Vehicle control system

A closed loop vehicle control system comprising

• a spatial database,
• a controller adapted to receive spatial data from the spatial database at control speed,
• the controller controlling the vehicle,
• wherein updated spatial data is fed back into the control system.

A control system for controlling a vehicle within a region to be traversed, the control system comprising

• a spatial database containing spatial data,
• a controller adapted to receive spatial data from the spatial database at control speed, the controller being adapted to control the vehicle,
• the spatial database being adapted to receive updated spatial data from the controller and/or an external source,
• the updated spatial data relating to one or a combination of the vehicle, an implement associated with and proximate the vehicle, the region or at least a portion of the region proximate the vehicle.

A vehicle control system to assist in the control of a vehicle, the vehicle control system comprising:

• a GPS receiver mounted on the vehicle that continuously outputs location signals;
• a control unit, electronically coupled to the GPS receiver, to generate a control signal for controlling the vehicle, the control unit including:
• (a) a task path generator for receiving a user-defined path and generating desired vehicle position information;
• (b) a spatial database for continuously receiving and storing the location signals received from the GPS receiver and for receiving and storing the desired vehicle position information;
• (c) a memory;
• (d) a central processing unit;
• wherein the control unit operates on spatial data from the spatial database at control speed as the vehicle is moving and generates control signals therefrom to control the vehicle.

A vehicle control system to assist in the control of a vehicle, the vehicle control system comprising:

• a spatial data receiver that continuously outputs the spatial location of the spatial data receiver;
• a control unit, electronically coupled to the spatial data receiver, to generate a control signal for controlling the vehicle, the control unit including:
• (a) a task path generator for receiving a user-defined path and generating desired vehicle position information;
• (b) a vehicle attitude compensation module to continuously convert data from the spatial data receiver into spatial data pertaining to the spatial location and orientation of a reference point for the vehicle;
• (c) a spatial database for continuously receiving and storing the spatial data received from the vehicle attitude compensation module, and for receiving and storing the desired vehicle position information;
• (d) a memory;
• (e) a central processing unit;
• wherein the control unit operates on spatial data from the spatial database at control speed as the vehicle is moving and generates control signals therefrom to control the vehicle.

A vehicle control system to assist in the control of a vehicle, the vehicle control system comprising:

• a spatial data receiver that continuously outputs location signals;
• a control unit, electronically coupled to the spatial data receiver, to generate a control signal for controlling the vehicle, the control unit including:
• (a) a task path generator for receiving a user-defined path and generating desired vehicle position information;
• (b) a spatial database for continuously receiving and storing the location signals received from the spatial data receiver and for receiving and storing the desired vehicle position information;
• (c) a position error generator for generating a signal based on the location signals and the desired vehicle position;
• and
• (d) a controller for generating a control signal for controlling the vehicle based on the signal generated by the position error generator.