Light bar with tilt sensor

• US 6,567,747 B1
• Filed: 10/04/1999
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Timmons, Michael, Farmer, Dominic, Lange, Arthur F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/411,026
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/211, 701/214, 701/220, 701/41, 701/50, 701/23, 180/167, 180/41, 340/689, 340/440, 342/357.01, 342/357.17, 342/357.14, 342/357.11
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 15/20 Special adjusting means for tools of ploughs drawn by, or mounted on tractors working on hillsides or slopes
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/00 Lifting or adjusting devices or arrangements for agricultural machines or implements lifting mechanisms for the cutter-bar of a mower A01D34/24; adjusting devices for the cutter-bar of a mower A01D34/28; constructional features of lifting devices per se B66F
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/00 Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels

Abstract

The present invention is drawn to a light bar assembly for guiding the movement of a vehicle on a tilted surface. The light bar assembly is comprised of a housing having a light bar and a tilt sensor. The light bar is disposed in the housing and adapted to guide the movement of the vehicle. In addition, the tilt sensor is disposed in the housing and adapted to indicate the attitude of the vehicle. As such, the attitude of the vehicle is taken into consideration when the vehicle is being guided along the adjusted travel path on the tilted surface. Moreover, with the addition of the light bar assembly, an existing prior art guidance control system can be conveniently and economically upgraded to a robust system that includes the tilt sensor.

Claims

1. A light bar assembly comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a light bar disposed in said housing, said light bar adapted to guide the movement of a vehicle; and

c) a tilt sensor disposed in said housing, said tilt sensor adapted to determine the attitude of said vehicle.

2. The light bar assembly of claim 1, further comprising a connector receptacle coupled to said housing such that a portion of said connector receptacle extends from said housing.

3. The light bar assembly of claim 2, wherein said connector receptacle is a serial port.

4. The light bar assembly of claim 2, further comprising an electrical cable coupled to said connector receptacle, said connector receptacle coupled via electrical cables to said light bar and said tilt sensor.

5. The light bar assembly of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein said control unit comprises a microprocessor, said microprocessor disposed in said housing.

6. The light bar assembly of claim 1, wherein said light bar is further comprised of a plurality of lights that are adapted to emit a light pattern that indicates the deviation of said vehicle from an adjusted travel path.

7. The light bar assembly of claim 6, wherein said plurality of lights are aligned as a row, and wherein said light pattern is formed by selectively illuminating ones of said plurality of lights.

8. The light bar assembly of claim 6, wherein said plurality of lights are comprised of a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LED'"'"'s).

9. The light bar assembly of claim 1, wherein said tilt sensor is adapted to determine lateral tilt angle of said vehicle.

10. A guidance control system for a vehicle, said guidance control system comprising:

a) a Position Determination System (PDS) adapted to determine the position of a vehicle;

b) a light bar assembly including a housing, and a light bar, said light bar disposed in said housing and adapted to guide the movement of a vehicle, said light bar assembly also including a tilt sensor disposed in said housing, said tilt sensor adapted to determine the attitude of said vehicle; and

c) a control unit coupled to-said PDS and said light bar assembly, said control unit adapted to determine an adjusted travel path for said vehicle using said determined attitude, and said control unit adapted to indicate said adjusted travel path using said light bar.

11. The guidance control system of claim 10, wherein said light bar is further comprised of a plurality of lights that are adapted to emit a light pattern that indicates the deviation of said vehicle from said adjusted travel path.

12. The light bar assembly of claim 11, wherein said plurality of lights are aligned as a row, and wherein said light pattern is formed by selectively illuminating ones of said plurality of lights.

13. The light bar assembly of claim 11, wherein said control unit is disposed in said housing.

14. The guidance control system of claim 10, wherein said tilt sensor indicates lateral tilt angle of said vehicle.

15. The guidance control system of claim 10, wherein said adjusted travel path adjusts for the tilt error caused by lateral tilt of said vehicle when said vehicle is laterally inclined.

16. The guidance control system of claim 10, wherein said PDS is comprised of:

a Global Positioning System antenna (GPS antenna);

a GPS receiver coupled to said GPS antenna; and

a GPS processor coupled to said GPS receiver and adapted to determine the position of said vehicle.