627 results about "Vehicle guidance" patented technology

An apparatus for guiding a vehicle autonomously to a target point by finding a current position based on radio waives from satellites and comparing the current position with the target point comprises a means for storing a reference position data of a reference point whose accurate position is known, a means for obtaining a position data of the vehicle when the vehicle is located on the reference point, a means for obtaining a correction data by calculating a difference between the reference position data and the position data, and a means for correcting the current position by using the correction data to obtain a real position of the vehicle.

A method for steering an agricultural vehicle comprising: receiving global positioning system (GPS) data including position and velocity information corresponding to at least one of a position, velocity, and course of the vehicle; receiving a yaw rate signal; and computing a compensated heading, the compensated heading comprising a blend of the yaw rate signal with heading information based on the GPS data. For each desired swath comprising a plurality of desired positions and desired headings, the method also comprises: computing an actual track and a cross track error from the desired swath based on the compensated heading and the position; calculating a desired radius of curvature to arrive at the desired track with a desired heading; and generating a steering command based on the desired radius of curvature to a steering mechanism, the steering mechanism configured to direct the vehicle.

A GNSS integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly includes a suite of sensor units, including a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sensor unit comprising a receiver and an antenna. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) outputs vehicle dynamic information for combining with the output of the GNSS unit. A controller with a processor receives the outputs of the sensor suite and computes steering solutions, which are utilized by vehicle actuators, including an automatic steering control unit connected to the vehicle steering for guiding the vehicle. The processor is programmed to define multiple behavior-based automatons comprising self-operating entities in the guidance system, which perform respective behaviors using data output from one or more sensor units for achieving the behaviors. A GNSS integrated multi-sensor vehicle guidance method is also disclosed.

A system and method provide for precision guiding of agricultural vehicles along a series of adjacent paths to form rows for cultivating a field. In one aspect of the invention the vehicle is moved along a first path while receiving positioning information from a navigational system (e.g., RTK GPS). This positioning information is stored in a processor and is used by the processor to compute a second path adjacent to said first path by calculating piecewise perpendicular offsets from the first path at multiple locations along the first path. The process is repeated to compute a third and subsequent paths so as to cover the field. Because of the offset process, the field may be covered with paths that have varying curvature along their length, while providing substantially no gaps or overlaps in the coverage of the field. In another aspect of the invention, the system may propose alternative paths and the user can intervene by steering the vehicle or using a graphical user interface to select among the alternative paths. A still further aspect of the invention allows for the recording of the paths that provide coverage of a field in the form of a template. This template can then be used to cause the vehicle to automatically steer along a previously calculated path in subsequent operations on the field, and in subsequent years.

The present invention relates to vehicle guidance software for use with an agricultural vehicle having a guidance system. The software includes a processing portion (24) for generating a set of guidance indicators from a set of waypoints. The software further includes an adapting portion (26) for analyzing the guidance indicators produced by the processing portion (24) and determining whether the guidance indicators define a path that cannot be traversed by the vehicle due to its minimum turning radius. In the event that a path cannot be traversed by the vehicle the adaptive portion (26) generates a set of alternative guidance indicators that define a path that is traversable by the vehicle.

Apparatus and a method for its use to assist an operator of a towing vehicle in backing the towing vehicle accurately into a position in which parts of a hitch can be mated to connect the towing vehicle with a trailer. A camera in a towing vehicle module provides the towing vehicle operator a video image of the trailer and a target mounted on it. A beam of light from the towing vehicle module and falling on the target is visible in the video image to show when the towing vehicle approaches and reaches a position in which the hitch can be mated.

A method for automatic vehicle guidance is provided, in which infrastructure data is wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle and vehicle guidance commands are calculated on the basis of the infrastructure data. In this method, the infrastructure data for at least a section of the travel route immediately ahead is loaded into an on-board memory, the current position of the vehicle is continuously determined using a precise position system, and the commands are calculated on the basis of the position data and the stored infrastructure data.

A parking assist apparatus allows a target parking position to be set by a user moving a target parking frame displayed together with an actual image of surroundings of a vehicle, and automatically guides the vehicle to the set target parking position. In the parking assist apparatus, the target parking frame is initially displayed through the use of past setting of the target parking position by the user.

A method for steering an agricultural vehicle comprising: receiving global positioning system (GPS) data including position and velocity information corresponding to at least one of a position, velocity, and course of the vehicle; receiving a yaw rate signal; and computing a compensated heading, the compensated heading comprising a blend of the yaw rate signal with heading information based on the GPS data. For each desired swath comprising a plurality of desired positions and desired headings, the method also comprises: computing an actual track and a cross track error from the desired swath based on the compensated heading and the position; calculating a desired radius of curvature to arrive at the desired track with a desired heading; and generating a steering command based on the desired radius of curvature to a steering mechanism, the steering mechanism configured to direct the vehicle.

A method for dividing a field into zones with similar crop attributes and developing a mission plan for steering the harvester to selectively harvest crops based on one or more of the attributes. The attributes include protein level, starch level, oil level, sugar content, moisture level, digestible nutrient level, or any other crop characteristic of interest. The method can be applied to selectively harvest and / or segregate according to attribute any crop, including grains such as wheat, corn, or beans, fruits such as grapes, and forage crops. Directed crop sampling provides absolute value and variance information for segregated batches of harvested crop.