Autonomous Agriculture Platform Guidance System

• US 20080294309A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rocona Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rocona Incorporated
• Inventors: Kaprielian, Craig L., Barrett, David, Cavolowsky, Mark, Lorenc, Aleksander, Bry, Adam, Kalcic, Andrew, Aivazian, Bryan L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/27
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• 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: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A guidance system for an agriculture platform that is capable of making decisions concerning the platforms direction and velocity regarding the pathway the platform is moving along as well as obstacles in the path of the platform, is provided. The autonomous agricultural platform guidance system and method will make it possible for small scale farming to take up automated mechanical farming practices which are currently only practical for large scale farming thus improving land utilization efficiency while lowering manpower costs dramatically.

Claims

1. A system of guidance for an automated agriculture platform comprising:

a. a platform mounted on a means of locomotion with controls for guiding and propelling said platform;

b. one or more types of sensing apparatus mounted on said platform selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) unit, an inertial measurement unit and a touch sensor;

c. a means of decision processing for determining the position of said controls comprising a central processing unit and/or artificial intelligence electronics.

d. a means of communication between said sensing apparatus and said central processing unit and/or artificial intelligence electronics; and

e. a means of communication between said central processing unit and/or artificial intelligence electronics and said controls mounted on said platform.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said platform is selected from the group consisting of a tractor, an all-terrain vehicle, a jeep, a truck, and a tracked vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said controls are a velocity pedal actuator and a steering actuator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said means of decision processing is determined by performing an analysis from the group consisting of state estimation, cross tracker, motion control, and actuator control.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said state estimation is calculated by analyzing

a. a present position of said platform with a desired position of said platform;

and

b. a present theta of said platform with a desired theta of said platform.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said present position and said present theta is established using data selected from the group consisting of said global positioning system, said LIDAR, and said inertial measurement unit.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said cross tracker is a calculation that is calculated to create a perpendicular error line from said plafform'"'"'s current position in relation to said platform'"'"'s desired path.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said calculation is established using data selected from the group consisting of said global positioning system, said LIDAR, and said inertial measurement unit.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein said motion control is an analysis of:

a. a command from a switch in constant communication with said central processing unit, wherein said command is selected from the group consisting of go, stop and done; and

b. a present theta of said platform and a desired theta of said platform;

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said analysis is established using data selected from the group consisting of said global positioning system, and said inertial measurement unit.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein said actuator control is determined by said steering torque and said velocity pedal torque of said platform.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said steering torque is established by comparing a desired steering position of said steering actuator with an actual steering position of said steering actuator.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said velocity pedal torque is determined by comparing a present position of said velocity pedal actuator of said platform with a desired position of said velocity pedal actuator.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein an emergency stop circuit in constant communication with said central processing unit is mounted to said platform.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said emergency stop circuit is triggered by an event selected from the group consisting of:

a. the pressing of a manual emergency stop button;

b. said touch sensor is triggered;

c. said LIDAR senses an object in said plafform'"'"'s path;

d. said computer and/or artificial intelligence electronics is not in a ready state; and

e. said platform is in manual mode.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said platform is manually driven through a pathway and said at least one sensor gathers data and communicates said data to said central processing unit.

17. A method of guidance for an automated agriculture platform on a means of locomotion with controls for guiding and propelling said platform wherein said guidance is determined by:

a. data regarding obstacles in a path of said platform; and

b. data regarding a position of said platform.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said controls are a velocity pedal actuator and a steering actuator.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said data regarding obstacles in the path of said platform is provided by LIDAR.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said data regarding the position of said platform is provide by a sensor selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system and an inertial measurement unit.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said means of locomotion is selected from the groups consisting of

a. a tractor;

b. a jeep;

c. an all-terrain vehicle;

d. a tracked vehicle; and

e. a truck.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said data is analyzed by a central processing unit.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said analysis is selected from the group consisting of

a. state estimation;

b. cross tracker;

c. motion control; and

d. actuator control.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said state estimation is determined by comparing state estimation data regarding:

a. a present position of said platform and a desired position of said platform; and

b. a present theta of said platform and a desired theta of said platform.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said state estimation data is provided by a sensor selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system and an inertial measurement unit.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said cross tracker is determined by comparing cross tracker data regarding:

a. a present position of said platform and a desired position of said platform;

b. a present theta of said platform and a desired theta of said platform; and

c. present data from said LIDAR regarding a pathway the platform is moving through.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said cross tracker data is provided by a sensor selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system, LIDAR and an inertial measurement unit.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein said motion control is determined by comparing motion control data regarding:

a. a present theta of said platform and a desired theta of said platform; and

b. a command from a switch located on said platform in constant communication with said central processing unit where said command is selected from the group consisting of

1. go;

2. stop; and

3. done.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said motion control data is provided by a sensor selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system and an inertial measurement unit.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein said actuator control is determined by the velocity pedal torque and the steering torque.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said velocity pedal torque is determined by:

a. a current pedal position of said actuator control; and

b. a desired pedal position of said actuator control.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said steering torque is determined by:

a. a current steering position of said actuator control; and

b. a desired steering position of said actuator control.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein an emergency stop circuit in constant communication with said central processing unit is mounted to said platform.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said emergency stop circuit is triggered by an event selected from the group consisting:

a. a pressing of a manual emergency stop button;

b. a touch sensor is triggered;

c. said LIDAR senses an object in said platforms path;

d. said computer and/or artificial intelligence electronics is not is a ready state; and

e. said platform is in manual mode.

35. The method of claim 17, wherein said platform is manually driven through a pathway and said at least one sensor gathers data and communicates said data to said central processing unit.