Multimode vehicular navigation control

• US 9,778,656 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Waltz, Lucas B., Zheng, Bing, Mallak, Thomas L., Mangette, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weeks, Martin
• Application Number:
  US13/626,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20130054052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23, 701 41, 701 44, 180 6522
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

Included are embodiments for multimode vehicular navigation control. Some embodiments include a vehicle that has a memory component and a vehicle control module (VCM), where the VCM includes a controller. Additionally, the memory component may store functional modes of operation and control modes of operation, each of the control modes of operation being associated with a mechanism for controlling the vehicle, and each of the functional modes of operation being associated with a desired function of the vehicle. In some embodiments the VCM receives control commands from a system operator and implements the control commands, utilizing the controller. In some embodiments, at least one of the control modes of operation is configured for automatic control of the vehicle and at least one of the control modes of operation is a torque control mode for providing a power signal directly to a vehicle motor, without utilization of the controller.

Claims

1. A system comprising a vehicle comprising a memory component, a vehicle control module (VCM), the VCM comprising a VCM controller, and a navigation control module (NCM), wherein:

the vehicle comprises operation modes including a manual operation mode for operator initiated control of the vehicle and an automatic operation mode for system initiated operation of the vehicle;

the memory component stores logic for implementing one of a plurality of preselected functional modes of operation with one of a plurality of preselected control modes of operation, wherein each of the functional modes of operation provides enhanced vehicle control for the respective portion of the vehicle associated with the selected functional mode when the respective portion of the vehicle being utilized relative to when that functional mode of operation is not engaged when the respective portion of the vehicle is being utilized, and wherein one of the control modes is implemented with any one of the functional modes, based on a user input and a selected operation mode;

the VCM communicates a selected control mode of operation and a selected functional mode of operation that is currently being implemented by the vehicle to the NCM in a single communication;

when operating in manual operation mode, the VCM receives control commands from a system operator and implements the control commands, utilizing the VCM controller;

at least one of the control modes of operation is configured for automatic control operating with the automatic operation mode of the vehicle; and

at least one of the control modes of operation is a torque control mode for providing a power signal directly to a vehicle motor, without utilization of the VCM controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the functional modes of operation comprise at least one of the following:

a traction mode for providing additional vehicle control capabilities over traction of the vehicle, a steer mode for providing additional vehicle control capabilities over steering of the vehicle, a hoist mode for providing additional vehicle control capabilities over raising and lowering of a hoist of the vehicle, and an accessory mode for providing additional vehicle control capabilities over an accessory of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the desired function of the vehicle comprises at least one of the following:

maintaining traction, steering, hoisting, and maintaining an accessory of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control modes of operation comprise a speed control mode with default PI gains that operates in automatic operation mode and utilizes default proportional integral (PI) gains to control speed responsiveness of the vehicle, the speed control mode with adjustable PI gains, that utilizes dynamic PI gains, based on a condition of the vehicle and controls the speed responsiveness of the vehicle, based on the condition, and a position control mode that alters control of the vehicle, based on a location of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein in response to implementation of at least one of the control modes of operation, the VCM sends a control command, via the VCM controller, for operation of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the VCM sends the control command, via the VCM controller, to a power module,

the power module comprises at least one of the following;

a traction control module, a steering control module, and a hydraulic module, and

the power module sends the power signal to a motor of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanism for controlling the vehicle comprises at least one of the following:

controlling the vehicle via a speed parameter, controlling the vehicle via a position parameter, and controlling the vehicle via the power signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an NCM, wherein the NCM communicates a selected control mode and a selected functional mode to the VCM for vehicle implementation.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an NCM and wherein a speed control with default PI gain mode is utilized when the vehicle is being controlled by the NCM, such that a system administrator selects PI values for controlling the responsiveness of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a speed control with adjustable PI gain mode is utilized to adjust PI gains, depending on a particular action that the vehicle is performing.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle comprises an NCM and wherein the PI gains are adjusted by the NCM.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an NCM, the control modes of operation comprise a position control mode, and selection of the position control mode shifts control of a position of the vehicle from the NCM to the VCM.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a navigation system and a remote computing device, wherein;

the vehicle comprises an NCM;

the navigation system communicates with the NCM to provide automatic control commands to the vehicle; and

the remote computing device processes a work order, determines whether the vehicle will fulfill the work order, and communicates with the navigation system to provide the automatic control commands.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the VCM controller comprises at least one of the following:

a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, a proportional-integral (PI) controller, a fuzzy controller, and an H-infinity controller.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, an automatic command at a navigation control module (NCM) that is configured for implementing an automatic operation mode of a vehicle;

determining, by the computing device, a functional mode command related to a functional mode of operation and a control mode command related to a control mode of operation, wherein each of the functional modes of operation provides enhanced vehicle control for a different portion of the vehicle while that portion of the vehicle is being utilized compared to vehicle control when the respective functional mode of operation is not implemented while that portion of the vehicle is being utilized, wherein at least one of the control modes is configured to be used only in the automatic operation of the vehicle, and wherein one of the control modes is implemented with any one of the functional modes, based on a user input and a selected operation mode;

determining, by the computing device, a type of functional mode associated with the functional mode command;

determining, by the computing device, a type of control mode associated with the control mode command, wherein one of the control modes is implemented with any one of the functional modes, based on a user input;

sending, by the computing device, a signal from the NCM to a vehicle control module (VCM) on the vehicle that identifies a control operation, wherein the control operation identifies the type of functional mode and the type of control mode, wherein when operating in automatic operation mode, the VCM receives control commands with the type of control mode and the type of functional mode from the NCM and implements the control commands to operate the vehicle; and

activating, by the computing device, a motor of the vehicle, based on the type of functional mode and the type of control mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the type of functional mode comprises determining whether the functional mode command identifies at least one of the following functional modes:

a traction mode, a steer mode, a hoist mode, and an accessory mode.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the type of control mode comprises determining whether the control mode command identifies at least one of the following control commands:

a speed control mode with default PI gains, a speed control mode with adjustable PI gains, a torque control mode, and a position control mode.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising utilizing a traction control module to activate the motor.

19. A vehicle comprising a memory component and a vehicle control module (VCM), which comprises comprising a VCM controller, wherein:

the vehicle comprises operation modes including a manual operation mode for operator initiated control of the vehicle and an automatic operation mode for system initiated operation of the vehicle, the vehicle further comprises control modes of operation and functional modes of operation, each of the functional modes of operation provides enhanced vehicle control for a respective portion of the vehicle associated with the selected functional mode while the respective portion of the vehicle is being utilized relative to vehicle control capabilities with the selected functional mode not engaged while the respective portion of the vehicle is being utilized, and one of the control modes is implemented with any one of the functional modes;

the memory component stores functional modes of operation and control modes of operation;

when operating in automatic operation mode, the VCM receives control commands with a selected control mode of operation and a corresponding functional mode of operation from the NCM and implements the control commands to operate the vehicle;

at least one of the control modes of operation is configured for operating with the automatic control operation mode of the vehicle, and one of the control modes is implemented with any one of the functional modes, based on a user input and a selected operation mode;

at least one of the control modes of operation is a torque control mode for providing a power signal directly to a vehicle motor, without utilization of the VCM controller; and

at least one of the control modes of operation utilizes the VCM and the VCM controller for controlling the vehicle.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein:

at least one of the functional modes of operation is implemented on the vehicle;

at least one of the control modes of operation is implemented on the vehicle; and

the VCM communicates data identifying the at least one of the functional modes of operation and the at least one of the control modes of operation to a navigation control module (NCM).