Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a route for a vehicle (6), the method comprising: measuring a position of the vehicle (6); providing a specification of a region (12) into which the vehicle (6) is to be moved; and, using the measurements and specification, determining the vehicle route. The route determination process comprises constructing a graph (34) within a state space (X) of the vehicle (6), identifying, within the graph (34), a path for the vehicle (6), performing a path shortening algorithm on the identified path, and, using the shortened path, determining the vehicle route. The path shortening algorithm comprises: selecting two vertices along the path that are separated by at least two edges; connecting the two selected vertices with an additional edge; and, depending on certain cost values, removing the edges and vertices by which the selected vertices are connected, and including, in the path, the additional edge.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining routes vehicles (4, 6), the method comprising: measuring positions of a first vehicle and a second vehicle (6); providing a specification of a region (12) having a fixed position in relation to the first vehicle (4); using the measurements and the region specification, determining a first route for the first vehicle (4) and a second route for the second vehicle (6). Determining the routes comprises: constructing a graph (34) within a joint state space (X) of the vehicles (4, 6); identifying, within the graph (34), a path from a first vertex to a second vertex, the first vertex corresponding to the measured positions of the vehicles (4, 6), and the second vertex corresponding to the second vehicle (6) being at least partially located within the region (12); and, using the identified path, determining the first and second routes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining routes vehicles (4, 6), the method comprising: measuring positions of a first vehicle and a second vehicle (6); providing a specification of a region (12) having a fixed position in relation to the first vehicle (4); using the measurements and the region specification, determining a first route for the first vehicle (4) and a second route for the second vehicle (6). Determining the routes comprises: constructing a graph (34) within a joint state space (X) of the vehicles (4, 6); identifying, within the graph (34), a path from a first vertex to a second vertex, the first vertex corresponding to the measured positions of the vehicles (4, 6), and the second vertex corresponding to the second vehicle (6) being at least partially located within the region (12); and, using the identified path, determining the first and second routes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a route for a vehicle (6), the method comprising: measuring a position of the vehicle (6); providing a specification of a region (12) into which the vehicle (6) is to be moved; and, using the measurements and specification, determining the vehicle route. The route determination process comprises constructing a graph (34) within a state space (X) of the vehicle (6), identifying, within the graph (34), a path for the vehicle (6), performing a path shortening algorithm on the identified path, and, using the shortened path, determining the vehicle route. The path shortening algorithm comprises: selecting two vertices along the path that are separated by at least two edges; connecting the two selected vertices with an additional edge; and, depending on certain cost values, removing the edges and vertices by which the selected vertices are connected, and including, in the path, the additional edge.