FEEDBACK LIMITED CONTROL SYSTEM FOR LOW DATA RATE REMOTE DRIVING

REMOTELY OPERATED UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLES (UGVS) ARE SEVERELY RESTRICTED BY THE AVAILABILITY OF A HIGH BANDWIDTH COMMUNICATIONS LINK. REMOTE DRIVING OF UGVS IS CONDUCTED BY VIEWING VIDEO FROM A VEHICLE MOUNTED CAMERA. BECAUSE OF THE SEVERELY CROWDED ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM, THIS VIDEO HAS TO BE TRANSMITTED BACK TO THE REMOTE CONTROL STATION VIA A NARROW BAND DATA LINK. THE RESULTING VIDEO FREQUENTLY HAS A REDUCED FRAME RATE AS WELL AS REDUCED RESOLUTION. MAINTAINING THE NECESSARY HIGH CONTROL BANDWIDTH WITH THE OPERATOR IN THE CONTROL LOOP IS NOT POSSIBLE USING CONVENTIONAL TECHNIQUES WITH SUCH VIDEO. FEEDBACK LIMITED CONTROL SYSTEM (FELICS) PROVIDES A TECHNIQUE TO OVERCOME THIS CONTROL BANDWIDTH RESTRICTION. THE COMPUTER ASSISTED TECHNIQUE ALLOWS THE OPERATOR TO RETAIN ABSOLUTE COMMAND AUTHORITY, BUT RELIEVES HIM OF MUCH OF THE CONTROL BURDEN. THE TECHNIQUE REQUIRES THE OPERATOR TO PAINT THE DESIRED PATH ON THE VIDEO IMAGERY. THE SYSTEM DRIVES THE VEHICLE ALONG THE PAINTED PATH. FELICS PERMITS THE OPERATOR TO CONTINUOUSLY PAINT THE PATH AS THE VIDEO IMAGERY IS REFRESHED, SO PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS AND SMOOTH CONTROL OF THE UGV.