Advanced autonomous underwater vehicle software architecture

A novel software architecture to control autonomous underwater vehicles is described. This architecture combines the strengths of architectural approaches based on task decomposition, real-time layering, processing sequence, and behavioral subsumption. A behavioral response system is introduced between the parts of the system that perceive and analyze the situation and the parts that act on those perceptions. This response system provides a convenient mechanism for encoding of situation-driven behavior, and structurally integrates the analysis and action parts of the system. The architecture provides three different pathways with different processing delays and competencies. Fast servo-control responses are provided by the monitoring and control system, which drives the effectors from the sensor data using capable conventional control programs. The supervision system implements decision and contingency behaviors represented in the hierarchic mission plan. More complex goal-driven behaviors, and behaviors driven by unanticipated situations and events, are implemented by a pathway which includes analysis, response, and planning systems