Automatic determination of tire height for improving guidance performance

• US 8,731,826 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Original Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Inventors: Matthews, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US13/311,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 701/469, 701/470, 701/468, 701/471, 701/473, 701/448, 701/445, 701/444, 701/442, 701/417, 701/412, 701/411, 701/32.4, 701/32.3, 701/495, 701/496, 701/504, 701/514, 701/518, 701/534, 701/214, 701/215, 701/223, 701/224, 701/532, 701/50, 701/1, 701/2, 701/23, 701/24, 701/25, 701/300, 701/301, 342/357.36, 342/357.29, 342/357.27, 342/357.44, 342/357.52, 342/357.57, 340/443, 340/438, 340/440, 340/901, 340/928, 340/992, 340/995.13
• US Class Current: 701/469
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude

Abstract

A system and method improve guidance system performance. An accuracy improvement module (AIM) can be configured to compare observed and expected inclination compensation factors (ICFs) at a plurality of inclination angles to detect an inaccuracy in antenna height. In response to detecting an inaccuracy, an AIM can determine a revised antenna height that more accurately represents the height of an antenna above ground. A proposed antenna height can be determined using an observed ICF. A fixed vehicle body height can be subtracted from the proposed antenna height to provide a proposed tire radius. The proposed tire radius can be compared to a table of standard tire radii to determine a tire radius value, which can then be added to the fixed vehicle body height to provide a revised antenna height. The revised antenna height can improve the accuracy or calculated ground positions, thereby improving guidance system performance.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a receiver for receiving satellite transmissions;

an inertial sensor for detecting an inclination angle of a vehicle on which said receiver is deployed; and

an accuracy improvement module (AIM) for detecting an inaccuracy in a predetermined antenna height used to determine an inclination compensation factor (ICF) associated with said inclination angle, said AIM configured to calculate a revised antenna height, and store said revised antenna height for subsequent use in determining the ICF, wherein said AIM is configured to determine a proposed antenna height using said inclination angle and an observed ICF, and wherein said AIM is configured to subtract a fixed vehicle body height from said proposed antenna height to provide a proposed tire radius.

2. A method comprising:

receiving an observed inclination compensation factor (ICF) for an antenna atop a vehicle oriented at an inclination angle, wherein said ICF is calculated using a predetermined antenna height;

comparing said observed ICF to an expected ICF for said antenna at said inclination angle;

in response to detecting an inaccuracy in said expected ICF, determining a revised antenna height using said observed ICF and said inclination angle; and

storing said revised antenna height so the revised antenna height is used in a future ICF calculation instead of said predetermined antenna height, wherein said determining a revised antenna height comprises determining a proposed antenna height using said observed ICF and said inclination angle.wherein said determining said revised antenna height comprises subtracting a vehicle body height from said proposed antenna height to provide a proposed tire radius.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing said revised antenna height to a ground position module configured to determine said expected ICF for said inclination angle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining a revised antenna height comprises comparing said proposed tire radius to a table of standard tire radii to determine a tire radius value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining a revised antenna height comprises adding said tire radius value to said vehicle body height.