GNSS INTEGRATED MULTI-SENSOR CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. An integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly including a steering subsystem, which guidance system includes:
- said vehicle assembly having a dynamic attitude comprising a geo-reference location, vehicle assembly orientation and vehicle assembly speed;
a processor with multiple sensor inputs and actuator outputs;
a suite of sensor units each connected to a respective sensor input;
said sensor unit suite includes a GNSS unit with an antenna and a receiver connected to said antenna, said GNSS unit providing output signals corresponding to the GNSS-defined locations of said vehicle assembly dynamic attitude to a respective processor input;
a guidance controller adapted for receiving signal input and generating control output based on said signal input;
a data storage device including memory storage; and
a suite of actuator units each connected to a respective actuator output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A GNSS integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly includes a suite of sensor units, including a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sensor unit comprising a receiver and an antenna. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) outputs vehicle dynamic information for combining with the output of the GNSS unit. A controller with a processor receives the outputs of the sensor suite and computes steering solutions, which are utilized by vehicle actuators, including an automatic steering control unit connected to the vehicle steering for guiding the vehicle. The processor is programmed to define multiple behavior-based automatons comprising self-operating entities in the guidance system, which perform respective behaviors using data output from one or more sensor units for achieving the behaviors. A GNSS integrated multi-sensor vehicle guidance method is also disclosed.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly including a steering subsystem, which guidance system includes:
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said vehicle assembly having a dynamic attitude comprising a geo-reference location, vehicle assembly orientation and vehicle assembly speed; a processor with multiple sensor inputs and actuator outputs; a suite of sensor units each connected to a respective sensor input; said sensor unit suite includes a GNSS unit with an antenna and a receiver connected to said antenna, said GNSS unit providing output signals corresponding to the GNSS-defined locations of said vehicle assembly dynamic attitude to a respective processor input; a guidance controller adapted for receiving signal input and generating control output based on said signal input; a data storage device including memory storage; and a suite of actuator units each connected to a respective actuator output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of vehicle control and guidance, which method comprises the steps:
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providing a vehicle assembly including a steering subsystem and dynamic attitude comprising a geo-reference location, vehicle assembly orientation, and vehicle assembly speed; providing a guidance system including processor with multiple sensor inputs and actuator outputs, a suite of sensor units connected to a respective sensor input, a suite of actuator units connected to a respective actuator output, and a data storage device including memory storage; providing a guidance controller; inputting signal input data to said guidance controller; and generating control output signals with said guidance controller based on said signal input. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly including a steering subsystem, which guidance system includes:
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said vehicle assembly having a dynamic attitude comprising a geo-reference location, vehicle assembly orientation and vehicle assembly speed; a processor with multiple sensor inputs and actuator outputs; a suite of sensor units each connected to a respective sensor input; said sensor unit suite including a GNSS unit with an antenna and a receiver connected to said antenna, said GNSS unit providing output signals corresponding to the GNSS-defined locations of said vehicle assembly dynamic attitude to a respective processor input; said sensor unit suite including an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor providing output signals corresponding to an inertial aspect of a dynamic attitude of said vehicle assembly to a respective processor input; said guidance controller being adapted for receiving inertial measurement signals and integrating said inertial measurement signals with said GNSS-based positioning signals; said processor being programmed to determine variable confidence levels in real time for each said sensor unit based on its current relative performance; said processor being programmed to utilize said sensor unit outputs proportionally based on their respective confidence levels in generating said steering signals; a suite of actuator units each connected to a respective actuator output; said actuator unit suite including a steering unit connected to said steering subsystem and receiving said steering signals from said processor; said processor being programmed to define multiple behavior-based automatons comprising self-operating entities in said guidance system, said automatons performing respective behaviors using data output from one or more sensor units for achieving said behaviors and wherein one or more sensor units provide the same or similar data; and each said automaton having;
an accepting interface for accepting requests from other automatons;
a requesting interface for making requests to another automatons;
a knowledge input for receiving a behavioral definition for affecting the behavior of the automatons;
a data input for receiving input data; and
a data output for sending out the data.
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Specification