Patent ID: 8224516
Filing Date: 2012-07-17
Classification: G05D,G06K

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for generating an area coverage path plan, the apparatus comprising: a processor unit configured to generate an area coverage path plan using a number of landmarks for a worksite by generating a path around a first landmark until an obstacle is detected, and responsive to detecting the obstacle, making the path linear to a vicinity of a next landmark, and generating the path around the next landmark; and a vehicle control process configured to execute the area coverage path plan for the worksite received from the processor unit using a mobility system; wherein the processor unit is further configured to receive a worksite map for the worksite having the number of landmarks; generate an area coverage grid map having a number of area coverage grid elements for the worksite using the worksite map; generate a path plan for the worksite using the worksite map and the area coverage grid map; mark the number of landmarks on the worksite map as unvisited; and initialize the number of area coverage grid elements as uncovered.