EP-4741974-A1 - VEHICLE CONTROL USING DITHERING

EP4741974A1EP 4741974 A1EP4741974 A1EP 4741974A1EP-4741974-A1

Abstract

A construction vehicle may move (510) along a route in a construction environment towards a portion of the construction environment. The construction vehicle may access an image (520) of the portion of the construction environment in front of the construction vehicle. The construction vehicle may apply a rut identification model (530) to the image, where the rut identification model is configured to identify a rut in the portion of the construction environment using pixels of the image. The construction vehicle may, subsequent to identifying the rut in the portion of the construction environment, navigate the construction vehicle (540) along the route based on the identified rut.

Inventors

SRIPADAM, Maya Devi
CHAWLA, SUMIT
OSTROWSKI, JAMES PATRICK
RIKOVITCH, Nir

Assignees

Deere & Company

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20251112

Claims (15)

A method of operating a construction vehicle in a construction environment, the method comprising: moving, by the construction vehicle, along a route in the construction environment towards a portion of the construction environment; accessing an image of the portion of the construction environment in front of the construction vehicle; applying a rut identification model to the image, the rut identification model configured to: identify a rut in the portion of the construction environment using pixels of the image; and subsequent to identifying the rut in the portion of the construction environment, navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut.
The method of claim 1, wherein navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut comprises navigating the construction vehicle such that a locomotion mechanism enters the identified rut.
The method of claim 1, wherein navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut comprises navigating the construction vehicle such that a locomotion mechanism avoids the identified rut.
The method of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut comprises: navigating the construction vehicle to travel at an offset value from the route.
The method of claim 4, further comprising: dynamically updating the offset value from the route based on a location of the rut in the portion of the construction environment.
The method of claim 4 or 5, wherein: the offset value is further based on a random value; or the offset value from the route is further based on a second offset value from the route that a second vehicle previously traveled, wherein the offset value from the route is different than the second offset value from the route; or the offset value from the route directs a locomotion mechanism of the construction vehicle to push material into the identified rut.
The method of any of claims 1 to 3: wherein moving, by the construction vehicle, along the route in the construction environment towards the portion of the construction environment comprises the construction vehicle moving at a first offset value from the route; and wherein navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut comprises navigating the construction vehicle to travel at a second offset value from the route different than the first offset value, wherein the second offset value is based on the identified rut.
The method of any of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: accessing sensor data generated from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) of the construction vehicle; and identifying, based on the sensor data, whether the construction vehicle has entered the rut, wherein navigating the construction vehicle along the route is further based on the identification of whether the construction vehicle entered the rut.
A construction vehicle configured to: move along a route in a construction environment towards a portion of the construction environment; access an image of the portion of the construction environment in front of the construction vehicle; apply a rut identification model to the image, the rut identification model configured to: identify a rut in the portion of the construction environment using pixels of the image; and subsequent to an identification of the rut in the portion of the construction environment, navigate the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut.
The construction vehicle of claim 9, wherein: to navigate the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut, the construction vehicle is configured to navigate the construction vehicle such that a locomotion mechanism enters the identified rut; or to navigate the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut, the construction vehicle is configured to navigate the construction vehicle such that a locomotion mechanism avoids the identified rut.
The construction vehicle of claim 9 or 10, wherein to navigate the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut, the construction vehicle is configured to: navigate the construction vehicle to travel at an offset value from the route, wherein the offset value is based on the identified rut.
The construction vehicle of claim 11, wherein the construction vehicle is further configured to dynamically update the offset value from the route based on a location of the rut in the portion of the construction environment.
The construction vehicle of claim 11 or 12, wherein: the offset value is further based on a random value; or the offset value from the route is further based on a second offset value from the route that a second vehicle previously traveled, wherein the offset value from the route is different than the second offset value from the route; or the offset value from the route directs a locomotion mechanism of the construction vehicle to push material into the identified rut.
The construction vehicle of claim 9 or 10: wherein to move along the route in the construction environment towards the portion of the construction environment, the construction vehicle is configured to move at a first offset value from the route; and wherein to navigate the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut, the construction vehicle is configured to navigate the construction vehicle to travel at a second offset value from the route different than the first offset value, wherein the second offset value is based on the identified rut.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to carry out the method of any of claims 1 to 8.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/719,266, "Vehicle Control Using Dithering," filed on November 12, 2024, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND FIELD OF DISCLOSURE This disclosure generally relates to operating vehicles in an environment and, more specifically, to operating vehicles based on ruts identified in the environment. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART Ruts in (e.g., dirt and gravel) roads are typically formed due to repeated traffic and weathering over time. Ruts can adversely impact both transportation efficiency and safety. Ruts create an uneven road surface, which can lead to reduced ease of vehicle navigation, slower transportation times, and an increased risk of traffic accidents or the vehicle getting stuck. In extreme cases, deep ruts can even result in certain roads becoming untraversable. SUMMARY A vehicle (e.g., an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle) may be controlled such that an offset value is applied as it travels along a route from a starting location to a destination. By applying (e.g., different or varied) offset values to vehicles traveling along a given road, rut formation on the road may be reduced or eliminated. Said differently, instead of the vehicles following the same path on a road portion, the offset values vary the paths on the road portion such that rut formation is reduced or eliminated (e.g., by avoiding pre-existing ruts and preventing or reducing the formation of new ruts). Among other advantages, avoiding existing ruts in a road and/or reducing or preventing road degradation (e.g., rut formation) via an offset may (a) reduce wear and tear on the tires and/or (b) reduce the work used to correct or maintain roads (e.g., smooth out ruts). Thus, an offset value may extend the life of a road and reduce costs of road correction and maintenance. Some embodiments relate to a method of operating a construction vehicle in a construction environment, the method including: moving, by the construction vehicle, along a route in the construction environment towards a portion of the construction environment; accessing an image of the portion of the construction environment in front of the construction vehicle (e.g., the image was captured by an image sensor of the construction vehicle); applying a rut identification model to the image, the rut identification model configured to: identify a rut in the portion of the construction environment using pixels of the image (e.g., the rut extends along the route in the portion of the environment); and subsequent (e.g., responsive) to identifying the rut in the portion of the construction environment, navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut. In some embodiments, navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut includes navigating the construction vehicle such that a locomotion mechanism enters the identified rut (e.g., and continues to stay in the rut as the construction vehicle traverses the environment). In some embodiments, navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut includes navigating the construction vehicle such that a locomotion mechanism avoids the identified rut (e.g., the vehicle does not enter and possibly continues to not enter the rut as the construction vehicle traverses the environment). In some embodiments, navigating the construction vehicle along the route based on the identified rut includes: navigating the construction vehicle to travel at an offset value from the route, wherein the offset value is based on (e.g., the location of) the identified rut (e.g., such that a locomotion mechanism enters, partially enters, is positioned along the boundary of, or does not enter the rut). In some embodiments, the method further includes: dynamically (e.g., in real-time) updating the offset value from the route based on a location of the rut in the portion of the construction environment (e.g., relative to the route and/or relative to the construction vehicle)(e.g., the location of the rut is determined based on the rut identified in subsequent images). In some embodiments, the offset value is further based on a random value. In some embodiments, the offset value from the route is further based on a second offset value from the route that a second vehicle previously traveled, wherein the offset value from the route is different than the second offset value from the route. In some embodiments, the offset value from the route directs a locomotion mechanism of the construction vehicle to push material into the identified rut. In some embodiments, moving, by the construction vehicle, along the route in the construction environment towards the portion of the construction environment includes the construction vehicle moving at a first offset value from the route; and navigating the construc