Vehicle speed detection system

• US 6,230,107 B1
• Filed: 08/21/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Kitahara, Yasuo, Yamamoto, Shigeru, Nagase, Hidekazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRETLOW, DEMETRIUS R
• Application Number:
  US09/137,848
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 702/96, 702/142, 702/143, 702/145, 702/148, 702/127, 702/33, 702/41, 702/44, 702/85, 342/106, 342/114, 342/104, 342/70
• US Class Current: 702/96
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/02 of speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/66 using electric or magnetic means G01P3/80 takes precedence; measuring short time intervals G04F8/00, G04F10/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/60 wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track G01S13/64 takes precedence

Abstract

Correction for compensating for errors caused by the pitching movement of a vehicle is executed with high accuracy at low cost. The ground speed of the vehicle sensed by a Doppler sensor is corrected with angular velocities with respect to the center of gravity of the vehicle. In this correction, the center of rotation of the vehicle and the rotation of the Doppler sensor itself during the pitching movement of the vehicle are taken into account. In order to mount the Doppler sensor at a high level in the vehicle without increasing the output power of the sensor, arrangement is made such that the relationship between the difference between the actual installation level of the Doppler sensor and a reference installation level and the amount of correction of beam depression angle is stored in a look-up table; the beam depression angle corresponding to the actual installation level of the Doppler sensor is calculated through correction with the corresponding correction amount of the table; and the sensed ground speed of the vehicle is corrected with the calculated beam depression angle.

Claims

1. A ground speed detection system incorporating a Doppler sensor, the detection system comprising:

(a) angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity of a vehicle with respect to the center of gravity of the vehicle while the vehicle is in pitching movement;

(b) center of rotation detecting means for detecting the center of rotation of the vehicle while the vehicle is in pitching movement; and

(c) vehicle speed correcting means for correcting the ground speed of the vehicle sensed by the Doppler sensor based on the center of rotation detected by the center of rotation detecting means in addition to the angular velocity detected by the angular velocity detecting means.

4. A ground speed detection system according to claim 1 or 3, wherein said vehicle is a tracklaying vehicle and said center of rotation detecting means is designed to determine ground contact points located under the respective centers of crawler belt sprockets to be the center of rotation of the tracklaying vehicle if the tractive force of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined value and to determine a ground contact point located under the center of gravity of the vehicle to be the center of rotation of the vehicle if the tractive force does not exceed the predetermined value.

5. A ground speed detection system according to claim 4, wherein said vehicle speed correcting means corrects the sensed ground speed of the vehicle based on a value obtained by adding a pitch angle of the vehicle to the beam depression angle of the Doppler sensor when the ground contact points located under the respective centers of the crawler belt sprockets are determined to be the center of rotation of the vehicle.

6. A ground speed detection system according to claim 1 or 3, wherein said vehicle is a tracklaying vehicle and said center of rotation detecting means is designed to determine ground contact points located under the respective centers of crawler belt sprockets to be the center of rotation of the vehicle if the moment of the reaction force imposed on a blade which is supported on the ground contact points located under the respective centers of the crawler belt sprockets exceeds the moment of the weight of the vehicle, and to determine a ground contact point located under the center of gravity of the vehicle to be the center of rotation of the vehicle if the moment of the reaction force on the blade does not exceed the moment of the weight of the vehicle.

7. A ground speed detection system according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle speed correcting means corrects the sensed ground speed of the vehicle based on a value obtained by adding a pitch angle of the vehicle to the beam depression angle of the Doppler sensor when the ground contact points located under the respective centers of the crawler belt sprockets are determined to be the center of rotation of the vehicle.

8. A ground speed detection system according to claim 6, wherein said reaction force imposed on the blade is calculated based on the posture of the blade calculated from the stroke of blade lift cylinders and on the axial force of the blade lift cylinders calculated from hydraulic pressure supplied to the blade lift cylinders.

9. A ground speed detection system according to claim 1 or 3, wherein said vehicle is a tracklaying vehicle and said center of rotation detecting means is designed to determine ground contact points located under the respective centers of crawler belt idlers to be the center of rotation of the vehicle if the reaction force imposed on a ripper supported on ground contact points located under the respective centers of crawler belt sprockets are an upward force and the moment of the reaction force exceeds the moment of the weight of the vehicle, and to determine a ground contact point located under the center of gravity of the vehicle to be the center of rotation of the vehicle if the moment of the reaction force on the ripper does not exceed the moment of the weight of the vehicle.

10. A ground speed detection system according to claim 9, wherein said vehicle is a tracklaying vehicle and said center of rotation detecting means is designed to determine the ground contact points located under the respective centers of the crawler belt sprockets to be the center of rotation of the vehicle if the reaction force imposed on the ripper supported on the ground contact points located under the respective centers of the crawler belt sprockets is a downward force and the moment of the reaction force exceeds the moment of the weight of the vehicle, and to determine the ground contact point located under the center of gravity of the vehicle to be the center of rotation of the vehicle if the moment of the reaction force on the ripper does not exceed the moment of the weight of the vehicle.

11. A ground speed detection system according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle speed correcting means corrects the sensed ground speed of the vehicle based on a value obtained by adding a pitch angle of the vehicle to the beam depression angle of the Doppler sensor when the ground contact points located under the respective centers of the crawler belt idlers or the ground contact points located under the respective centers of the crawler belt sprockets are determined to be the center of rotation of the vehicle.

12. A ground speed detection system according to claim 9, wherein said reaction force imposed on the ripper is calculated based on the posture of the ripper calculated from the stroke of ripper lift/tilt cylinders and on the axial force of the ripper lift/tilt cylinders calculated from hydraulic pressure supplied to the ripper lift/tilt cylinders.

2. A ground speed detection system incorporating a Doppler sensor, the detection system comprising:

(a) angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity of a vehicle with respect to the center of gravity of the vehicle while the vehicle is in pitching movement and for detecting the angular velocity of the Doppler sensor being rotated; and

(b) vehicle speed correcting means for correcting the ground speed of the vehicle sensed by the Doppler sensor based on the angular velocity of the vehicle and the angular velocity of the Doppler sensor which have been detected by the angular velocity detecting means.

3. A ground speed detection system incorporating a Doppler sensor, the detection system comprising:

(a) angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity of a vehicle with respect to the center of gravity of the vehicle while the vehicle is in pitching movement and for detecting the angular velocity of the Doppler sensor being rotated;

(b) center of rotation detecting means for detecting the center of rotation of the vehicle while the vehicle is in pitching movement; and

(c) vehicle speed correcting means for correcting the ground speed of the vehicle sensed by the Doppler sensor based on the center of rotation detected by the center of rotation detecting means in addition to the angular velocity of the vehicle and the angular velocity of the Doppler sensor which have been detected by the angular velocity detecting means.

13. A ground speed detection system incorporating a Doppler sensor, the detection system comprising:

(a) memory means for storing a look-up table containing values of the difference between the actual installation level of the Doppler sensor and a reference installation level, each difference value corresponding to each correction amount for the beam depression angle of the Doppler sensor;

(b) beam depression angle calculating means for calculating the beam depression angle corresponding to the actual installation level of the Doppler sensor mounted on a vehicle, through correction with the corresponding correction amount stored in the memory means; and

(c) correcting means for correcting the ground speed of the vehicle sensed by the Doppler sensor based on the beam depression angle which has been calculated by the beam depression angle calculating means.

14. A ground speed detection system according to claim 13, wherein said look-up table is designed such that as the actual installation level of the Doppler sensor increases from the reference installation level, the amount of correction for the beam depression angle gradually increases.

15. A ground speed detection system according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the vehicle is a bulldozer and the Doppler sensor is mounted on a ripper frame for supporting a ripper of the bulldozer.