Turret envelope control system and method for a vehicle

• US 8,095,247 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Pillar, Duane R., Bjornstad, Neil, Woolman, William M., Squires, Bradley C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US11/729,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20070185625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/32, 701/33, 701/48, 180/271, 180/89.1, 180/383, 280/727, 280/762, 169/24
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/11 controlled by a signal from the danger zone
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/043 with additional means for keeping the receptacle substantially vertical during raising
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/045 Four-bar linkages
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 27/18 for gun turrets F41A27/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 27/20 Drives for turret movements
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 27/26 Fluid-operated systems F41A27/02, F41A27/04, F41A27/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 27/28 Electrically-operated systems F41A27/02, F41A27/04, F41A27/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/10 Waste collection, transportation, transfer or storage, e.g. segregated refuse collecting, electric or hybrid propulsion

Abstract

A turret control system and method is disclosed. The turret control system includes one or more control modules, such as an envelope control module, turret targeting module, a turret pan module, a turret deploy module, a turret store module. The preferred turret control system also provides improved turret control flexibility and improved operator feedback.

Claims

1. A method of controlling motion of a turret on a vehicle, the method comprising:

(A) acquiring operator inputs, the operator inputs being useable to generate first control signals to control motion of the turret, the operator inputs directing movement of the turret in such a way that the turret is susceptible to impacting the vehicle; and

(B) preventing the turret from impacting the vehicle, including;

(1) determining that the turret is susceptible to impacting the vehicle; and

(2) in response to step (B)(1), providing the turret with second control signals that are different than the first control signals, the second control signals directing movement of the turret in such a way that the turret does not impact the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and providing steps are performed by a microprocessor-based turret controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the turret comprises first arm and second arms.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the turret comprises a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm, and wherein the second arm is hingedly moveable relative to the first arm and the third arm is hingedly moveable relative to the second arm.

5. A method of controlling motion of a turret on a vehicle, the turret having an overall range of motion which includes obstructions that the turret is susceptible to impacting, the method comprising:

storing information indicative of a permissible travel envelope, the permissible travel envelope defining a permissible range of motion which is smaller than the overall range of motion of the turret, the information indicative of the permissible travel envelope being stored in a memory of a microprocessor-based turret controller; and

comparing an actual position of the turret with the information indicative of the permissible travel envelope.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the permissible travel envelope includes a three-dimensional space occupied by the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the permissible travel envelope further comprises structure that is not part of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising stopping the turret substantially near a boundary of the first three-dimensional space.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the turret is configured to receive a commanded path of travel to direct the turret along a path of travel.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising moving the turret along an edge of the permissible travel envelope when the commanded path of travel would cause the turret to leave the permissible travel envelope.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising adjusting the path of travel of the turret from the commanded path of travel.

12. A vehicle comprising:

(A) a turret system coupled to the vehicle, the turret system comprising;

(1) a turret; and

(2) an adjustable mount assembly that mounts the turret system to a remainder of the vehicle;

(B) a turret control system, the turret control system further comprising a turret mount actuation system and a turret controller, the turret mount actuation system including actuators capable of adjusting the adjustable mount assembly to adjust positioning of the turret system relative to the remainder of the vehicle, the turret controller being programmed to receive operator inputs that indicate a desired manner of movement for the turret, the turret controller being programmed to generate control signals for the turret mount actuation system that cause the turret to move in a manner that deviates from the desired manner of movement responsive to information that the turret is in the vicinity of an obstruction.

13. A vehicle comprising:

a chassis and a vehicle body mounted on the chassis, the chassis and vehicle body in combination including an operator compartment capable of receiving a human operator, the operator compartment including steering and throttle controls for receiving operator inputs to control movement of the vehicle along a road;

a turret;

an adjustable mount assembly, the adjustable mount assembly being mounted to the chassis and vehicle body combination; and

a turret control system, the turret control system including a plurality of actuators capable of adjusting the mount assembly to permit the position and orientation of the turret to be adjusted, the turret control system further including a microprocessor-based turret controller coupled to the plurality of actuators, the turret controller being programmed to receive operator inputs useable to generate first control signals to control motion of the turret, the operator inputs directing movement of the turret in such a way that the turret is susceptible to impacting the vehicle, and the turret motion controller further being programmed to prevent the turret from impacting the vehicle by determining that the turret is susceptible to impacting the vehicle and, in response, providing the turret with second control signals that are different than the first control signals, the second control signals directing movement of the turret in such a way that the turret does not impact the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second control signals slow the motion of the turret as the turret approaches the at least one boundary of the envelope.

15. A vehicle comprising:

a turret having an adjustable mount assembly, the adjustable mount assembly being mounted to a chassis and vehicle body combination;

a power distribution and control system, the power distribution and control system further including;

(A) a power source;

(B) a power transmission link;

(C) a plurality of output devices, the plurality of output devices including a plurality of actuators capable of adjusting the mount assembly to adjust the position and orientation of the turret;

(D) a plurality of input devices, the plurality of input devices including a plurality of position indicators capable of providing position information pertaining to the position and orientation of the turret, and the plurality of input devices further including an input device associated with an operator interface,

(E) a communication network, and

(F) a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the power source by way of the power transmission link, the plurality of interface modules being interconnected to each other by way of the communication network, and the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the plurality of input devices and to the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links, and the plurality of interface modules including one or more interface modules that are coupled to the plurality of position sensors, the plurality of actuators, and the input device associated with an operator interface; and

wherein the plurality of interface modules, the plurality of input devices, and the plurality of output devices are distributed throughout the vehicle; and

wherein each respective interface module is locally disposed with respect to the respective input and output devices to which the respective interface module is coupled so as to permit distributed data collection from the plurality of input devices and distributed power distribution to the plurality of output devices;

wherein the one or more interface modules process information from the plurality of position sensors to detect an imminent impact of the turret with an obstruction in a path of the turret and, in response, constrain movement of the turret to avoid impact with the obstruction.

16. A turret system, the turret system comprising:

(A) a turret comprising a first arm, a second arm pivotably coupled to the first arm, and a third arm pivotably coupled to the second arm and wherein at least one of the first arm, the second arm, or the third arm is extendable lengthwise;

(B) an adjustable mount assembly that mounts the turret system to a base;

(C) a turret mount actuation system, the turret mount actuation system including an actuator configured to adjust the adjustable mount assembly to adjust positioning of the turret system relative to the base; and

(D) a turret controller, the turret controller is configured to store a predetermined trajectory pertaining to desired movement of the turret,

the turret controller being programmed to control movement of the turret, the movement of the turret being controlled along an actual trajectory based on the predetermined trajectory,

the turret controller is programmed to generate control signals based on the predetermined trajectory for the turret mount actuation system that cause the turret to move along the actual trajectory, and

the turret controller receives feedback information from a turret position indicator and uses the feedback information to continuously minimize error between the actual trajectory and the predetermined trajectory.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the actuator of the turret mount actuation system adjust the turret position in response to the feedback information by continuously minimizing error relating to:

a first angle of the first arm relative to the second arm, a second angle of the second arm relative to the base, and by adjusting an angle of rotation of the adjustable mount assembly.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the turret controller is programmed to generate an obstruction control signal for the turret mount actuation system that causes the turret to move in a manner that deviates from the predetermined trajectory responsive to information that the turret is in the vicinity of an obstruction.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined trajectory is based on at least one of a relative position of the base to the first arm, a relative position of the first arm to the second arm, a relative position of the second arm to the third arm, and a relative position of the third arm to the first arm.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein a relative position between the predetermined trajectory and the actual trajectory is determined utilizing at least two imaging devices that produce an image data and a conversion module to convert the image data from the at least two imaging devices into a trajectory correction signal.

21. A turret system, the turret system comprising:

(A) a turret comprising a first arm, a second arm pivotably coupled to the first arm, and a third arm pivotably coupled to the second arm;

(B) an adjustable mount assembly that mounts the turret system to a base; and

(C) a turret mount actuation system, the turret mount actuation system including an actuator configured to adjust a first arm position independent of a second arm position and/or a third arm position, the second arm position independent of the first arm position and/or third arm position, the third arm position independent of the first arm position and/or the second arm position, or the adjustable mount assembly to adjust positioning of the turret system relative to the base.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the first arm, the second arm, or the third arm is extendable lengthwise.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a turret controller, the turret controller is configured to store a predetermined trajectory pertaining to desired movement of the turret.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the turret controller being programmed to control movement of the turret, the movement of the turret being controlled along an actual trajectory based on the predetermined trajectory,

the turret controller is programmed to generate control signals based on the predetermined trajectory for the turret mount actuation system that cause the turret to move along the actual trajectory, and

the turret controller receives feedback information from a turret position indicator and uses the feedback information to continuously minimize error between the actual trajectory and the predetermined trajectory.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first arm, the second arm, or the third arm is extendable lengthwise.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the actuator of the turret mount actuation system adjust the turret position in response to the feedback information by continuously minimizing error relating to:

a first angle of the first arm relative to the second arm, a second angle of the second arm relative to the base, and by adjusting an angle of rotation of the adjustable mount assembly.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the turret controller is programmed to generate an obstruction control signal for the turret mount actuation system that causes the turret to move in a manner that deviates from the predetermined trajectory responsive to information that the turret is in the vicinity of an obstruction.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the predetermined trajectory is based on at least one of a relative position of the base to the first arm, a relative position of the first arm to the second arm, a relative position of the second arm to the third arm, and a relative position of the third arm to the first arm.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein a relative position between the predetermined trajectory and the actual trajectory is determined utilizing at least two imaging devices that produce an image data and a conversion module to convert the image data from the at least two imaging devices into a trajectory correction signal.