Automated control system for remote vehicles

• US 6,259,980 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Peck, Alex N., Sullivan, Edward V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US09/176,031
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1-3, 701/11, 701/22-24, 701/29, 701/33, 701/36, 701/41, 701/51, 701/65, 701/70, 701/99
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/08 Range selector apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/66 Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/22 Locking of the control input devices constructional features of locking or disabling mechanisms F16H63/34
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/32 Electric motors actuators or related electrical control means therefor

Abstract

Apparatus for automatically controlling operation of a self-propelled vehicle comprises a plurality of operating systems for performing specific functions relating to the operation of the vehicle, each of the operation systems including controller devices for automatically performing a specific function and selectively operable manual components for directly overriding the controller devices and manually performing the specific function. A central processor coordinates operation of the operating systems. The operating systems include: (1) a steering wheel and a steering controller having an active mode for automatically operating the steerable wheel under the direction of the central processor and an inactive mode allowing manual operation of the steering wheel; (2) an accelerator pedal and a throttle controller having an active mode for automatically controlling fuel delivery to a fuel injector under the direction of the central processor and an inactive mode allowing manual operation of the accelerator pedal; (3) a brake pedal and a braking controller having an active mode for automatically operating the brakes under the direction of the central processor and an inactive operating the brakes under the direction of the central processor and an inactive mode allowing manual operation of the brake pedal; and (4) a gear ratio selector and a transmission controller having an active mode for automatically operating the multi-ratio transmission under the direction of the central processor and an inactive mode allowing manual operation of the gear ratio selector.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling operation of a self-propelled vehicle comprising:

a plurality of operating systems for performing specific functions relating to the operation of the vehicle, each of said operating systems including controller means for automatically performing a specific function and selectively operable manual means for directly overriding said controller means and manually performing the specific function; and

central processing means for operating and coordinating operation of said plurality of operating systems.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of operating systems includes:

a steering wheel; and

a steering controller operatively connected between said steering wheel and at least one steerable wheel supporting the vehicle on a surface, said steering controller having an active mode for automatically operating the steerable wheel under the direction of said central processing means and an inactive mode allowing manual operation of said steering wheel to manually operate the steerable wheel;

an accelerator pedal; and

a throttle controller operatively connected between said accelerator pedal and fuel injecting means for the vehicle'"'"'s powerplant, said throttle controller having an active mode for automatically controlling fuel delivery to the fuel injecting means under the direction of said central processing means and an inactive mode allowing manual operation of said accelerator pedal to manually operate the fuel injecting means;

a brake pedal; and

a braking controller operatively connected between said brake pedal and brakes on at least one vehicle wheel, said braking controller having an active mode for automatically operating the brakes under the direction of said central processing means and an inactive mode allowing manual operation of said brake pedal to manually operate the brakes; and

a gear ratio selector; and

a transmission controller operatively connected between said gear ratio selector and the multi-ratio transmission for the vehicle, said transmission controller having an active mode for automatically operating the multi-ratio transmission under the direction of said central processing means and an inactive mode allowing manual operation of said gear ratio selector.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including:

air cooled protective casing means for housing said plurality of operating systems.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including:

cooling fan means for drawing cooling air into said air cooled protective casing means; and

exhaust duct means for exhausting warm air from said air cooled protective casing means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including:

a first air cooled protective casing for housing said steering controller.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including:

a second air cooled protective casing for housing said throttle controller, said braking controller, and said transmission controller.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said steering controller includes:

a steering control motor;

steering drive means drivingly connecting said steering control motor and the steerable wheel;

steering motor current sensing means generating on output signal proportional thereto;

said central processing means responsive to said output signal for operating said steering control motor;

shaft means connecting said steering controller and said steering wheel; and

load cell means on said shaft means responsive to manual movement of said steering wheel for signaling said central processing means to de-energize said steering control motor and to lack of manual movement of said steering wheel for signaling said central processing means to energize said steering control motor.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said steering controller includes:

encoder means establishing a null position of said shaft means for monitoring position of said shaft means in relation to the null position, for generation a signal proportional to the difference between the monitored position and the null position of said shaft means, and for transmitting the signal to said central processing means;

said central processing means responsive to the signal from said encoder means to energize said steering control motor to return said shaft means to the null position upon return of said steering controller to the active mode.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said throttle controller includes:

a throttle control actuator operable under the direction of said central processing means when in the active mode;

throttle control means drivingly connecting said throttle control actuator and the accelerator pedal;

latch means extending between said throttle control actuator and said throttle control means and including first and second mutually engageable latch members and means biasing said first and second latch members together when said throttle controller is in the active mode, said throttle control actuator operable to move said first and second latch members apart when said transmission controller is in the inactive mode.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said braking controller includes:

a braking control motor;

braking drive means drivingly connecting said braking control motor and the brakes of the vehicle; and

load cell means on said braking drive means responsive to manual movement of said brake pedal for signaling said central processing means to de-energize said braking control motor and to lack of manual movement of said brake pedal for signaling said central processing means to energize said braking control motor.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said braking drive means includes:

a brake cable stretched between said load cell means and said brake pedal; and

tension adjustment means for imparting a predetermined tension to said brake cable;

said load cell means responsive to a tension in excess of said predetermined tension for signaling said central processing means to de-energize said braking control motor and to lack of manual movement of said brake pedal for signaling said central processing means to energize said braking control motor.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said braking drive means includes:

a rotatable braking drive shaft driven by said braking control motor; and

a braking control cam mounted on said braking drive shaft for rotation therewith and in engagement with said brake cable for adjusting tension in said brake cable and thereby operating the brakes of the vehicle under the control of said central processing means.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said braking controller includes:

braking encoder means establishing a null position of said braking drive means for monitoring position of said braking drive means in relation to the null position, for generating a signal proportional to the difference between the monitored position and the null position of said braking drive means, and for transmitting the signal to said central processing means;

said central processing means responsive to the signal from said braking encoder means to energize said steering control motor to return said braking drive means to the null position upon return of said braking controller to the active mode.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said transmission controller includes:

gear selector control motor means; and

gear selector drive means drivingly connecting said gear selector control motor and said gear ratio selector for movement among a plurality of discrete operating positions.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said transmission controller includes:

shift locking means for selectively maintaining said gear ratio selector temporarily fixed in a selected position.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said shift locking means includes:

a shift locking actuator;

a shift locking cable connected at one end to said gear ratio selector; and

latch means extending between said shift locking actuator and said shift locking cable and including first and second mutually engageable latch members and means biasing said first and second latch members together when said transmission controller is in the active mode, said gear selector control actuating means operable to move said first and second latch members apart when said transmission controller is in the inactive mode.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said transmission controller includes:

inclinometer means responsive to the attitude of the vehicle and generating an output signal proportional thereto;

said central processing means responsive to said output signal from said inclinometer means for automatically operating said gear selector control actuating means.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said gear selector drive means includes:

encoder means establishing a null position of said gear selector shaft means for monitoring position of said gear selector shaft means in relation to the null position, for generating a signal proportional to the difference between the monitored position and the null position of said gear selector shaft means, and for transmitting the signal to said central processing means;

said central processing means responsive to the signal from said encoder means to energize said gear selector control motor to return said gear selector shaft means to the null position upon return of said transmission controller to the active mode.