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Autonomous vehicle, in particular feed mixing vehicle, and method for controlling an autonomous vehicle

  • US 10,401,867 B2
  • Filed: 11/17/2015
  • Issued: 09/03/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling an autonomous feed mixing vehicle from starting point (S) to a destination point (Z) through and about surroundings, wherein the autonomous feed mixing vehicle comprises the following components:

  • an autonomously movable and controllable chassis;

    working elements in the form of a drive engine, a traction drive, and a steering system for the chassis;

    at least one scanner and/or at least one sensor for detecting data regarding the surroundings and at least one transmitter for transmitting the surroundings data;

    at least one computer which interacts with the at least one scanner and/or at the least one sensor,whereinthe at least one scanner and/or the at least one sensor acquires the surroundings data,the computer determines from the acquired surroundings data a three-dimensional point cloud which maps the surroundings and is composed of individual points, wherein the position of the individual points is defined in each case by a point coordinate, and the point cloud characterizes overall the situational spatial surroundings,the position of the location of the autonomous feed mixing vehicle is sensed by the at least one scanner and/or the at least one sensor and is defined as a starting point (S) in the computer,the computer determines a travel path between the starting point (S) and a predefined destination point (Z),parameters which are predefined in the computer are compared with the point cloud which maps the surroundings, andcriteria which permit correction of the determined travel path to form a newly calculated travel path are predefined in the computer,with the result that the travel path of the autonomous feed mixing vehicle is checked for its navigability, and in the case of non-navigability being detected said travel path is adapted autonomously to the requirements of the situational spatial surroundings and is replaced by an alternative travel path,whereby a two-dimensional map of an actual situation of the autonomous feed mixing vehicle relative to the surroundings is determined on the basis of a static, three-dimensional map, through compression of the surroundings data relating to the third plane into a surface, the two-dimensional map and the three-dimensional map being stored in the computer, and the surroundings data which is determined by the at least one scanner and/or the at least one sensor is placed in relationship with the static, three-dimensional map, with the result that the travel path which is provided on the basis of the static, three-dimensional map is compared with the actual situation and it is checked whether the travel path which is provided corresponds to predefined navigability requirements which are stored in the computer.

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