Leader-follower semi-autonomous vehicle with operator on side

• US 8,392,065 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Tolstedt, Jonathan Louis, Anderson, Noel Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANG, MICHAEL DEAN
• Application Number:
  US12/208,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20100063680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25, 701/26, 701/36, 701/41, 701/200, 701/201, 701/206, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/213, 701/217, 701/223, 701/300, 701/301, 340/438, 180/9.22
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13

Abstract

The illustrative embodiments provide a method and apparatus for controlling movement of a vehicle. User input selecting a path for the vehicle is received from an operator. The vehicle responds to the user input by moving along the selected path in a manner that maintains the operator on a side of the vehicle. The illustrative embodiments further provide a method and apparatus for improved machine control. The vehicle receives a power-up command, instructions to execute a planned path, and information identifying a leader. The leader is an operator. The vehicle then executes the planned path using the information identifying the leader in order to follow a path of the leader. The vehicle moves along the path in a manner that maintains the leader in a position proximate to a side of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for controlling movement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving user input from an operator, wherein the user input selects a path for the vehicle to form a selected path; and

responsive to receiving the user input, moving the vehicle along the selected path in a manner that maintains the operator on a side of the vehicle, wherein the selected path includes a set of waypoints, and wherein the moving step further comprises;

moving the vehicle along the selected path in a single dimension such that the vehicle follows the operator that is moving in a forward direction with respect to the vehicle, but the vehicle does not follow the operator that is moving in a sideways or backwards motion with respect to the vehicle;

responsive to reaching a waypoint in the set of waypoints, stopping the vehicle; and

resuming movement of the vehicle along the path in response to an event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is movement of the operator past a defined point of the vehicle.

3. A method for controlling movement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving user input from an operator, wherein the user input selects a path for the vehicle to form a selected path;

responsive to receiving the user input, moving the vehicle along the selected path in a manner that maintains the operator on a side of the vehicle; and

entering the path on a map prior to receiving the user input.

4. A method for controlling movement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving user input from an operator, wherein the user input selects a path for the vehicle to form a selected path; and

responsive to receiving the user input, moving the vehicle along the selected path in a manner that maintains the operator on a side of the vehicle, wherein the moving step further comprises;

moving the vehicle along the selected path in a single dimension such that the vehicle follows the operator that is moving in a forward direction with respect to the vehicle, but the vehicle does not follow the operator that is moving in a sideways or backwards motion with respect to the vehicle; and

responsive to detecting an obstacle in the selected path, stopping the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the moving step further comprises:

responsive to receiving a user input from the operator to move the vehicle around the obstacle, starting the vehicle; and

moving the vehicle around the obstacle based on the user input from the operator.

6. A method comprising:

receiving user input from an operator, wherein the user input selects a path for a vehicle to form a selected path; and

responsive to receiving the user input, moving the vehicle along the selected path in a manner that maintains the operator on a side of the vehicle, wherein the moving further comprises;

responsive to detecting an obstacle in the selected path, executing a maneuver to avoid the obstacle.

7. A method comprising:

a vehicle receiving a power-up command to power-up the vehicle;

the vehicle receiving instructions to execute a planned path;

the vehicle receiving information identifying a leader, wherein the leader is an operator of the vehicle;

the vehicle executing the planned path using the information identifying the leader in order to follow a path of the leader;

the vehicle moving along the path in a manner that maintains the leader in a position proximate to a side of the vehicle;

receiving information describing obstacles in a path of the vehicle;

retrieving obstacle avoidance instructions from a behavior database that comprises instructions for different modes of operation that may be performed by the vehicle;

executing the obstacle avoidance instructions; and

resuming moving along the path in the manner that maintains the leader in the position proximate to the side of the vehicle.

8. A method comprising:

a vehicle receiving a power-up command to power-up the vehicle;

the vehicle receiving instructions to execute a planned path;

the vehicle receiving information identifying a leader, wherein the leader is an operator of the vehicle;

the vehicle executing the planned path using the information identifying the leader in order to follow a path of the leader;

the vehicle moving along the path in a manner that maintains the leader in a position proximate to a side of the vehicle;

requesting positioning information from a high integrity perception system;

receiving the positioning information from the high integrity perception system; and

processing the positioning information in association with the planned path.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a steering system;

a propulsion system;

a braking system; and

a machine controller connected to the steering system, the propulsion system, and the braking system;

wherein the machine controller receives user input from an operator with instructions for a planned path and sends commands to the steering system, the propulsion system, and the braking system to move the vehicle along the planned path in a manner that maintains the operator in a position proximate to a side of the vehicle, wherein the machine controller identifies a boundary to the planned path to form an identified boundary and maintains a fixed distance between the vehicle and the identified boundary, wherein the planned path is a ground surface appropriate for movement of the vehicle, and wherein the boundary is at least one of a curb and vegetation.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a steering system;

a propulsion system;

a braking system; and

a machine controller connected to the steering system, the propulsion system, and the braking system;

wherein the machine controller receives user input from an operator with instructions for a planned path and sends commands to the steering system, the propulsion system, and the braking system to move the vehicle along the planned path in a manner that maintains the operator in a position proximate to a side of the vehicle, wherein the machine controller executes a maneuver to avoid an obstacle responsive to detecting the obstacle in the planned path.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the obstacle is at least one of a person, a vehicle, and debris in the path.

12. A vehicle comprising:

a steering system;

a propulsion system;

a braking system; and

a machine controller connected to the steering system, the propulsion system, and the braking system;

wherein the machine controller receives user input from an operator with instructions for a planned path and sends commands to the steering system, the propulsion system, and the braking system to move the vehicle along the planned path in a manner that maintains the operator in a position proximate to a side of the vehicle, wherein the machine controller distinguishes the operator from other objects.

13. A method for controlling movement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving information for processing a selected path for the vehicle; and

moving the vehicle along the selected path in a manner that maintains the operator on a side of the vehicle, wherein the operator is a human, and wherein the moving further comprises;

moving the vehicle along the selected path in a single dimension such that the vehicle follows the operator that is moving in a forward direction with respect to the vehicle, but the vehicle does not follow the operator that is moving in a sideways or backwards motion with respect to the vehicle.