Autonomous implement

• US 9,380,742 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Biber, Peter, Petereit, Steffen, Koch, Christoph, Albert, Amos
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US14/371,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20140371975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 700/258
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/22 Yaw angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/106 for maintaining or recovering the adhesion of the drive wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An autonomous implement comprising at least one drive unit including at least one drive wheel, at least one sensor unit configured to detect at least one characteristic value, at least one location-determining unit configured to detect at least one characteristic value, and at least one evaluating unit. The at least one evaluating unit is configured to determine a slip of the at least one drive wheel from the at least one characteristic value detected by the at least one sensor unit and the at least one characteristic value detected by the at least one location-determining unit.

Claims

1. An autonomous implement, comprising:

at least one drive unit including at least one drive wheel;

at least one sensor unit configured to detect at least one first characteristic value;

at least one location-determining unit configured to detect at least one second characteristic value;

at least one housing unit defining a vertical axis; and

at least one evaluating unit configured to determine a slip of the at least one drive wheel from the at least one first characteristic value and the at least one second characteristic value, to determine a tilt of the at least one housing unit about a first axis that is different from the vertical axis, and to determine a third characteristic value of a lateral movement of the at least one housing unit from the determined slip of the at least one drive wheel and the determined tilt of the at least one housing unit, the lateral movement being different from a forward movement of the at least one housing unit.

2. The autonomous implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one first characteristic value is at least one of rotational speed and torque.

3. The autonomous implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one second characteristic value is velocity.

4. The autonomous implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one first characteristic value is rotational speed.

5. The autonomous implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor unit is at least one inertial sensor unit.

6. The autonomous implement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one control or regulating unit configured to at least one of:

(i) determine a driving strategy based on the third characteristic value determined by the at least one evaluating unit; and

(ii) adjust a driving strategy based on the third characteristic value determined by the at least one evaluating unit.

9. The autonomous implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one third characteristic value is a lateral velocity of the at least one housing unit.

7. An evaluating unit for an autonomous implement including (i) at least one drive unit having at least one drive wheel, (ii) at least one sensor unit configured to detect at least one first characteristic value;

(iii) at least one housing unit defining a vertical axis; and

(iv) at least one location-determining unit configured to detect at least one second characteristic value, wherein;

the evaluating unit is configured to determine a slip of the at least one drive wheel from the at least one first characteristic value and the at least one second characteristic value, to determine a tilt of the at least one housing unit about a first axis that is different from the vertical axis, and to determine a third characteristic value of a lateral movement of the at least one housing unit from the determined slip of the at least one drive wheel and the determined tilt of the at least one housing unit, the lateral movement being different from a forward movement of the at least one housing unit.

8. A method for operating an autonomous implement including (i) at least one drive unit having at least one drive wheel, (ii) at least one sensor unit, (iii) at least one housing unit, and (iv) at least one location-determining unit, comprising:

detecting at least one first characteristic value with the at least one sensor unit;

detecting at least one second characteristic value with the at least one location-determining unit;

determining, with at least one evaluating unit, a slip of the at least one drive wheel of the at least one drive unit, from the at least one first characteristic value and the at least one second characteristic value;

determining, with the at least one evaluating unit, a tilt of the at least one housing unit about a first axis that is different from a vertical axis of the at least one housing unit; and

determining, with the at least one evaluating unit, a third characteristic value of a lateral movement of the at least one housing unit from the determined slip of the at least one drive wheel and the determined tilt of the at least one housing unit, the lateral movement being different from a forward movement of the at least one housing unit.