Autonomous vehicle boundary intersection detection and avoidance

A method of maintaining an autonomous vehicle within geographic boundaries, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a display communicatively coupled to a control module of the autonomous vehicle, a three-dimensional (3D) geofence boundary that defines a minimum vertical clearance above the ground;
• generating, by the control module of the autonomous vehicle, a 3D envelope using a definition of the autonomous vehicle and an implement coupled to the autonomous vehicle;
• determining, from geographic coordinates of the autonomous vehicle, a current position and orientation for the 3D envelope in the real world;
• determining a current steering state for the autonomous vehicle;
• determining a future position and orientation of the 3D envelope in the real world, wherein the future position and orientation is determined by following a path defined by the current steering state along a direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle from the current position and orientation for a predefined distance, wherein the predefined distance is selected based on a minimum stopping distance of the autonomous vehicle;
• generating a 3D projection envelope for the autonomous vehicle, wherein the 3D projection envelope is defined by a continuous volume that 3D envelope occupies from the current position and orientation to the future position and orientation while the autonomous vehicle travels along the path from the current position and orientation to the future position and orientation;
• determining, based on a comparison between an outer bounds of the 3D projection envelope and the 3D geofence boundary, that the 3D projection envelope intersects with the 3D geofence boundary;
• determining, in response to determining that the 3D projection envelope intersects with the 3D geofence boundary, a secondary position and orientation at which an intersection would occur, and a first distance from the current position and orientation to the secondary position and orientation along the path;
• and
• maintaining a speed of the autonomous vehicle at or below a maximum speed determined based at least in part on the first distance.

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

• receive, at a display communicatively coupled to a control module of an autonomous vehicle, a three-dimensional (3D) geofence boundary that defines a minimum vertical clearance above the ground;
• generate a 3D envelope using a definition of the autonomous vehicle and an implement coupled to the autonomous vehicle;
• determine, from geographic coordinates of the autonomous vehicle, a current position and orientation for the 3D envelope in the real world;
• determine a current steering state for the autonomous vehicle;
• determine a future position and orientation of the 3D envelope in the real world, wherein the future position and orientation is determined by following a path defined by the current steering state along a direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle from the current position and orientation for a predefined distance, wherein the predefined distance is selected based on a minimum stopping distance of the autonomous vehicle;
• generate a 3D projection envelope for the autonomous vehicle, wherein the 3D projection envelope is defined by a continuous volume that the 3D envelope occupies from the current position and orientation to the future position and orientation while the autonomous vehicle travels along the path from the current position and orientation to the future position and orientation;
• determine, based on a comparison between an outer bounds of the 3D projection envelope and the 3D geofence boundary, that the 3D projection envelope intersects with the 3D geofence boundary;
• determining, in response to determining that the 3D projection envelope intersects with the 3D geofence boundary, a secondary position and orientation at which an intersection would occur, and a first distance from the current position and orientation to the secondary position and orientation along the path;
• and
• maintain a speed of the autonomous vehicle at or below a maximum speed determined based at least in part on the first distance.