Make diff_drive_controller a ChainableControllerInterface

diff_drive_controller/diff_drive_plugin.xml

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <library path="diff_drive_controller">
-  <class name="diff_drive_controller/DiffDriveController" type="diff_drive_controller::DiffDriveController" base_class_type="controller_interface::ControllerInterface">
+  <class name="diff_drive_controller/DiffDriveController" type="diff_drive_controller::DiffDriveController" base_class_type="controller_interface::ChainableControllerInterface">
   <description>
     The differential drive controller transforms linear and angular velocity messages into signals for each wheel(s) for a differential drive robot.
   </description>

diff_drive_controller/include/diff_drive_controller/diff_drive_controller.hpp

@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
-#include "controller_interface/controller_interface.hpp"
+#include "controller_interface/chainable_controller_interface.hpp"
 #include "diff_drive_controller/odometry.hpp"
 #include "diff_drive_controller/speed_limiter.hpp"
 #include "geometry_msgs/msg/twist_stamped.hpp"
 #include "nav_msgs/msg/odometry.hpp"
 #include "odometry.hpp"
 #include "rclcpp_lifecycle/state.hpp"
-#include "realtime_tools/realtime_box.hpp"
+#include "realtime_tools/realtime_buffer.hpp"
 #include "realtime_tools/realtime_publisher.hpp"
 #include "tf2_msgs/msg/tf_message.hpp"
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
 namespace diff_drive_controller
 {
-class DiffDriveController : public controller_interface::ControllerInterface
+class DiffDriveController : public controller_interface::ChainableControllerInterface
 {
   using TwistStamped = geometry_msgs::msg::TwistStamped;
 
@@ -52,7 +52,11 @@ class DiffDriveController : public controller_interface::ControllerInterface
 
   controller_interface::InterfaceConfiguration state_interface_configuration() const override;
 
-  controller_interface::return_type update(
+  // Chainable controller replaces update() with the following two functions
+  controller_interface::return_type update_reference_from_subscribers(
+    const rclcpp::Time & time, const rclcpp::Duration & period) override;
+
+  controller_interface::return_type update_and_write_commands(
     const rclcpp::Time & time, const rclcpp::Duration & period) override;
 
   controller_interface::CallbackReturn on_init() override;
@@ -73,6 +77,10 @@ class DiffDriveController : public controller_interface::ControllerInterface
     const rclcpp_lifecycle::State & previous_state) override;
 
 protected:
+  bool on_set_chained_mode(bool chained_mode) override;
+
+  std::vector<hardware_interface::CommandInterface> on_export_reference_interfaces() override;
+
   struct WheelHandle
   {
     std::reference_wrapper<const hardware_interface::LoanedStateInterface> feedback;
@@ -100,7 +108,7 @@ class DiffDriveController : public controller_interface::ControllerInterface
   Odometry odometry_;
 
   // Timeout to consider cmd_vel commands old
-  std::chrono::milliseconds cmd_vel_timeout_{500};
+  rclcpp::Duration cmd_vel_timeout_ = rclcpp::Duration::from_seconds(0.5);
 
   std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::Publisher<nav_msgs::msg::Odometry>> odometry_publisher_ = nullptr;
   std::shared_ptr<realtime_tools::RealtimePublisher<nav_msgs::msg::Odometry>>
@@ -114,11 +122,9 @@ class DiffDriveController : public controller_interface::ControllerInterface
   bool subscriber_is_active_ = false;
   rclcpp::Subscription<TwistStamped>::SharedPtr velocity_command_subscriber_ = nullptr;
 
-  realtime_tools::RealtimeBox<std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped>> received_velocity_msg_ptr_{nullptr};
-  std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> last_command_msg_;
-
-  std::queue<TwistStamped> previous_commands_;  // last two commands
+  realtime_tools::RealtimeBuffer<std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped>> received_velocity_msg_ptr_{nullptr};
 
+  std::queue<std::array<double, 2>> previous_two_commands_;
   // speed limiters
   std::unique_ptr<SpeedLimiter> limiter_linear_;
   std::unique_ptr<SpeedLimiter> limiter_angular_;
@@ -139,6 +145,9 @@ class DiffDriveController : public controller_interface::ControllerInterface
 
   bool reset();
   void halt();
+
+private:
+  void reset_buffers();
 };
 }  // namespace diff_drive_controller
 #endif  // DIFF_DRIVE_CONTROLLER__DIFF_DRIVE_CONTROLLER_HPP_

diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ using hardware_interface::HW_IF_POSITION;
 using hardware_interface::HW_IF_VELOCITY;
 using lifecycle_msgs::msg::State;
 
-DiffDriveController::DiffDriveController() : controller_interface::ControllerInterface() {}
+DiffDriveController::DiffDriveController() : controller_interface::ChainableControllerInterface() {}
 
 const char * DiffDriveController::feedback_type() const
 {
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ InterfaceConfiguration DiffDriveController::state_interface_configuration() cons
   return {interface_configuration_type::INDIVIDUAL, conf_names};
 }
 
-controller_interface::return_type DiffDriveController::update(
-  const rclcpp::Time & time, const rclcpp::Duration & period)
+controller_interface::return_type DiffDriveController::update_reference_from_subscribers(
+  const rclcpp::Time & time, const rclcpp::Duration & /*period*/)
 {
   auto logger = get_node()->get_logger();
   if (get_lifecycle_state().id() == State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE)
@@ -111,31 +111,64 @@ controller_interface::return_type DiffDriveController::update(
     return controller_interface::return_type::OK;
   }
 
-  // if the mutex is unable to lock, last_command_msg_ won't be updated
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.try_get([this](const std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & msg)
-                                     { last_command_msg_ = msg; });
+  const std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> command_msg_ptr = *(received_velocity_msg_ptr_.readFromRT());
 
-  if (last_command_msg_ == nullptr)
+  if (command_msg_ptr == nullptr)
   {
     RCLCPP_WARN(logger, "Velocity message received was a nullptr.");
     return controller_interface::return_type::ERROR;
   }
 
-  const auto age_of_last_command = time - last_command_msg_->header.stamp;
+  const auto age_of_last_command = time - command_msg_ptr->header.stamp;
   // Brake if cmd_vel has timeout, override the stored command
   if (age_of_last_command > cmd_vel_timeout_)
   {
-    last_command_msg_->twist.linear.x = 0.0;
-    last_command_msg_->twist.angular.z = 0.0;
+    reference_interfaces_[0] = 0.0;
+    reference_interfaces_[1] = 0.0;
+  }
+  else if (
+    std::isfinite(command_msg_ptr->twist.linear.x) &&
+    std::isfinite(command_msg_ptr->twist.angular.z))
+  {
+    reference_interfaces_[0] = command_msg_ptr->twist.linear.x;
+    reference_interfaces_[1] = command_msg_ptr->twist.angular.z;
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    RCLCPP_WARN_SKIPFIRST_THROTTLE(
+      logger, *get_node()->get_clock(), cmd_vel_timeout_.seconds() * 1000,
+      "Command message contains NaNs. Not updating reference interfaces.");
+  }
+
+  previous_update_timestamp_ = time;
+
+  return controller_interface::return_type::OK;
+}
+
+controller_interface::return_type DiffDriveController::update_and_write_commands(
+  const rclcpp::Time & time, const rclcpp::Duration & period)
+{
+  auto logger = get_node()->get_logger();
+  if (get_lifecycle_state().id() == State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE)
+  {
+    if (!is_halted)
+    {
+      halt();
+      is_halted = true;
+    }
+    return controller_interface::return_type::OK;
   }
 
   // command may be limited further by SpeedLimit,
   // without affecting the stored twist command
-  TwistStamped command = *last_command_msg_;
-  double & linear_command = command.twist.linear.x;
-  double & angular_command = command.twist.angular.z;
+  double linear_command = reference_interfaces_[0];
+  double angular_command = reference_interfaces_[1];
 
-  previous_update_timestamp_ = time;
+  if (!std::isfinite(linear_command) || !std::isfinite(angular_command))
+  {
+    // NaNs occur on initialization when the reference interfaces are not yet set
+    return controller_interface::return_type::OK;
+  }
 
   // Apply (possibly new) multipliers:
   const double wheel_separation = params_.wheel_separation_multiplier * params_.wheel_separation;
@@ -232,22 +265,27 @@ controller_interface::return_type DiffDriveController::update(
     }
   }
 
-  auto & last_command = previous_commands_.back().twist;
-  auto & second_to_last_command = previous_commands_.front().twist;
-  limiter_linear_->limit(
-    linear_command, last_command.linear.x, second_to_last_command.linear.x, period.seconds());
-  limiter_angular_->limit(
-    angular_command, last_command.angular.z, second_to_last_command.angular.z, period.seconds());
+  double & last_linear = previous_two_commands_.back()[0];
+  double & second_to_last_linear = previous_two_commands_.front()[0];
+  double & last_angular = previous_two_commands_.back()[1];
+  double & second_to_last_angular = previous_two_commands_.front()[1];
 
-  previous_commands_.pop();
-  previous_commands_.emplace(command);
+  limiter_linear_->limit(linear_command, last_linear, second_to_last_linear, period.seconds());
+  limiter_angular_->limit(angular_command, last_angular, second_to_last_angular, period.seconds());
+  previous_two_commands_.pop();
+  previous_two_commands_.push({{linear_command, angular_command}});
 
   //    Publish limited velocity
   if (publish_limited_velocity_ && realtime_limited_velocity_publisher_->trylock())
   {
     auto & limited_velocity_command = realtime_limited_velocity_publisher_->msg_;
     limited_velocity_command.header.stamp = time;
-    limited_velocity_command.twist = command.twist;
+    limited_velocity_command.twist.linear.x = linear_command;
+    limited_velocity_command.twist.linear.y = 0.0;
+    limited_velocity_command.twist.linear.z = 0.0;
+    limited_velocity_command.twist.angular.x = 0.0;
+    limited_velocity_command.twist.angular.y = 0.0;
+    limited_velocity_command.twist.angular.z = angular_command;
     realtime_limited_velocity_publisher_->unlockAndPublish();
   }
 
@@ -294,7 +332,7 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::on_configure(
   odometry_.setWheelParams(wheel_separation, left_wheel_radius, right_wheel_radius);
   odometry_.setVelocityRollingWindowSize(static_cast<size_t>(params_.velocity_rolling_window_size));
 
-  cmd_vel_timeout_ = std::chrono::milliseconds{static_cast<int>(params_.cmd_vel_timeout * 1000.0)};
+  cmd_vel_timeout_ = rclcpp::Duration::from_seconds(params_.cmd_vel_timeout);
   publish_limited_velocity_ = params_.publish_limited_velocity;
 
   // TODO(christophfroehlich) remove deprecated parameters
@@ -387,13 +425,6 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::on_configure(
         limited_velocity_publisher_);
   }
 
-  last_command_msg_ = std::make_shared<TwistStamped>();
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set([this](std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & stored_value)
-                                 { stored_value = last_command_msg_; });
-  // Fill last two commands with default constructed commands
-  previous_commands_.emplace(*last_command_msg_);
-  previous_commands_.emplace(*last_command_msg_);
-
   // initialize command subscriber
   velocity_command_subscriber_ = get_node()->create_subscription<TwistStamped>(
     DEFAULT_COMMAND_TOPIC, rclcpp::SystemDefaultsQoS(),
@@ -410,10 +441,26 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::on_configure(
           get_node()->get_logger(),
           "Received TwistStamped with zero timestamp, setting it to current "
           "time, this message will only be shown once");
-        msg->header.stamp = get_node()->get_clock()->now();
+        msg->header.stamp = get_node()->now();
+      }
+
+      const auto current_time_diff = get_node()->now() - msg->header.stamp;
+
+      if (
+        cmd_vel_timeout_ == rclcpp::Duration::from_seconds(0.0) ||
+        current_time_diff < cmd_vel_timeout_)
+      {
+        received_velocity_msg_ptr_.writeFromNonRT(msg);
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        RCLCPP_WARN(
+          get_node()->get_logger(),
+          "Ignoring the received message (timestamp %.10f) because it is older than "
+          "the current time by %.10f seconds, which exceeds the allowed timeout (%.4f)",
+          rclcpp::Time(msg->header.stamp).seconds(), current_time_diff.seconds(),
+          cmd_vel_timeout_.seconds());
       }
-      received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set([msg](std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & stored_value)
-                                     { stored_value = std::move(msg); });
     });
 
   // initialize odometry publisher and message
@@ -527,6 +574,7 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::on_deactivate(
     halt();
     is_halted = true;
   }
+  reset_buffers();
   registered_left_wheel_handles_.clear();
   registered_right_wheel_handles_.clear();
   return controller_interface::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
@@ -556,21 +604,41 @@ bool DiffDriveController::reset()
 {
   odometry_.resetOdometry();
 
-  // release the old queue
-  std::queue<TwistStamped> empty;
-  std::swap(previous_commands_, empty);
+  reset_buffers();
 
   registered_left_wheel_handles_.clear();
   registered_right_wheel_handles_.clear();
 
   subscriber_is_active_ = false;
   velocity_command_subscriber_.reset();
 
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set(nullptr);
   is_halted = false;
   return true;
 }
 
+void DiffDriveController::reset_buffers()
+{
+  reference_interfaces_ = std::vector<double>(2, std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN());
+  // Empty out the old queue. Fill with zeros (not NaN) to catch early accelerations.
+  std::queue<std::array<double, 2>> empty;
+  std::swap(previous_two_commands_, empty);
+  previous_two_commands_.push({{0.0, 0.0}});
+  previous_two_commands_.push({{0.0, 0.0}});
+
+  // Fill RealtimeBuffer with NaNs so it will contain a known value
+  // but still indicate that no command has yet been sent.
+  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.reset();
+  std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> empty_msg_ptr = std::make_shared<TwistStamped>();
+  empty_msg_ptr->header.stamp = get_node()->now();
+  empty_msg_ptr->twist.linear.x = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
+  empty_msg_ptr->twist.linear.y = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
+  empty_msg_ptr->twist.linear.z = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
+  empty_msg_ptr->twist.angular.x = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
+  empty_msg_ptr->twist.angular.y = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
+  empty_msg_ptr->twist.angular.z = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
+  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.writeFromNonRT(empty_msg_ptr);
+}
+
 void DiffDriveController::halt()
 {
   const auto halt_wheels = [](auto & wheel_handles)
@@ -636,9 +704,35 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::configure_side(
 
   return controller_interface::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
 }
+
+bool DiffDriveController::on_set_chained_mode(bool chained_mode)
+{
+  // Always accept switch to/from chained mode (without linting type-cast error)
+  return true || chained_mode;
+}
+
+std::vector<hardware_interface::CommandInterface>
+DiffDriveController::on_export_reference_interfaces()
+{
+  const int nr_ref_itfs = 2;
+  reference_interfaces_.resize(nr_ref_itfs, std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN());
+  std::vector<hardware_interface::CommandInterface> reference_interfaces;
+  reference_interfaces.reserve(nr_ref_itfs);
+
+  reference_interfaces.push_back(hardware_interface::CommandInterface(
+    get_node()->get_name(), std::string("linear/") + hardware_interface::HW_IF_VELOCITY,
+    &reference_interfaces_[0]));
+
+  reference_interfaces.push_back(hardware_interface::CommandInterface(
+    get_node()->get_name(), std::string("angular/") + hardware_interface::HW_IF_VELOCITY,
+    &reference_interfaces_[1]));
+
+  return reference_interfaces;
+}
+
 }  // namespace diff_drive_controller
 
 #include "class_loader/register_macro.hpp"
 
 CLASS_LOADER_REGISTER_CLASS(
-  diff_drive_controller::DiffDriveController, controller_interface::ControllerInterface)
+  diff_drive_controller::DiffDriveController, controller_interface::ChainableControllerInterface)