Patent ID: 8060306

Claim:
A method for avoiding an obstacle, the method comprising: collecting sensor data on a relative position of an obstacle with respect to a vehicle; detecting an observed translational velocity and an observed rotational velocity of a vehicle; determining possible curved paths for the vehicle associated with candidate translational velocities and candidate rotational velocities; identifying admissible curved paths for which the vehicle is able to stop prior to reaching the obstacle in accordance with the observed translational velocity and the observed rotational velocity; determining a respective objective function for the candidate translational velocities and candidate rotational velocities associated with the admissible curved paths, where the objective function is determined in accordance with the following equation: G ( v ,Ï‰)=Î±*heading( v ,Ï‰)+Î²*dist( v ,Ï‰)+Î³*velocity( v ,Ï‰)+Î´*last C ( v ,Ï‰), where G(v,Ï‰) is the objective function; Î±, Î², Î³ are weights associated with alignment with the target heading, distance to the nearest obstacle and the velocity of travel, respectively; heading(v,Ï‰) is a target heading function; dist(v,Ï‰) is clearance function to provide adequate clearance between the vehicle and the obstacle; and velocity(v,Ï‰) is velocity function; and lastC(v,Ï‰) is the curvature comparison term or function; selecting preferential velocities, among the candidate translational velocities and candidate rotational velocities, with a superior value for its corresponding objective function; and determining a vehicular speed and trajectory for a path plan that avoids the obstacle consistent with the selected preferential velocities.