Method of Controlling a Vehicle to Make a Combination of Arbitrary Translational and Rotational Motions

Abstract

A method of controlling a rotary vehicle to navigate a heading using a combination of translational and rotational motions by a plurality of driving-steering wheels controlling the motion in three degrees of freedom for a manned or unmanned vehicle having at least two drive-steering wheels, wherein a drive-steering wheel is a wheel with its heading orientation and driving velocity positively controlled, wherein a global motion is a vehicle trajectory with vehicle orientation from the initial position (with orientation) to a final destination (with orientation), which comprises comparing a global motion selected to the vehicle's body position and orientation to compute a motion instruction in three degrees of freedom. the acceleration, path of curvature, and rotation rate, collectively known as the motion command then converting the motion command into a translational speed, a translational direction, and a rotational rate and converting the translational speed, the translational direction and the rotational rate into the direction and driving speed for each independent drive-steering wheel.