Satellite position and heading sensor for vehicle steering control

• US 7,400,956 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AgJunction Incorporated (Kubota Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hemisphere GNSS(USA) Incorporated
• Inventors: McClure, John A., Whitehead, Michael L., Feller, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/804,758
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude
• 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 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A sensor system for vehicle steering control comprising: a plurality of global navigation satellite sensor systems (GNSS) including receivers and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase corrected real time kinematic (RTK) position differences. The roll angle facilitates correction of the lateral motion induced position errors resultant from motion of the antennae as the vehicle moves based on an offset to ground and the roll angle. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll and pitch, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system.

Claims

1. A sensor system for controlling a vehicle steering system, which sensor system comprises:

a global navigation satellite sensor (GNSS) attitude subsystem including a receiver and multiple antennas connected to said receiver at a fixed spacing, said GNSS attitude subsystem computing vehicle position and attitude;

a yaw gyroscope connected to said GNSS attitude subsystem and configured to derive and provide an output including a yaw angular rate of change;

means for calibrating bias and scale factor errors in the yaw gyroscope using said reference attitude angles; and

a steering control subsystem connected to said yaw gyroscope and said GNSS attitude subsystem and using said yaw angle and yaw angle rate of change outputs from said yaw gyroscope for computing and outputting steering control commands to the vehicle steering system from the current position and heading to the desired position and heading; and

means for automatically calibrating said steering control commands using GNSS-derived vehicle position.

2. The system according to claim 1, which includes:

a roll gyroscope connected to said GNSS attitude subsystem and configured to derive and provide an output including a roll angular rate of change;

said GNSS attitude subsystem including a function for calibrating bias and scale factor errors in the roll gyroscope using said reference attitude angles; and

said steering control subsystem connected to said roll gyroscope and using said roll angle rate of change output from said roll gyroscope for computing and outputting steering control commands to the vehicle steering system.

3. The system according to claim 2, which includes:

said roll gyroscope output including a roll angle; and

said steering control subsystem using said roll angle output from said roll gyroscope for computing and outputting steering control commands to the vehicle steering system.

4. The system according to claim 2, which includes:

said GNSS attitude subsystem deriving said steering control commands from a combination of yaw and roll gyroscope outputs and GNSS-derived attitude reference yaw and roll angles.

5. The system according to claim 4, which includes:

said GNSS attitude subsystem deriving a roll angle;

and said steering control system using said roll angle to compensate for vehicle roll in said steering control commands.

6. The system according to claim 5, which includes:

said roll angle compensation function being enhanced by said roll gyroscope output.

7. A method of controlling a vehicle steering system, which comprises the steps of:

providing a global navigation satellite sensor (GNSS) attitude subsystem including a receiver and multiple antennas connected to said receiver at a fixed spacing;

computing vehicle position and attitude with said GNSS attitude subsystem;

providing a yaw gyroscope connected to said GNSS attitude subsystem;

configuring said yaw gyroscope to derive and provide an output including a yaw angle and yaw angle rate of change and deriving and providing such output;

reducing bias and drift errors in said yaw gyroscope using said vehicle attitude;

using said yaw angle and said yaw angle rate of change output from said yaw gyroscope for computing and outputting steering control commands to the vehicle steering system from the current position and heading to the desired position and heading; and

automatically calibrating said steering control commands using GNSS-derived vehicle position.