Systems and methods for operating a vehicle in a degraded visual environment
AssigneeAurora Flight Sciences Corporation
InventorJeffery Saunders
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example method includes identifying a degraded visual environment corresponding to a phase of a route followed by the vehicle. The method includes determining, based on the phase of the route, a first segment of a trajectory of the vehicle along which to search for a location with an improved navigation environment. The method includes causing the vehicle to follow the first segment until: (i) identifying the improved navigation environment, or (ii) reaching an end of the first segment without identifying the improved navigation environment. The method includes determining a second segment of the trajectory based on whether the improved navigation environment has been identified. The method includes causing the vehicle to follow the second segment.
Claims20
A method for controlling a vehicle in a degraded visual environment, comprising:
- identifying a degraded visual environment along a planned route of the vehicle;
- changing, in response to identifying the degraded visual environment, the planned route to include a first segment along which to search for a location with an improved navigation environment;
- causing the vehicle to follow the first segment until:
- (i) identifying the improved navigation environment, or
- (ii) reaching an end of the first segment without identifying the improved navigation environment;
- changing the planned route to include a second segment that is determined based on whether the improved navigation environment has been identified;
- and
- causing the vehicle to follow the second segment.
A system for controlling a vehicle in a degraded visual environment, comprising:
- a vehicle comprising:
- a computing device having a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor to cause performance of functions comprising:
- identifying a degraded visual environment along a planned route of the vehicle;
- changing, in response to identifying the degraded visual environment, the planned route to include a first segment along which to search for a location with an improved navigation environment;
- causing the vehicle to follow the first segment until:
- (i) identifying the improved navigation environment, or
- (ii) reaching an end of the first segment without identifying the improved navigation environment;
- changing the planned route to include a second segment that is determined based on whether the improved navigation environment has been identified;
- and
- causing the vehicle to follow the second segment.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
- identifying a degraded visual environment along a planned route of a vehicle;
- changing, in response to identifying the degraded visual environment, the planned route to include a first segment along which to search for a location with an improved navigation environment;
- causing the vehicle to follow the first segment until:
- (i) identifying the improved navigation environment, or
- (ii) reaching an end of the first segment without identifying the improved navigation environment;
- changing the planned route to include a second segment that is determined based on whether the improved navigation environment has been identified;
- and
- causing the vehicle to follow the second segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.