METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR DETERMINING POSITION OF VEHICLES RELATIVE EACH OTHER

• US 20090132165A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Saab AB
• Original Assignee: Saab AB
• Inventors: Gabrielsson, Bjorn, Andersson, Magnus, Isaksson, Folke
• Application Number:
  US12/261,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132165A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/004 Devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path for graders or bulldozers E02F3/841; for other soil-shifting machines E02F9/2045

Abstract

A relative positioning system, an arrangement, and a method. A method for determining a position of a second vehicle relative to a first vehicle. At least an image of a field of view wherein the second vehicle is positioned within the field of view is recorded using an optical device mounted on the first. Image data is processed in a processor to determine a position of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle measuring at least one marker arranged on the second vehicle in the image.

Claims

1. A relative positioning system for determining positioning of a second vehicle relative to a first vehicle, the relative positioning system comprising:

at least one marker arranged on the second vehicle,

an optical device mounted on the first vehicle and arranged to record an image of an area where the second vehicle is positioned, and

a processor arranged to process the recorded image, wherein the processor is arranged to process the recorded image so as to determine the position of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle based on measurements in the recorded image of the at least one marker arranged on the second vehicle.

2. The relative positioning system according to claim 1, wherein the measurements are length measurements between three markers arranged on the second vehicle.

3. The relative positioning system according to claim 2, wherein each marker is uniquely identifiable in the recorded image and wherein the processor is arranged to determine an orientation of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle based on the positions of the uniquely identifiable markers.

4. An arrangements comprising:

a first vehicle

at least one second vehicle, and

a relative positioning system comprising at least one marker arranged on the second vehicle, an optical device mounted on the first vehicle and arranged to record an image of an area where the second vehicle is positioned, and a processor arranged to process the recorded image wherein the processor is arranged to process the recorded image so as to determine the position of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle based on measurements in the recorded image of the at least one marker arranged on the second vehicle.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of markers are arranged on the second vehicle for determination of position and orientation of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein a first marker and a second marker are arranged on the second vehicle at a predetermined distance in a first plane, and wherein a third marker is arranged on the second vehicle at a predetermined distance from the first plane.

7. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the first vehicle further comprises an absolute positioning sensor arranged to determine an absolute position of the first vehicle and wherein the position of the second vehicle relative to the first vehicle is used to determine an absolute position of the second vehicle.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the processor of the first vehicle is arranged to store the absolute position of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle in order to document a process quality of a material fed from the first vehicle.

9. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the second vehicle is a machine vehicle working in cooperation with the first vehicle which is also a machine vehicle.

10. The arrangement according to, claim 4, wherein the arrangement comprises a plurality of second vehicles, and wherein each second vehicle comprises a fourth unique marker so as to differentiate the second vehicles from each other.

11. A method for determining a position of a second vehicle relative a first vehicle, the method comprising:

recording at least an image of a field of view wherein the second vehicle is positioned within the field of view using an optical device mounted on the first vehicle, and

processing image data in a processor to determine position of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle by performing measurements of at least one marker arranged on the second vehicle in the image.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the processing further determines an orientation of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle based on the measurements performed on three markers arranged at a predetermined distance relative each other on the second vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are machine vehicles cooperating during an asphalting process.

18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

utilizing the method to form a line ahead formation of the first and the second vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are unmanned aerial vehicles.

20. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

utilizing the method during refueling of aerial vehicles.

13. A method for determining an absolute position of a second vehicle, the method comprising:

determining the absolute position of a first vehicle using sensors mounted on the first vehicle; and

determining the absolute position of the second vehicle using data from the absolute positioning and data from a method for determining the position of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle comprising recording at least an image of a field of view wherein the second vehicle is positioned within the field of view using an optical device mounted on the first vehicle, and processing image data in a processor to determine position of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle by performing measurements of at least one marker arranged on the second vehicle in the image.

14. A method for recording events in a predetermined position, the method comprising:

determining a position of a second vehicle according to a method comprising recording at least an image of a field of view wherein the second vehicle is positioned within the field of view using an optical device mounted on the first vehicle, and processing image data in a processor to determine position of the second vehicle relative the first vehicle by performing measurements of at least one marker arranged on the second vehicle in the image,

determining each point in time when the second vehicle passes the predetermined position,

recording each passage of the predetermined position as an event, and

determining a number of events recorded during a predetermined time interval.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

determining the predetermined position as an absolute position of the first vehicle at a given point in time using sensors mounted on the first vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

associating a time record to each event.