Apparatus and method for receiving position and control signals by a mobile machine

• US 6,002,362 A
• Filed: 04/20/1998
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Gudat, Adam J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US09/062,976
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.03, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.27
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0063 of measured values, i.e. measurement on base station and position calculation on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/009 Transmission of differential positioning data to mobile

Abstract

A base station receives GPS signals from GPS satellites and transmits a combined differential GPS (DGPS) signal and a command signal. At least one pseudolite receives the DGPS and command signals and combines the DGPS and command signals with a pseudo-GPS signal. A GPS receiver on a mobile machine receives GPS signals from GPS satellites, and the combined signal from the pseudolite. The position signals are delivered to a machine position processor to generate a machine position signal. The command signals are delivered to a machine control processor to generate a machine control signal. The machine position signal and the machine control signal are delivered to a machine navigator to control the mobile machine.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving position and command signals by a mobile machine, comprising:

a base station adapted to receive GPS signals, and transmit at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal;

a pseudolite adapted to receive the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal and transmit a combined pseudo-GPS signal and the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal, wherein the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal is combined with the pseudo-GPS signal by inserting the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal between at least two adjacent sideband frequency components of the pseudo-GPS signal;

a GPS receiver located on the mobile machine adapted to receive GPS signals, and the combined signals from the pseudolite;

a machine position processor located on the mobile machine adapted to receive the GPS, pseudo-GPS, and DGPS signals from the GPS receiver and responsively generate a machine position signal;

a machine control processor located on the mobile machine adapted to receive the command signals from the GPS receiver and responsively generate a machine control signal; and

a machine navigator located on the mobile machine adapted to receive the machine position signal from the machine position processor and the machine control signal from the machine control processor.

2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the machine navigator is adapted to control the mobile machine in response to receiving the machine position signal and the machine control signal.

3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the command signal is at least one of a data signal and a voice signal.

4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the command signal is a data signal for delivering a command to an autonomous mobile machine.

5. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the command signal is a voice signal for delivering a voice message to an operator of a mobile machine.

6. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the command signal is a data signal for delivering a data message to an operator of a mobile machine.

7. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal is combined with the pseudo-GPS signal by inserting the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal at a null between two adjacent sideband frequency components.

8. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the GPS receiver located on the mobile machine is adapted to receive a plurality of GPS signals from a corresponding plurality of GPS satellites, and the combined signal from the pseudolite.

9. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the GPS receiver located on the mobile machine includes an antenna mounted on the mobile machine.

10. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the antenna is mounted on the mobile machine such that signals from a plurality of GPS satellites and signals from at least one of a pseudolite and a base station can be received.

11. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pseudolite includes a plurality of pseudolites located at predetermined positions at a site.

12. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the mobile machine traverses the site and receives the combined signal from a determined one of the plurality of pseudolites as a function of the location of the mobile machine at the site.

13. A method for receiving position and command signals by a mobile machine, including the steps of:

receiving a plurality of GPS signals by a base station;

transmitting at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal from the base station;

receiving the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal by a pseudolite;

transmitting a combined pseudo-GPS signal and the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal from the pseudolite, wherein the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal is combined with the pseudo-GPS signal by inserting the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal between at least two adjacent sideband frequency components of the pseudo-GPS signal;

receiving a plurality of GPS signals and the combined signals from the pseudolite by a GPS receiver located on the mobile machine;

delivering the plurality of GPS signals, the pseudo-GPS signal, and the DGPS signal to a machine position processor and responsively generating a machine position signal;

delivering the command signal to a machine control processor and responsively generating a machine control signal; and

delivering the machine position signal and the machine control signal to a machine navigator located on the mobile machine.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 13, further including the step of controlling the mobile machine as a function of the machine position signal and the machine control signal.

15. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal is combined with the pseudo-GPS signal by inserting the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal at a null between two adjacent sideband frequency components.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the command signal is at least one of a data signal and a voice signal.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the command signal is a data signal for delivering a command to an autonomous mobile machine.

18. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the command signal is a voice signal for delivering a voice message to an operator of a mobile machine.

19. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the command signal is a data signal for delivering a data message to an operator of a mobile machine.

20. A system for communicating position and command signals to a mobile machine, comprising:

a base station adapted to receive a plurality of GPS signals from a corresponding plurality of GPS satellites, and to transmit at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal;

at least one pseudolite located at predetermined positions at a site, each of the at least one pseudolite adapted to receive the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal from the base station, and to transmit a combined pseudo-GPS signal and the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal, wherein the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal is combined with the pseudo-GPS signal by inserting the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal between at least two adjacent sideband frequency components of the pseudo-GPS signal;

a GPS receiver located on the mobile machine adapted to receive the plurality of GPS signals from the corresponding plurality of GPS satellites and the combined signal from one of the at least one pseudolite;

a machine position processor located on the mobile machine adapted to receive the GPS, pseudo-GPS, and DGPS signals from the GPS receiver and responsively generate a machine position signal;

a machine control processor located on the mobile machine adapted to receive the command signal from the GPS receiver and responsively generate a machine control signal; and

a machine navigator located on the mobile machine adapted to receive the machine position signal and the machine control signal and responsively control the mobile machine.

21. A system, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the command signal is at least one of a data signal and a voice signal.

22. A system, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the command signal is a data signal for delivering a command to an autonomous mobile machine.

23. A system, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the command signal is a voice signal for delivering a voice message to an operator of a mobile machine.

24. A system, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the command signal is a data signal for delivering a data message to an operator of a mobile machine.

25. A system, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal is combined with the pseudo-GPS signal by inserting the at least one of a DGPS signal and a command signal at a null between two adjacent sideband frequency components.

26. A system, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the mobile machine traverses the site and receives the combined signal from a determined one of the plurality of pseudolites as a function of the location of the mobile machine at the site.

27. A system, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the GPS receiver located on the mobile machine includes an antenna mounted on the mobile machine.

28. A system, as set forth in claim 27, wherein the antenna is mounted on the mobile machine such that signals from a plurality of GPS satellites and signals from at least one of a pseudolite and a base station can be received.