Vehicle movement modification for autonomous pile driver vehicle

Abstract

An autonomous pile driving system identifies using a pile plan map a target location to install a pile. The system autonomously navigates towards the target location. The system autonomously detects using an object sensor system an orientation and location of the pile located within a threshold distance of the system. The system autonomously positions a tool of the autonomous pile driving system based on the detected orientation and location of the pile. The system autonomously picks up the pile using the positioned tool of the autonomous pile driving system. The system autonomously positions the pile based on the target location. The system autonomously drives the pile into ground at the target location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 selecting, by an autonomous pile driving system, a pile to drive into ground at a target location;   determining, by the autonomous pile driving system and using one or more sensors of the autonomous pile driving system, one or more characteristics of the autonomous pile driving system or of an environment of the autonomous pile driving system before the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile;   modifying, by the autonomous pile driving system, one or more planned movements of the autonomous pile driving system based on the determined one or more characteristics of the autonomous pile driving system or of the environment of the autonomous pile driving system before the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile, wherein modifying the one or more planned movements of the autonomous pile driving system comprises modifying how the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile; and   autonomously driving, by the autonomous pile driving system, the pile into the ground at least in part based on performing the one or more modified planned movements.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the autonomous pile driving system and using the one or more sensors of the autonomous pile driving system, one or more characteristics of the pile before the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile;   wherein modifying the one or more planned movements of the autonomous pile driving system further comprises modifying, by the autonomous pile driving system, the one or more planned movements of the autonomous pile driving system based on the determined one or more characteristics of the pile before the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the pile include a size, a location, an orientation, a position, a shape, or a type of the pile. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the environment include a ground type, a slope grade, obstacle information, or weather information, wherein the one or more planned movements are modified based on the determined one or more characteristics of the environment. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors of the autonomous pile driving system include one or more of a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, and a camera. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more planned movements are based on original motion plans for the autonomous pile driving system for one or more of autonomously positioning an end effector to pick up the pile, autonomously picking up the pile with the end effector, autonomously loading the pile for autonomous pile driving, autonomously positioning the pile at the target location, and autonomously driving the pile into the ground at the target location. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying the one or more planned movements further comprises one or more of: changing the target location where the pile is driven into the ground, repositioning the pile, or changing a driving force, a driving angle, a driving duration, or a driving pattern for driving the pile into the ground at the target location. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the pile comprises the autonomous pile driving system autonomously selecting (i) one of a plurality of piles, (ii) a pile having a particular pile type, or (ii) a particular pile based on a pile plan map. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying the one or more planned movements further comprises changing the target location where the pile is driven into the ground. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying the one or more planned movements further comprises repositioning the pile. 
     
     
         11 . An autonomous pile driving system, comprising:
 one or more sensors;   a hardware processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform steps comprising:
 selecting a pile to drive into ground at a target location; 
 determining, using the one or more sensors of the autonomous pile driving system, one or more characteristics of the autonomous pile driving system or of an environment of the autonomous pile driving system before the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile; 
 modifying one or more planned movements of the autonomous pile driving system based on the determined one or more characteristics of the autonomous pile driving system or of the environment of the autonomous pile driving system before the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile, wherein modifying the one or more planned movements of the autonomous pile driving system comprises modifying how the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile; and 
 autonomously driving the pile into the ground at least in part based on performing the one or more modified planned movements. 
   
     
     
         12 . The autonomous pile driving system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the hardware processor to perform a step comprising:
 determining, using the one or more sensors of the autonomous pile driving system, one or more characteristics of the pile before the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile;   wherein the instructions that cause the hardware processor to perform the step of modifying the one or more planned movements of the autonomous pile driving system comprise instructions that cause the hardware processor to perform a step comprising modifying the one or more planned movements of the autonomous pile driving system based on the determined one or more characteristics of the pile before the autonomous pile driving system picks up the pile.   
     
     
         13 . The autonomous pile driving system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the pile include a size, a location, an orientation, a position, a shape, or a type of the pile. 
     
     
         14 . The autonomous pile driving system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the environment include a ground type, a slope grade, obstacle information, or weather information, wherein the one or more planned movements are modified based on the determined one or more characteristics of the environment. 
     
     
         15 . The autonomous pile driving system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more of a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, and a camera. 
     
     
         16 . The autonomous pile driving system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more planned movements are based on original motion plans for the autonomous pile driving system for one or more of autonomously positioning an end effector to pick up the pile, autonomously picking up the pile with the end effector, autonomously loading the pile for autonomous pile driving, autonomously positioning the pile at the target location, and autonomously driving the pile into the ground at the target location. 
     
     
         17 . The autonomous pile driving system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions that cause the hardware processor to perform the step of modifying the one or more planned movements include instructions that cause the hardware processor to perform one or more of steps comprising:
 changing the target location where the pile is driven into the ground;   repositioning the pile; or   changing a driving force, a driving angle, a driving duration, or a driving pattern for driving the pile into the ground at the target location.   
     
     
         18 . The autonomous pile driving system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions that cause the hardware processor to perform the step of selecting the pile include instructions that cause the hardware processor to perform a step comprising:
 autonomously selecting, by the autonomous pile driving system (i) one of a plurality of piles, (ii) a pile having a particular pile type, or (ii) a particular pile based on a pile plan map.   
     
     
         19 . The autonomous pile driving system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions that cause the hardware processor to perform the step of modifying the one or more planned movements include instructions that cause the hardware processor to perform a step comprising:
 changing the target location where the pile is driven into the ground; or   repositioning the pile.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor of an autonomous off-road vehicle (AOV), cause the AOV to perform steps comprising:
 selecting, by the AOV, a pile to drive into ground at a target location;   determining, by the AOV and using one or more sensors of the AOV, one or more characteristics of the AOV or of an environment of the AOV before the AOV picks up the pile;   modifying, by the AOV, one or more planned movements of the AOV based on the determined one or more characteristics of the AOV or of the environment of the AOV before the AOV picks up the pile, wherein modifying the one or more planned movements of the AOV comprises modifying how the AOV picks up the pile; and   autonomously driving, by the AOV, the pile into the ground at least in part based on performing the one or more modified planned movements.