Precise parallel swathing guidance via satellite navigation and tilt measurement

• US 6,501,422 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Nichols, Mark Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/624,313
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.17, 701/215, 373/48
• US Class Current: 342/357.36
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/40 Correcting position, velocity or attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/43 using carrier phase measurements, e.g. kinematic positioning; using long or short baseline interferometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/47 the supplementary measurement being an inertial measurement, e.g. tightly coupled inertial
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/10 in agriculture

Abstract

The satellite navigational system integrated with the tilt measurement system capable of precise measurement of the actual coordinates of the mobile unit that moves along a track with variable tilt is disclosed. Using the integrated satellite/tilt measurement system, a plurality of 3 dimensional lines separated by optimal swathing offset vector can be formed and followed in order to provide field guidance during a precision farming operation across variably inclined terrain.

Claims

1. A spray-map generating system comprising:

a satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver mounted in a housing means of a mobile unit;

wherein said (SATPS) receiver further comprises a differential GPS post-processing receiver;

wherein said differential GPS post-processing receiver is configured to perform three dimensional coordinates measurements of said mobile unit; and

wherein said mobile unit further comprises a farm tractor towing an implement; and

wherein said implement further comprises a spray unit;

a tilt angle measurement device integrated with said differential GPS post-processing receiver, wherein said tilt measurement device is configured to perform tilt coordinates measurements of said mobile unit;

a differential GPS post-processing receiver/tilt integrated navigational computer, wherein said differential GPS post-processing receiver/tilt integrated navigational computer is configured to calculate three dimensional coordinates of an implement mounted in said mobile unit by solving a set of geometrical equations including said three dimensional coordinates of said mobile unit, said tilt coordinates of said mobile unit that are measured synchronously with said three dimensional coordinates of said mobile unit, and a distance between said differential GPS post-processing receiver and said implement;

a map generating memory unit configured to record three dimensional coordinates of said implement in order to generate a map of an actual area covered by said implement; and

a spray-map generating memory unit configured to record the amount of spray actually spent on said actually sprayed area of said field with variable tilt.

2. A method for generating a spray-map of an actually sprayed area of a field with a variable tilt and for recording the amount of spray actually spent on said actually sprayed area of said field with variable tilt, said method comprising the steps of:

performing three dimensional coordinates measurements of a mobile unit by using a satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver mounted in a housing means of said mobile unit;

performing tilt coordinates measurements of said mobile unit synchronously with said three dimensional coordinates measurements of said mobile unit by using a tilt angle measurement device integrated with said SATPS receiver;

calculating three dimensional coordinates of an implement mounted in said mobile unit by solving a set of geometrical equations including said three dimensional coordinates of said mobile unit, said tilt coordinates of said mobile unit, and a distance between said SATPS receiver and said implement by using a SATPS/tilt integrated navigational computer;

recording three dimensional coordinates of said implement by using a memory unit of said SATPS/tilt integrated navigational computer;

generating a map of an actual area covered by said implement by using a map generating software; and

generating a record of the amount of spray spent on said sprayed area of said field with variable tilt.

3. A method of operating a mobile unit including a spraying apparatus along a 3-dimensional form line so as to apply additional chemicals to a portion of a filed;

and recording the amount of additional chemicals spent;

said method comprising the steps of;

updating a 3-dimensional form line using a set of positioning information including a set of satellite navigational data provided by one or more sources of satellite navigational information and including a set of tilt measurement data provided by a tilt measurement unit while a mobile unit was (a) following a preciously computed 3-dimensional form line having been defined using a set of earlier derived satellite navigational data, a set of earlier derived tilt measurement date, and a swathing offset vector; and

(b) deviating from said preciously computed 3-dimensional form line to accommodate one or more terrain features encountered while following said preciously computed 3-dimensional form line;

controlling said mobile unit including said spraying apparatus so as to follow said updated 3-dimensional form line;

applying chemicals only to a selected area of said filed while operating said mobile unit along said updated 3-dimensional form line, said selected area configured so as not to encroach upon other portions of said field upon which chemicals were applied while operating said mobile unit along said previously computed 3-dimensional form line; and

recording the amount of additional chemicals spent while operating said mobile unit along said previously computed 3-dimensional form line.

4. A method of operating a mobile unit including a planting apparatus along a 3-dimensional form;

and optimum planting rows of crops while operating said mobile unit to make the best use of the land available; and

recording the amount of crop actually planted;

said method comprising the steps of;

updating a 3-dimensional form line using a set of positioning information including a set of satellite navigational data provided by one or more sources of satellite navigational information and including a set of tilt measurement data provided by a tilt measurement unit while a mobile unit was (a) following a preciously computed 3-dimensional form line having been defined using a set of earlier derived satellite navigational data, a set of earlier derived tilt measurement date, and a swathing offset vector, and (b) deviating from said previously computed 3-dimensional form line to accommodate one or more terrain features encountered while following said previously computed 3-dimensional form line;

controlling said mobile unit including said spraying apparatus so as to follow said updated 3-dimensional form line;

optimum planting rows of crops while operating said mobile unit along said updated 3-dimensional form line to make the best use of the land available; and

recording the amount of crop actually planted.