MULTI-ANTENNA GNSS CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110054729A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Inventors: Whitehead, Michael L., Feller, Walter J., McClure, John A., Miller, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/007 Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/43 using carrier phase measurements, e.g. kinematic positioning; using long or short baseline interferometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0063 of measured values, i.e. measurement on base station and position calculation on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• 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 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A global navigation satellite sensor system (GNSS) and gyroscope control system for vehicle steering control comprising a GNSS receiver and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase position differences. The roll angle facilitates correction of the lateral motion induced position errors resultant from motion of the antennae as the vehicle moves based on an offset to ground and the roll angle. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll and pitch, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system. The system includes gyroscopes for determining system attitude change with respect to multiple axes for integrating with GNSS-derived positioning information to determine vehicle position, velocity, rate-of-turn, attitude and other operating characteristics. A vehicle control method includes the steps of computing a position and a heading for the vehicle using GNSS positioning and a rate gyro for determining vehicle attitude, which is used for generating a steering command. Alternative aspects include multiple-antenna GNSS guidance methods for high-dynamic roll compensation, real-time kinematic (RTK) using single-frequency (L1) receivers, fixed and moving baselines between antennas, multi-position GNSS tail guidance (“breadcrumb following”) for crosstrack error correction, articulated implements with multiple antennas on each implement section, video input and guiding multiple vehicles and pieces of equipment relative to each other.

Claims

1. A GNSS-based method of controlling a machine comprising a prime component and an auxiliary component interconnected by an articulated connection, which method comprises the steps of:

equipping said machine with a GNSS system including a GNSS receiver adapted to receive GNSS ranging signals;

providing said GNSS system with multiple antennas connected to said receiver;

mounting at least one of said antennas on said prime component;

mounting multiple said antennas on said auxiliary component;

forming a fixed baseline on said auxiliary component between said auxiliary component antennas;

forming variable baselines between said prime and auxiliary component antennas;

equipping said machine with a computer;

connecting said computer to said GNSS receiver;

inputting to said computer information corresponding to said fixed and variable baselines; and

pre-programming said computer to position at least one said components using said fixed and variable baseline information.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes the additional step of:

moving said auxiliary component relative to said prime component through 3 axes of movement corresponding to roll (X), pitch (Y) and yaw (Z) through said articulated connection.

3. The method of claim 2, which includes the additional step of:

adjusting said component relative positions in real time and in response to said baseline information.

4. The method of claim 3, which includes the additional steps of:

preprogramming said computer with a guide path of movement for said auxiliary component; and

guiding said auxiliary component along said preprogrammed path of movement.

5. The method of claim 4, which includes additional steps of:

providing a vehicle operating parameter sensor on said vehicle and connected to said guidance computer; and

correcting said guide path using said GNSS-defined positions and said vehicle operating parameters.

6. The method of claim 5, which includes the additional steps of:

providing a prime inertial measuring unit (IMU) on said prime component;

providing an auxiliary IMU on said auxiliary component;

outputting from said IMUs signals corresponding to roll (X), pitch (Y) and yaw (Z) movements of said prime and auxiliary components;

inputting said IMU signals to said computer; and

computing guide path corrections for said prime and auxiliary components using said IMU signal inputs.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said operating parameter sensor comprises a camera mounted on said prime component and direct towards said guide path.

8. The method of claim 1, which includes additional steps of:

providing a switching circuit connected to said antennas and to said receiver;

switching among said antennas with said switching circuit whereby respective antennas are selectively connected to said receiver;

providing GNSS-based ranging signal inputs to said computer based on relative positions of said antennas selected by said switching circuit; and

selecting said antennas with said computer based on GNSS-based signal quality characteristics.

9. The method of claim 1, which includes the additional steps of:

providing said auxiliary component with first and second sections;

hingedly connecting said first and second auxiliary component sections for movement relative to each other;

mounting multiple said auxiliary component antennas on each said auxiliary component section;

forming a variable baseline between each said auxiliary component antenna and said prime component antenna; and

guiding said auxiliary component based on the relative positions of said auxiliary component sections with respect to each other, said prime component and the guide path.

10. The method of claim 1, which includes the additional steps of:

providing an external computer;

connecting said machine-mounted computer to said external computer;

transferring field data input from said external computer to said guidance computer; and

transferring field data output from said guidance computer to said external computer.

11. A GNSS-based method of guiding a vehicle comprising a motive component and a working component interconnected by an articulated hitch, said working component comprising multiple hingedly interconnected sections, which method comprises the steps of:

equipping said vehicle with a GNSS guidance system including a receiver, a guidance computer on the motive component and connected to the receiver, and a working component computer on the working component and connected to the guidance computer;

mounting a motive component antenna on the motive component and connected to the receiver;

mounting first and second working component antennas in spaced relation on each said working component section and connected to the receiver;

defining a fixed-distance, static baseline between the working component antennas;

defining first and second variable-distance, moving baselines between the motive component antenna and the first and second working component section antennas respectively;

providing a prime inertial measuring unit (IMU) on said prime component;

providing an auxiliary IMU on said auxiliary component;

outputting from said IMUs signals corresponding to roll (X), pitch (Y) and yaw (Z) movements of said motive and working components;

inputting said IMU signals to said computer;

computing guide path corrections for said prime and auxiliary components using said IMU signal inputs;

defining a guide path with GNSS-based positions;

storing said guide path in said guidance computer;

navigating a field with said vehicle;

receiving GNSS signals with said antennas;

computing GNSS-defined positions of said antennas with said guidance computer;

guiding said vehicle along said guide path using said GNSS-defined positions;

guiding said working component based on the relative positions of said working component sections with respect to each other, said prime component and the guide path;

providing a vehicle operating parameter sensor on said vehicle and connected to said guidance computer;

computing guide path corrections for said prime and auxiliary components using said IMU signal inputs; and

correcting said guide path using said GNSS-defined positions and said vehicle operating parameters.

12. A GNSS-based system for controlling a machine comprising a prime component and an auxiliary component interconnected by an articulated connection, which system includes:

a GNSS receiver mounted on the machine and adapted to receive GNSS ranging signals;

a prime component GNSS antenna mounted on the prime component and connected to the receiver;

a pair of auxiliary component GNSS antennas mounted on the auxiliary component and connected to the receiver;

multiple variable baselines each extending between said prime component antenna and a respective auxiliary component antenna and having variable lengths corresponding to relative orientations of said prime and auxiliary components;

a fixed baseline extending between said auxiliary component antennas; and

a computer mounted on said machine and connected to said receiver, said computer being adapted for computing position solutions for said prime and auxiliary components.

13. The system according to claim 12, which includes:

said auxiliary component having first and second auxiliary component sections connected by a hinge; and

each said auxiliary component section having a pair of GNSS antennas mounted thereon and defining a fixed auxiliary component antenna baseline extending between said auxiliary component antennas.

14. The system according to claim 13, which includes:

each said auxiliary component section being movable relative to said prime component through 3 axes of movement corresponding to roll (X), pitch (Y) and yaw (Z) through said articulated connection;

said variable baseline having variable lengths and orientations corresponding to said component relative movement; and

said computer being programmed for computing relative positions and orientations of said components in real time in response to said varying baseline information.

15. The system according to claim 12, which includes:

an inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted on said machine and connected to said computer, said IMU being adapted for sensing an attitude of said machine components relative to each other and controlling said machine in response to output of said IMU.

16. The system according to claim 14, which includes:

a prime inertial measuring unit (IMU) on said prime component;

an auxiliary IMU on said auxiliary component;

output from said IMUs signals corresponding to roll (X), pitch (Y) and yaw (Z) movements of said prime and auxiliary components;

said IMU signals being input to said computer; and

said computer being programmed for computing guide path corrections for said prime and auxiliary components using said IMU signal inputs.

17. The system of claim 12, which includes:

an external computer;

said machine-mounted computer being connected to said external computer;

said external computer being adapted to transfer field data input to said guidance computer; and

said guidance computer being adapted to transfer field data output to said external computer.

18. The system of claim 12, which includes:

providing a switching circuit connected to said antennas and to said receiver;

switching among said antennas with said switching circuit whereby respective antennas are selectively connected to said receiver;

providing GNSS-based ranging signal inputs to said computer based on relative positions of said antennas selected by said switching circuit; and

selecting said antennas with said computer based on GNSS ranging signal quality characteristics.

19. The system of claim 12, which includes:

a vehicle operating parameter sensor on said vehicle and connected to said guidance computer; and

said computer being adapted for correcting said guide path using said GNSS-defined positions and said vehicle operating parameters.

20. The system of claim 12, which includes:

providing a prime inertial measuring unit (IMU) on said prime component;

providing an auxiliary IMU on said auxiliary component;

outputting from said IMUs signals corresponding to roll (X), pitch (Y) and yaw (Z) movements of said prime and auxiliary components;

inputting said IMU signals to said computer; and

computing guide path corrections for said prime and auxiliary components using said IMU signal inputs.

21. The system of claim 12, which includes:

said operating parameter sensor comprising a camera mounted on said prime component and directed towards said guide path.