Control apparatus for autonomous operating vehicle

An apparatus for controlling an autonomous operating vehicle having a prime mover, a driven wheel connected to the prime mover and an operating machine, the vehicle autonomously traveling in a travel-scheduled area to perform operation using the operating machine by driving the prime mover, the apparatus comprising:

• a geomagnetic sensor having x-axis, y-axis and z-axis outputs, mounted on the vehicle and responsive to a magnet embedded in the travel-scheduled area;
• an angular velocity sensor for detecting an angular velocity generated about z-axis that goes through a center of gravity of the vehicle and is perpendicular to a travel direction of the vehicle;
• a wheel speed sensor for producing an output indicative of a wheel speed of the driven wheel of the vehicle;
• and
• a map information storage for defining the travel-scheduled area and storing map information including an embedded position of the magnet indicated with an x-y coordinate position;
• at least one processor configured to:
• detect an absolute direction based on the output of the geomagnetic sensor;
• detect an approach direction to the magnet by comparing the output of the geomagnetic sensor with a pre-stored output pattern;
• detect a position of the vehicle in the travel-scheduled area based on the detected approach direction and the map information;
• calculate a traveling direction based on the output of the angular velocity sensor and a traveled distance based on the output of the wheel speed sensor;
• and
• control the operation performed through the operating machine in the travel-scheduled area in accordance with a preset operation program based on the detected absolute direction, the detected position of the vehicle in the travel-scheduled area, the calculated traveling direction and the calculated traveled distance.

A method for controlling an autonomous operating vehicle having a prime mover, a driven wheel connected to the prime mover and an operating machine, the vehicle autonomously traveling in a travel-scheduled area to perform operation using the operating machine by driving the prime mover, and further having a geomagnetic sensor having x-axis, y-axis and z-axis outputs, mounted on the vehicle and responsive to a magnet embedded in the travel-scheduled area, the method comprising:

• obtaining a sensor output indicative of an angular velocity generated about z-axis that goes through a center of gravity of the vehicle and is perpendicular to a travel direction of the vehicle;
• obtaining a sensor output indicative of a wheel speed of the driven wheel of the vehicle;
• defining the travel-scheduled area and storing map information including an embedded position of the magnet indicated with an x-y coordinate position;
• detecting an absolute direction based on the output of the geomagnetic sensor, an approach direction to the magnet by comparing the output of the geomagnetic sensor with a pre-stored output pattern, and a position of the vehicle in the travel-scheduled area based on the detected approach direction and the map information;
• calculating, by a processor, a traveling direction based on the sensor output indicative of the angular velocity and a traveled distance based on the sensor output indicative of the wheel speed;
• and
• controlling, by the processor, the operation performed through the operating machine in the travel-scheduled area in accordance with a preset operation program based on the detected absolute direction, the detected position of the vehicle in the travel-scheduled area, the calculated traveling direction and the calculated traveled distance.