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Path planning method for vehicle guidance

  • US 9,861,024 B2
  • Filed: 11/12/2013
  • Issued: 01/09/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:

  • driving a vehicle along a path, wherein the driven path includes a plurality of path segments and driving along the path includes turning a rounded corner between consecutive path segments, executing a headland maneuver between consecutive path segments, or both, each of the path segments being straight or presenting one or more curved sections with a radius of curvature greater than a predetermined reference radius;

    automatically defining, with a computing device on the vehicle, a plurality of contoured path segments corresponding to the driven path segments but excluding rounded corners between consecutive path segments and headland maneuvers between consecutive path segments;

    for each contoured path segment, automatically determining, using the computing device, one or more intersection points with one or more other contoured path segments;

    automatically defining, with the computing device, a contoured reference path as a sequence of the intersecting contoured path segments, the contoured path having sharp corners where the contoured path segments intersect;

    automatically defining, with the computing device, a subsequent path based on the reference path, the subsequent path including a sequence of intersecting contoured path segments, the subsequent path having sharp corners where the contoured path segments intersect, each of the subsequent path segments corresponding to one of the reference path segments but being offset therefrom;

    for each subsequent path segment presenting a curved section, using the computing device to automatically compare a radius of curvature of the curved section to the predetermined reference radius;

    if the radius of curvature of the subsequent path segment is less than the predetermined reference radius, using the computing device to automatically divide the subsequent path segment into two segments and replacing the curved section with a sharp corner between the two segments; and

    using an automated guidance system to automatically guide the vehicle along the subsequent path.

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