US 11,867,516 B2
Vehicle manual guidance systems with steering wheel angle sensors and road wheel angle sensors
Michael F. Cash, Mountain View, CA (US); and Shannon Smith, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Assigned to Trimble Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by Trimble Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 13, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/927,447.
Application 16/927,447 is a division of application No. 16/045,900, filed on Jul. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,753,752.
Prior Publication US 2020/0340819 A1, Oct. 29, 2020
Int. Cl. G01C 21/34 (2006.01); A01B 69/04 (2006.01); B62D 15/02 (2006.01); G01C 21/18 (2006.01); G01C 21/28 (2006.01); G01C 21/36 (2006.01); G01S 19/13 (2010.01); G01S 19/51 (2010.01)
CPC G01C 21/3407 (2013.01) [A01B 69/008 (2013.01); B62D 15/0295 (2013.01); G01C 21/18 (2013.01); G01C 21/28 (2013.01); G01C 21/36 (2013.01); G01S 19/13 (2013.01); G01S 19/51 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for providing manual guidance of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a first inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to a road wheel of the vehicle, the first IMU comprising a first three-axis accelerometer and a first three-axis gyroscope;
a second IMU attached to a fixed part of the vehicle displaced from the road wheel, the second IMU comprising a second three-axis accelerometer and a second three-axis gyroscope;
a third IMU attached to a steering wheel of the vehicle, the third IMU comprising a third three-axis accelerometer and a third three-axis gyroscope;
a global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) receiver attached to the vehicle and configured to receive GNSS satellite signals and determine a current position of the vehicle based on the GNSS satellite signals;
a non-transitory electronic data storage device configured to store a pre-planned path; and
a user interface comprising one or more of a display, lightbar, and/or compass, and configured to provide visual information to an operator of the vehicle for adjusting an angle of the steering wheel so that the vehicle follows the pre-planned path;
wherein the system is configured to:
determine a current angle of the road wheel in a yaw axis relative to the vehicle based on a previously estimated angle of the road wheel in the yaw axis relative to the vehicle, readings of the first IMU, and readings of the second IMU;
determine a current heading of the vehicle based on a previously estimated heading of the vehicle and the readings of the second IMU;
determine a deviation of the current position of the vehicle from the pre-planned path by comparing the current position of the vehicle to the pre-planned path;
determine a current velocity of the vehicle based on readings of the second IMU;
determine a desired angle of the road wheel in the yaw axis relative to the vehicle based on the current angle of the road wheel in the yaw axis relative to the vehicle, the deviation of the current position of the vehicle from the pre-planned path, the current heading of the vehicle, and the current velocity of the vehicle
determine a current angle of the steering wheel relative to the vehicle based on a previously estimated angle of the steering wheel relative to the vehicle, readings of the third IMU, and the readings of the second IMU;
determine a desired angle of the steering wheel relative to the vehicle based on the desired angle of the road wheel, and the current angle of the road wheel; and
provide the visual information, via the user interface, indicating one or more of: (a) the desired angle of the road wheel in the yaw axis or a deviation of the current angle of the road wheel in the yaw axis from the desired angle of the road wheel in the yaw axis,-and/or (b) the desired angle of the steering wheel or a deviation of the current angle of the steering wheel from the desired angle of the steering wheel.