Networked multi-role robotic vehicle

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle having an interface for payloads that allows integration of various payloads. A vehicle control system controls an autonomous vehicle, receives data, and transmits a control signal on at least one network. A payload is adapted to detachably connect to the autonomous vehicle and includes a network interface configured to receive the control signal from the vehicle control system over the at least one network. The vehicle control system may encapsulate payload data and transmit the payload data over the at least one network, including Ethernet or CAN networks. The payload may be a laser scanner, a radio, chemical detection system, or GPS unit. In certain embodiments, the payload is a camera mast unit, where the camera communicates with the autonomous vehicle control system to detect and avoid obstacles. The camera mast unit may be interchangeable, and may include structures for receiving additional payload components.

1 . A system comprising:
 a vehicle control system for an autonomous vehicle adapted to:
 receive data in multiple formats including Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), serial, analog, Controller Area Network (CAN), Hall Effect, encoded, and digital; 
 determine destination devices for the data; 
 generate reformatted data by converting the data to different formats of the multiple formats; and 
 transmit the reformatted data over a network to the destination devices; 
   an operator control unit adapted to receive the reformatted data from the network and display the data; and   a payload interface configured for detachably connecting to a payload, receiving a control signal from the vehicle control system over at least one network, and providing the control signal to the payload.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operator control unit comprises at least one of a dashboard operator control unit or a remote operator control unit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the payload with a network interface to transmit and receive data from at least one of the vehicle control system or the operator control unit. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the network interface comprises at least one of an Ethernet port, a CAN port, or an RS232 port. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the payload comprises at least one of a mast, a chemical detection system, a laser scanner, a camera, a radio, or a Global Positioning System unit. 
     
     
         6 . The broadband transceiver of  claim 4 , wherein the transmitter circuit comprises:
 a digital to analog converter configured to receive the communication signals from the digital signal processor and convert the communication signals from digital to analog;   up-converter circuitry configured to convert a frequency of the communication signals from an intermediate frequency to a frequency for transmission over the transmit antenna; and   a power amplifier configured to amplify the up-converted communication signals prior to transmitting over the transmit antenna.   
     
     
         7 . The broadband transceiver of  claim 4 , wherein the receiver circuit comprises:
 a low noise amplifier configured to amplify communication signals received from over the receive antenna;   down-converter circuitry configured to convert a frequency of the received communication signals from a receive frequency to an intermediate frequency; and   an analog to digital converter configured to convert the down-converted received communication signals from analog to digital and for use by the digital signal processor.   
     
     
         8 . The broadband transceiver of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the receive antenna and the transmit antenna is selected from a group consisting of a broadband monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, an inverted cone antenna, a bow-tie monopole antenna, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The broadband transceiver of  claim 1 , wherein the RF impermeable layer structure is configured for being oriented in a space in a substantially vertical orientation for at least one of the receive and transmit antennas to generate the generally toroidal radiation pattern that is stronger in the vertical direction compared to a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         10 . The broadband transceiver of  claim 1 , wherein the RF impermeable layer structure is configured for being oriented in a space in a substantially horizontal orientation for at least one of the receive and transmit antennas to generate the generally toroidal radiation pattern that is stronger in the horizontal direction compared to a vertical direction. 
     
     
         11 . The broadband transceiver of  claim 10 , wherein the receive antenna is positioned on the RF impermeable layer structure above the transmit antenna. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 a vehicle control system for controlling an autonomous vehicle, the vehicle control system adapted to receive data in multiple formats including Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), serial, analog, Controller Area Network (CAN), Hall Effect, encoded, and digital;   determine destination devices for the data; generate reformatted data by converting the data to different formats of the multiple formats; and transmit the reformatted data over a network to the destination devices;   a payload interface configured for detachably connecting to a payload, receiving a control signal from the vehicle control system over at least one network, and providing the control signal to the payload; and   an operator control unit for transmitting control signals related to at least one local function of the autonomous vehicle to the vehicle control system, receiving the reformatted data from the network, and displaying the data.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising the payload adapted to detachably connect to the autonomous vehicle, the payload comprising a network interface configured to transmit data and receive control signals from the vehicle control system over at least one network. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the payload is at least one of a mast comprising a camera unit, a chemical detection system, a laser scanner, a radio, or a Global Positioning System unit. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the network interface comprises at least one of-an Ethernet port, a CAN port, or an RS232 port. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operator control unit comprises at least one of a dashboard operator control unit or a remote operator control unit. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the payload interface is configured to interchange the payload for a particular vehicular task without reconfiguring the autonomous vehicle's wiring or other structural components. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein generating reformatted data by converting the data to different formats of the multiple formats comprises:
 accessing a first lookup table stored in memory, the lookup table mapping particular ones of the multiple formats to each of the destination devices;   determining, via the first lookup table, the particular ones of the multiple formats mapped to the destination devices; and   converting the data to the particular ones of the multiple formats for each of the destination devices.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein transmitting the reformatted data over a network to the destination devices comprises:
 accessing a second lookup table stored in memory, the lookup table mapping particular networks to each of the destination devices;   determining, via the second lookup table, particular networks mapped to each of the destination devices; and   transmitting the reformatted data via the particular networks.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the vehicle control system is further adapted to:
 update the first lookup table, the second lookup table, or both responsive to connecting to the payload to the payload interface.