System and method for area coverage using sector decomposition

1. An apparatus for generating an area coverage path plan, the apparatus comprising:

a processor unit configured to generate an area coverage path plan using a number of landmarks for a worksite by generating a path around a first landmark until an obstacle is detected, and responsive to detecting the obstacle, making the path linear to a vicinity of a next landmark, and generating the path around the next landmark; and

a vehicle control process configured to execute the area coverage path plan for the worksite received from the processor unit using a mobility system;

wherein the processor unit is further configured to receive a worksite map for the worksite having the number of landmarks; generate an area coverage grid map having a number of area coverage grid elements for the worksite using the worksite map; generate a path plan for the worksite using the worksite map and the area coverage grid map; mark the number of landmarks on the worksite map as unvisited; and initialize the number of area coverage grid elements as uncovered.

2. A method for generating an area coverage path plan, the method comprising:

identifying a starting point on a worksite map having a number of landmarks;

identifying a first landmark in the number of landmarks;

generating a path around the first landmark until an obstacle is detected, wherein the path around the first landmark is a set of concentric arcs;

responsive to detecting the obstacle, making the path linear to a vicinity of a next landmark;

generating the path around the next landmark;

identifying a landmark marked as unvisited on the worksite map;

sending a message to a vehicle control process to proceed to the landmark marked as unvisited; and

executing an area coverage behavior on a path around the landmark.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining whether an obstacle is detected;

responsive to a determination that the obstacle is detected, marking the landmark marked as unvisited as visited on the worksite map; and

marking associated area coverage grid elements of the landmark marked as visited as covered.

4. A method for generating an area coverage path plan, the method comprising:

identifying a starting point on a worksite map having a number of landmarks;

identifying a first landmark in the number of landmarks;

generating a path around the first landmark until an obstacle is detected, wherein the path around the first landmark is a set of concentric arcs;

responsive to detecting the obstacle, making the path linear to a vicinity of a next landmark;

generating the path around the next landmark;

determining whether there are any remaining landmarks marked as unvisited;

responsive to a determination that there are remaining landmarks marked as unvisited, identifying a next landmark marked as unvisited on the worksite map; and

sending a message to a vehicle control process to proceed to the next landmark marked as unvisited;

responsive to a determination that there are no remaining landmarks marked as unvisited, determining whether there are any remaining area coverage grid elements marked as uncovered;

responsive to a determination that there are remaining area coverage grid elements marked as uncovered, sending a message to the vehicle control process to proceed along the path plan to a visited landmark associated with an area coverage grid element marked as uncovered; and

executing an area coverage behavior on a path around the visited landmark.

5. A method for generating an area coverage path plan, the method comprising:

identifying a starting point on a worksite map having a number of landmarks;

identifying a first landmark in the number of landmarks;

generating a path around the first landmark until an obstacle is detected, wherein the path around the first landmark is a set of concentric arcs;

responsive to detecting the obstacle, making the path linear to a vicinity of a next landmark;

generating the path around the next landmark;

determining an expected width of a landmark in pixels for a desired distance away from the landmark;

identifying an image having the landmark;

determining an observed width of the landmark using the image;

comparing the observed width of the landmark to the expected width of the landmark; and

sending a message to a vehicle control process to move an autonomous vehicle based on the comparison of the observed width and the expected width.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

filtering the image to form a filtered image consisting of the landmark.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

normalizing an orientation of the landmark in a vertical direction in the image.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein comparing the observed width of the landmark to the expected width of the landmark further comprises:

determining whether the observed width of the landmark is greater than the expected width of the landmark; and

responsive to a determination that the observed width is greater than the expected width, sending a message to the vehicle control process to move the autonomous vehicle away from the landmark.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the observed width is not greater than the expected width, determining whether the observed width is less than the expected width;

responsive to a determination that the observed width is less than the expected width, sending a message to the vehicle control process to move the autonomous vehicle toward the landmark.