Method and system for automatic control of vehicles based on carrier phase differential GPS
First Claim
1. A system for controlling a ground vehicle using Carrier-Phase Differential GPS, comprising:
- a plurality of vehicle GPS antennas disposed fixedly to the vehicle to receive GPS signal;
GPS receiver means coupled to the plurality of vehicle GPS antennas for producing vehicle attitude measurements and vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements;
vehicle steering control means for selectively changing the state of the vehicle;
a ground reference station including at least one reference GPS antenna and GPS receiver means coupled thereto for producing reference phase carrier phase measurement and reference code differential corrections;
means for providing a wireless communications channel between the reference station and the vehicle;
means to calculate values defining the attitude of the vehicle based on phase differences received at the GPS antennas; and
processing means including means for receiving as input data the vehicle attitude measurements, the vehicle carrier- and code phase measurements, the reference carrier phase measurements and reference code differential corrections, and controller means for calculating on the basis of the input data a control signal based on the deviation of the actual vehicle state from a desired vehicle state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described is an automatic control system for land (and possible marine) vehicles based on carrier phase differential GPS (CPGPS). The system relies on CPGPS to determine vehicle position and attitude very precisely (position to within 1 cm and attitude to within 0.1°). A system incorporates a technique to calculate and compensate for antenna motion due to vehicle roll and pitch. One aspect of the system utilizes an intelligent vehicle controller that recognizes and adapts to changing conditions, such as vehicle speed, implements towed by the vehicle, soil conditions, and disturbance level. The system provides the capability to control the vehicle on various paths, including straight lines and arbitrary curves. Also described is a technique for initialization and vehicle control using only a single pseudolite.
284 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for controlling a ground vehicle using Carrier-Phase Differential GPS, comprising:
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a plurality of vehicle GPS antennas disposed fixedly to the vehicle to receive GPS signal; GPS receiver means coupled to the plurality of vehicle GPS antennas for producing vehicle attitude measurements and vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements; vehicle steering control means for selectively changing the state of the vehicle; a ground reference station including at least one reference GPS antenna and GPS receiver means coupled thereto for producing reference phase carrier phase measurement and reference code differential corrections; means for providing a wireless communications channel between the reference station and the vehicle; means to calculate values defining the attitude of the vehicle based on phase differences received at the GPS antennas; and processing means including means for receiving as input data the vehicle attitude measurements, the vehicle carrier- and code phase measurements, the reference carrier phase measurements and reference code differential corrections, and controller means for calculating on the basis of the input data a control signal based on the deviation of the actual vehicle state from a desired vehicle state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for controlling a ground vehicle using Carrier-Phase Differential GPS comprising the steps of:
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producing vehicle attitude measurements and vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements with a GPS receiver on the basis of GPS signals received with a plurality of vehicle GPS antennas fixed to the vehicle at predetermined positions; producing reference carrier phase measurement and reference code differential correction using a ground reference station, the ground reference station including at least one reference GPS antenna and a GPS receiver coupled thereto; providing a wireless communication channel between the reference station and the vehicle; calculating values defining attitude of the vehicle using the phase differences of signals received at the GPS antennas, receiving as input data the vehicle attitude measurements, the vehicle carrier- and code phase measurements, the reference carrier phase measurements and reference code differential corrections; calculating on the basis of the input data a control signal based on the deviation of the actual vehicle state from a desired vehicle state; and selecting changing the state of the vehicle based on the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for controlling a ground vehicle using Carrier-Phase Differential GPS, comprising:
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a plurality of vehicle GPS antennas disposed fixedly to the vehicle to receive GPS signal; GPS receiver means coupled to the plurality of vehicle GPS antennas for producing vehicle attitude measurements and vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements; vehicle steering control means for selectively changing the state of the vehicle; a ground reference station including at least one reference GPS antenna and GPS receiver means coupled thereto for producing reference phase carrier phase measurement and reference code differential corrections; means for providing a wireless communications channel between the reference station and the vehicle; and processing means including means for receiving as input data the vehicle attitude measurements, the vehicle carrier- and code phase measurements, the reference carrier phase measurements and reference code differential corrections, and controller means for calculating on the basis of the input data a control signal based on the deviation of the actual vehicle state from a desired vehicle state wherein the controller means dynamically recalculates vehicle state at successive measurement intervals. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A system for controlling a ground vehicle using Carrier-Phase Differential GPS, comprising:
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a plurality of vehicle GPS antennas disposed fixedly to the vehicle to receive GPS signal; GPS receiver means coupled to the plurality of vehicle GPS antennas for producing vehicle attitude measurements and vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements; vehicle steering control means for selectively changing the state of the vehicle; a ground reference station including at least one reference GPS antenna and GPS receiver means coupled thereto for producing reference phase carrier phase measurement and reference code differential corrections; means for providing a wireless communications channel between the reference station and the vehicle; and processing means including means for receiving as input data the vehicle attitude measurements, the vehicle carrier- and code phase measurements, the reference carrier phase measurements and reference code differential corrections, and controller means for calculating on the basis of the input data a control signal based on the deviation of the actual vehicle state from a desired vehicle state, and means for initializing the system to obtain accurate vehicle position and attitude on the basis of the GPS signals. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A system for controlling a ground vehicle using Carrier-Phase Differential GPS, comprising:
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a plurality of vehicle GPS antennas disposed fixedly to the vehicle to receive GPS signal; GPS receiver means coupled to the plurality of vehicle GPS antennas for producing vehicle attitude measurements and vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements; vehicle steering control means for selectively changing the state of the vehicle including a first controller for relatively coarse steering adjustments and a second controller for relatively fine steering adjustment; a ground reference station including at least one reference GPS antenna and GPS receiver means coupled thereto for producing reference phase carrier phase measurement and reference code differential corrections; means for providing a wireless communications channel between the reference station and the vehicle; and
processing means including means for receiving as input data the vehicle attitude measurements, the vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements, the reference carrier phase measurements and reference code differential corrections, and controller means for calculating on the basis of the input data a control signal based on the deviation of the actual vehicle state from a desired vehicle state. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for controlling a ground vehicle using Carrier-Phase Differential GPS comprising the steps of:
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producing vehicle attitude measurements and vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements with a GPS receiver on the basis of GPS signals received with a plurality of vehicle GPS antennas fixed to the vehicle at predetermined positions; producing reference carrier phase measurement and reference code differential corrections using a ground reference station, the ground station including at least one reference GPS antenna and a GPS receiver coupled thereto; providing a wireless communications channel between the reference station and the vehicle; receiving as input data the vehicle attitude measurements, the vehicle carrier- and code-phase measurements, the reference carrier phase measurements and reference code differential corrections; calculating on the basis of the input data a control signal based on the deviation of the actual vehicle state from a desired vehicle state; selectively changing the state of the vehicle based on the control signal; and adaptively identifying system parameters on the basis of the input data, wherein a system controller is dynamically recalculated at successive measurement intervals. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification