GNSS INTEGRATED MULTI-SENSOR CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110231061A1
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Inventors: Gattis, Joshua M., Stichter, Aaron C., Reeve, David R., Jones, Malcolm B., Ramm, Andreas F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,649,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/02 vehicle-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• 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 1/0274 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0201 Agriculture or harvesting machine

Abstract

A GNSS integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly includes a suite of sensor units, including a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sensor unit comprising a receiver and an antenna. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) outputs vehicle dynamic information for combining with the output of the GNSS unit. A controller with a processor receives the outputs of the sensor suite and computes steering solutions, which are utilized by vehicle actuators, including an automatic steering control unit connected to the vehicle steering for guiding the vehicle. The processor is programmed to define multiple behavior-based automatons comprising self-operating entities in the guidance system, which perform respective behaviors using data output from one or more sensor units for achieving the behaviors. A GNSS integrated multi-sensor vehicle guidance method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly including a steering subsystem, which guidance system includes:

said vehicle assembly having a dynamic attitude comprising a geo-reference location, vehicle assembly orientation and vehicle assembly speed;

a processor with multiple sensor inputs and actuator outputs;

a suite of sensor units each connected to a respective sensor input;

said sensor unit suite includes a GNSS unit with an antenna and a receiver connected to said antenna, said GNSS unit providing output signals corresponding to the GNSS-defined locations of said vehicle assembly dynamic attitude to a respective processor input;

a guidance controller adapted for receiving signal input and generating control output based on said signal input;

a data storage device including memory storage; and

a suite of actuator units each connected to a respective actuator output.

2. The guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor unit suite includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor providing output signals corresponding to an inertial aspect of a dynamic attitude of said vehicle assembly to a respective processor input.

3. The guidance system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said guidance controller is adapted for receiving inertial measurement signals and integrating said inertial measurement signals with said GNSS-based positioning signals.

4. The guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said processor is programmed to determine variable confidence levels in real time for each said sensor unit based on its current relative performance; and

said processor is programmed to utilize said sensor unit outputs proportionally based on their respective confidence levels in generating said control output signals.

5. The guidance system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said processor is programmed to define multiple behavior-based automatons comprising self-operating entities in said guidance system, said automatons performing respective behaviors using data output from one or more sensor units for achieving said behaviors and wherein one or more sensor units provide the same or similar data.

6. The guidance system as claimed in claim 5, including each said automaton having:

an accepting interface for accepting requests from other automatons;

a requesting interface for making requests to another automaton;

a knowledge input for receiving a behavioral definition for affecting the behavior of the automatons;

a data input for receiving input data; and

a data output for sending out the data.

7. The guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator unit suite includes a steering unit connected to said steering subsystem and receiving said control output signals from said processor.

8. The guidance system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said steering subsystem includes:

a steering controller including a steering processor and connected to said guidance controller;

said steering controller receiving guidance signals as inputs from said guidance controller and computing steering signals as outputs from said steering controller; and

said steering actuator receiving said steering signals from said steering controller and steering said vehicle in response thereto.

9. The guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor suite includes sensor units chosen from among the group comprising:

a video camera unit oriented in the vehicle assembly direction of travel;

a radar unit;

a laser unit;

radio input;

telemetry;

material application exclusion areas input;

satellite image inputs;

contour/elevation overlay inputs;

prescription mapping; and

a wheel angle sensor (WAS).

10. The guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator suite includes actuator units chosen from among the group comprising:

an implement steering unit, an implement sectional control unit, personal computer (PC) office software, material application rate control, secondary vehicle control, mapping, crop yield, and mapping skips and overlaps.

11. The guidance system as claimed in claim 1, which includes:

said guidance controller being adapted for receiving and storing in said memory storage device GNSS-based positioning signals;

said processor being adapted for computing a GNSS-based guide pattern;

said guidance controller being adapted for providing output signals to a display device for displaying vehicle motion relative to guide patterns and contrasting displays of areas treated by said vehicle along previously-traveled portions of said guide patterns; and

said guidance controller being adapted for calibrating and storing in said memory multiple vehicle profiles, each said profile including multiple, independent vehicle-specific automatons.

12. A method of vehicle control and guidance, which method comprises the steps:

providing a vehicle assembly including a steering subsystem and dynamic attitude comprising a geo-reference location, vehicle assembly orientation, and vehicle assembly speed;

providing a guidance system including processor with multiple sensor inputs and actuator outputs, a suite of sensor units connected to a respective sensor input, a suite of actuator units connected to a respective actuator output, and a data storage device including memory storage;

providing a guidance controller;

inputting signal input data to said guidance controller; and

generating control output signals with said guidance controller based on said signal input.

13. A method of vehicle control and guidance as claimed by claim 12, wherein sensor unit suite includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor providing output signals corresponding to an inertial aspect of a dynamic attitude of said vehicle assembly to a respective processor input.

14. A method of vehicle control and guidance as claimed by claim 13, including the steps:

Generating inertial measurement signals with said IMU sensor;

receiving the inertial measurement signals with said guidance controller; and

integrating said inertial measurement signals with said GNSS-based positioning signals.

15. A method of vehicle control and guidance as claimed by claim 12, including the steps:

determining variable confidence levels with the processor in real time for each said sensor unit based on current relative performance; and

utilizing said sensor unit outputs proportionally based on the respective confidence levels in generating said control output signals.

16. A method of vehicle control and guidance as claimed by claim 14, including the steps:

defining multiple behavior-based automatons comprising self-operating entities in said guidance system;

instructing said automatons to perform respective behaviors using data output from one or more sensor units for achieving said behaviors wherein one or more sensor units provide the same or similar data.

17. A method of vehicle control and guidance as claimed by claim 16, including the steps:

providing each automaton with an accepting interface for accepting requests from other automatons;

providing each automaton with a requesting interface for making requests to another automaton;

providing each automaton with a knowledge input for receiving a behavioral definition for affecting the behavior of the automatons;

providing each automaton with a data input for receiving input data; and

providing each automaton with a data output for sending data.

18. A method of vehicle control and guidance as claimed by claim 12, including the steps:

providing a steering unit connected to said steering subsystem; and

receiving said control output signals at said steering unit as steering control instructions.

19. A method of vehicle control and guidance as claimed by claim 18, including the steps:

providing a steering processor connected to said guidance controller;

receiving guidance signals at said steering controller as inputs from said guidance controller;

computing steering signals as outputs from said steering controller;

receiving said steering signals with said steering actuator; and

steering said vehicle assembly in response to said steering signals.

20. A method of vehicle control and guidance as claimed by claim 12, including the steps:

determining variable confidence levels with the processor in real time for each said sensor unit based on current relative performance; and

utilizing said sensor unit outputs proportionally based on the respective confidence levels in generating said control output signals.

21. An integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly including a steering subsystem, which guidance system includes:

said vehicle assembly having a dynamic attitude comprising a geo-reference location, vehicle assembly orientation and vehicle assembly speed;

a processor with multiple sensor inputs and actuator outputs;

a suite of sensor units each connected to a respective sensor input;

said sensor unit suite including a GNSS unit with an antenna and a receiver connected to said antenna, said GNSS unit providing output signals corresponding to the GNSS-defined locations of said vehicle assembly dynamic attitude to a respective processor input;

said sensor unit suite including an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor providing output signals corresponding to an inertial aspect of a dynamic attitude of said vehicle assembly to a respective processor input;

said guidance controller being adapted for receiving inertial measurement signals and integrating said inertial measurement signals with said GNSS-based positioning signals;

said processor being programmed to determine variable confidence levels in real time for each said sensor unit based on its current relative performance;

said processor being programmed to utilize said sensor unit outputs proportionally based on their respective confidence levels in generating said steering signals;

a suite of actuator units each connected to a respective actuator output;

said actuator unit suite including a steering unit connected to said steering subsystem and receiving said steering signals from said processor;

said processor being programmed to define multiple behavior-based automatons comprising self-operating entities in said guidance system, said automatons performing respective behaviors using data output from one or more sensor units for achieving said behaviors and wherein one or more sensor units provide the same or similar data; and

each said automaton having;

an accepting interface for accepting requests from other automatons;

a requesting interface for making requests to another automatons;

a knowledge input for receiving a behavioral definition for affecting the behavior of the automatons;

a data input for receiving input data; and

a data output for sending out the data.