# US 2017/0285652 A1 · Control apparatus for utility vehicle

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- Number: US 2017/0285652 A1
- Document ID: US20170285652A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/473,443
- Filed: 2017-03-29
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hideaki Shimamura; Yuki Matsui
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285652A1

## CPC

- G05D 1/0265: {using buried wires}
- A01D 34/008: {for automated or remotely controlled operation}
- B60K 1/02: comprising more than one electric motor
- B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric}
- B60L 15/2036: {Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles}
- B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75)
- B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer
- B60L 53/36: by positioning the vehicle
- G01C 21/08: involving use of the magnetic field of the earth
- A01D 34/63: having cutters rotating about a vertical axis
- A01D 34/78: electric
- A01D 69/02: electric
- A01D 2101/00: Lawn-mowers
- B60K 2001/0416: {Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle}
- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 2200/40: Working vehicles
- B60L 2210/30: AC to DC converters
- B60L 2260/32: Auto pilot mode
- B60R 16/0207: {Wire harnesses}
- B60R 21/0136: responsive to actual contact with an obstacle {, e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle (monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558)}
- B60R 2021/01013: {Means for detecting collision, impending collision or roll-over}
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

In an apparatus for controlling operation of a utility vehicle that detects a magnetic field generated by electric current flowing through a boundary wire of a working area and is driven to run within the working area based on the detected magnetic field, having left and right magnetic sensor installed at lateral right and left positions of the vehicle to produce outputs proportional to strength of the magnetic field, turning mode is switched between gentle turning mode to make the vehicle turn while running near the boundary wire and sharp turning mode to make the vehicle pause near the boundary wire and then turn, when it is determined from the outputs of the magnetic sensors that the vehicle approaches the boundary wire, each time predetermined conditions are satisfied, and operation of the prime mover is controlled such that the vehicle turns in accordance with the switched turning mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for controlling operation of a utility vehicle that detects a magnetic field generated during flow of electric current from an electric power supply through a boundary wire laid around a working area and is driven by a prime mover to run within the working area based on the detected magnetic field, comprising:
first and second magnetic sensors that are installed at lateral right and left positions symmetrical in a vehicle width direction of a body of the utility vehicle with respect to a vehicle center line extending in a forward-rearward direction and produce outputs proportional to strength of the magnetic field during flow of electric current through the boundary wire; and
an electronic control unit having a microprocessor and a memory,
wherein the microprocessor is configured to function as:
a running control unit configured to switch turning mode between a first turning mode to make the vehicle turn while running near the boundary wire and a second turning mode to make the vehicle pause near the boundary wire and then turn, when it is determined from the outputs of the first and second magnetic sensors that the vehicle approaches the boundary wire, each time predetermined conditions are satisfied, and to control operation of the prime mover such that the vehicle turns in accordance with the switched turning modes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined conditions includes operating time of the vehicle, and it is determined that predetermined conditions are satisfied when the operating time of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a prescribed time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined conditions includes number of turn of the vehicle, and it is determined that predetermined conditions are satisfied when the number of the turn of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a prescribed number.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the running control unit memorizes a number of times that the predetermined conditions are satisfied after finishing controlling of the operation of the prime mover.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first turning mode is a mode to calculate a turning radius and turning angle of the vehicle and to turn the vehicle in accordance with the calculated turning radius and turning angle toward a side of one of the first and second magnetic sensors whose output indicates lower magnetic field strength.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein approach angle of the vehicle toward the boundary wire is calculated, and the turning radius and turning angle are respectively calculated to random values between minimum values and maximum values from calculated approach angle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second turning angle is a mode to make the vehicle run straight forward, once stop the vehicle when a front end part of the body of the vehicle corresponding to at least one of the first and second magnetic sensors crosses over the boundary wire, next turn the vehicle with the front end of the body that crossed over the boundary wire as an outer wheel side.

### Claim 8

A method for controlling operation of a utility vehicle that detects a magnetic field generated during flow of electric current from an electric power supply through a boundary wire aid around a working area and is driven by a prime mover to run within the working area based on the detected magnetic field, having:
first and second magnetic sensors that are installed at lateral right and left positions symmetrical in a vehicle width direction of a body of the utility vehicle with respect to a vehicle center line extending in a forward-rearward direction and produce outputs proportional to strength of the magnetic field during flow of electric current through the boundary wire; comprising the steps of:
switching turning mode between a first turning mode to make the vehicle turn while running near the boundary wire and a second turning mode to make the vehicle pause near the boundary wire and then turn, when it is determined from the outputs of the first and second magnetic sensors that the vehicle approaches the boundary wire, each time predetermined conditions are satisfied, and controlling operation of the prime mover such that the vehicle turns in accordance with the switched turning modes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined conditions includes operating time of the vehicle, and it is determined that predetermined conditions are satisfied when the operating time of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a prescribed time.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined conditions includes number of turn of the vehicle, and it is determined that predetermined conditions are satisfied when the number of the turn of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a prescribed number.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of turn mode switching memorizes a number of times that the predetermined conditions are satisfied after finishing controlling of the operation of the prime mover.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the first turning mode is a mode to calculate a turning radius and turning angle of the vehicle and to turn the vehicle in accordance with the calculated turning radius and turning angle toward a side of one of the first and second magnetic sensors whose output indicates lower magnetic field strength.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein approach angle of the vehicle toward the boundary wire is calculated, and the turning radius and turning angle are respectively calculated to random values between minimum values and maximum values from calculated approach angle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the second turning angle is a mode to make the vehicle run straight forward, once stop the vehicle when a front end part of the body of the vehicle corresponding to at least one of the first and second magnetic sensors crosses over the boundary wire, next turn the vehicle with the front end of the body that crossed over the boundary wire as an outer wheel side.