US 6,494,476 B2 · Robotic vehicle that tracks the path of a lead vehicle

An articulated steerable mobile machine, comprising:

first, second, and third machine sections, each machine section having an axle, said first machine section being independently steerable, said second machine section being non-steerable and being pivotally connected to said first machine section, and said third machine section being steerable and being pivotally connected to said second machine section;
a first sensor to sense information about the relative or absolute orientation or the rate of change of said relative or absolute orientation in a roughly horizontal plane of the first one of said machine sections or any subsection of the first one of said machine sections or to sense information about the relative or absolute position or the rate of change of said relative or absolute position in a roughly horizontal plane or from which the relative or absolute position in a roughly horizontal plane can be derived of the first one of said machine sections or any subsection of the first one of said machine;
a second sensor to sense information about the relative or absolute orientation or the rate of change of said relative or absolute orientation in a roughly horizontal plane of a second of said machine sections or any subsection of a second of said machine sections or to sense information about the relative or absolute position or the rate of change of said relative or absolute position in a roughly horizontal plane or from which the relative or absolute position can be derived of a second of said machine sections or any subsection of a second of said machine sections;
a control system receiving input from said first sensor and said second sensor measuring information about the relative or absolute orientation or the rate of change of said relative or absolute orientation in a roughly horizontal plane of at least two of said machine sections or of subsections of said machine sections, or receiving input from said first sensor and said second sensor measuring information about the relative or absolute position or the rate of change of said relative or absolute position in a roughly horizontal plane, or from which the relative or absolute position in a roughly horizontal plane can be derived of at least two of said machine sections or of subsections of said machine sections;
said control system using mathematical algorithms of various types to process the data acquired from said first sensor and said second sensor and to generate an output signal to control the orientation of said steerable axle mounted on said third machine section;
said control system, by the way it handles the input data in order to generate output control signals, causing the path of the third machine section to be characterized by a degree of similarity to the path of the first machine section;
and wherein
said first sensor comprises a means to deliver a corresponding first orientation angle signal or a first position signal to the control system;
and
said second sensor comprises a means to deliver a corresponding second orientation angle signal or a second position signal to the control system.

7 more elements

An articulated mobile machine, comprising:

a first machine section, wherein said first machine section further comprises a steerable subsection having at least one axle;
a second machine section pivotally connected to said first machine section, wherein said second machine section further comprises at least one non-steered axle;
a third machine section being steerable and being pivotally connected to said second machine section, wherein said third machine section further comprises a steerable subsection having at least one axle;
a first machine section orientation data input sensor, wherein said first machine section orientation data input sensor senses reference steering information regarding the orientation of said first machine section;
a third machine section orientation data input sensor, wherein said third machine section orientation data input sensor senses comparison steering information regarding the orientation of said third machine section;
and
a control system receiving data from said first machine section orientation data input sensor and said third machine section orientation data input sensor, wherein said control system processes data acquired from said first machine section orientation data input sensor and from said third machine section orientation data input sensor to generate an overall steering output to control the orientation of said steerable subsection of said third machine section in order to steer said third machine section in a desired path.

4 more elements

A method for steering a trailing section of a pivotally connected articulated mobile machine, having a first machine section being independently steered with a steerable subsection, a second machine section having at least one non-steered axle, and a third machine section with a steerable subsection, said method comprising the following steps:

determining the orientation parameter of said first machine section;
determining the orientation parameter of said third machine section;
processing said orientation parameter of said first machine section and said orientation parameter of said third machine section to calculate the overall steering output needed to steer said third machine section;
and
applying the overall steering output to control the orientation of said steerable subsection of said third machine section in such a way that the path of said third machine section is characterized by a degree of similarity to the path of said first machine section.

2 more elements

Robotic vehicle that tracks the path of a lead vehicle

Life of this patent

Robotic vehicle that tracks the path of a lead vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21