Yaw estimation systems and methods for rigid bodies of earthmoving machines connected by a revolute joint

A yaw estimation system comprising an earthmoving machine, wherein:

• the earthmoving machine comprises a machine chassis comprising an engine end frame (EEF), an EEF inertial motion unit (IMU), a linkage assembly comprising a non-engine end frame (NEEF), a NEEF IMU, one or more other IMUs, a revolute joint, an earthmoving implement, and control architecture;
• the EEF IMU disposed on the EEF, the NEEF IMU disposed on the NEEF, the EEF IMU and the NEEF IMU each comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope, and the EEF coupled to the NEEF via the revolute joint comprising a yaw axis longitudinally to allow for movement about the yaw axis in a single degree of freedom;
• and
• the control architecture comprises an architecture controller programmed to:
• remove gravitational acceleration from data received from the EEF IMU, the NEEF IMU, and the one or more other IMUs of the earthmoving machine;
• receive roll and pitch input from the EEF IMU and from the NEEF IMU;
• estimate a yaw articulation angle of the NEEF relative to the EEF by at least two different estimation methods based on the received roll and pitch input;
• fuse the at least two different estimation methods to generate an updated yaw articulation angle;
• calculate a yaw articulation rate based on the received roll and pitch input;
• integrate as an integration the updated yaw articulation angle and the yaw articulation rate;
• generate a real-time yaw articulation angle estimate of the NEEF relative to the EEF based on the integration;
• and
• operate the earthmoving machine based on the real-time yaw articulation angle estimate.

A method for use of yaw estimation system comprising an earthmoving machine, wherein the earthmoving machine comprises a machine chassis comprising an engine end frame (EEF), an EEF inertial motion unit (IMU), a linkage assembly comprising a non-engine end frame (NEEF), a NEEF IMU, a revolute joint, an earthmoving implement, and control architecture, and wherein the EEF IMU is disposed on the EEF, the NEEF IMU is disposed on the NEEF, and the EEF is coupled to the NEEF via the revolute joint comprising a yaw axis longitudinally to allow for movement about the yaw axis in a single degree of freedom, the method comprising:

• receiving roll and pitch input from the EEF IMU and from the NEEF IMU;
• estimating via an architecture controller of the control architecture a yaw articulation angle of the NEEF relative to the EEF by at least two different estimation methods based on the received roll and pitch input;
• fusing the at least two different estimation methods to generate an updated yaw articulation angle;
• calculating a yaw articulation rate based on the received roll and pitch input;
• integrating as an integration the updated yaw articulation angle and the yaw articulation rate;
• generating via the architecture controller a real-time yaw articulation angle estimate of the NEEF relative to the EEF based on the integration;
• and
• operating via the control architecture the earthmoving machine based on the real-time yaw articulation angle estimate.