Swarm autopilot
US10310518B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 8, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 7, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S901/01
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method for generating an artificial topography in a distributed array of robotic agents. Each robotic agent stores, and periodically updates a parameter value or “A-value” in accordance with a process including, e.g., averaging neighboring A-values, received from close neighbor robotic agents, biasing the A-value based on external commands or measured environmental parameters, and decreasing the A-value by a cooling rate factor. Averaging among neighboring robotic agents results eventually in a globally smoothed distribution of A-values. A gradient may be estimated for the distribution of A-values, and the robotic agents may be programmed to move in the direction of the gradient, toward increasing A-values. This behavior may be employed to cause the robotic agents to follow a robotic agent with a fixed, relatively large, A-value, or, if the A-values are biased by features (e.g., gradients or steps) in environmental parameters, to converge on such features.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.