GNSS contour guidance path selection

• US 8,583,326 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Inventors: Collins, Dennis M., Brown, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US12/703,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/200, 701/50, 701/41, 701/23, 701/25, 701/301, 701/120, 701/26, 3423572-35778, 342358-362, 700/284, 700/253, 172/179
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/007 Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A GNSS-based contour guidance path selection system for guiding a piece of equipment through an operation, such as navigating a guide path, includes a processor programmed for locking onto a particular aspect of the operation, such as deviating from a pre-planned or original guidance pattern and locking the guidance system onto a new route guide path, while ignoring other guidance paths. The system gives a vehicle operator control over a guidance route without the need to re-plan a pre-planned route. The device corrects conflicting signal issues arising when new swaths result in the guidance system receiving conflicting directions of guidance where the new swaths cross predefined swaths. An operator can either manually, or with an autosteer subsystem automatically, maintain a new contour guidance pattern, even while crossing predefined guidance paths that would otherwise divert the vehicle.

Claims

1. A GNSS guidance method using a GNSS guidance system attached to a vehicle towing an implement, the guidance system including a GNSS receiver, at least one GNSS antenna, a processor, and a memory storage device, the method performed by the processor, comprising the steps of:

uploading a pre-planned guidance path solution or creating a guidance path solution by storing GNSS data points;

storing said guidance path solution as a first guidance path solution;

guiding the vehicle along said first guidance path solution;

receiving with the antenna and the receiver GNSS position information from a plurality of GNSS positional satellites;

recording with the processor current position information received into the memory storage device and storing it as previous swath data corresponding to said first guidance path solution;

deviating from said first guidance path solution;

engaging a guidance isolation contour lock mode for the swath guidance path solution currently being guided along if the vehicle is guided along the same path for a

predetermined amount of time, resulting in a contour lock function ignoring said first guidance solution guidance swaths and computing a second guidance solution path including an isolated guidance contour lock path adapted for use in said isolated guidance contour lock mode;

guiding said vehicle along said second guidance solution path in said isolated guidance contour lock mode;

repeatedly computing a GNSS position of said vehicle while guiding said vehicle along said second guidance solution path;

disengaging said contour lock function in said guidance isolation contour lock mode if said vehicle deviates from said second guidance solution path by greater than a predetermined deviation comprising either a predetermined distance or a predetermined percentage of the width of the guidance path;

in said isolated guidance mode with said contour lock function disengaged, locking onto a guidance path from either the first or second guidance solution;

with contour lock engaged, ignoring said first guidance solution path at an intersection with said second guidance solution path;

providing a steering guide including;

     1) an upper steering guide arc comprising an illuminated array indicating a course deviation of said vehicle, said array having illuminated and non-illuminated portions left and right of center, said illuminated portions having lengths corresponding to angular deviations of said vehicle course from said guidance path; and

     2) a lower steering guide bar having illuminated and non-illuminated portions left and right of center, said illuminated portions having lengths corresponding to offset distances of said vehicle from said guidance path; and

connecting the steering guide to the processor and illuminating;

     1) said upper steering guide arc corresponding to a course deviation of said vehicle; and

     2) said lower steering guide bar corresponding to an offset of said vehicle from said guidance path.