Methods and systems for optimizing performance of vehicle guidance systems

• US 8,755,974 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Original Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Inventors: Matthews, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US14/050,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20140039761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 251 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/23, 701/25, 701/36, 701/41, 701/42, 701/49, 701/50, 701/70, 701/72, 701/93, 701/94, 701/124, 701/400, 701/408, 701/423, 701/425, 701/466, 701/468, 340/438, 340/439, 340/440, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.12, 56/1, 56/102.R, 56/102.F
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/003 Steering or guiding of machines or implements pushed or pulled by or mounted on agricultural vehicles such as tractors, e.g. by lateral shifting of the towing connection
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/001 the torque NOT being among the input parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A vehicle guidance system includes a location determining component for determining locations of the vehicle; a weight sensor for sensing a weight associated with the vehicle; a steering actuator for steering at least one wheel of the vehicle; and a computing device in communication with the location determining component, the weight sensor, and the steering actuator. The computing device receives cartographic data representative of a desired path for the vehicle, receives location information from the location determining component, controls operation of the steering actuator in order to guide the vehicle along the desired path, and adjusts a steering parameter at least partially based on the weight sensed by the weight sensor.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing performance of a guidance system for a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving data representative of a weight associated with a periodically changing payload of the vehicle, an overall possible weight change of the payload being equivalent to a weight of the vehicle; and

setting or adjusting a steering parameter of the guidance system at least partially based on the weight such that the guidance system steers the vehicle in a manner that compensates for the weight;

wherein the receiving and setting steps are automatically performed by a computing device of the guidance system.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the computing device adjusts the steering parameter of the guidance system based on the changing payload.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the payload of the vehicle is a payload of a device being towed by the vehicle or a payload being carried by the vehicle itself.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steering parameter is a steering gain setting.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the setting or adjusting step comprises the step of increasing the steering gain setting when the weight increases.

6. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the setting or adjusting step comprises the step of decreasing the gain steering when the weight decreases.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

periodically receiving updated data representative of updated weights associated with the payload of the vehicle as the vehicle is driven; and

periodically setting or adjusting the steering parameter at least partially in response to the updated data.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the steering parameter is a steering gain setting and the periodically setting or adjusting step comprises the step of increasing the steering gain setting as the weight associated with the payload of the vehicle increases.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the periodically setting or adjusting step further comprises the step of decreasing the steering gain setting as the weight associated with the payload of the vehicle decreases.

10. A guidance system for a vehicle, the guidance system comprising:

a location determining component for determining a location of the vehicle;

a weight sensor for sensing a weight associated with a periodically changing payload of the vehicle, an overall possible weight change of the payload being equivalent to a weight of the vehicle;

a steering actuator for steering at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

a computing device in communication with the location determining component, the steering actuator, and the weight sensor, the computing device being configured for accessing cartographic data representative of a desired path for the vehicle, receiving location information from the location determining component, controlling operation of the steering actuator in accordance with the location information in order to guide the vehicle along the desired path, periodically receiving data representative of an updated weight associated with the payload of the vehicle as the vehicle is driven along the path, and adjusting a steering gain setting at least partially based on the weight sensed by the weight sensor by increasing the steering gain setting when the weight increases and decreasing the steering gain setting when the weight decreases.

11. The guidance system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the weight sensor indirectly senses the weight by gauging an amount of a substance corresponding to the payload.

12. The guidance system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the guidance system is operable to receive a user input to define an acceptable amount of deviation of an actual angle of the wheel and a desired angle of the wheel.

13. The guidance system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the guidance system is operable to be switched to a manual mode wherein the controlling operation of the steering actuator is performed by a user.

14. The guidance system as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

a feedback system operable to monitor an actual heading change and send data representative of the actual heading change to the computing device to compensate for a difference between the actual heading change and an intended heading change.

15. The guidance system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the payload of the vehicle is a payload of a device being towed by the vehicle or a payload being carried by the vehicle itself.

16. A guidance system for a vehicle, the guidance system comprising:

a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver for determining a location of the vehicle;

a weight sensor for sensing a weight associated with a periodically changing payload of the vehicle, an overall possible weight change of the payload being equivalent to a weight of the vehicle;

a steering actuator for steering at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

a computing device in communication with the location determining component, the weight sensor, and the steering actuator, the computing device being configured for—

accessing cartographic data representative of a desired path for the vehicle,

periodically obtaining location information from the location determining component,

controlling operation of the steering actuator in order to guide the vehicle along the desired path,

periodically receiving weight data representative of a current weight of the payload of the vehicle as the vehicle is driven along the desired path,

periodically setting or adjusting a steering parameter at least partially in response to the weight data.

17. The guidance system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the payload of the vehicle is a payload of a device being towed by the vehicle or a payload being carried by the vehicle itself.

18. The guidance system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the steering parameter is a steering gain setting and wherein the computing device increases the gain setting as the weight of the payload of the vehicle increases.

19. The guidance system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the computing device decreases the gain setting as the weight of the payload of the vehicle decreases.