Asynchronous Data Stream Framework

Abstract

An architecture comprising a hardware layer, a data collection layer and an execution layer lays the foundation for a behavioral layer that can asynchronously access abstracted data. A plurality of data sensors asynchronously collect data which is thereafter abstracted so as to be usable by one or more behavioral modules simultaneously. Each of the behaviors can be asynchronously executed as well as dynamically modified based on the collected abstracted data. Moreover, the behavior modules themselves are structured in a hierarchical manner among one or more layers such that outputs of behavior module associated with a lower layer may be the input to a behavior module of a higher letter. Conflicts between outputs of behavior modules are arbitrated and analyzed so as to conform with an overall mission objective.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior, comprising:
 a hardware layer generating sensor data from a plurality of sensors wherein the plurality of sensors includes a plurality of ultra wide band (UWB) transceivers and wherein each of the UWB transceivers generates positional information;   a data collection layer wherein the data collection layer asynchronously collects sensor data from the plurality of sensors and thereafter abstracts the collected sensor data making abstract collected sensor data simultaneously available to each of a plurality of behaviors;   a behavior layer including the plurality of behaviors wherein the behavior layer dynamically prioritizes each of the plurality of behaviors based, in part, on positional information; and   an execution layer wherein the execution layer asynchronously and in parallel executes one or more of the plurality of behaviors responsive to behavior level prioritization.   
     
     
         2 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 1 , wherein the collection of sensor data and prioritization of the plurality of behaviors is decoupled. 
     
     
         3 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of behaviors includes reactive behaviors and deliberate behaviors. 
     
     
         4 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 3 , wherein the behavior layer dynamically prioritizes reactive and deliberate behaviors based on positional information. 
     
     
         5 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 3 , wherein reactive behaviors are selected from a group consisting of guarded motion, collision avoidance and follow path behaviors. 
     
     
         6 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 3 , wherein deliberate behaviors include follow path and way point traverse behaviors. 
     
     
         7 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 3 , wherein the behavior layer continuously prioritizes each of the plurality of behaviors based on positional information. 
     
     
         8 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 1 , wherein the execution layer executes a deliberate behavior until directed by the behavior layer to modify the deliberate behavior with a reactive behavior based on positional information. 
     
     
         9 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 8 , wherein priority with respect to the reactive behavior and the deliberate behavior changes in response to a change in positional information. 
     
     
         10 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 8 , wherein the reactive behavior is a guarded motion behavior. 
     
     
         11 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of behaviors is associated with a priority based on positional information and the priority changes in response to a change in positional information. 
     
     
         12 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 11 , wherein the execution layer executes a deliberative behavior, and, responsive to the change in positional information, the execution layer merges the deliberative behavior with a reactive behavior possessing priority greater than the deliberative behavior. 
     
     
         13 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 12 , wherein the deliberative behavior is a way point traverse behavior and the reactive behavior is an obstacle avoidance behavior. 
     
     
         14 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 12 , wherein the deliberative behavior is a follow path behavior and the reactive behavior is an obstacle avoidance behavior. 
     
     
         15 . The architecture for asynchronous robotic behavior of  claim 12 , wherein based on the change in positional information the deliberative behavior is modified to incorporate the reactive behavior. 
     
     
         16 . A method for asynchronously executing robotic behaviors of an object, the method comprising:
 collecting data asynchronously and in parallel from a plurality of sensors wherein the plurality of sensors includes a plurality of ultra wide band (UWB) transceivers and wherein each of the UWB transceivers generates positional information to determine a position of the object;   abstracting the collected data wherein the abstracted collected data is simultaneously available to each of a plurality of behavior modules, and wherein each behavior module is associated with a priority level that is continuously updated based on the position of the object;   arbitrating a conflict between two or more of the plurality of behaviors modules based on the priority level associated with each behavior module;   responsive to arbitrating the conflict between two or more of the plurality of behavior modules, merging the two or more of the plurality of behavior modules forming a merged behavior module; and   executing by the object the merged behavior module.   
     
     
         17 . The method for asynchronously executing robotic behaviors according to  claim 16 , wherein the two or more of the plurality of behaviors modules include a reactive behavior and a deliberative behavior. 
     
     
         18 . The method for asynchronously executing robotic behaviors according to  claim 17 , wherein the deliberative behavior is a way point traverse behavior and the reactive behavior is an obstacle avoidance behavior. 
     
     
         19 . The method for asynchronously executing robotic behaviors according to  claim 17 , wherein the deliberative behavior is a follow path behavior and the reactive behavior is an obstacle avoidance behavior.