# US 12,007,780 B2 · System and method for determining a position and/or orientation of a swap body in relation to a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,780 B2 - Document ID: US12007780B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/253,476 - Filed: 2019-05-27 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-26 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Patrick Kniess - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007780B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/0225: {involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027)} - B60P 1/649: {Guiding means for the load-transporting element} - B60P 7/13: Securing freight containers or forwarding containers on vehicles - G01S 17/08: for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G01S 17/87: Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves - G01S 17/88: Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G05D 1/661: Docking at a base station (delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667) - G08G 1/163: {involving continuous checking} - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract The invention relates to a system for determining a position and orientation of a swap body in relation to a vehicle while aligning the vehicle under the swap body. The system has three distance sensors which can be placed on the vehicle oriented in the longitudinal direction thereof, each of which is configured to determine a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and predetermined measurement points on the swap body, and output a corresponding signal. The system has a signal processing device that is configured to determine a relative position and/or relative orientation of the swap body to the vehicle based on the signals output by the three distance sensors, and output a corresponding output signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for determining a position and orientation of a swap body in relation to a vehicle while aligning the vehicle under the swap body, comprising: at least three distance sensors placed on the vehicle oriented in the longitudinal direction thereof, each of which is configured to determine a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and predetermined measurement points on the swap body, and output a corresponding signal; and a signal processor that is configured to determine a relative position and a relative orientation of the swap body to the vehicle based on the signals output by the at least three distance sensors, and output a corresponding output signal, wherein each of the three distance sensors emits a measurement beam for measuring the longitudinal distance, which runs parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein two distance sensors are arranged at a lateral distance to one another on the vehicle, and wherein the two distance sensors are aligned on the vehicle such that their respective measurement beams pass laterally by guide rollers located behind the distance sensors in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the two distance sensors can be arranged on the vehicle symmetrically to one another in relation to a vertical longitudinal plane through the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the two distance sensors are aligned on the vehicle such that their respective measurement beams pass laterally outside guide rollers located behind the respective distance sensors in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the two distance sensors are aligned on the vehicle such that their respective measurement beams pass by the guide rollers located behind the respective distance sensors in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle at a tangent to a conical section of the guide rollers and substantially at half the height of the guide rollers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising: a calibration device configured to provide a feature that at least one of the three distance sensors is to be aimed at, wherein the at least one of the three distance sensors is configured to be aimed at the feature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, wherein the feature is at least one of a mark or a hole through which light passes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, wherein the calibration device is configured to be placed in a guide roller hole for the guide rollers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, wherein the distance sensors are configured to be laterally and vertically positioned on the vehicle and have an orientation of the distance sensors adjusted. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein one distance sensor is placed at a higher position than the other two distance sensors, to detect an end surface of the swap body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the three distance sensors are laser sensors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A vehicle for receiving a swap body with a receiving structure for receiving a swap body, the vehicle comprising the system according to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle comprises a controller for autonomous operation, which at least enables autonomous operation while aligning the swap body, wherein the controller for autonomous operation receives the output signal from the signal processor. ### Claim 13 A method for determining a position and orientation of a swap body in relation to a vehicle while aligning the vehicle under the swap body with a system or vehicle, the method comprising: determining a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and predefined measurement points on the swap body with a plurality of distance sensors arranged on the vehicle and oriented toward a rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, positioning the plurality of distance sensors such that they can detect the predefined measurement points on the swap body when aligning the vehicle, wherein at least two of the measurement points lie on the inner surfaces of guide rails forming a guide channel on the swap body, and at least one measurement point lies on an end surface of the swap body, and determining a relative position and a relative orientation of the swap body to the vehicle based on the determined longitudinal distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising: calibrating at least two of the plurality of distance sensors such that their respective calibrated measurement beams pass laterally outside guide rollers located behind the respective distance sensors in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein calibrating the at least two of the plurality of distance sensors further comprises: placing a calibration device in each guide hole for the guide rollers located behind the at least two of the plurality of distance sensors in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and positioning the at least two of the plurality of distance sensors such that their positions and orientations correspond to specifications based on the calibration device. ### Claim 16 A method for determining a position and orientation of a swap body in relation to a vehicle while aligning the vehicle under the swap body with a system or vehicle, the method comprising: determining a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and predefined measurement points on the swap body with a plurality of distance sensors arranged on the vehicle and oriented toward a rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, calibrating at least two of the plurality of distance sensors such that their respective calibrated measurement beams pass laterally outside guide rollers located behind the respective distance sensors in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and determining a relative position and a relative orientation of the swap body to the vehicle based on the determined longitudinal distance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein calibrating the at least two of the plurality of distance sensors further comprises: placing a calibration device in each guide hole for the guide rollers located behind the at least two of the plurality of distance sensors in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and positioning the at least two of the plurality of distance sensors such that their positions and orientations correspond to specifications based on the calibration device.