Patent ID: 7734387

Claim:
A motion planner for an unmanned ground vehicle, comprising: a global path planner configured to determine a path to reach a goal location, the path determined by the global path planner comprises a polygonal path, the polygonal path includes at least one discontinuity wherein the unmanned ground vehicle is required to change heading so that the polygonal path includes a first substantially straight path segment and a second substantially straight path segment, the second substantially straight path segment joining the first substantially straight path segment at the at least one discontinuity; and a local motion planner in communication with the global path planner configured to revise the path determined by the global path planner to generate a motion profile accounting for at least one constraint on maneuverability of the unmanned ground vehicle, said motion profile provides a revised path for being traversed by the unmanned ground vehicle to reach the goal location, the revised path created by the local motion planner comprises a smoothed path with at least one arc that complies with the at least one constraint on the maneuverability of the unmanned ground vehicle, the local motion planner creating the revised path based upon a curve speed of the unmanned ground vehicle following said at least one arc of the smoothed path and a turning rate of the unmanned ground vehicle, the curve speed of the unmanned ground vehicle being a highest speed following said at least one arc to avoid a rollover of the unmanned ground vehicle, the motion profile further including a speed profile whereby the unmanned ground vehicle decelerates to said curve speed while avoiding a rollover of the unmanned ground vehicle when beginning said at least one arc of the smoothed path and maintains said curve speed through said at least one arc.