Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Automatic route guidance vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-18
2001-09-11
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Automatic route guidance vehicle
C701S023000, C701S042000, C701S060000, C701S209000, C701S210000, C180S168000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289270
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for generating coupling paths. The method is useable for guiding a vehicle to a predetermined destination path. The invention also relates to a path generating system for carrying out this method.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In connection with the automatic path guidance of vehicles, by which the vehicle is automatically guided with the aid of sensors along any multi-dimensional destination path, the vehicle must often first be guided to this destination path in a preceding step. This can be achieved on the one hand by a manual open loop control of the vehicle from the actual position to the destination path with and without specified inputs, or by an automatic guidance to the destination path. In both cases, however, a coupling path is required along which the vehicle is guided from the actual position to the destination path without overshooting, whereby particularly the entry into the destination path must lie within the controllability range of the vehicle.
From aviation, coupling paths are known which bring the airplane automatically to a rectilinear destination path or desired flight path.
Further, path generation systems have been developed for the generation of coupling paths to curved destination paths. In this context the coupling path is generated by assembling the coupling path from geometrical path elements. A disadvantage of the just mentioned method is that it requires a relatively large computation effort, and hence a respectively large equipment investment, if it is to be ensured that the method can generate a coupling path for any starting motion direction and for any starting position respectively relative to the destination path. A further disadvantage of the state of the art is seen in that the entire coupling path up to the merging into the destination path, must be generated before the vehicle itself is in the coupling phase, since only then can it be ensured that the coupling path is efficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to create a method of and a system for the generation of efficient coupling paths that start from any starting position to any specified destination paths that lie within the physical limits of the vehicle, but are otherwise independent of the vehicle, whereby the computational effort, and thus, the equipment expenditure shall remain as low as possible. In particular, the generated coupling path shall be free of breaks and shall take into consideration the performance and load limits of the vehicle, for example, lateral acceleration limits.
It is also an object of the invention to create a method and/or a path generation system for the generation of coupling paths by which the coupling paths merge with the destination paths without overshooting.
A further object of the invention is to create a method and/or a system for the generation of coupling paths, in particular for any curved, one or multi-dimensional destination paths that are also provided with variable evaluation factors or parameters along their course for taking into consideration, for example, aspects that change with time or preferred coupling ranges.
These objects have been achieved according to the invention by the combination of the following steps: mapping, by a path dynamic unit, geometric relationships of said at least one coupling path, controlling said path dynamic unit through a path dynamic feedback control, to thereby supply feedback data, also referred to as feedback values or signals, to said path dynamic feedback control for said controlling of said path dynamic unit. Destination path values or data or signals are then calculated by a conversion module connected to an output of the path dynamic unit. Further, at least a portion of the destination path values, data or signals is supplied as an input signal or signals to an input of the path dynamic feedback control.
According to the invention there is further provided a system for generating at least one coupling path for guiding a vehicle to a specified destination path, wherein the system is characterized by a path dynamic unit, a feedback control for a closed loop control of said path dynamic unit, at least one feedback conductor for sending feedback data to said feedback control, a conversion module connected to an output of said path dynamic unit for calculating destination path values, said conversion module comprising an output connected to an input of said feedback control for feeding said destination path values as input values or signals to said feedback control.
In this context, the geometrical relationships of the coupling path that are independent of the vehicle, are mapped or imaged onto a dynamic model. This model is controlled by specifying a feedback or closed loop control target. The feedback control target can thereby be described by an instruction to bring the distance of the coupling path from the destination path to the zero value, or by a similar instruction.
An advantage of the invention is that the path generation is precisely cycled to match the cycle time or rate of the series connected path feedback control, so that the path generation provides the calculated discrete coupling path points to the path feedback control at the cycle time rate at which the path feedback control requires the calculated discrete coupling path points.
A further advantage of the invention is that, in addition to the coupling path points, further signals such as the path angle of the coupling path or the lateral acceleration of the vehicle on the coupling path, can be picked up from the path generation. Such additionally picked up signals can also be provided to other modules or systems, for example, the closed loop path feedback control. A servo control effect which can facilitate the path feedback control, can also be achieved with these further signals. Thus, it is also possible to supply the coupling path to the path feedback control, for example, in the form of data sets that contain the angle of direction and velocities, rather than in the form of position points.
In phases of the coupling path generation in which the path generation can proceed in simplified form, it is also possible to switch off corresponding components of the path generation without reducing the safety, or in other phases, depending on the requirements, to switch on components, since the path closed loop feedback control remains uninfluenced thereby.
With the path generation system according to the invention, coupling paths can be generated that merge with the destination path without overshooting. Thus, it is particularly possible to also use the path generation system for the generation of coupling paths to specified or also generated low level flight paths for aircraft, since with this system, together with a corresponding path closed loop feedback control, it is avoided that the aircraft comes near the ground or flies too low.
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Arthur Gertrude
Cuchlinski, Jr. William A
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Fasse W. F.
Fasse W. G.
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