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US 11,269,346 B2Granted
3-d image system for vehicle control
AssigneeAgjunction LLC
InventorsTommy Ertboelle Madsen, Anant Sakharkar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control system uses visual odometry (VO) data to identify a position of the vehicle while moving along a path next to the row and to detect the vehicle reaching an end of the row. The control system can also use the VO image to turn the vehicle around from a first position at the end of the row to a second position at a start of another row. The control system may detect an end of row based on 3-D image data, VO data, and GNSS data. The control system also may adjust the VO data so the end of row detected from the VO data corresponds with the end of row location identified with the GNSS data.
Claims20
A computing device for steering, a vehicle, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- storage memory storing one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- identify a starting location between a pair of rows in a field;
- receive image data identifying the pair of rows in the field;
- steer the vehicle between the pair of rows in the field;
- generate visual odometry (VO) data from the image data, wherein the image data is captured while steering the vehicle between the pair of rows in the field, wherein the generating the VO data includes calculating VO position measurements;
- determine an end of the pair of rows when at least one criterion from a set of detection criteria is satisfied, wherein the set includes at least:
- global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data is received from a GNSS receiver located on the vehicle and a GNSS latitude/longitude position in the received GNSS data matches a known end of row location in a stored electronic map;
- and
- a length of a position line derived from the calculated VO position measurements reaches a row length value identified using the stored electronic map;
- select a turnaround path for steering the vehicle from the determined end of the pair of rows to a start of a different pair of rows in the field;
- steer the vehicle along the turnaround path;
- and
- in a case that the GNSS data is received, recalculate the calculated VO position measurements based on the GNSS latitude/longitude position in the received GNSS data.
12 more elements
A control system for controlling a vehicle, comprising:
- one or more hardware processors configured to:
- receive image data for a row in a field;
- generate visual odometry (VO) data from the image data, wherein the generating the VO data includes calculating VO position measurements;
- use the VO data to identify a position of the vehicle while moving along a path next to the row:
- determine an end of the row when at least one criterion from a set of detection criteria is satisfied, wherein the set includes at least:
- global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data is received from a GNSS receiver associated with the vehicle and a GNSS latitude/longitude position in the received GNSS data matches a known end of row location in a stored electronic map;
- and
- a length of a positon line derived from the calculated VO position measurements reaches a row length value identified using the stored electronic map;
- and
- turn the vehicle around from a first position at the end of the row to a second position at an end of another row;
- and
- in a case that the GNSS data is received, recalculate the calculated VO position measurements using the GNSS latitude/longitude position in the received GNSS data.
9 more elements
A method for steering a vehicle in a field, comprising:
- receiving global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data from a GNSS receiver located on the vehicle;
- receiving three dimensional (3-D) image data from a 3-D image sensor located on the vehicle;
- generating a point cloud map from the 3-D image data;
- generating a height histogram using the point cloud map;
- generating lines from the height histogram, the lines identifying the locations of two adjacent rows in the field, respectively;
- identifying a centerline between the lines;
- using the centerline as a desired path for steering the vehicle between the two adjacent rows;
- generating visual odometry (VO) data based on the 3-D image data, wherein the generating the VO data includes calculating VO position measurements;
- determining an end of the two adjacent rows when at least one criterion from a set of detection criteria is satisfied, wherein the set includes at least:
- a GNSS latitude/longitude position in the received GNSS data matches a known end of row location in a stored electronic map;
- a length of a position line derived from the calculated VO position measurements reaches a row length value identified using the stored electronic map;
- selecting a turnaround path in a headland area for steering the vehicle from the determined end of the two adjacent rows to a start of a next row;
- using the VO data to steer the vehicle along the turn around turnaround path;
- and
- in a case that the GNSS latitude/longitude, position is received, recalculating the calculated VO position measurements using the GNSS latitude/longitude position in the received GNSS data.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.