Systems and methods for updating an electronic map

Abstract

Systems and methods for updating an electronic map of a facility are disclosed. The electronic map includes a set of map nodes. Each map node has a stored image data associated with a position within the facility. The method includes collecting image data at a current position of a self-driving material-transport vehicle; searching the electronic map for at least one of a map node associated with the current position and one or more neighboring map nodes within a neighbor threshold to the current position; comparing the collected image data with the stored image data of the at least one of the map node and the one or more neighboring map nodes to determine a dissimilarity level. The electronic map may be updated based at least on the collected image data and the dissimilarity level. The image data represents one or more features observable from the current position.

1 .- 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A method of operating a self-driving material transport vehicle to update an electronic map of a facility while the self-driving material transport vehicle is executing a mission, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the self-driving material transport vehicle, one or more mission instructions to initiate the self-driving material transport vehicle to execute one or more mission tasks at one or more destination locations within the facility;   while the self-driving material transport vehicle navigates within the facility to execute the one or more mission tasks, concurrently operating the self-driving material transport vehicle to execute an electronic map update task separate from the one or more mission tasks to:
 collect image data at a current position of the self-driving material transport vehicle until the self-driving material transport vehicle arrives at a destination location of the one or more destination locations, the image data representing one or more features observable from the current position; 
 compare the collected image data with the stored image data associated with one or more of (i) a map node associated with the current position, the electronic map comprising a set of map nodes, each map node being associated with a different location in the facility, and each map node comprising stored image data associated with a respective location within the facility, and (ii) at least one neighboring map node within a neighbor threshold of the current position, to determine a dissimilarity level; 
 determine whether the dissimilarity level exceeds a dissimilarity threshold; and 
   in response to determining the dissimilarity level exceeds the dissimilarity threshold, update the electronic map based at least on the collected image data.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the image data comprises a new map update instruction. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the image data comprises a new mission instruction. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the image data comprises an executable code, which, when executed by the self-driving material transport vehicle, can initiate the self-driving material transport vehicle to operate differently. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the image data comprises a new operation parameter for the self-driving material transport vehicle. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the image data comprises one or more of a human-readable format and a machine-readable format. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein comparing the collected image data with the stored image data comprises:
 determining a number of mismatched points between the collected image data and the stored image data; and   determining the dissimilarity level based on the number of mismatched points and a total number of points.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein updating the electronic map comprises:
 replacing the stored image data of the map node with the collected image data.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 46  further comprises operating the self-driving material transport vehicle to:
 determine the electronic map does not include the map node associated with the current position, add a new map node to the electronic map for the current position, and store at the new map node the collected image data. 
 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , further comprises operating the self-driving material transport vehicle to:
 determine the electronic map includes one or more excessive neighboring map nodes relative to the new map node, the one or more excessive neighboring map nodes being a map node associated with a position that is less than an excessive neighbor distance from the current position of the new map node; and   in response to determining the electronic map includes the one or more excessive neighboring map nodes, remove the one or more excessive neighboring map nodes from the electronic map.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the electronic map update task further comprises operating the self-driving material transport vehicle to, for each neighboring map node within the neighbor threshold of the current position,
 compare the collected image data with the stored image data of that neighboring map node to determine the dissimilarity level; and   in response to determining the dissimilarity level exceeds a node removal threshold, remove that neighboring map node from the electronic map.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the dissimilarity threshold is based on at least one of a facility type of the facility and one or more prior updates to the electronic map. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising determining if the self-driving material transport vehicle is in a remapping zone of the facility and in response to determining the self-driving material transport vehicle is within a remapping zone of the facility, operating the self-driving material transport vehicle to execute the electronic map update task. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the dissimilarity level exceeds the dissimilarity threshold if the collected image data indicates the addition or removal of at least one obstacle, and wherein the at least one obstacle is at least one non-dynamic object that obstructs navigation of the self-driving material-transport vehicle; and
 wherein the updating the stored image data is based at least on the addition or removal of at least one obstacle indicated by the collected image data at the current position.   
     
     
         60 . A system for operating a self-driving material transport vehicle to update an electronic map of a facility while the self-driving material transport vehicle is executing a mission, the system comprising:
 one or more self-driving material transport vehicles operable to navigate the facility, the one or more self-driving material transport vehicles comprising the self-driving material-transport vehicle and the self-driving material-transport vehicle comprises:
 a memory to store the electronic map, the electronic map comprising a set of map nodes, each map node being associated with a different location in the facility, and each map node comprises a stored image data associated with a respective location within the facility; 
 one or more sensors to collect image data at a current position of the self-driving material transport vehicle until the self-driving material transport vehicle arrives at a destination location of one or more destination locations within the facility, the image data representing one or more features observable from the current position; and 
 a processor operable to:
 receive one or more mission instructions to initiate the self-driving material transport vehicle to execute one or more mission tasks at the one or more destination locations within the facility; 
 while the self-driving material transport vehicle navigates within the facility to execute the one or more mission tasks, concurrently execute an electronic map update task separate from the one or more mission tasks to:
 compare the collected image data with the stored image data associated with one or more (i) a map node associated with the current position, and (ii) at least one neighboring map node within a neighbor threshold of the current position, to determine a dissimilarity level; 
 determine whether the dissimilarity level exceeds a dissimilarity threshold; and 
 in response to determining the dissimilarity level exceeds the dissimilarity threshold stored in the memory, update the electronic map based at least on the collected image data. 
 
 
   
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the image data comprises a new map update instruction. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the image data comprises a new mission instruction. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the image data comprises an executable code, which, when executed by the self-driving material transport vehicle, can initiate the self-driving material transport vehicle to operate differently. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the image data comprises a new operation parameter for the self-driving material transport vehicle. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the image data comprises one or more of a human-readable format and a machine-readable format. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
 determine a number of mismatched points between the collected image data and the stored image data; and   determine the dissimilarity level based on the number of mismatched points and a total number of points.   
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the processor is further operable to replace the stored image data of the map node associated with the current position with the collected image data. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the processor is further operable to determine the electronic map does not include the map node associated with the current position, add a new map node to the electronic map for the current position and store at the new map node the collected image data. 
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 68 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
 determine the electronic map includes one or more excessive neighboring map nodes relative to the new map node, the one or more excessive neighboring map nodes being a map node associated with a position that is less than an excessive neighbor distance from the current position of the new map node; and   in response to determining the electronic map includes the one or more excessive neighboring map nodes, remove the one or more excessive neighboring map nodes from the electronic map.   
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the processor is further operable to, for each neighboring map node within the neighbor threshold of the current position,
 compare the collected image data with the stored image data of that neighboring node to determine the dissimilarity level; and   in response to determining the dissimilarity level exceeds a node removal threshold, remove that neighboring map node from the electronic map.   
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the dissimilarity threshold comprises a minimum mismatch between the collected image data and the stored image data to indicate the electronic map is outdated. 
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the dissimilarity threshold is based on at least one of a facility type of the facility and one or more prior updates to the electronic map. 
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the processor is further operable to determine if the self-driving material transport vehicle is in a remapping zone of the facility and in response to determining the self-driving material transport vehicle is within a remapping zone of the facility, execute the electronic map update task. 
     
     
         74 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the dissimilarity level exceeds the dissimilarity threshold if the collected image data indicates the addition or removal of at least one obstacle, and wherein the at least one obstacle is at least one non-dynamic object that obstructs navigation of the self-driving material transport vehicle; and
 wherein the processor is operable to update the stored image data based at least on the addition or removal of at least one obstacle indicated by the collected image data at the current position.