Adaptive autonomy system architecture

Inventors

Ryan, Jason • Saunders, Jeffery

Assignees

Aurora Flight Sciences Corp

Abstract

An autonomy system for use with a vehicle in an environment. The autonomy system comprising a processor operatively coupled with a memory device, a plurality of sensors operatively coupled with the processor; a vehicle controller, a situational awareness module, a task planning module, and a task execution module. The situational awareness module being configured to determine a state of the environment based at least in part on sensor data from at least one of the plurality of sensors. The task planning module being configured to identify, via the processor, a plurality of tasks to be performed by the vehicle and to generate a task assignment list from the plurality of tasks that is based at least in part on predetermined optimization criteria. The task execution module being configured to instruct the vehicle controller to execute the plurality of tasks in accordance with the task assignment list. The task execution module may be configured to monitor the vehicle or the vehicle controller during execution of the task assignment list to identify any errors.

Core Innovation

The invention describes an adaptable autonomy architecture (A3) for vehicles in an environment that determines a state of the environment based at least in part on sensor data. An autonomy system includes a situational awareness circuit that determines the state of the environment, and a task planning circuit that identifies a plurality of tasks to be performed by the vehicle. The task planning circuit generates a task assignment list from the plurality of tasks that is based at least in part on predetermined optimization criteria.

The architecture further includes determining if any task of the plurality of tasks violates one or more predetermined constraints, and using the results to gate task execution. A task execution circuit instructs a vehicle controller to execute the plurality of tasks in accordance with the task assignment list if the plurality of tasks does not violate the one or more predetermined constraints, and the task execution circuit monitors the vehicle or the vehicle controller during execution to identify any errors.

The invention emphasizes optional multi-vehicle task consensus in which a task consensus module compares and adjusts and/or reallocates and/or reorders tasks using another vehicle’s task assignment list to maximize collaborative efficiency. The system is extensible via standardized interface control documents and a parameterized and/or interchangeable library of code that provides autonomy across vehicle types, with illustrative implementations including UAVs/UAS and aircraft.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims cover an in-vehicle autonomy system and an operating method, and also an aircraft implementation. Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on determining environment state from sensor data, generating task assignment lists using predetermined optimization criteria, checking tasks against predetermined constraints, executing tasks only when constraints are satisfied, and monitoring for errors during execution; additional independent coverage prioritizes tasks as a function of threats.

Overall, the independent claims define an autonomy system and method that determine environment state from sensor data, identify tasks and generate a task assignment list using predetermined optimization criteria, check tasks for violations of predetermined constraints, execute tasks via a vehicle or flight controller only when constraints are not violated, and monitor execution to identify errors, with aircraft-specific coverage that includes threat-based task prioritization.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications