Vehicle with free-space optical link for log data uploading
The disclosure describes a system that includes a self-driving system for operating a vehicle autonomously, one or more optical transmitters mounted on the vehicle, and one or more computing devices in communication with the self-driving system and the one or more optical transmitters. The one or more computing devices are configured to operate the self-driving system to cause the vehicle to approach a designated location in proximity of a structure on which one or more receivers are mounted and determine that the one or more optical transmitters have an alignment with the one or more receivers. Then, the one or more computing devices are configured to operate the one or more optical transmitters to establish an optical communication link with the one or more receivers and transmit data to the one or more receivers over the optical communication link.
1 . A vehicle comprising:
a first communication device;
a memory storing map information identifying an area proximate to a structure in which a second communication device is located, wherein the first communication device is configured to transmit a plurality of optical beams at different angles while the vehicle is in the area; and
one or more computing devices configured to control the vehicle to move autonomously to the area for communication alignment with the second communication device, wherein the first communication device is further configured to receive one or more optical signals from the second communication device in response to the transmission of the plurality of optical beams, the one or more optical signals indicating an amount of received power of each of the plurality of optical beams that has been received by the second communication device while the vehicle is in the area, and wherein the one or more computing devices is further configured to select one of the plurality of optical beams based on a respective amount of received power of each of the plurality of optical beams.
2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a perception system, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to detect, using the perception system, a plurality of markers in the area.
3 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of markers includes a first range marker and a second range marker, each having respective indicators.
4 . The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the respective indicators of the first range marker are positioned to be aligned from a perspective of the vehicle when the vehicle has a correct pose relative to the structure.
5 . The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the respective indicators of the first range marker form a horizontal range line along which a length of the vehicle is to be positioned.
6 . The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the respective indicators of the second range marker are aligned from a perspective of the vehicle when the vehicle is at a correct angular position relative to the structure.
7 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical beams is coplanar.
8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of optical beams overlap at least one other beam of the plurality of optical beams.
9 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical beams is configured in a fan arrangement.
10 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:
while the vehicle is in the area:
determine when at least one optical transmitter of the first communication device is aligned with at least one optical receiver of the second communication device for transmitting data collected by the vehicle to the second communication device; and when the at least one optical transmitter is determined to be aligned with the at least one optical receiver, control the at least one optical transmitter to transmit the data to the at least one optical receiver over at least one optical communication link.
11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the at least one optical communication link is established between the first communication device and the second communication device using the selected one of the plurality of optical beams.
12 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the respective amount of received power of the selected one of the plurality of optical beams is greater than the respective amount of received power of any other optical beam of the plurality of optical beams.
13 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to determine when a minimum amount of received power of the selected one of the plurality of optical beams has been received by the second communication device.
14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the minimum amount of received power of the selected one of the plurality of optical beams is a preset value.
15 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to control the vehicle to slow down when it is determined that the minimum amount of power of the selected one of the plurality of optical beams has been received.
16 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a gimbal configured to physically adjust a pointing direction of the selected one of the plurality of optical beams.
17 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a phased array configured to physically adjust a pointing direction of the selected one of the plurality of optical beams.
18 . A method comprising:
storing in a memory of a vehicle having a first communication device, by one or more computing devices of the vehicle, map information identifying an area proximate to a structure in which a second communication device is located, wherein the first communication device is configured to transmit a plurality of optical beams at different angles while the vehicle is in the area; and
controlling, by the one or more computing devices, the vehicle to move autonomously to the area for communication alignment with the first communication device, wherein the first communication device is further configured to receive one or more signals from the second communication device in response to the transmission of the plurality of optical beams, the one or more signals indicating an amount of received power of each of the plurality of optical beams that has been received by the second communication device while the vehicle is in the area, and wherein the one or more computing devices is further configured to select one of the plurality of optical beams based on a respective amount of received power of each of the plurality of optical beams.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
while the vehicle is in the area:
determining, by the one or more computing devices, when at least one optical transmitter of the first communication device is aligned with at least one optical receiver of the second communication device for transmitting data collected by the vehicle to the second communication device; and
when the at least one optical transmitter is determined to be aligned with the at least one optical receiver, controlling, by the one or more computing devices, the at least one optical transmitter to transmit the data to the at least one optical receiver over at least one optical communication link.
20 . A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium on which computer readable instructions of a program are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
storing in a memory of a vehicle having a first communication device, map information identifying an area proximate to a structure in which a second communication device is located, wherein the first communication device is configured to transmit a plurality of optical beams at different angles while the vehicle is in the area; and
controlling the vehicle to move autonomously to the area for communication alignment with the first communication device, wherein the first communication device is further configured to receive one or more signals from the second communication device in response to the transmission of the plurality of optical beams, the one or more signals indicating an amount of received power of each of the plurality of optical beams that has been received by the second communication device while the vehicle is in the area, and wherein the one or more processors is further configured to select one of the plurality of optical beams based on a respective amount of received power of each of the plurality of optical beams.