part at least partly overlaps the first part; navigating the UGV based on data deduced from crossing between cells in the first map and second map.

Growing community of inventors

Bat Yam, Israel

Dina Appelman