Rover

• US 9,097,538 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Julie Bush
• Original Assignee: Kevin Vandevoorde, Steve Bush
• Inventors: Bush, Steve, Vandevoorde, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US13/349,528
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/44, 701/412, 701/468, 701/470, 701/519, 342/350, 342/352, 342/357.64, 342/357.75, 342/357.31, 342/357.52, 342/357.22, 342/357.36, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 343/703, 901/1, 700/245, 172/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 7/04 involving a vehicle which moves along the profile to be traced
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain

Abstract

A rover for precisely determining the topography of a given parcel by contacting the surface of the parcel includes a GPS module and at least one sensor wheel. The GPS module may be mounted adjacent to and work in concert with the sensor wheel. The attitude and heading of the sensor wheel may be measured with another sensor, such as an AHRS, and the angle of the sensor wheel may be measured with a rotation position sensor. The various data points may be distilled to accurately measure the topography of a given parcel when the relative positions of the GPS module and the center of the sensor wheel are constant.

Claims

1. A rover comprising:

a. a frame;

b. a motor mounted to said frame;

c. at least one driven wheel pivotally engaged with said frame, wherein said at least one driven wheel is in mechanical communication with said motor;

d. at least one yoke pivotally attached to said frame about a generally vertical axis;

e. at least one sensor wheel pivotally attached to said at least one yoke about a generally horizontal axis, wherein said at least one sensor wheel is passive and not in communication with any power source;

f. at least one sensor attached to said frame;

g. at least one GPS receiver attached to said frame, wherein the relative position among the center of said at least one sensor wheel, at least one sensor, and said at least one GPS receiver is fixed, such that said at least one sensor wheel communicates changes in elevation of a ground surface to said at least one GPS receiver when said at least one sensor wheel traverses said ground surface.

2. The rover according claim 1 wherein said rover further comprises at least one battery attached to said frame.

3. A rover comprising:

a. a frame, said frame comprising;

i. a frame base;

ii. a driven wheel support tab engaged with said frame base;

iii. at least one vertical brace engaged with said frame base;

iv. at least one horizontal brace engaged with said at least one vertical brace;

b. a driven wheel support frame pivotally engaged with said frame, said driven wheel support frame having a frame pivot tab, wherein said frame pivot tab is engaged with said frame via a driven wheel support pivot, wherein said driven wheel support frame may be actuated between a first and second position;

c. a driven wheel rotatably engaged with said driven wheel support frame, wherein actuation of said driven wheel support frame from said first to said second position causes said driven wheel to retract into said frame;

d. a caster assembly cooperatively engaged with said frame, said caster assembly comprising;

i. a yoke pivotally engaged with said caster assembly about a generally vertical axis;

ii. a sensor wheel pivotally engaged with said yoke about a generally horizontal axis;

e. a GPS module attached to said frame, wherein the relative position and geometry between the center of said sensor wheel and said GPS module is fixed, such that said sensor wheel communicates changes in elevation of a ground surface to said GPS module when said sensor wheel traverses said ground surface.

4. The rover according to claim 3 wherein said rover further comprises an extension arm, wherein said extension arm pivotally engaged said caster assembly with said frame.

5. The rover according to claim 4 wherein said rover further comprises a translator pivotally engaged with said frame, a connector, and said driven wheel support frame, wherein said translator communicates mechanical forces from said driven wheel support frame to said connector, and wherein said connector is also pivotally engaged with said extension arm.

6. The rover according to claim 5 wherein said frame further comprises a plurality of component supports secured to said at least one vertical brace.

8. The rover according to claim 6 wherein said rover further comprises a sensor engaged with said frame adjacent said sensor wheel, wherein said sensor determines the relative position of said sensor with respect to said GPS module.

9. The rover according to claim 8 wherein said rover further comprises a CPU in communication with said GPS module and said sensor, wherein said CPU is programmed to calculate the precise contact point between said sensor wheel and a parcel using said fixed position of said GPS module with respect to the center of said sensor wheel, a set of coordinates from said GPS module, and a set of relative coordinates from said sensor.

10. The rover according to claim 9 wherein said sensor is further defined as an attitude/heading reference system.

11. The rover according to claim 10 wherein said rover is further defined as comprising a camera engaged with said frame, wherein said camera is in communication with said CPU.

12. The rover according to claim 11 wherein said rover is further defined as comprising a proximity sensor engaged with said frame, wherein said proximity sensor is in communication with said CPU.

13. The rover according to claim 12 wherein said rover is further defined as comprising:

a. a motor engaged with said frame and providing rotational energy to said driven wheel; and

,

b. a motor controller engaged with said frame, wherein said motor controller is in communication with said CPU and said motor.

7. A rover comprising:

a. a frame, said frame comprising;

i. a frame base having a first and second side;

ii. a first and second arch engaged with said frame base an extending from said first and second sides of said frame base;

iii. a driven wheel support tab engaged with said frame base, wherein said driven wheel support tab is positioned between said first and second sides of said frame base;

iv. at least one vertical brace engaged with said frame base;

v. at least one horizontal brace engaged with said at least one vertical brace and said first arch;

b. a driven wheel support frame pivotally engaged with said frame between said first and second sides thereof, said driven wheel support frame comprising;

i. a frame pivot tab engaged with said frame via a driven wheel support pivot, wherein an axis for rotation exists adjacent said driven wheel support pivot, and wherein said driven wheel support frame may be actuated between a first and second position with respect to said frame;

ii. a translator connector secured to said frame pivot tab;

c. a driven wheel rotatably engaged with said driven wheel support frame, wherein actuation of said driven wheel support frame from said first to said second position causes said driven wheel to retract into said frame;

d. a caster assembly cooperatively engaged with said frame via an extension arm, said caster assembly comprising;

i. a yoke pivotally engaged with said caster assembly about a generally vertical axis;

ii. a sensor wheel pivotally engaged with said yoke about a generally horizontal axis;

e. a translator pivotally engaged with said translator connector of said driven wheel support frame, wherein said translator communicates mechanical forces to said extension arm to actuate said caster assembly between a first and second position with respect to said frame corresponding to said first and second positions of said driven wheel assembly.