Automatic lateral guidance control system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for automatically guiding a moving vehicle with respect to a road having a plurality of markers positioned therealong, said apparatus comprising:
- means for sensing the position, relative to said vehicle, of a predetermined number of said markers and for generating position signals in response thereto;
means for calculating a path approximating said road in accordance with position signals representing both the present position of said vehicle with respect to said road, and a past position of said vehicle with respect to said road;
means for sensing the speed of said vehicle and for generating speed signals in response thereto;
means for calculating a preview distance as a function of the speed of said vehicle in accordance with said speed signals;
means for identifying a point along said approximate path that is spaced apart from said vehicle by said preview distance; and
means for generating a control signal for use in steering said vehicle substantially toward said point such that said vehicle is guided substantially along said road.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved automatic lateral guidance control system for guiding moving vehicles is provided which includes a sensing subsystem for viewing an area in front of a vehicle, a plurality of energy radiating or energy reflective devices disposed adjacent a predetermined length of road, an apparatus for translating the radiated or reflected information from the viewed area into coordinate data representing an approximation of the predetermined path along the road, and a vehicle controller for determining the vehicle'"'"'s heading with respect to the approximated path and providing an output control signal to correct the vehicle'"'"'s heading with respect to the approximated path. The system uses past and present position data to calculate a predetermined path for the vehicle. Gain factors and comfort factors are determined to maximize comfort to passengers of the system and to optimize performance of the system.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automatically guiding a moving vehicle with respect to a road having a plurality of markers positioned therealong, said apparatus comprising:
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means for sensing the position, relative to said vehicle, of a predetermined number of said markers and for generating position signals in response thereto; means for calculating a path approximating said road in accordance with position signals representing both the present position of said vehicle with respect to said road, and a past position of said vehicle with respect to said road; means for sensing the speed of said vehicle and for generating speed signals in response thereto; means for calculating a preview distance as a function of the speed of said vehicle in accordance with said speed signals; means for identifying a point along said approximate path that is spaced apart from said vehicle by said preview distance; and means for generating a control signal for use in steering said vehicle substantially toward said point such that said vehicle is guided substantially along said road. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for automatically guiding a moving vehicle with respect to a road having a plurality of markers positioned therealong, said apparatus comprising:
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means for designating a first predetermined number of markers from said plurality of markers as selected markers; means for sensing the position, relative to said vehicle, of each of said first predetermined number of markers and for generating position signals in response thereto; means for sensing the speed of said vehicle and for generating speed signals in response thereto; means for calculating a minimum preview review distance as a function of the speed of said vehicle in accordance with said speed signals; means for comparing the distance between said vehicle and the position of the nearest marker of said first predetermined number of markers to said vehicle with said minimum preview review distance and for designating a second predetermined number of markers from said plurality of markers as said selected markers if the distance between said vehicle and the position of said nearest marker of said first predetermined number of markers is equal to or exceeds said minimum preview review distance; means for calculating a gain factor as a function of the distance between said vehicle and each of said selected markers; means responsive to said gain factor for generating a control signal for use in steering said vehicle substantially toward a point along a path that is located between the nearest and furthest of said selected markers to said vehicle such that said vehicle is guided substantially along said road. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for automatically guiding a moving vehicle with respect to a road having a plurality of markers positioned therealong, said method comprising the steps of:
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designating a first predetermined number of markers from said plurality of markers as selected markers; sensing the position, relative to said vehicle, of each of said first predetermined number of markers and generating position signals in response thereto; sensing the speed of said vehicle and generating speed signals in response thereto; calculating a minimum preview review distance as a function of the speed of said vehicle in accordance with said speed signals; comparing the distance between said vehicle and the position of the nearest marker of said first predetermined number of markers to said vehicle with said minimum preview review distance and for designating a second predetermined number of markers from said plurality of markers as said selected markers if the distance between said vehicle and the position of said nearest marker is equal to or exceeds said minimum preview review distance; calculating a gain factor as a function of the distance between said vehicle and each of said selected markers; and generating a control signal for use in steering said vehicle substantially toward a point along a path that is located between the nearest and furthest of said selected markers from said vehicle utilizing said gain factor so as to guide said vehicle substantially along said road. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for automatically guiding a moving vehicle with respect to a road having a plurality of markers positioned therealong, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing the position, relative to said vehicle, of a predetermined number of said markers and generating position signals in response thereto; calculating a path approximating said road in accordance with position signals representing both the present position of said vehicle with respect to said road, and a past position of said vehicle with respect to said road; sensing the speed of said vehicle and generating speed signals in response thereto; calculating a preview distance as a function of the speed of said vehicle in accordance with said speed signals; identifying a point along said approximate path that is spaced apart from said vehicle by said preview distance; and generating a control signal for use in steering said vehicle substantially toward said point so as to guide said vehicle substantially along said road. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification