US 2024/0194078 A1 · SYSTEM AND METHOD TO AVOID OBSTACLES IN AN AUTONOMOUS UNMANNED MARITIME VEHICLE

Abstract

A method and system for detecting and avoiding an obstacle of an autonomous unmanned maritime vehicle (UMV) traveling in an initial direction are described. The method and system include receiving a video image from at least one image sensor, the video image containing an object that has been identified as an obstacle, determining if the object can be associated with an object class from the plurality of predetermined object classes, accessing a mean height value for the object class if it determined that the object can be associated with an object class from the plurality of predetermined object classes, determining a distance between the UMV and the object based on a height of the object as displayed in the video image and the mean height for the object class, and automatically adjusting the navigational control of the autonomous UMV to travel in an adjusted direction.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for detecting and avoiding an obstacle of an autonomous unmanned maritime vehicle (UMV) traveling in an initial direction, the system including:

at least one image sensor, the at least one image sensor configured to generate a plurality of video images;
a storage element configured to receive and store information associated with a plurality of predetermined object classes;
and
a processing unit coupled to the at least one sensor and the storage element, the processing unit configured to:
receive at least one video image from the at least one image sensor, the video image containing at least one object that has been identified as an obstacle;
determine if the at least one object can be associated with an object class from the plurality of predetermined object classes;
access a mean height value for the object class if it is determined that the at least one object can be associated with an object class from the plurality of predetermined object classes;
determine a distance between the UMV and the at least one object based on a height of the at least one object as displayed in the video image and the mean height for the object class;
and
automatically adjust the navigational control of the autonomous UMV to travel in an adjusted direction.

7 more elements

A method for detecting and avoiding an obstacle of an autonomous unmanned maritime vehicle (UMV) traveling in an initial direction, the method comprising:

receiving, a video image from at least one image sensor, the video image containing at least one object that has been identified as an obstacle;
determining if the at least one object can be associated with an object class from the plurality of predetermined object classes;
accessing a mean height value for the object class if it is determined that the at least one object can be associated with an object class from the plurality of predetermined object classes;
determining a distance between the UMV and the at least one object based on a height of the at least one object as displayed in the video image and the mean height for the object class;
and
automatically adjusting the navigational control of the autonomous UMV to travel in an adjusted direction.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method to avoid obstacles in an autonomous unmanned maritime vehicle

Life of this patent

System and method to avoid obstacles in an autonomous unmanned maritime vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20