David W Pitman

US Patent:

8577535, Nov 5, 2013

Filed:

Mar 31, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/751629

Inventors:

Mary Louise Cummings - Cambridge MA, US
David Joseph Pitman - Broomfield CO, US
Paul Westlake Quimby - Acton MA, US

Assignee:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge MA

International Classification:

G01C 22/00
G05D 1/00

US Classification:

701 23, 701 2, 701 24, 715702

Abstract:

A system for providing perceived first order control of an unmanned vehicle contains a memory and a processor configured by the memory to perform the steps of: receiving instructions for updating x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading of the unmanned vehicle; converting received instructions for updating x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading of the unmanned vehicle into a set of relative distance coordinates from a current location of the unmanned vehicle; and adjusting the set of relative distance coordinates by a gain control, to minimize coordinate change, wherein gain control provides a rate change in the x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading, resulting in a new set of coordinates. A screen displays a location dot representing current location of the unmanned vehicle and an outer limit circle surrounding the location dot representing an outer boundary for movement of the unmanned vehicle.