Object avoidance methods for automated aerial vehicles
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAmir Navot, Gur Kimchi, Brian C. Beckman, Frederik Schaffalitzky, Daniel Buchmueller, Robert John Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure describes an automated aerial vehicle that includes one or more object detection elements configured to detect the presence of objects and an avoidance determining element configured to cause the automated aerial vehicle to automatically determine and execute an avoidance maneuver to avoid the objects. For example, an object may be detected and an avoidance maneuver determined based on a position of the object and an object vector representative of a direction and a magnitude of velocity of the object.
Claims20
A computer implemented method to alter a path of an automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
- detecting a presence of an object;
- determining an object vector representative of a distance and a direction of the object relative to the automated aerial vehicle;
- determining a pushing function representative of the distance between the detected object and the automated aerial vehicle;
- determining, based at least in part on the object vector and the pushing function, a retreat vector;
- determining, based at least in part in on the object vector, a plurality of available defensive directions, wherein each of the plurality of available defensive directions corresponds to a direction that is different than the direction of the object vector;
- randomly selecting an available defensive direction from the plurality of available defensive directions;
- generating an avoidance vector based at least in part on the retreat vector and the randomly selected defensive direction, wherein the avoidance vector is a sum of the retreat vector and the randomly selected defensive direction;
- and
- executing the avoidance vector to avoid the object.
An automated aerial vehicle comprising:
- a body;
- a plurality of motors;
- an object detection element configured to detect a presence of an object within a defined distance of the body;
- a memory coupled to one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least:
- determine an object vector representative of a detected object;
- determine, based at least in part on the object vector, a retreat vector representative of a first direction and a first magnitude for navigating the automated aerial vehicle to avoid the detected object;
- determine, based at least in part on the object vector, a defensive direction representative of a second direction for navigating the automated aerial vehicle to avoid the detected object;
- generate an avoidance vector based at least in part on the retreat vector and the defensive direction, wherein the avoidance vector is a sum of the retreat vector and the defensive direction;
- and
- provide instructions to navigate the automated aerial vehicle according to the avoidance vector.
A computer implemented method to avoid an object by an automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
- determining an object vector of a detected object;
- determining, based at least in part on the object vector, a retreat vector including a first direction to avoid the detected object;
- determining, based at least in part on the object vector, a defensive direction including a second direction to avoid the detected object;
- generating an avoidance vector including a third direction based at least in part on the retreat vector and the defensive direction, wherein the avoidance vector is a sum of the retreat vector and the defensive direction;
- and
- executing the avoidance vector to avoid the detected object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.