Automatic steering apparatus using reflected signals

• US 5,019,983 A
• Filed: 02/21/1989
• Issued: 05/28/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corporation PLC.
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Oliver W., Stephenson, Dwight B., Schutten, Herman P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AUCHTERLONIE, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/313,644
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 56/10.2, 56/DIG. 15, 364/424.01, 364/424.07, 364/424.02
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1278 for automatic steering
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• 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

Abstract

Apparatus for automatically steering a farm crop vehicle between rows of corn by sensing the locations of the rows ahead of the vehicle. The apparatus senses the location of the plants as the crop vehicle approaches them. The data thus obtained are processed by an on-board microcontroller to determine the lateral location of the crop vehicle relative to the rows and provide a feedback signal. Another feedback signal is provided by integrating that lateral error data. In addition to the plant sensors, the harvester has a Doppler radar system on its left side that provides ground-velocity information for the left side, and a similar system on the right side. The radar outputs enable the microcontroller to measure the turning of the vehicle. This is used to produce yet another feedback signal that improves the automatic steering. This turning-feedback signal stabilizes the loop. The microcontroller provides steering commands for automatically tracking the rows.

Claims

1. A steering system that automatically steers a vehicle to track rows of spaced-apart plants, comprising:

plant sensor means on the vehicle for sensing said plants when the vehicle encounters plants and for providing signals thereupon;

means for ascertaining from said signals of said plant sensor means the lateral position of said vehicle relative to said plant rows and providing lateral-position information signals;

integration means for receiving and integrating said lateral-position information signals and providing integrated signals;

wave transmission and receiving means for ascertaining, from reflections of transmitted waves, the speeds of parts of the vehicle relative to the ground, comprising;

at least two means spaced apart laterally of the vehicle, which transmit said waves toward and receive reflected waves from the ground, for measuring the ground speeds of their respective locations on the vehicle and for providing ground-speed signals accordingly;

processing means utilizing said ground-speed signals for determining speed-difference information between said locations on the vehicle of said means for measuring the ground speeds of their respective locations;

means for combining said lateral-position information signals and said integrated signals and said speed-difference information to provide steering command signals;

actuator means receiving said steering command signals and responsive thereto for orienting the steerable wheels of said vehicle proportional to said steering command signals and thus steering said vehicle to follow a course along said rows.

2. A steering system as in claim 1 and wherein said wave transmission and receiving means comprise Doppler radar means.

3. A steering system as in claim 1 and wherein said means for combining comprises means for adding.

4. A steering system that automatically steers a vehicle to track rows of spaced-apart plants, comprising:

plant sensor means on the vehicle for sensing said plants when said vehicle encounters them and for providing signals thereupon;

means for ascertaining the lateral position of said vehicle relative to said plant rows by obtaining lateral-position-information signals from said plant sensor means;

means for integrating said lateral-position-information signals to provide integrated signals;

means for transmitting waves toward laterally-spaced-apart areas of the earth and receiving reflected waves therefrom;

means for processing said received reflected waves to provide signals regarding the rate of change of heading of the vehicle relative to the earth;

means for processing (a) said lateral-position-information signals and (b) said integrated signals and (c) said signals regarding the rate of change of heading, to provide steering command signals;

actuator means receiving said steering command signals and responsive thereto for orienting the steerable wheels of said vehicle proportional to said steering command signals and thus steering said vehicle;

whereby said vehicle tracks said rows.

5. A steering system as in claim 4 and wherein said means for transmitting and receiving waves comprises Doppler radar means.

6. A steering system as in claim 4 and wherein said means for processing comprises means for adding.