JAUS - Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems

As a service to our customers and the unmanned ground vehicle community as a whole, we have collected all of the current JAUS documents required to implement the JAUS standard, as it was recently implemented and tested at the last JAUS interoperability experiment – OPC 3.0. These documents provide both the high level and detailed information required to implement the JAUS standard that will support interoperability with the major organizations within the JAUS community. Note that more recent, emerging standards exist for some of the following documents, but those have neither been tested nor ratified. Thus, the following represents the “as built, as tested” standard to the best of our knowledge.

As you evaluate your decision to migrate toward the JAUS standard either on your own or by using a JAUS toolkit such as Applied Perception's, it is extremely important to understand that the only current measure of JAUS compliance is through participation in JAUS OPC Experiments. If you are implementing your own version of the standard, please try to join the JAUS community at these periodic events. If you decide to purchase your JAUS solutions from an outside vendor, requiring that they have successfully participated is the best, and perhaps only, way to ensure true JAUS interoperability with the rest of the community.

If you have any questions about the JAUS standard or Applied Perception’s JAUS capabilities, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

The following JAUS documents are available. Additional information on each can be found below.

• Reference Architecture Specification, Volume II, Part 1: Architecture Framework
• Reference Architecture Specification, Volume II, Part 2: Message Definition
• Reference Architecture Specification, Volume II, Part 3: Message Set
• Transport Interface
• Dynamic Configuration Control Document
• Events and Service Connections
• Payload Interface
• World Model Knowledge Store Components
• Mission Spooler Interface
• OPC 3.0 Experiment Overview

Domain Model, Volume I: (APPROVED): This document defines the scope of the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS), the rationale for the scope, and the definition of the requirements.  The Domain Model is intended for use by product developers, customers/users, and researchers. (DM Vol 1.pdf)

Reference Architecture Specification, Volume II, Part 1: Architecture Framework (APPROVED): This document provides a description of the structure of JAUS based systems. This document serves as the primary mapping of Domain Model requirements to the JAUS message set. Although message specifics are not stated in the Architecture Framework, guidance for the use of messages to achieve Domain Model specified capabilities is provided in the component discussions. (RA 3.2 Vol 2 Part 1.pdf)

Reference Architecture Specification, Volume II, Part 2: Message Definition (APPROVED): This document specifies the JAUS specific protocol for transmission of JAUS messages. This document specifies the JAUS message header and the types of JAUS messages. The specification focuses on the rules for messaging as opposed to the domain specific semantics contained in the message set itself. (RA 3.2 Vol 2 Part 2.pdf)

Reference Architecture Specification, Volume II, Part 3: Message Set (APPROVED): This document specifies the domain specific messages and their exact content. The Message Set is intended to for use within unmanned systems either with or without the preceding two parts of the Reference Architecture Specification. (RA 3.2 Vol 2 Part 3.pdf)

Transport Interface: (DRAFT) This document specifies the Transport Layer format and associated protocols required to implement the proposed JAUS-over-IP transport standard. This is not the proposed SAE-AS4B document, but rather an immediate stand-in until that document can be ratified. (Transport Interface.pdf)

Dynamic Configuration Control Document: (DRAFT) JAUS defines a system in terms of subsystems, nodes, and components. The component provides a specific capability and is the main building block of the system. A node is defined to be a set of related components, and a subsystem is defined to be a set of related nodes. During system operation, components work together for the purpose of achieving a common goal. Before a component can make use of any other components’ capabilities, it must be able to uniquely identify each component along with its specific capabilities. This information can be set up statically before the system is started, or it can be set up dynamically after the system is started. Dynamic Configuration is a process defined in this document that provides a mechanism for setting up a JAUS system, or part of a JAUS system, when needed rather than in advance. (Dynamic Configuration Control.pdf)

Events and Service Connections: (DRAFT) This document defines the need for and use of period (Service Connections) and non-period (Events) messages and the protocols and messages needed to instantiate, modify, and terminate them. (Events and Service Connections.pdf)

Payload Interface: (DRAFT) This document defines the messages and protocols required to create JAUS-compliant payloads that JAUS-compliant Operator Control Units can control and interact with. (Payload Interface.pdf)

World Model Knowledge Store Components: (DRAFT) This document defines the database of knowledge about the world, plus a database management system that stores and retrieves information. (World Model Knowledge Store.pdf)

Mission Spooler Interface: (DRAFT) This document defines the method that a sequence of JAUS messages are stored and transmitted to other JAUS components in a predetermined fashion. This capability is a building block to enable the execution of complex plans within the JAUS framework. (Mission Spooler Interface.pdf)

OPC 3.0 Experiment Overview: This document provides information about how the above documents are used within the context of real interoperability requirements to accomplish a specific mission. It should be thought of as the “domain knowledge” required to actually implement, test, and demonstrate JAUS fully. It is an example of a “best practices guide” for JAUS implementations. (OPC 3.0 Overview.pdf)