Device and method for determining the position of a working part

• US 6,421,627 B1
• Filed: 08/18/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble AB (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spectra Precision AB
• Inventors: Ericsson, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US09/341,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 702/150, 702/152, 702/127, 702/94, 702/153, 702/159, 332/81, 332/86, 332/90, 333/70, 336/24, 337/07, 356/3.01, 356/6.04, 356/6.13, 356/6.06, 356/138, 356/139.05
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/842 using electromagnetic, optical or photoelectric beams, e.g. laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/847 using electromagnetic, optical or acoustic beams to determine the blade position, e.g. laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and to a method for determining the position for a working part of a tool on a working machine. A position determining apparatus is placed in a defined position on the working machine in order to determine the position of this place in a coordinate system fixed in space. The position-determining apparatus comprises partly a relatively slow determining device (1, 4; 1, 4a, 4b; 53, 50, 51), which at time intervals measures the actual position of the machine , and partly a relatively fast determining device (6; ACC1, ACC2) which reacts on position changes of the machine in order to calculate and up date the determination between the said time intervals.

Claims

1. A system for determining the position of a working part of a tool on a working machine, comprising:

means placed on a preselected location of the working machine to determine the position of the working machine in a coordinate system fixed in space and having

a) means for measuring the actual position of the machine between sequential time intervals at a first rate, and

b) means for reacting to positional changes of the machine at a second rate, faster than the first rate;

means for sensing positional changes of the working part relative to the machine during the sequential time intervals; and

means for calculating the position of the working part in the coordinate system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the reacting means comprises at least one accelerometer mounted on the machine and connected to the position determining means for measuring the acceleration of the machine in at least one direction, the position determining means performing integration of acceleration and updates calculations of the machine position in the fixed coordinate system.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the reacting means comprises at least one rotation sensing device for rotation around at least one axis of the machine.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the actual position measuring means comprises a stationary measuring station placed in the vicinity of the working machine and at least one detector means located on a preselected point on the working machine and communicating with the stationary measuring station for determining the position of the machine in the fixed coordinate system.

5. The system according to claim 1 together with orientation means mounted to the machine and outputting data, at the first rate, the data relating to the orientation in the fixed coordinate system of the part of the machine where the orientation means is mounted.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the actual position measuring means comprises a stationary measuring station placed in the vicinity of the working machine and at least two fixed detector units with fixed positions on the working machine.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the actual position measuring means comprises a stationary measuring stat on placed in the vicinity of the working machine and a movable detector unit movable between at least two positions determinable relative to the working machine.

8. The system according to claim 1 together with at least one rotatably mounted and controllable optical unit placed on the working machine, which optical unit aligns itself towards the stationary measuring station with the help of a measuring beam of a stationary station.

9. The system according to claim 4 together with at least one rotatably mounted and controllable optical unit placed on the working machine, which optical unit aligns itself towards the stationary measuring station with the help of a measuring beam transmitted from the optical unit and reflected in a prism in the stationary station, whereby the orientation of the optical unit relative to the working machine is indicated and transmitted to the calculating means.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein the position-determining means comprises geodesic target seeking means placed at a predetermined distance from the working machine and permitting measurements to a reflector target mounted on the working machine.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein each target is provided with an alignment indicator means for furnishing alignment indications for the geodesic target seeking means relating to the target.

12. The system according to claim 4 wherein the position determining detector means is a radio navigation antenna connected to a receiver.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein the calculating means calculates the probable future position, orientation, working direction and speed for the working part of the working machine.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein the calculating means stores a map with the desired topography of an area which is to be treated, and calculated data for the working part is displayed for positions relative to the map on a presentation unit.

15. A method for determining the position of a working part of a tool on a working machine, comprising the steps:

determining the position of the working machine in a coordinate system fixed in space by

a) measuring the actual position of the machine between sequential time interval at a first rate, and

b) reacting to positional changes of the machine at a second rate, faster than the first rate;

sensing positional changes of the working part relative to the machine during the sequential time intervals; and

calculating the position of the working part in the coordinate system.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the reacting to positional changes comprises:

measuring the acceleration of the machine in at least one direction;

integrating acceleration measurements; and

updating calculations of the machine position in the fixed coordinate system.

17. The method set forth in claim according to claim 15 wherein the reacting step comprises sensing rotation around at least one axis of the machine.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the actual position measuring comprises:

placing a stationary measuring station in the vicinity of the working machine;

placing at least one detector on a preselected point on the working machine; and

communicating with the stationary measuring station for determining the position of the machine in the fixed coordinate system.

19. The method according to claim 15 together with the step of outputting data, at the first rate, the data relating to the orientation in the fixed coordinate system of the part of the machine where the orientation means is mounted.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of measuring actual position further comprises:

placing a stationary measuring station in the vicinity of the working machine; and

placing at least two fixed detector units with fixed positions on the working machine.

21. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of measuring actual position further comprises:

placing a stationary measuring station placed in the vicinity of the working machine; and

placing a movable detector unit movable between at least two positions determinable relative to the working machine.

22. The method according to claim 15 together with the step of mounting at least one rotatable controllable optical unit on the working machine, and self-aligning the optical unit towards the stationary measuring station in response to a measuring beam of a stationary station.

23. The method according to claim 15 together with the step of mounting at least one rotatable controllable optical unit on the working machine, and self-aligning the optical unit towards the stationary measuring station in response to a measuring beam of a stationary station, the beam transmitted from the optical unit and reflected from a prism in a stationary station, whereby the orientation of the optical unit relative to the working machine is indicated and transmitted to the calculating means.

24. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of determining position comprises the step of placing a geodesic target seeking instrument at a predetermined distance from the working machine and taking measurements to a reflector target mounted on the working machine.

25. The method according to claim 15, together with the step of providing each target with an alignment indicator means for furnishing alignment indications for the geodesic instrument relating to the target.

26. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of determining position further includes the step of obtaining positional data from a radio navigation antenna connected to a receiver.

27. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of calculating position further includes the step of calculating the probable future position, orientation, working direction and speed for the working part of the working machine.

28. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of calculating position further comprises the steps of:

storing a map with the desired topography of an area which is to be treated; and

displaying calculated data for the working part'"'"'s positions relative to the map.