Auto-steering apparatus and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicular guidance method comprising:
- providing a user interface using which data can be input to establish a contour for a vehicle to follow, the user interface further configured to receive information from a differential global positioning system (DGPS);
determining cross track and offset data using information from the DGPS, using a master controller;
generating control values, using at least vehicular kinematics, the cross track and the offset data; and
providing an output to control steering of the vehicle, using the control values, in a direction to follow the established contour while attempting to minimize the cross track and the offset data, by;
receiving control values from the master controller in a second controller;
configuring the second controller to interface with a steering control system; and
receiving steering commands from the second controller at the steering control system to steer the vehicle;
wherein, the second controller adjusts vehicular steering, and vehicular turn is computed using the equation;
vehicular turn=Rk*((cross track−
RG1)−
(offset*RG2))/velocity,where Rk, RG1, and RG2 are gains based upon velocity, cross track, and offset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular guidance method involves providing a user interface using which data can be input to establish a contour for a vehicle to follow, the user interface further configured to receive information from a differential global positioning system (DGPS), determining cross track and offset data using information received from the DGPS, generating control values, using at least vehicular kinematics, the cross track, and the offset data, and providing an output to control steering of the vehicle, using the control values, in a direction to follow the established contour while attempting to minimize the cross track and the offset data.
106 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A vehicular guidance method comprising:
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providing a user interface using which data can be input to establish a contour for a vehicle to follow, the user interface further configured to receive information from a differential global positioning system (DGPS); determining cross track and offset data using information from the DGPS, using a master controller; generating control values, using at least vehicular kinematics, the cross track and the offset data; and providing an output to control steering of the vehicle, using the control values, in a direction to follow the established contour while attempting to minimize the cross track and the offset data, by; receiving control values from the master controller in a second controller; configuring the second controller to interface with a steering control system; and receiving steering commands from the second controller at the steering control system to steer the vehicle; wherein, the second controller adjusts vehicular steering, and vehicular turn is computed using the equation;
vehicular turn=Rk*((cross track−
RG1)−
(offset*RG2))/velocity,where Rk, RG1, and RG2 are gains based upon velocity, cross track, and offset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle guidance system, comprising:
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a computer system having a user interface, the computer system configured to receive data from a differential global positioning system (DGPS) and reference vehicular contour information from a user, the computer system further configured to generate cross track and offset data; a control system configured to removably attach to a vehicle, the control system configured to receive at least vehicular velocity, the cross track and the offset data to generate commands to a steering control system to cause the steering control system to automatically steer the vehicle, to follow the reference vehicular contour, the control system including; a master controller configured to receive the cross track, offset, and vehicular velocity data; and a second controller configured to receive commands from the master controller, the second controller issuing commands to the steering control system to steer the vehicle to follow the reference vehicular contour; and a steering control system comprising a D.C. motor system configured to be coupled to a steering column of the vehicle to retrofit the vehicle without tapping into hydraulic systems of the vehicle; and wherein output of the D.C. motor is determined by the equation;
(Gain*(turn desired−
Axle_POT)),where Axle_POT is read axle position.
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8. A vehicular guidance method, comprising:
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providing a user interface using which data can be input to establish a contour for a vehicle to follow, the user interface further configured to receive information from a differential global positioning system (DGPS); determining cross track and offset data using information from the DGPS, using a master controller; generating control values, using at least vehicular kinematics, the cross track and the offset data; and providing an output to control steering of the vehicle, using the control values, in a direction to follow the established contour while attempting to minimize the cross track and the offset data, by; receiving control values from the master controller in a second controller; configuring the second controller to interface with a steering control system; and receiving steering commands from the second controller at the steering control system to steer the vehicle; wherein vehicular turn is computed using the equation;
vehicular turn=Rk*((cross track−
RG1)−
(offset*RG2))/velocity,where Rk, RG1, and RG2 are gains based upon velocity, cross track, and offset; and wherein desired turn of a vehicle is computed using the equation;
turn desired=(vehicular turn*Axle—
AD+Axle_mid), whereAxle_AD is a conversion; and Axle_mid is calibrated value where the vehicle drives straight.
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9. A vehicular guidance method comprising:
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providing a user interface using which data can be input to establish a contour for a vehicle to follow, the user interface further configured to receive information from a differential global positioning system (DGPS); determining cross track and offset data using information from the DGPS; generating control values, using at least vehicular kinematics, the cross track and the offset data; and providing an output to control steering of the vehicle, using the control values, in a direction to follow the established contour while attempting to minimize the cross track and the offset data, the output being configured to control a D.C. motor configured to be coupled to a steering mechanism of the vehicle, wherein, output of the D.C. motor is provided by the equation;
(Gain*(desired turn−
Axle_POT)),where Axle_POT=read axle position.
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10. A vehicular guidance method comprising:
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providing a user interface using which data can be input to establish a contour for a vehicle to follow, the user interface further configured to receive information from a differential global positioning system (DGPS); determining cross track and offset data using information from the DGPS, using a master controller; generating control values, using at least vehicular kinematics, the cross track and the offset data; and providing an output to control steering of the vehicle, using the control values, in a direction to follow the established contour; wherein the control values include vehicular turn, and wherein vehicular turn is computed using the equation;
vehicular turn=Rk*((cross track−
RG1)−
(offset*RG2))/velocity,where Rk, RG1, and RG2 are gains based upon velocity, cross track, and offset. - View Dependent Claims (11, 15, 16, 17)
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12. A vehicular guidance system configured to removably attach to a vehicle, comprising:
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a user interface configured to establish a contour for a vehicle to follow, the user interface further configured to receive information from a differential global positioning system (DGPS); a computer system configured to receive input from the user interface to generate cross track and offset data; a master controller configured to generate control values, including vehicular turn, using at least the cross track and the offset data, in order to control the vehicle to follow the established contour; and a second controller configured to interface with the master controller and a steering control system and receiving commands therefrom to control the steering control system in order to control steering of the vehicle, to follow the established contour while attempting to minimize the cross track and offset data, wherein, vehicular turn is computed using the equation;
vehicular turn=Rk*((cross track−
RG1)−
(offset*RG2))/velocity,where Rk, RG1, and RG2 are gains based upon velocity, cross track, and offset. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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18. A vehicle guidance system, comprising:
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a computer system having a user interface, the computer system configured to receive data from a differential global positioning system (DGPS) and reference vehicular contour information from a user, the computer system further configured to generate cross track and offset data; and a control system configured to removably attach to a vehicle, the control system being configured to receive at least vehicular velocity, the cross track and the offset data to generate commands, including vehicular turn, to a steering control system to automatically steer the vehicle, to follow the reference vehicular contour, the control system further including; a master controller configured to receive the cross track, offset, and vehicular velocity data; and a second controller configured to receive commands from the master controller, the second controller issuing commands to the steering control system to steer the vehicle to follow the reference vehicular contour; wherein, vehicular turn is computed using the equation;
vehicular turn=Rk*((cross track−
RG1)−
(offset*RG2))/velocity,where Rk, RG1, and RG2 are gains based upon velocity, cross track, and offset. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification