Systems and methods enable autonomous vehicles to navigate and generate maps in a GPS-free environment. In embodiments, a method includes: continuously obtaining real-time environment data from one or more sensing devices of the autonomous vehicle during a navigation event in an exploration area; identifying physical attributes of the exploration area based on the real-time environmental data; navigating within the exploration area during the navigation event using machine learning by: assigning scores to multiple possible paths based on a probability of success of one or more desired outcomes for each of the possible paths; selecting one of the possible paths based on the scores; and moving the autonomous vehicle according to the selected one of the possible paths; and building a navigation map of the exploration area based on the physical attributes.

A method for estimating a location of a mobile robot in an area, the area having multiple passive beacons, the method including capturing images by an image sensor of the mobile robot, where the multiple passive beacons have substantially identical patterns, identifying patterns of at least one passive beacon of the multiple passive beacons from the captured images, selecting a specific passive beacon of the multiple passive beacons to estimate a location of the mobile robot, extracting the mobile robot's location from the location of the specific passive beacon, computing the mobile robot's direction by a pattern of the specific passive beacon.

The invention relates to a method for determining a parking position for a motor vehicle, wherein a perpendicular parking space is detected by means of a sensor system of the motor vehicle, and a parking space data set characterizing the perpendicular parking space is provided to a control unit of the motor vehicle, and the parking position is determined by the control unit by using the parking space data set, as well as by using an access parameter of the motor vehicle that characterizes a possible opening of at least one folding element of the motor vehicle. The invention provides that the parking position is established using an additional access parameter of an additional motor vehicle that is parked adjacent to the parking position. Moreover the invention relates to a driver assistance system and a motor vehicle.

A robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface one or more measurement devices within the body to output information based on an orientation of the body at an initial location on the surface, and a controller within the body to determine an orientation of the body based on the information and to restrict movement of the body to an area by preventing movement of the body beyond a barrier that is based on the orientation of the body and the initial location.

The present disclosure provides a system, method and associated apparatus for autonomous vehicle transportation. The system includes: an operation system configured to generate a transportation plan for a vehicle and transmit the transportation plan to a vehicle controller of the vehicle; and the vehicle controller configured to control, in accordance with the transportation plan, the vehicle to autonomously move to a position of a checkpoint at an entrance to a target highway port, and interact with a checkpoint controller corresponding to the position of the checkpoint for autonomously passing the checkpoint; and control the vehicle to autonomously move from the position of the checkpoint to a specified loading/unloading position in the target highway port, and interact with a loading/unloading control apparatus for autonomous loading/unloading at the loading/unloading position. The system, method and associated apparatus can achieve fully autonomous goods transportation, save transportation costs and reduce driving security risks.

A method of moving a robotic cleaning device through an area includes loading instructions for a plurality of geometric elements. Each geometric element includes a starting point, paths of travel, and waypoints. An ending waypoint of a first geometric element is connected to the starting point for a subsequent geometric element. The instructions for each geometric element do not include dimensions for the one or more paths of travel. The instructions cause the robotic cleaning device to move along a first path of travel of the first geometric element until a sensor of the robotic cleaning device detects that the robotic cleaning device has reached a first waypoint. Then, if the first waypoint is the ending waypoint of the first geometric element, the robotic cleaning device moves along to the subsequent geometric element or changes direction and moves along a second path of travel of the first geometric element.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to environment-based thermal management. In examples, an environment is evaluated using a network of temperature sensors. Additionally, or alternatively, the environment is evaluated using an infrared and/or visible light camera. Candidate features of the environment having associated thermal conditions (e.g., surface temperature, geometry of an environmental feature, and/or degree of exposure to deep space) are detected and used to position a rover, robot, or other hardware within the environment, thereby causing the temperature of the hardware to be mediated by its exposure to features of the environment. Additionally, the rover may reposition itself within the environment in response to changing thermal conditions within the environment and/or changing thermal demands of the rover.

A method for use in a robotic work tool system (300) comprising a robotic working tool (200), the robotic working tool (200) comprising a signal navigation device (290), wherein the method comprises: determining (515) a location of at least one boundary point (BP); determining (525) a variance of the location(s); and to determining the boundary (320) based on the variance of the location(s) utilizing the innermost of the variance(s).

Method, control unit, and target arrangement of a leading vehicle for triggering a follower vehicle, which is situated at a lateral distance from the leading vehicle, to coordinate its movements with the leading vehicle. The target arrangement comprises a target configured to be placed at a lateral distance from to the leading vehicle. The target is also configured to be recognized by at least one forwardly directed sensor of the follower vehicle.

A method for operating a track guidance system including at least one raised floor element includes planning at least one movement of at least one object on the at least one floor element, transmitting at least one control signal for carrying out the planned at least one movement to the object with the aid of an activatable marking on the at least one floor element, and carrying out the planned at least one movement of the at least one object with the aid of an activatable marking on the at least one floor element based upon the at least one control signal.