WO2017103227A1 - Method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles - Google Patents

Method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017103227A1
WO2017103227A1 PCT/EP2016/081605 EP2016081605W WO2017103227A1 WO 2017103227 A1 WO2017103227 A1 WO 2017103227A1 EP 2016081605 W EP2016081605 W EP 2016081605W WO 2017103227 A1 WO2017103227 A1 WO 2017103227A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
mobile robotic
robotic vehicle
quality
link
operating center
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PCT/EP2016/081605
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French (fr)
Inventor
Khaldoun Al Agha
Steven Martin
Guy Pujolle
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Universite Pierre et Marie Curie
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Universite Pierre et Marie Curie
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/10—Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions
    • G05D1/101—Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions specially adapted for aircraft
    • G05D1/104—Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions specially adapted for aircraft involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/12—Protocols specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/30—Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
    • H04W4/40—Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
    • H04W4/46—Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/80—Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/12—Discovery or management of network topologies
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H04L43/08—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
    • H04L43/0805—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability
    • H04L43/0811—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability by checking connectivity

Definitions

  • the invention concerns a method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles, such as drones, each mobile robotic vehicle being configured to communicate and exchange information with other mobile robotic vehicles.
  • the invention concerns the positioning of a group of mobile robotic vehicles, such as drones, operating together in order to optimize a given mission that they are supposed to accomplish.
  • An aim of the invention is to manage efficiently a squad of mobile robotic vehicles for a mission.
  • the invention concerns a method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles, such as drones each mobile robotic vehicle being configured to communicate and exchange information with other mobile robotic vehicles so that they constitute a network of mobile robotic vehicles and configured to communicate and exchange information with an operating center, said method comprising the following steps of:
  • each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to stay at distance from his closest neighbor(s) for exchanging information with his closest neighbor(s) by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said each mobile robotic vehicle and said closest neighbor(s) is greater or equal to X dBm;
  • the last launched mobile robotic vehicle is configured to stay at a distance from the operating center for exchanging information with the operating center by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said last mobile robotic vehicle and said operating center is greater or equal to X dBm.
  • the method of the invention may have one of the following features: At least three mobile robotic vehicle have been launched, and for a given mobile robotic vehicle its two neighbors are configured to stay at distance from the given mobile robotic vehicle so that said two neighbors calculate a quality of link of power exchanged between said two neighbors greater or equal to Y dBm.
  • a step of calculating quality links between the closest neighbors and the quality link between the last launched mobile robotic vehicle and the operating center For each launched mobile robotic vehicle, a step of calculating quality links between the closest neighbors and the quality link between the last launched mobile robotic vehicle and the operating center.
  • the step of calculating comprises the application of a smoothing algorithm to the quality link calculated.
  • Each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to implement a step of broadcasting periodically a hello message to its neighboring, in which they communicate the received power from their neighbors, in order to detect communications link linking each neighbor.
  • the method comprises a step of initializing the squad in order to define a topology of the squad.
  • Each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to implement a step of broadcasting periodically a topology message in order to be aware of a current network topology.
  • the method comprises a step of defining a number of multiple paths from the leader of the squad, the steps of launching the mobile robotic vehicle after the step of launching the first mobile robotic vehicle being implemented in parallel for each path having the same leader, the last launched mobile robotic vehicle of each path exchanging information with the operating center with a quality of link greater or equal to X dBm.
  • the step of defining a number of multiple paths is implemented by a Manhattan model.
  • drones should provide the correct radio propagation to relay the video while respecting the required quality along a path of communication as long as possible.
  • the invention provides a method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles allowing to relay information with the required quality of link, even if the leader goes more and more away the fixed operation center in order to accomplish his mission.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a squad of drones according to a first embodiment
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the main steps of a method according to the invention
  • FIG. 3 illustrates sub steps of the method according to the invention
  • Figure 4 illustrates the positioning between several drones of a squad
  • Figure 5 illustrates a squad of drones according to a second embodiment
  • Figure 6 illustrates sub step of the method according to the invention.
  • the mobile robotic vehicles can be a drone or ground robot.
  • the mobi le robotic vehicles are config ured to comm unicate and exchange information between them and with an operating center.
  • the mobile robotic vehicles are equipped with radio interfaces such as Wi-Fi interfaces or any other technology able to provide Device to Device feature.
  • the operating center OC is localized at remote distance from the squad and the squad is constituted from the operating center according to a method described here below.
  • one of the available drone is selected to be the leader of the squad; drones are launched one after the other to form the squad;
  • the method comprises a step SO of initializing a squad in order to define a topology of the squad and to permit each drone to discover its neighbor.
  • This step of initializing SO consists to define the leader of the squad, i.e. the first drone to be launched and the order of launch of the other drones.
  • This step SO of initializing comprises a sub step of powering-on SOI each drone of the squad, each drone broadcasting S02 a topology message in order to be aware of an initial network topology (see Figure 3). To this end, each drone maintains a topology table stored in a memory located in the drone.
  • the method comprises a step of launching SI a first drone NO which is the leader of the squad.
  • the leader exchanges information with the operating center OC with a quality of link QNO,OC greater or equal to X dBm.
  • this level of quality link permits to transmit a video observed by the leader NO.
  • the quality link is defined as a received power exchanged between a drone with another drone or with the operating center. For instance a quality of link using Wi-Fi of around - 45 dBm is required for video applications and - 80 dBm for text messages. In a general manner the quality link depends on the technologies used for the traffic transfer.
  • the leader NO is configured to stay at a distance from the operating center OC for exchanging information with it with a quality of link Q N o,oc greater or equal to X dBm.
  • the leader can be managed from the operating center OC or the leader can be configured to be autonomous.
  • This quality of link is continually calculated S2 and monitored S3 for maintaining a correct quality of link.
  • the method comprises a step of launching S4 a second drone Nl.
  • This second drone Nl is configured to stay at a distance from the leader NO for exchanging information with the leader NO.
  • this second drone Nl must exchange information with the operating center OC at level greater or equal to X dBm for maintaining the link.
  • the method comprises a step of launching S7 a third drone.
  • the method is based, after the launch of the leader NO, on the launching consecutively of at least one drone Nl, N2, N3 Nx so that: each drone is configured to stay at distance from his closest neighbor(s) for exchanging information with his closest neighbor(s) with a quality of link 0_Nn,Nn-i greater or equal to X dBm;
  • the last launched drone Nx is configured to stay at a distance from the operating center OC for exchanging information with it with a quality of link greater or equal to X dBm.
  • the number of drones launched depends on a mission to be made: reaching a given area or the coverage of a given area or watching behind obstacles.
  • a hello message is a WS-Discovery message used to announce the presence of a device or service on the network.
  • hello messages are used in order to detect the radio links connecting each neighbor.
  • the radio interfaces of each drone send hello messages where they communicate the received power from their neighbors.
  • a drone is considered as a neighboring drone if and only if the received power is above a considered threshold.
  • the period is set by default to 2 seconds but can be set to another value according to the drones's velocity.
  • Each hello message comprises the average value of the received signal and if the value is above a given threshold, the drone is considered as a neighbor otherwise not.
  • a symmetric link is considered after the exchange of three hellos messages.
  • Each drone comprises a neighboring table stored in memory located in the drone.
  • this neighboring table has two entries: the MAC address and the received powers of the neighbor.
  • each drone updates its topology table by flooding S9 periodically a topology message (the same of the initializing step SO). The period is set by default to 5 seconds.
  • Each drone floods its neighboring table to all drones of the squad. This step uses an optimized flooding to minimize the number of topology messages.
  • every drone checks the entries in its topology table and updates information. Therefore, after this step each drone is aware of the network topology.
  • this step of calculating comprises the application of a smoothing algorithm to the quality link calculated.
  • a smoothing algorithm permits to avoid oscillation on the decision that the vehicle takes according to the signal power measurement.
  • radio signals introduce many variations while the mean is constant. Decisions should be taken on the mean and not on the raw values.
  • the above described method comprises a step S00 of defining a number of multiple paths K (for instance according to a Manhattan model) (see Figure 6).

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Medical Informatics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Computing Systems (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles, such as drones, each mobile robotic vehicle being configured to communicate and exchange information with other mobile robotic vehicles so that they constitute a network of mobile robotic vehicles and configured to communicate and exchange information with an operating center, said method comprising the following steps of: launching (Sl) a first mobile robotic vehicle (NO) which is the leader of the squad, the leader being configured to stay at a distance from an operating center (OC) for exchanging information with the operating center (OC) by ensuring that a quality of link (Q NO, OC ) of power exchanged between said first mobile robotic vehicle (NO) and said operating center (OC) is greater or equal to X dBm, the method comprising, if the quality of link (Q No - oc ) becomes lower than X dBm, launching (S4, S7) consecutively at least one mobile robotic vehicle (N1, N2,..., Nx) so that: each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to stay at distance from his closest neighbor(s) for exchanging information with his closest neighbor(s) by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said each mobile robotic vehicle and said closest neighbor(s) is greater or equal to X dBm; the last launched mobile robotic vehicle (Nx) is configured to stay at a distance from the operating center for exchanging information with the operating center by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said last mobile robotic vehicle and said operating center is greater or equal to X dBm.

Description

Method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles Technical field and background of the invention
The invention concerns a method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles, such as drones, each mobile robotic vehicle being configured to communicate and exchange information with other mobile robotic vehicles.
More particularly, the invention concerns the positioning of a group of mobile robotic vehicles, such as drones, operating together in order to optimize a given mission that they are supposed to accomplish.
Summary of the invention
An aim of the invention is to manage efficiently a squad of mobile robotic vehicles for a mission.
To this end, the invention concerns a method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles, such as drones each mobile robotic vehicle being configured to communicate and exchange information with other mobile robotic vehicles so that they constitute a network of mobile robotic vehicles and configured to communicate and exchange information with an operating center, said method comprising the following steps of:
launching a first mobile robotic vehicle which is the leader of the squad, the leader being configured to stay at a distance from an operating center for exchanging information with the operating center by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said first mobile robotic vehicle and said operating center is greater or equal to X dBm, the method comprising, if the quality of link becomes lower than X dBm,
launching consecutively at least one mobile robotic vehicle so that:
each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to stay at distance from his closest neighbor(s) for exchanging information with his closest neighbor(s) by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said each mobile robotic vehicle and said closest neighbor(s) is greater or equal to X dBm;
the last launched mobile robotic vehicle is configured to stay at a distance from the operating center for exchanging information with the operating center by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said last mobile robotic vehicle and said operating center is greater or equal to X dBm.
The method of the invention may have one of the following features: At least three mobile robotic vehicle have been launched, and for a given mobile robotic vehicle its two neighbors are configured to stay at distance from the given mobile robotic vehicle so that said two neighbors calculate a quality of link of power exchanged between said two neighbors greater or equal to Y dBm.
For each launched mobile robotic vehicle, a step of calculating quality links between the closest neighbors and the quality link between the last launched mobile robotic vehicle and the operating center.
The step of calculating comprises the application of a smoothing algorithm to the quality link calculated.
Each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to implement a step of broadcasting periodically a hello message to its neighboring, in which they communicate the received power from their neighbors, in order to detect communications link linking each neighbor.
The method comprises a step of initializing the squad in order to define a topology of the squad.
Each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to implement a step of broadcasting periodically a topology message in order to be aware of a current network topology.
The method comprises a step of defining a number of multiple paths from the leader of the squad, the steps of launching the mobile robotic vehicle after the step of launching the first mobile robotic vehicle being implemented in parallel for each path having the same leader, the last launched mobile robotic vehicle of each path exchanging information with the operating center with a quality of link greater or equal to X dBm.
The step of defining a number of multiple paths is implemented by a Manhattan model.
With the invention, it is possible to optimize the drones's synchronization and positioning according to the application and the mission that they are accomplishing, as far as possible for a given number of mobile robotic vehicles.
Indeed, relaying information between drones is strongly related to the bandwidth required by the application's traffic. When it concerns video streaming, for example, the bit rate and the quality of the video should be satisfied. In that case, drones should provide the correct radio propagation to relay the video while respecting the required quality along a path of communication as long as possible.
Thus the invention provides a method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles allowing to relay information with the required quality of link, even if the leader goes more and more away the fixed operation center in order to accomplish his mission. Brief description of the drawings
Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description. Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in which
Figure 1 illustrates a squad of drones according to a first embodiment;
- Figure 2 illustrates the main steps of a method according to the invention;
Figure 3 illustrates sub steps of the method according to the invention;
Figure 4 illustrates the positioning between several drones of a squad;
Figure 5 illustrates a squad of drones according to a second embodiment;
Figure 6 illustrates sub step of the method according to the invention.
Detailed description
Figure 1 illustrates a squad of seven mobile robotic vehicles, from NO to Nx (x=6 on Figure 1). The number of the mobile robotic vehicles does not have to be considered as a limiting.
The mobile robotic vehicles can be a drone or ground robot.
The mobi le robotic vehicles are config ured to comm unicate and exchange information between them and with an operating center. To this end the mobile robotic vehicles are equipped with radio interfaces such as Wi-Fi interfaces or any other technology able to provide Device to Device feature.
The operating center OC is localized at remote distance from the squad and the squad is constituted from the operating center according to a method described here below.
Assuming an area to be observed in a hostile region or behind an obstacle R (see Figure 1) from the operating center OC. A single drone could not make the observation alone in real time because of the loss of connection with the operating center OC. Therefore, according to the method, several drones can be launched in order to create a path to communicate, where the video will be relayed across the squad.
The following method is implemented according to several assumptions:
a sufficient number of drones is available;
one of the available drone is selected to be the leader of the squad; drones are launched one after the other to form the squad;
- drones are maintained at a given altitude with known methods (not described here);
each drone can take into account external constraints such as the weather, or interferences when launched (to stay at a distance from another drone or at a given altitude, etc.) In relation with Figure 2, the method comprises a step SO of initializing a squad in order to define a topology of the squad and to permit each drone to discover its neighbor.
This step of initializing SO consists to define the leader of the squad, i.e. the first drone to be launched and the order of launch of the other drones.
This step SO of initializing comprises a sub step of powering-on SOI each drone of the squad, each drone broadcasting S02 a topology message in order to be aware of an initial network topology (see Figure 3). To this end, each drone maintains a topology table stored in a memory located in the drone.
Once the initial network topology is determined, the method comprises a step of launching SI a first drone NO which is the leader of the squad.
The leader exchanges information with the operating center OC with a quality of link QNO,OC greater or equal to X dBm. In the example of Figure 1, this level of quality link permits to transmit a video observed by the leader NO. The quality link is defined as a received power exchanged between a drone with another drone or with the operating center. For instance a quality of link using Wi-Fi of around - 45 dBm is required for video applications and - 80 dBm for text messages. In a general manner the quality link depends on the technologies used for the traffic transfer.
In particular, the leader NO is configured to stay at a distance from the operating center OC for exchanging information with it with a quality of link QNo,oc greater or equal to X dBm. One can note that the leader can be managed from the operating center OC or the leader can be configured to be autonomous.
This quality of link is continually calculated S2 and monitored S3 for maintaining a correct quality of link.
In case, the quality of link QNo-oc becomes lower than X dBm (due to distance attenuation or interferences), the method comprises a step of launching S4 a second drone Nl.
This second drone Nl is configured to stay at a distance from the leader NO for exchanging information with the leader NO.
Also, this second drone Nl must exchange information with the operating center OC at level greater or equal to X dBm for maintaining the link.
Again, this quality of link is continually calculated S5 and monitored S6. If the quality of link QNI-OC becomes lower than X dBm, the method comprises a step of launching S7 a third drone.
Therefore, the method is based, after the launch of the leader NO, on the launching consecutively of at least one drone Nl, N2, N3 Nx so that: each drone is configured to stay at distance from his closest neighbor(s) for exchanging information with his closest neighbor(s) with a quality of link 0_Nn,Nn-i greater or equal to X dBm;
the last launched drone Nx is configured to stay at a distance from the operating center OC for exchanging information with it with a quality of link greater or equal to X dBm.
In order to optimize the positioning between drones when at least three mobile robotic vehicles have been launched, for a given mobile robotic vehicle Ni, its two neighbors Ni-1, Ni+1 are configured to stay at distance from the given mobile robotic vehicle Ni so that said two neighbors Ni-1, Ni+1 calculates the quality of link QNi-i,Ni+i greater or equal to Y dBm (see Figure 4). Thus the information exchanged from mobile robotic vehicle Ni-1 to mobile robotic vehicle Ni+1 is relayed by mobile robotic vehicle Ni. In addition, this optimization offers to drones the possibility to maximize the distance between them while respecting the traffic constraints and hence to reduce the number of used drones for the considered mission.
The number of drones launched depends on a mission to be made: reaching a given area or the coverage of a given area or watching behind obstacles.
As a complement, when drones have been launched, they periodically broadcast S8 a hello message network neighboring discovered message to its neighboring. Generally speaking, a hello message is a WS-Discovery message used to announce the presence of a device or service on the network. Within the scope of the invention, hello messages are used in order to detect the radio links connecting each neighbor. To this end, the radio interfaces of each drone send hello messages where they communicate the received power from their neighbors. A drone is considered as a neighboring drone if and only if the received power is above a considered threshold.
The period is set by default to 2 seconds but can be set to another value according to the drones's velocity.
Each hello message comprises the average value of the received signal and if the value is above a given threshold, the drone is considered as a neighbor otherwise not. One can note that a symmetric link is considered after the exchange of three hellos messages.
Each drone comprises a neighboring table stored in memory located in the drone. As known, this neighboring table has two entries: the MAC address and the received powers of the neighbor.
In a similar way, each drone updates its topology table by flooding S9 periodically a topology message (the same of the initializing step SO). The period is set by default to 5 seconds. Each drone floods its neighboring table to all drones of the squad. This step uses an optimized flooding to minimize the number of topology messages. When receiving a topology message, every drone checks the entries in its topology table and updates information. Therefore, after this step each drone is aware of the network topology.
As complementary again, when a calculation of a quality link is implemented, this step of calculating comprises the application of a smoothing algorithm to the quality link calculated. The use of such algorithm permits to avoid oscillation on the decision that the vehicle takes according to the signal power measurement. In fact, radio signals introduce many variations while the mean is constant. Decisions should be taken on the mean and not on the raw values.
According to another embodiment (see Figure 5), it the application requires resilience for multiple paths to forward the traffic, the above described method comprises a step S00 of defining a number of multiple paths K (for instance according to a Manhattan model) (see Figure 6).
Then after the leader of the squad NO is launched the above described method is implemented for each path. In particular, the steps of launching (S4, S4', S4", S7, S7', S7") the mobile robotic vehicle Nl, Nl', Nl", N2, N2', N2" Nx, Nx', Nx" after the step of launching the first mobile robotic vehicle being implemented in parallel for each path having the same leader, the last launched mobile robotic vehicle Nx, Nx', Nx" of each path exchanging information with the operating center OC with a quality of link greater or equal to X dBm (figures 5 and 6 illustrate three paths for instance).

Claims

1. A method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles, such as drones, each mobile robotic vehicle being configured to communicate and exchange information with other mobile robotic vehicles so that they constitute a network of mobile robotic vehicles and configured to communicate and exchange information with an operating center, said method comprising the following steps of:
launching (SI) a first mobile robotic vehicle (NO) which is the leader of the squad, the leader being configured to stay at a distance from an operating center (OC) for exchanging information with the operating center (OC) by ensuring that a quality of link (QNO,OC) of power exchanged between said first mobile robotic vehicle (NO) and said operating center (OC) is greater or equal to X dBm, the method comprising, if the quality of link (QNO-OC) becomes lower than X dBm,
launching (S4, S7) consecutively at least one mobile robotic vehicle (Nl, N2, Nx) so that:
each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to stay at distance from his closest neighbor(s) for exchanging information with his closest neighbor(s) by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said each mobile robotic vehicle and said closest neighbor(s) is greater or equal to X dBm;
the last launched mobile robotic vehicle (Nx) is configured to stay at a distance from the operating center for exchanging information with the operating center by ensuring that a quality of link of power exchanged between said last mobile robotic vehicle and said operating center is greater or equal to X dBm.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least three mobile robotic vehicle have been launched, method wherein for a given mobile robotic vehicle (Ni) its two neighbors (Ni-1, Ni+1) are configured to stay at distance from the given mobile robotic vehicle (Ni) so that said two neighbors (Ni-1, Ni+1) calculate a quality of link Q -i +i of power exchanged between said two neighbors greater or equal to Y dBm.
3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, comprising, for each launched mobile robotic vehicle, a step of calculating (S2, S5) quality links 0 -ι,0 +ι between the closest neighbors and the quality link between the last launched mobile robotic vehicle (Nx) and the operating center (OC).
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of calculating (S2, S5) comprises the application of a smoothing algorithm to the quality link calculated.
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to implement a step (S8) of broadcasting periodically a hello message to its neighboring, in which they communicate the received power from their neighbors, in order to detect communications link linking each neighbor.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a step (SO) of initializing the squad in order to define a topology of the squad.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein each mobile robotic vehicle is configured to implement a step (S02) of broadcasting periodically a topology message in order to be aware of a current network topology.
8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a step (S00) of defining a number of multiple paths from the leader of the squad, the steps of launching (S4, S4', S4",...S7, S7', S7") the mobile robotic vehicle (Nl, Nl', Nl", N2, N2', N2", Nx, Nx', Nx") after the step of launching the first mobile robotic vehicle (NO) being implemented in parallel for each path having the same leader, the last launched mobile robotic vehicle (Nx, Nx', Nx") of each path exchanging information with the operating center (OC) with a quality of link greater or equal to X dBm.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of defining a number of multiple paths is implemented by a Manhattan model.
PCT/EP2016/081605 2015-12-17 2016-12-16 Method for managing a squad of mobile robotic vehicles Ceased WO2017103227A1 (en)

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Citations (4)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5521817A (en) * 1994-08-08 1996-05-28 Honeywell Inc. Airborne drone formation control system
US20100216498A1 (en) * 2009-02-24 2010-08-26 Brian Mintah Fleet communication network
US20130123981A1 (en) * 2011-11-10 2013-05-16 Electronics And Telecommunications Research Institute Swarm intelligence routing robot device and movement path control system using the same
US9155020B1 (en) * 2015-02-19 2015-10-06 Oceus Networks, Inc. Best backhaul available link quality

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5521817A (en) * 1994-08-08 1996-05-28 Honeywell Inc. Airborne drone formation control system
US20100216498A1 (en) * 2009-02-24 2010-08-26 Brian Mintah Fleet communication network
US20130123981A1 (en) * 2011-11-10 2013-05-16 Electronics And Telecommunications Research Institute Swarm intelligence routing robot device and movement path control system using the same
US9155020B1 (en) * 2015-02-19 2015-10-06 Oceus Networks, Inc. Best backhaul available link quality

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