GNSS optimized aircraft control system and method
First Claim
1. A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based material distribution control system for a vehicle, which system comprises:
- a material hopper associated with the vehicle and adapted for containing a material to be distributed;
a spreader mechanism adapted for spreading the material along a travel path of the vehicle;
a gate box assembly connected to the hopper and the spreader mechanism;
said gate box assembly being adapted for selectively controlling a flow of material from the hopper to the spreader mechanism;
a GNSS subsystem mounted on the vehicle and including an antenna, a graphical user interface (GUI) and a GNSS receiver, said GNSS subsystem being adapted for providing GNSS-based positioning information for said vehicle; and
a gate box control subsystem including a controller connected to the GNSS subsystem and the gate box assembly and adapted for controlling said gate box assembly using said GNSS-based positioning information.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A GNSS system in combination with a hydraulically-actuated, airborne dispenser for a dry material crop dusting system to optimize the distribution of dry materials over a particular tract of land. A GNSS subsystem is included using at least one GNSS antenna and one GNSS receiver located on the aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with an electronic/hydraulic crop dusting subsystem connected to a GNSS CPU. The GNSS ranging signals received by the antennas are processed by a receiver and processor system for determining the vehicle'"'"'s position and dynamic attitude in three dimensions (3D). A graphical user interface (GUI) placed in the vehicle will give the driver a real-time view of his or her current bearing as well as a calculated “optimal path” based on calculations and variable data, such as wind speed and direction, material moisture content, altitude, air speed and other conditions. The system is adapted for operation in a differential GNSS (DGNSS) mode utilizing a base station at a fixed location.
440 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based material distribution control system for a vehicle, which system comprises:
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a material hopper associated with the vehicle and adapted for containing a material to be distributed; a spreader mechanism adapted for spreading the material along a travel path of the vehicle; a gate box assembly connected to the hopper and the spreader mechanism; said gate box assembly being adapted for selectively controlling a flow of material from the hopper to the spreader mechanism; a GNSS subsystem mounted on the vehicle and including an antenna, a graphical user interface (GUI) and a GNSS receiver, said GNSS subsystem being adapted for providing GNSS-based positioning information for said vehicle; and a gate box control subsystem including a controller connected to the GNSS subsystem and the gate box assembly and adapted for controlling said gate box assembly using said GNSS-based positioning information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based material distribution control system for an aircraft, which system comprises:
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a material hopper associated with the aircraft and adapted for containing a material to be distributed; a venturi spreader mechanism mounted below the aircraft and adapted for spreading the material along a travel path of the aircraft; a gate box assembly connected to the hopper and the spreader mechanism; said gate box assembly being adapted for selectively controlling a flow of material from the hopper to the spreader mechanism; a GNSS subsystem mounted on the vehicle and including a base antenna, a slave antenna mounted on said vehicle in spaced relation from said base antenna and connected to said GNSS receiver, a graphical user interface (GUI) and a multi-frequency GNSS receiver, said GNSS subsystem being adapted for providing GNSS-based positioning information for said vehicle; said GNSS subsystem being adapted for computing a heading of said vehicle using the relative positions of said antennas; a gate box control subsystem including a controller connected to the GNSS subsystem and the gate box assembly and adapted for controlling said gate box assembly using said GNSS-based positioning information; said GNSS subsystem being adapted for differential GNSS-based guidance using positioning corrections from a base GNSS station and GNSS-based positions computed by said on-board GNSS subsystem; an imagery device connected to said controller and adapted for capturing and storing images along said aircraft flight path; said gate box assembly including a gate box actuator adapted for selectively and adjustably controlling the flow of material through said gate box assembly; said controller including an automatic geo-reference function; and a telemetry device connected to said controller chosen from among the group comprising radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), optical, sonar and radar. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of optimizing the spreading of dry crop dusting material, the method comprising the steps;
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providing a crop dusting aircraft, including a gate box assembly and spreader; loading said gate box assembly with crop dusting material; providing a DGNSS subsystem, the subsystem including a CPU, a master antenna, at least two slave antennas, a graphical user interface (GUI) and a DGNSS receiver; providing an electrical dry gate controller subsystem; electrically connecting said DGNSS subsystem to said dry gate controller subsystem and attaching the mounting to said crop dusting aircraft; detecting said aircraft'"'"'s three-dimensional positioning using said DGNSS subsystem; defining a set of input parameters to establish the boundaries of a targeted tract of land with said CPU; recalling said input parameters and associating said input parameters with said aircraft three-dimensional positioning using said CPU; instructing said electrical dry gate controller with said CPU to open and/or close said gate box assembly; and informing the pilot of ideal flight patterns and speeds determined by said CPU to produce optimal coverage of said crop dusting material. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification