Computer-implemented method and system for dynamically positioning a vehicle relative to another vehicle in motion for on-the-fly offloading operations
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for automatically positioning a moving first vehicle relative to a moving second vehicle traveling in a given area, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) automatically tracking the second vehicle in a tracking mode and guiding the first vehicle to attain a given position relative to the second vehicle; and
(b) once the first vehicle has attained the given position relative to the second vehicle in the tracking mode, automatically controlling the first vehicle in a fixed-speed mode to maintain a generally constant speed such that an operator of the second vehicle can manually adjust the speed of the second vehicle to correspondingly adjust a relative position of the second vehicle to the first vehicle in a direction of movement of the first and second vehicles, while automatically controlling the first vehicle to maintain a given distance from the second vehicle in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the first and second vehicles by tracking the second vehicle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Computer-implemented methods and systems are disclosed for automatically positioning a moving first vehicle relative to a moving second vehicle traveling in a given area. The method includes the steps of: (a) tracking the second vehicle and guiding the first vehicle to attain a given position relative to the second vehicle; and (b) controlling the first vehicle to maintain a generally constant speed such that an operator of the second vehicle can adjust the speed of the second vehicle to correspondingly adjust a relative position of the second vehicle to the first vehicle in a direction of movement of the first and second vehicles, and controlling the first vehicle to maintain a given distance from the second vehicle in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the first and second vehicles by tracking the second vehicle.
-
Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method for automatically positioning a moving first vehicle relative to a moving second vehicle traveling in a given area, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) automatically tracking the second vehicle in a tracking mode and guiding the first vehicle to attain a given position relative to the second vehicle; and (b) once the first vehicle has attained the given position relative to the second vehicle in the tracking mode, automatically controlling the first vehicle in a fixed-speed mode to maintain a generally constant speed such that an operator of the second vehicle can manually adjust the speed of the second vehicle to correspondingly adjust a relative position of the second vehicle to the first vehicle in a direction of movement of the first and second vehicles, while automatically controlling the first vehicle to maintain a given distance from the second vehicle in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the first and second vehicles by tracking the second vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A first vehicle configured to be automatically positioned relative to a moving second vehicle traveling in a given area, the first vehicle comprising:
-
(a) a vehicle drive system; (b) a vehicle state property estimation system for estimating state properties of the first vehicle; and (c) a microprocessor-based vehicle controller receiving data from the vehicle state property estimation system and controlling the vehicle drive system, the vehicle controller being configured to; (i) automatically track the second vehicle in a tracking mode and control the vehicle drive system to guide the first vehicle to attain a given position relative to the second vehicle; and (ii) once the first vehicle has attained the given position relative to the second vehicle in the tracking mode, automatically control the vehicle drive system to maintain a generally constant speed for the first vehicle such that an operator of the second vehicle can manually adjust the speed of the second vehicle to correspondingly adjust a relative position of the second vehicle to the first vehicle in a direction of movement of the first and second vehicles, and automatically control the vehicle drive system such that the first vehicle maintains a given distance from the second vehicle in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the first and second vehicles by tracking the second vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
Specification