RF only guidance system

• US 6,212,448 B1
• Filed: 11/13/1998
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Paul G. Angott, Thomas G. Xydis
• Inventors: Xydis, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/191,770
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/200, 701/22, 701/25, 701/209, 56/10.2 R, 56/10.2 A, 180/168
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

A programmable utility vehicle assembly 10 comprises a carriage 20 for moving over a plot, and a mobile transceiver 30 attached to the carriage 20 for transmitting a signal. The assembly 10 includes a power unit 22 for driving the carriage 20 over the plot, and a steering unit 24 for steering the carriage 20 over the plot. The assembly 10 further includes a plurality of locating stations 40 each having a stationary transceiver 42 for receiving a signal from the mobile transceiver 30 and transmitting a return signal to the mobile transceiver 30. The assembly 10 is characterized by a central processing unit 60 (CPU) on the carriage 20 for preprogramming a desired vehicle path having a counter 62 for counting two way propagation time between the mobile transceiver 30 and said remote locating stations 40 to determine said vehicle location and guide said vehicle along the programmed path.

Claims

1. A programmable utility vehicle assembly 10 comprising:

a carriage 20 for moving over a plot,

a mobile transceiver 30 attached to said carriage 20 for transmitting a signal,

a power unit 22 for driving said carriage 20 over the plot,

a steering unit 24 for steering said carriage 20 over the plot,

a plurality of locating stations 40 each having a stationary transceiver 42 for receiving a signal from said mobile transceiver 30 and transmitting a return signal to said mobile transceiver 30,

a central processing unit 60 (CPU) on said carriage 20 for preprogramming a desired carriage 20 path having a counter 62 for counting two way propagation time between said mobile transceiver 30 and said remote locating stations 40 to determine said carriage 20 location and guide said carriage 20 along the programmed path,

said locating stations 40 each including a stationary processor 44,

said stationary processors 44 each including an individual code interpreting circuit 71 for receiving a coded signal from said mobile transceiver 30, and an individual code generating circuit 70 for transmitting a coded signal to said mobile transceiver 30,

said stationary processor 44 including a pulse receiving circuit 73 for receiving a RF timing pulse from said mobile transceiver 30 and a pulse transmitting circuit for transmitting a RF timing pulse to said mobile transceiver 30,

said stationary processors 44 each including a delay circuit 74 for delaying transmission of said return timing pulse;

said stationary processors 44 each including a stationary master controller 46.

2. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coded signal is further defined as a radio frequency (RF) timing pulse.

3. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 1 wherein said CPU 60 includes a code generating circuit and a code interpreting circuit 71 for transmitting a coded signal to said locating stations 40 and subsequently receiving coded signals from said locating stations 40.

4. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 1 wherein said CPU 60 includes a pulse generating circuit 72 for transmitting a RF timing pulse to said locating stations 40 and a pulse receiving circuit 73 for receiving a return RF timing pulse from said locating stations 40.

5. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stationary processors 44 each include a system clock 48.

6. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 1 wherein said counter 62 begins counting when said RF timing pulse is emitted from said mobile transceiver 30 and stops counting when said mobile transceiver 30 receives said return RF timing pulse from said locating station 40.

7. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 1 wherein said CPU 60 includes a memory circuit 75 for storing data points.

8. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stationary processor 44 includes a wake-up circuit 76 activated by a first RF signal for preparing said remote locating station 40 for said timing pulse from said mobile transceiver 30 beginning programmed travel around a plot.

9. A programmable utility vehicle assembly 10 comprising:

a carriage 20 for moving over a plot,

a mobile transceiver 30 attached to said carriage 20 for transmitting a signal,

a power unit 22 for driving said carriage 20 over the plot,

a steering unit 24 for steering said carriage 20 over the plot,

a plurality of locating stations 40 each having a stationary transceiver 42 for receiving a signal from said mobile transceiver 30 and transmitting a return signal to said mobile transceiver 30,

a central processing unit 60 (CPU) on said carriage 20 for preprogramming a desired carriage 20 path having a counter 62 for counting two way propagation time between said mobile transceiver 30 and said remote locating stations 40 to determine said carriage 20 location and guide said carriage 20 along the programmed path,

said CPU 60 including a memory circuit 75 for storing data points

each data point including said timing pulse two way propagation time between said mobile transceiver 30 and said remote locating stations 40 and a direct indicating said carriage 20 direction.

10. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 9 including a steering device 90 attached to said carriage 20 for maneuvering said carriage 20 about a plot for programming said CPU 60.

11. An assembly 5 as set forth in claim 9 wherein said memory circuit 75 stores at least three data points for determining a direction vector for projecting travel.

12. An assembly 5 as set forth in claim 11 wherein said CPU 60 determines a discrepancy between the actual travel vector and said programmed travel vector for revising the actual travel vector to match said programmed vector.

13. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 12 wherein said CPU 60 determines an inability for said carriage 20 to correct the actual travel vector and return to said programmed travel vector and said CPU 60 terminates travel.

14. A programmable utility vehicle assembly 10 comprising:

a carriage 20 for moving over a plot,

a mobile transceiver 30 attached to said carriage 20 for transmitting a signal,

a power unit 22 for driving said carriage 20 over the plot,

a steering unit 24 for steering said carriage 20 over the plot,

a plurality of locating stations 40 each having a stationary transceiver 42 for receiving a signal from said mobile transceiver 30 and transmitting a return signal to said mobile transceiver 30,

a central processing unit 60 (CPU) on said carriage 20 for preprogramming a desired carriage 20 path having a counter 62 for counting two way propagation time between said mobile transceiver 30 and said remote locating stations 40 to determine said carriage 20 location and guide said carriage 20 along the programmed path,

said carriage 20 including a keypad 90 connected to said CPU 60 for programming said CPU 60.

15. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 14 wherein said CPU 60 includes a scheduling circuit 77 for storing predetermined times in the CPU 60 for the carriage 20 to automatically follow the programmed travel.

16. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 15 wherein said CPU 60 includes a CPU master controller 80 for receiving data from said code circuit and communicating with said memory circuit 75.

17. An assembly 10 as set forth in claim 16 wherein said CPU 60 includes a system clock 85 having a first output for said pulse generating circuit 72 and a second output said master controller 80.

18. A method for programming a vehicle central processing unit 60 (CPU) on a carriage 20 for driving and directing the carriage 20 over a plot in response to instructions from the CPU 60, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a plurality of remote locating stations 40 in spaced positions about a plot, and

placing a mobile transceiver 30 on a carriage 20, and

transmitting a first signal from the mobile transceiver 30 to the locating stations 40, and

returning a return signal to the mobile transceiver 30 from the locating stations 40, and

counting the two way propagation time of the first and return signals between the mobile transceiver 30 and the locating stations 40 for determining the carriage 20 location,

transmitting a radio frequency timing pulse,

transmitting separate coded timing pulses to said locating stations 40 wherein each locating station 40 includes a code interpreting circuit 71 for receiving and a code generating circuit 70 for retransmitting said separate coded signals to said mobile transceiver 30,

delaying the return transmission to said mobile transceiver 30 from said locating stations 40, and

storing data points comprising two way propagation time between the mobile transceiver 30 and the locating towers while maneuvering the carriage 20 along a desired route.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 including storing said last three data points for projecting a direction vector for said carriage 20.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 including steering the carriage 20 over the lawn, storing the route in the CPU 60 and repeatedly moving the carriage 20 over the plot in response to the CPU 60 following the stored route.

21. A method for programming a vehicle central processing unit 60 (CPU) on a carriage 20 for driving and directing the carriage 20 over a plot in response to instructions from the CPU 60, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a plurality of remote locating stations 40 in spaced positions about a plot,

placing a mobile transceiver 30 on a carriage 20,

transmitting a first signal from the mobile transceiver 30 to the locating stations 40,

returning a return signal to the mobile transceiver 30 from the locating stations 40,

counting the two way propagation time of the first and return signals between the mobile transceiver 30 and the locating stations 40 for determining the carriage 20 location, setting predetermined times in the CPU 60 for the carriage 20 to automatically follow the programmed path.