VEÍCULO SEGUIDOR, MÉTODO, E, MEIO LEGÍVEL POR COMPUTADOR NÃO TRANSITÓRIO

Description

/ 36 NON-TRANSIENTIAL FOLLOWING VEHICLE, METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEANS DESCRIPTION FIELD

[001] Some examples of modalities provide non-transient, computer-readable vehicles, methods and media to dynamically generate an operational boundary between vehicles. FUNDAMENTALS

[002] In agricultural and / or industrial operations involving coordination between two or more vehicles, the vehicles move through an operational area close to each other. In such scenarios, vehicle guidance systems control the vehicles to avoid or reduce the likelihood of collisions between the vehicles. SUMMARY

[003] Some examples of modalities provide enhanced computer-readable non-transient vehicles, methods and media to dynamically generate an operational boundary between vehicles based on perceptual information.

[004] Some examples of embodiments provide a vehicle including a steering actuator and a set of processing circuits configured to cause the following vehicle to determine a position of an obstacle to the following vehicle, generate an operating limit of the following vehicle based on the position of the obstacle, a relative position of the following vehicle with respect to a leading vehicle and characteristics of the following vehicle and the leading vehicle, and control a steering angle of the steering actuator based on the operating limit.

[005] Some examples of embodiments provide a method that includes determining the position of an obstacle for a following vehicle, generating an operational limit of the following vehicle based on the position of the obstacle, a relative position of the following vehicle to a leading vehicle and Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 16 / 62 / 36 characteristics of the following vehicle and the leading vehicle, and control a steering angle of a steering actuator based on the operational limit.

[006] Some examples of embodiments provide a system including a non-transient computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a follower vehicle, cause that at least one processor to execute a method, the method including determining a position of an obstacle for the follower vehicle, generating an operational limit of the follower vehicle based on the position of the obstacle, a relative position of the follower vehicle with respect to a lead vehicle and characteristics of the follower vehicle and the lead vehicle, and controlling a steering angle of a steering actuator based on the operational limit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[007] The various features and advantages of the non-limiting embodiments described herein may become more apparent upon review of the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. The accompanying drawings should not be considered drawn to scale unless explicitly indicated. For clarity, several dimensions of the drawings may have been exaggerated.

[008] FIG. 1A illustrates a plan view of a lead vehicle and a follower vehicle that are aligned for material transfer from the lead vehicle to the follower vehicle, according to some exemplary embodiments; FIG. 1B illustrates a vehicle, according to some exemplary embodiments; FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of the system, according to some example modalities; Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 17 / 62 / 36, FIG. 3A illustrates an example scenario of operational limit generation by a follower vehicle following a leader vehicle; FIG. 3B illustrates an example scenario of operational limit generation by a follower vehicle following a leader vehicle; Figure 4 illustrates a scenario for collaborative operations with multiple vehicles, including two or more follower vehicles, according to some example modalities; and Figure 5 illustrates a method for generating an operational limit for a follower vehicle, according to some example modalities. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[009] Some examples of modalities described herein refer to agricultural and / or industrial operations involving coordination between multiple vehicles. In an illustrative example, the operations may involve the transfer or unloading of material (e.g., agricultural material) between two vehicles (e.g., moving vehicles). The vehicles may include a lead vehicle (e.g., combine harvester or harvesting machine) and a follower vehicle (e.g., a combine harvester and a grain wagon, railcar, etc.), both in motion. The material may be transferred from the lead vehicle to the follower vehicle by means of an auger on the lead vehicle. The agricultural material may include grains, corn, soybeans, legumes, nuts, vegetables, fruits, potatoes, tubers, oilseeds, fibers, and / or other harvested plant material.The material may include agricultural material, minerals, metals, petroleum, tar sands, shale, crude oil products, extracted material, ores, soil, sand, clay, stones, crushed stone, gravel, peat, organic matter, animal waste and / or other materials. In operations where materials are transferred from the lead vehicle to the follower vehicle by means of an auger on the lead vehicle, the follower vehicle is controlled to maintain a specific relative distance from the lead vehicle, which positions the follower vehicle under an auger outlet. To assist in... Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 18 / 62 / 36. Given the brevity of the description, the discussion below will primarily refer to agricultural and / or industrial operations in the context of the example illustrated above, but some example modalities are not limited to them, and agricultural and / or industrial operations may involve any operations in which multiple vehicles coordinate.

[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a lead vehicle and a follower vehicle that are aligned for material transfer from the lead vehicle to the follower vehicle, according to some example embodiments.

[0011] Referring to FIG. 1, a system 100 includes a lead vehicle 110 and a follower vehicle 120, according to some embodiment examples. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the lead vehicle 110 is a combine harvester transferring agricultural material to a wagon; however, some embodiment examples are not limited to this. According to some embodiment examples, the lead vehicle 110 and / or the follower vehicle 120 can be implemented by any type of moving vehicle, and the transferred material can include any type of material capable of being transferred according to the implementation examples described herein. Furthermore, although FIG. 1 illustrates a pair of vehicles, some embodiment examples are not limited to them. According to some embodiment examples, the system 100 can include more than two vehicles transferring material between each other.Furthermore, some examples of embodiments are not limited to operations involving the transfer of material between vehicles. For example, according to some illustrative embodiments, vehicles may perform any operation in which the relative positions between the vehicles are relevant for coordination between the vehicles. However, the example of a pair of vehicles transferring agricultural material will be discussed primarily below for greater clarity in describing some embodiments. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 19 / 62 / 36

[0012] The lead vehicle 110 and the follower vehicle 120 may be moving (e.g., driving) in a generally common direction (e.g., forward) in a work area (e.g., a field) 130. The lead vehicle 110 includes an auger 112 that can transfer agricultural material to the follower vehicle 120 under the control of the lead vehicle 110. The follower vehicle 120 may include an open container 122 configured to receive agricultural material from the lead vehicle 110.

[0013] FIG. 1B illustrates a vehicle, according to some examples of modalities.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 1B, a side view of a vehicle 150 is shown. According to some embodiments, the lead vehicle 100 and / or the follower vehicle 120 can be implemented by vehicle 150. In FIG. 1B, the vehicle is illustrated as a tractor with a sprayer attached to the rear of the tractor, but some embodiments are not limited to this. According to some embodiments, vehicle 150 can be a combine harvester (e.g., a combine harvester, etc.), a self-propelled sprayer, a baler, a tractor (with or without a front or rear implement attached), or any other vehicle. For example, vehicle 150 can be any vehicle for use in carrying out agricultural and / or industrial operations.The vehicle 150 may include a processing device 152, an on-board user interface 156 (e.g., including a touch screen), steering, pedal and implement actuators 160 (e.g., one or more steering actuators, one or more pedal actuators and / or one or more implement actuators) configured to control the vehicle 150 (and / or any implements attached to it) via a manual tractor control interface, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver 154 mounted in the cab of the vehicle 150, one or more perception sensors 158 and / or emergency stops 162 configured to shut down the vehicle 150 when. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 20 / 62 / 36 pressed or activated (collectively referred to herein as vehicle 150 components). However, some embodiments are not limited to, and vehicle 150 may include additional and / or fewer components than those mentioned above. According to some embodiments, vehicle 150 may be autonomous (e.g., fully autonomous or partially autonomous), but some embodiments are not limited to this, and vehicle 150 may be controlled (e.g., at least partially controlled) by an operator. One or more implements may be attached (e.g., removablely attached) to vehicle 150.For example, implement types may include cultivators, seeders, planters, sprayers, harvesting blades, cutters, lawn mowers, shredders, scarifiers, various types of harvester platforms (e.g., for harvesting corresponding types of crops such as sugar, cotton, etc.) or any other implements (e.g., any other implements to perform an agricultural and / or industrial operation). Implements may be removablely attached to a tractor or any other vehicle 150 (e.g., combine harvester, self-propelled sprayer, baler, etc.).According to some examples of embodiments, each of the implement types can also be implemented as a corresponding self-propelled vehicle 150 (for example, a cultivator vehicle, a seeder vehicle, a planter vehicle, a sprayer vehicle, a harvester vehicle, a cutter vehicle, a lawnmower vehicle, a shredder vehicle, a scarifier vehicle, etc.).

[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of a system, according to some examples of modalities.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 2, a system 200 may include the lead vehicle 110 and the follower vehicle 120. The lead vehicle 110 may include a processor 212, a memory 214, a positioning system 216, a Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 21 / 62 / 36 perception system 218, a mechanical control system 220, a user interface (UI) 222 and / or a communication system 224 (collectively referred to herein as the components of the lead vehicle 110). According to some embodiments, the system 200 may include more vehicles than those discussed above. According to some embodiments, the lead vehicle 110 may include more or fewer components than those discussed above.

[0017] Processor 212 (e.g., processing unit 152) can control the overall operation of lead vehicle 110. The term 'processing circuit', as used in this disclosure, may refer, for example, to hardware, including logic circuits; a combination of hardware / software, such as a processor running software; or a combination thereof. For example, the processing circuit may include more specifically, but is not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a System on a Chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.

[0018] Processor 212 can store and / or retrieve data to and from memory 214 (e.g., programming instructions for execution by processor 212, operational data generated by processor 212, etc.). Processor 212 can receive communication signals from communication system 224 and / or provide communication signals to communication system 224. Processor 212 can receive a current position of the lead vehicle 110 from positioning system 216. Processor 212 can generate and send control signals to control positioning system 216, perception system 218, UI 222, mechanical control system 220, and / or communication system 224. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 22 / 62 / 36

[0019] Memory 214 may be a tangible, non-transient, and computer-readable medium, such as random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a compact disc (CD) ROM, any combination thereof, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. Memory 214 may store data and / or instructions for retrieval, for example, by the processor 212.

[0020] Positioning system 216 may receive one or more signals representing a current position of lead vehicle 110 and / or information from which the current position of lead vehicle 110 may be calculated (e.g., by positioning system 216 and / or processor 212). As mentioned herein, the current position of lead vehicle 110 (also referred to herein as position data) may include two-dimensional coordinates (e.g., North and East), a time (e.g., date and time stamp) corresponding to the current position of lead vehicle 110, a direction of lead vehicle 110, a speed of lead vehicle 110, and / or a yaw rate of lead vehicle 110.According to some embodiments, the 216 positioning system may include a receiver capable of receiving signals from a satellite navigation system (e.g., a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)), such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), etc. For example, the 216 positioning system may include a GPS receiver (e.g., the GPS 154 receiver) and may receive one or more signals from GPS satellites. According to some embodiments, the 216 positioning system may include another GPS receiver in a connected implement and may also (or alternatively). Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 23 / 62 / 36 receive one or more signals through the other GPS receiver, but some embodiments are not limited to this. According to some embodiments, the positioning system 216 can provide position data, including the current position of the lead vehicle 110 (e.g., two-dimensional coordinates (e.g., North and East), the time corresponding to the current position of the lead vehicle 110, the heading of the lead vehicle 110, the speed of the lead vehicle 110 and / or the yaw rate of the lead vehicle 110) to the processor 212 and / or memory 214 at a periodic interval that can be predefined (or, alternatively, given). According to some embodiments, the positioning system 216 can be implemented using processing circuits.The receiver of the 216 positioning system is referred to here primarily as the GPS receiver, but some examples of embodiments are not limited to it, and any receiver of a navigation system (e.g., a GNSS) can be used. The receiver may be referred to here as a GPS receiver for brevity of description, and references to it do not limit the 216 positioning system receiver solely to GPS-based implementations.

[0021] The perception system 218 (including, for example, the perception sensors 158) may include a LiDAR system and / or a camera system, but some examples of modalities are not limited to this. For example, the perception system 218 may include a sonar system, a radar system, and / or any other sensor capable of detecting an obstacle (e.g., a rock, another vehicle, a watercourse, a fence, a tree, etc.) to the lead vehicle 110 that would be known to a person with ordinary skill in the area. The perception system 218 may detect one or more objects (e.g., a rock, another vehicle, a watercourse, a fence, a tree, etc.) that are obstacles to the lead vehicle 110. The perception system 218 may provide an indication of one or more detected obstacles to the processor 212. The processor 212 may use Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 24 / 62 / 36 indicating one or more obstacles detected for processing operations and / or storing the indication in memory 214. According to some examples of modalities, the perception system 218 can be implemented using processing circuits.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the LiDAR system may include one or more LiDAR devices mounted on the lead vehicle 110. One or more LiDAR devices may be mounted on the front of the lead vehicle 110 and be facing forward (e.g., in a first direction D1 illustrated in FIG. 1B) relative to the lead vehicle 110, but some embodiments are not limited to this, and one or more LiDAR devices may be mounted anywhere on the lead vehicle 110 and pointed in any direction. According to some embodiments, one or more LiDAR devices may perform a scan using a laser to generate a point cloud. For example, the laser may be emitted in multiple directions and reflect off objects (e.g., obstacles), and one or more LiDAR devices (and / or the perception system 218) may determine the ranges of the objects based on a measured time period for the reflected laser to reach one or more LiDAR devices.The point cloud can include a plurality of points, each of which can be represented by three-dimensional coordinates (e.g., x, y, z coordinates) or two-dimensional coordinates (e.g., x, y, z coordinates), hereinafter generally referred to as coordinates, but some examples of modalities are not limited to this. According to some examples of modalities, each of the plurality of points may have additional attributes, including a scan angle, a point density, a color value (e.g., red, green, and blue values), a timestamp, etc. The 218 perception system can generate the point cloud by determining respective coordinates for each of the plurality of points based on the amount of time measured relative to each of the plurality of points. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 25 / 62 / 36 points. According to some examples of embodiments, coordinates can be determined as global coordinates based on a current geospatial position of lead vehicle 110 (e.g., obtained from positioning system 216); however, some examples of embodiments are not limited to this, and coordinates can be determined as relative coordinates with respect to lead vehicle 110 (e.g., defining the position of lead vehicle 110 as coordinate 0, 0, 0). According to some examples of embodiments, the sonar system and / or radar system can generate similar point clouds based on emitted sound signals and / or radio waves, respectively.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the camera system may include one or more stereo cameras mounted on the lead vehicle 110. One or more stereo cameras may be mounted on the front of the lead vehicle 110 and be facing forward relative to the lead vehicle 110, but some embodiments are not limited to this, and one or more stereo cameras may be mounted anywhere on the lead vehicle 110 and pointed in any direction. Each stereo camera among one or more stereo cameras may capture one or more pairs of images. Although the stereo camera is described here as capturing pairs of images, some embodiments are not limited to this, and the stereo camera may capture a series of single images or may capture more than two images simultaneously (or contemporaneously).The 218 perception system can apply a stereo matching algorithm, such as a sum of absolute differences algorithm, a sum of squared differences algorithm, a consensus algorithm, etc., to determine one or more disparity values ​​(e.g., difference values) between each pair of images. According to some example modalities, the 218 perception system can generate a disparity map based on one or more disparity values. The 218 perception system can estimate a distance (e.g., Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 26 / 62 / 36 example, a range) for one or more objects (e.g., obstacles) captured in the images based on one or more disparity values ​​(and / or the disparity map). According to some example modalities, the 218 perception system can generate a point cloud (e.g., a 2D point cloud or a 3D point cloud) based on one or more disparity values ​​(and / or the disparity map) and can estimate a distance between the lead vehicle 110 and a given object between one or more objects based on a number of points in the point cloud. According to some example modalities, the 218 perception system can generate the point cloud using any algorithm that is known to people with common knowledge in the field. According to some examples of modalities, the point cloud may include a model and / or representation of one or more disparity values ​​(and / or the disparity map).

[0024] The mechanical control system 220 may include one or more mechanical systems to control a movement and / or position of the lead vehicle 110. The mechanical control system 220 may include, for example, a steering actuator, a pedal actuator, an implement actuator, etc. (e.g., steering, pedal and implement actuators 160). Each of the steering actuators, pedal actuators and implement actuators may be controlled according to corresponding control signals received from the processor 212. According to some embodiments, the mechanical control system 220 may be implemented using processing circuits.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the steering actuator can mechanically move a support structure (e.g., wheels, tracks, etc.) of the leading vehicle 110 in any direction (e.g., left or right from the front perspective of the leading vehicle 110, such as the first direction D1) by an amount corresponding to an angle of Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 27 / 62 / 36 updated steering included in a command from processor 212. For example, the mechanical control system 220 may include a steering system, such as a hydraulic steering system, an electro-hydraulic steering system, an electromechanical steering system, an electromechanical actuator, an electric steering system, a drive-by-wire steering system, or another steering system with an electrical or electronic control interface for communication with processor 212. In some embodiments, the electronic control interface may include a sensor to detect the position of a hydraulic cylinder of the steering system and the steering actuator to control the position of the hydraulic cylinder or other member of the steering system in response to commands from processor 212.Although the steering system may use digital messages (e.g., logic-level signals) to control steering, in some embodiments the steering system may use analog signals, particularly if the steering system is configured to communicate directly with processor 212.

[0026] According to some embodiments, the pedal actuator may mechanically move the accelerator pedal and / or the brake pedal of the leading vehicle 110 in either direction (e.g., inward or outward) by an amount corresponding to a speed setting value included in a command of the processor 212. For example, the mechanical control system 220 may include a braking system, such as a hydraulic braking system, an electro-hydraulic braking system, an electromechanical braking system, an electromechanical actuator, an electric braking system, a brake-by-wire braking system, or another braking system with an electrical or electronic control interface for communication with the processor 212.In some examples of embodiments, the electronic control interface may include a sensor to detect the position of a hydraulic cylinder in the braking system and the pedal actuator to control or modulate the position of the hydraulic cylinder or other component of the system. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 28 / 62 / 36 braking system, in response to commands from processor 212. Although the braking system may use digital messages (e.g., logic level signals) to control braking, in some embodiments the braking system may use analog signals, particularly if the braking system is configured to communicate directly with processor 212.

[0027] The 220 mechanical control system may include a propulsion system with an engine controller and a propulsion system (e.g., an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, etc.). The engine controller may control a throttle configuration, carburetor, fuel injection system, fuel metering system or air metering system, or other fuel supply system for the internal combustion engine, for example. The propulsion system may include an electric motor, a drive motor, an alternating current motor, an induction motor, a permanent magnet motor, a direct current motor or other motor suitable for propelling a vehicle.Furthermore, the propulsion system may include a motor controller (e.g., an inverter, a chopper, a wave generator, a variable frequency oscillator, a variable current source, or a variable voltage source) to control the speed, torque, and direction of rotation of the electric motor shaft. In some embodiments, the propulsion system may include a hybrid drive system, a parallel hybrid system, or a series hybrid system, in which at least one electric motor and one internal combustion engine can propel the vehicle. For example, in a parallel hybrid system, the electric motor, the internal combustion engine, or both may apply power to one or more supporting structures (e.g., wheels or tracks) of the leading vehicle. For a series hybrid system, the electric motor typically provides power to one or more supporting structures (wheels or tracks) of the vehicle. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 29 / 62 / 36 leader 110. The motor controller can control the motivation system in response to commands from processor 212.

[0028] According to some embodiments, the implement actuator may mechanically move an implement connected to the lead vehicle 110 to perform a corresponding operation (e.g., tilling, planting, spraying, harvesting, etc.) based on one or more commands from the processor 212. For example, the mechanical control system 220 may include an implement system, such as a hydraulic implement system, an electro-hydraulic implement system, an electromechanical implement system, an electromechanical actuator, an electric implement system, a drive-by-wire implement system, or another implement system with an electrical or electronic control interface for communication with the processor 212.In some embodiments, the electronic control interface may include a sensor to detect the position of a hydraulic cylinder in the implement system and the implement actuator to control the position of the hydraulic cylinder or other implement system member in response to commands from processor 212. Although the implementation system may use digital messages (e.g., logic-level signals) to control the implementation, in some embodiments the implementation system may use analog signals, particularly if the implementation system is configured to communicate directly with processor 212.

[0029] UI 222 (e.g., onboard user interface 156) may include one or more devices for communicating information and / or receiving information from a lead vehicle operator 110. UI 222 may include a touchscreen, but is not limited to this and may include any device, or combination of devices, for information input and output. Information displayed on UI 222 may be received from processor 212, and information entered into UI 222 may be provided. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 30 / 62 / 36 to processor 212 and / or memory 214.

[0030] The communication system 224 can transmit and / or receive communication signals to and / or from other devices (e.g., the follower vehicle 120). For example, the communication system 224 can transmit a communication signal to the follower vehicle 120 via a communication link 205 under the control of the processor 212. The communication signal may include a current position (e.g., a most recently detected position) of the lead vehicle 110. The current position may be represented by two-dimensional coordinates (e.g., North and East) obtained from the positioning system 216. According to some embodiments, the communication signal may also include one or more times corresponding to the current position of the lead vehicle 110, a direction of the lead vehicle 110, a speed of the lead vehicle 110, and / or a yaw rate of the lead vehicle 110.According to some embodiments, communication system 224 may include a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving; however, some embodiments are not limited to this. For example, according to some exemplary embodiments, communication system 224 includes a transmitter capable only of transmitting communication signals. According to some embodiments, communication link 205 may be a wireless communication link between lead vehicle 110 and follower vehicle 120. For example, wireless communication link 205 may be a Wi-Fi link; however, some embodiments are not limited to it. According to some embodiments, wireless communication link 205 may be any wireless link (e.g., a cellular link, a satellite link, etc.). According to some embodiments, communication system 224 may be implemented using processing circuits.

[0031] The follower vehicle 120 may include a processor 232, a Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 31 / 62 / 36 memory 234, a positioning system 236, a perception system 238, a mechanical control system 240, a user interface (UI) 242 and / or a communication system 244 (collectively referred to herein as the components of the follower vehicle 120). According to some embodiments, the follower vehicle 120 may include more or fewer components than those discussed above. The corresponding descriptions of processor 232, memory 234, positioning system 236, perception system 238, mechanical control system 240, UI 242 and / or communication system 244 may be the same (or similar) to those of processor 212, memory 214, positioning system 216, perception system 218, mechanical control system 220, UI 222 and / or communication system 224, respectively, and redundant descriptions may be omitted.

[0032] Processor 232 can control the general operations of follower vehicle 120. Processor 232 can receive a current position of follower vehicle 120 from positioning system 236. Communication system 244 can transmit and / or receive communication signals to and / or from other devices (e.g., lead vehicle 110). For example, communication system 244 can receive a communication signal from lead vehicle 110 via communication link 205 under the control of processor 232. The communication signal may include a current position (e.g., a most recently detected position) of lead vehicle 110. According to some embodiments, the communication signal may also include one or more moments corresponding to the current position of lead vehicle 110, a direction of lead vehicle 110, a speed of lead vehicle 110, and / or a yaw rate of lead vehicle 110.According to some examples of modes, the 244 communication system may include a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving; some examples of modes are not limited to this. For example, according to some... Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 32 / 62 / 36 exemplary modalities, the communication system 224 can be a receiver capable only of receiving communication signals.

[0033] FIGS 3A and 3B illustrate example scenarios of operational limit generation by a follower vehicle following a leader vehicle.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 3A, in an example scenario, the lead vehicle 110 (e.g., a combine harvester) may be moving in a first direction (e.g., the first direction D1) in a work area 130 (e.g., a field). To allow the follower vehicle 120 to receive material (e.g., harvested agricultural material) from the lead vehicle 110 while the lead vehicle 110 continues to move (and harvest), the follower vehicle 120 may be guided to a position relative to the lead vehicle 110 (also referred to here as the “first position”). In some examples, the first position may be a position where an auger outlet 112 is positioned over the open container 122.However, some examples are not limited to this, and the first position can be any position relative to the lead vehicle 110 that allows the transfer of material from the lead vehicle 110 to the follower vehicle 120 while the lead vehicle 110 and the follower vehicle are moving (e.g., both moving in the first direction D1). Furthermore, in implementations where the operations performed do not involve material transfer, the first position can be any position (e.g., any defined position) relative to the lead vehicle 110 sufficient to allow the operations to be performed. As should be understood, since the first position is a position relative to the lead vehicle 110, the geographical location of the first position can change as the lead vehicle 110 moves.

[0035] Current systems and methods for guiding the follower vehicle 120 to the first position generate an operational limit around the follower vehicle 120 based on the position of the lead vehicle 110 relative to the follower vehicle 120 and on the characteristics of the lead vehicle 110 and the follower vehicle. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 33 / 62 / 36 120. For example, the operational boundary can be generated as a closed polygon around the follower vehicle 120, representing a region in which the follower vehicle 120 can safely perform an operation (e.g., an agricultural and / or industrial operation) without colliding with another object (e.g., the lead vehicle 110, a component of the lead vehicle 110 (such as a platform, etc.), a crop, etc.). The operational boundary is defined relative to the lead vehicle 110, and therefore the operational boundary moves as the lead vehicle 110 moves through the work area 130. Since the characteristics of the lead vehicle 110 and the follower vehicle 120 do not change, the operational boundary (e.g., dimensions and / or position relative to the follower vehicle 120) can be static.

[0036] As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the operational boundary 310a is generated to avoid a lead vehicle platform 110 and an area in front of the platform (e.g., a crop 320). However, current devices and methods cannot generate the operational boundary 310a to avoid an obstacle 305. For example, the obstacle 305 may represent a rock, a fence, another vehicle, a watercourse, a tree, etc. The information on which the operational boundary 310a is based (e.g., the position of the lead vehicle 110 relative to the follower vehicle 120 and the characteristics of the lead vehicle 110 and the follower vehicle 120) by current devices and methods does not include an indication of the obstacle 305. Consequently, conventional devices and methods fail to detect the obstacle 305 and, as a result, the generated operational boundary 310a fails to exclude (or reduce an overlap with) a region containing the obstacle 305.Therefore, according to current devices and methods, the following vehicle 120 collides with other objects (e.g., obstacle 305) at an excessive rate, causing damage to the following vehicle 120, crops and / or soil, other machines (e.g., other vehicles) and / or other physical objects in the work area 130 (e.g., fences, etc.). Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 34 / 62 / 36

[0037] However, according to embodiments, improved devices and methods are provided to generate an operational boundary. For example, processor 232 can generate the operational boundary based on perception information obtained from perception system 238. The perception information may include a point cloud representing one or more positions of any nearby objects (e.g., obstacles). Processor 232 can generate the operational boundary based on the position of lead vehicle 110 relative to follow vehicle 120, the characteristics of lead vehicle 110 and follow vehicle 120, and the perception information. Consequently, the operational boundary generated by processor 232 excludes (or reduces an overlap with) a region containing an obstacle.Therefore, the improved devices and methods overcome the shortcomings of current devices and methods to at least avoid (or reduce the occurrence of) collisions between the following vehicle 120 and other objects (e.g., obstacles), other machines (e.g., other vehicles), and / or other physical objects in the work area 130 (e.g., fences, etc.).

[0038] Referring to FIG. 3B, according to some embodiment examples, processor 232 can generate operational boundary 310b based on the position of lead vehicle 110 relative to follower vehicle 120, the characteristics of lead vehicle 110 and follower vehicle 120, and perception information. In contrast to operational boundary 310a discussed above in connection with FIG. 3A, operational boundary 310b excludes (or reduces an overlap with) a region containing obstacle 305. Consequently, the generated operational boundary 310b prevents follower vehicle 120 from colliding with obstacle 305, or reduces the probability of this.

[0039] According to some examples of embodiments, processor 232 can determine a position of the follower vehicle 120 relative to a position of the leader vehicle 110 (hereinafter referred to as position Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 35 / 62 / 36 relative) based on the first position data of the lead vehicle 110 (received via communication system 244) and the second position data of the follower vehicle 120 (obtained from positioning system 236). The first and second position data can be captured (e.g., by positioning system 216 and positioning system 236, respectively) simultaneously, contemporaneously, or almost simultaneously (e.g., the first position data may be delayed for a period of time necessary to communicate the first position data to the follower vehicle 120). According to some embodiments, processor 232 can determine the relative position as a difference between the coordinates representing the first position data and the coordinates representing the second position data.According to some embodiments, the relative position may be defined by a distance between the leading vehicle 110 and the following vehicle 120, and an angular orientation with reference to the leading vehicle 110, but some embodiments are not limited to this. According to some embodiments, the above-described process for determining the relative position may be termed Machine Synchronization and may be implemented as described further in U.S. Patent No. 8,060,283, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0040] According to some embodiments, processor 232 can define a Leading Fixed Coordinate System (LFCS) relative to lead vehicle 110. According to some embodiments, processor 232 can define the LFCS so that lead vehicle 110 receives a fixed position within the LFCS that does not change as the geographic position of lead vehicle 100 changes. For example, processor 232 can define the LFCS so that the current position of lead vehicle 110 is assigned a central position (e.g., having a coordinate Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 36 / 62 / 36 North of zero and an East of zero coordinate) of the LFCS, but some examples of modalities are not limited to this. Processor 232 can determine the position of follower vehicle 120 relative to lead vehicle 110 in the context of the LFCS. For example, processor 232 can determine the current coordinates of follower vehicle 120 within the LFCS based on the differences between the absolute geographic coordinates in the first position data and the second position data.In a scenario where the current position of lead vehicle 110 is assigned to the central position of the LFCS, the current position of follower vehicle 120 may receive a first coordinate (e.g., a North coordinate) equal to the difference between the first coordinates (e.g., North coordinates) included in the first position data and the second position data, and may receive a second coordinate (e.g., an East coordinate) equal to the difference between the second coordinates (e.g., East coordinates) included in the first position data and the second position data. According to some embodiment examples, as the position of follower vehicle 120 relative to the position of lead vehicle 110 changes, the coordinates of follower vehicle 120 may change.However, in circumstances where the position of the follower vehicle 120 relative to the position of the leader vehicle 110 does not change, the coordinates of the follower vehicle 120 may not change even if the absolute geographic position of the follower vehicle 120 (and of the leader vehicle 110) changes.

[0041] According to some embodiments, processor 232 can estimate the current position of lead vehicle 110 (e.g., for use in defining the LFCS) based on the first position data, accounting for a communication delay (e.g., latency) between lead vehicle 110 and follower vehicle 120. For example, processor 232 can determine (e.g., calculate) the delay based on the difference between the timestamps included in the first data. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 37 / 62 / 36 position and in the second position data. Processor 232 can estimate the current position of lead vehicle 110 based on the determined delay and one or more of the lead vehicle 110's position, direction, speed, and / or yaw rate included in the first position data. For example, processor 232 can estimate the current position of lead vehicle 110 by extrapolating where lead vehicle 110 would move during the time period represented by the determined delay based on the first position data. Processor 232 can define the LFCS based on this estimated current position of lead vehicle 110 and can determine the current coordinates of follower vehicle 120 within the LFCS, as discussed above.

[0042] According to some embodiment examples, processor 232 can determine an initial operational boundary based on relative position (e.g., as defined in the LFCS), along with the characteristics of the lead vehicle 110 and the follower vehicle 120. As discussed herein, the characteristics of the lead vehicle 110 and the follower vehicle 120 include those that define an interference area(s) and a non-interference area(s). For example, an interference area might be an area in the vicinity of a first vehicle that, if occupied by a second vehicle, would result in a collision between the first and second vehicles or would otherwise interfere with an operation performed by the first vehicle (e.g., an agricultural and / or industrial operation).Thus, a non-interfering area can be an area in the vicinity of the first vehicle that, if occupied by the second vehicle, would not result in a collision between the first and second vehicles and would not otherwise interfere with an operation performed by the first vehicle. With reference to FIG. 3B, for example, the area occupied by the platform of lead vehicle 110 and the area directly in front of the platform of lead vehicle 110 where lead vehicle 110 is performing a harvesting operation can represent areas of interference. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 38 / 62 / 36 of the leading vehicle 110.

[0043] The interfering and non-interfering areas of a specific vehicle may vary based on the characteristics of the specific vehicle. For example, different vehicles may have different structures (e.g., platforms, augers, attached implements, etc.) that occupy interfering areas. Furthermore, different vehicles may perform different operations (e.g., harvesting, spraying, seeding, etc.), each involving a corresponding interfering area. Non-interfering areas may be any areas that are not interfering. According to some embodiments, the specific interfering and / or non-interfering areas for each vehicle type may be predefined (or, alternatively, provided). According to some embodiments, the interfering and / or non-interfering areas of follower vehicle 120 may be pre-stored (or stored) in memory 234.According to some examples of embodiments, follower vehicle 120 may receive the interference and / or non-interference areas of lead vehicle 110 from lead vehicle 110 via communication link 205, but some examples of embodiments are not limited to this. According to some examples of embodiments, follower vehicle 120 may receive an indication of the vehicle type of lead vehicle 110 from lead vehicle 110 via communication link 205 and may determine the interference and / or non-interference areas of lead vehicle 110 based on corresponding information pre-stored (or stored) in memory 234 in association with the indicated vehicle type.

[0044] According to some example embodiments, processor 232 can determine (and / or generate) the initial operational boundary as a boundary around follower vehicle 120 that excludes (or reduces an overlap region with) any region in which the interference area(s) of follower vehicle 120 would overlap with the area(s) of Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 39 / 62 / 36 interference of the lead vehicle 110 based on relative position. According to some embodiments, a portion of the initial operational boundary separating the interference area(s) of the follower vehicle 120 from the interference area(s) of the lead vehicle 110 can be determined to allow a tolerance or margin of error represented by a first buffer distance between the interference area(s) of the follower vehicle 120 and the interference area(s) of the lead vehicle 110. According to some embodiments, the first buffer distance can be a design parameter determined through empirical study, but some embodiments are not limited to this. According to some example modes, the first buffer distance can be entered by a follower vehicle operator 120 (e.g., via UI 242).The tolerance / margin of error may reflect a degree of confidence that the interference area(s) of the follower vehicle 120 will not overlap with the interference area(s) of the leader vehicle 110.

[0045] According to some embodiments, the initial operational boundary may be a closed boundary around the follower vehicle 120, but some embodiments are not limited to this. According to some embodiments, the initial operational boundary may be defined in an internal region between the follower vehicle 120 and the lead vehicle 110, and may be open towards the front (e.g., in the first direction D1) and / or rear (e.g., in a direction opposite to the first direction D1) of the follower vehicle 120. According to some embodiments, the initial operational boundary may be in the form of a polygon, but some embodiments are not limited to this and the initial operational boundary may be in the form of any shape. According to some embodiments, the initial operational boundary may be straight or curved and / or continuous or discontinuous.

[0046] According to some examples of modalities, the Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 40 / 62 / 36 Processor 232 can determine (and / or generate) a final operational limit based on the initial operational limit and perception information. For example, perception information may include a point cloud representing one or more positions of any nearby objects (e.g., obstacles). According to some example modalities, Processor 232 can determine the final operational limit by excluding (or reducing an overlapping region with) any region containing a nearby object represented in the point cloud. According to some example modalities, Processor 232 can analyze point cloud data to identify one or more objects that may interfere with and / or obstruct the following vehicle 120 while it is moving or performing an operation (e.g., an agricultural or industrial operation). Such objects are referred to here as obstacles.For example, processor 232 can compare the size of an object to a size limit and / or compare the height of the object to a height range. According to some embodiments, processor 232 can determine that an object with a size greater than or equal to the size limit is an obstacle. According to some embodiments, processor 232 can determine that an object with a height at least partially within the height range is an obstacle. For example, the height range might correspond to the height of follower vehicle 120 (including any attached implements), and the height range could be used to exclude objects positioned higher than follower vehicle 120 (e.g., tree branches, etc.) from being considered obstacles.According to some embodiments, processor 232 can determine that an object with a size greater than or equal to the size limit and with a height at least partially within the height range is an obstacle. According to some embodiments, each size limit and height range can be a design parameter determined through empirical study, but some... Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 41 / 62 / 36 examples of modalities are not limited to this. According to some examples of modalities, each size and height range limit can be entered by a follower vehicle operator 120 (e.g., via UI 242). The final operational limit determined by processor 232 may represent the operational limit 310b.

[0047] According to some embodiments, a portion of the final operational limit that borders the obstacle can be determined (and / or generated) to allow for a tolerance or margin of error represented by a second buffer distance from the obstacle. According to some embodiments, the second buffer distance can be a design parameter determined through empirical study, but some embodiments are not limited to this. The tolerance / margin of error can reflect a degree of confidence that the interference area(s) of the follower vehicle 120 will not overlap with the interference area(s) of the lead vehicle 110 and / or the obstacle area. According to some embodiments, the second buffer distance can be entered by an operator of the follower vehicle 120 (e.g., via UI 242).According to some embodiments, similar to the initial operational boundary, the final operational boundary may be a closed boundary around the follower vehicle 120, but some embodiments are not limited to this. According to some embodiments, the final operational boundary may be defined in an internal region between the follower vehicle 120 and the lead vehicle 110, and may be open towards the front and / or rear of the follower vehicle 120. According to some embodiments, the final operational boundary may be in the shape of a polygon, but some embodiments are not limited to this and the final operational boundary may have any shape. According to some embodiments, the final operational boundary may be straight or curved and / or continuous or discontinuous. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 42 / 62 / 36

[0048] The above discussion on determining the operational limit 310b describes separate determinations of the initial operational limit and the final operational limit, but some example modalities are not limited to this. According to some example modalities, processor 232 can determine the operational limit 310b (e.g., the final operational limit) based on relative position, characteristics of the leading vehicle 110 and the following vehicle 120, and perception information, using operations similar to those discussed above, without the intermediate operation of determining the initial operational limit.

[0049] According to some embodiments, processor 232 can guide and / or control follower vehicle 120 based on the determined / generated operational limit 310b. For example, processor 232 can control the steering actuator to change the steering angle of follower vehicle 120 (e.g., change the position of the hydraulic cylinder of the steering system) to remain within the operational limit 310b. According to some embodiments, in response to the determination that follower vehicle 120 (or a region of interference of follower vehicle 120) will overlap the operational limit 310b along a current travel path, processor 232 can control the steering actuator to change a steering angle of follower vehicle 120. For example, in response to the determination that the overlap will occur on a right side (e.g., a second direction D2 illustrated in FIG.1B) of the following vehicle 120, the processor 232 can control the steering actuator to change the steering angle to steer the following vehicle 120 to the left. Furthermore, in response to the determination that the overlap will occur on the left side (i.e., a direction opposite to the second direction) of the following vehicle 120, the processor 232 can control the steering actuator to change the steering angle to steer the following vehicle 120 to the right. According to some examples of embodiments, the... Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 43 / 62 / 36 processor 232 can control a magnitude of actuation of the steering actuator (e.g., a distance by which the position of the hydraulic cylinder of the steering system will be moved) to change the steering angle to a more severe one (e.g., move the hydraulic cylinder by a greater distance) in scenarios where the overlap region is closer to a current position of the follower vehicle 120.

[0050] According to some embodiments, processor 232 can control the pedal actuator to change the travel speed of follower vehicle 120 (e.g., change the position of the hydraulic cylinder of the braking system) to remain within the operational limit 310b. According to some embodiments, in response to the determination that follower vehicle 120 (or a region of interference of follower vehicle 120) will overlap the operational limit 310b along a current travel path, processor 232 can control the pedal actuator to reduce the travel speed of follower vehicle 120. According to some embodiments, processor 232 can control the pedal actuator to reduce the travel speed in response to the determination that the operational limit 310b narrows along a current travel path (e.g., a path between two obstacles).According to some examples of embodiments, processor 232 can control an actuation magnitude (e.g., a distance by which the position of the hydraulic cylinder of the braking system will be moved) of the pedal actuator to reduce the travel speed more quickly (e.g., move the hydraulic cylinder by a greater distance and / or more quickly) in scenarios where the overlap region, or the narrowing region, is closer to a current position of the following vehicle 120.

[0051] According to some examples of modes, processor 232 can control the implement actuator to change the Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 44 / 62 / 36 position of an implement (e.g., an auger, etc.) to remain within the operational limit 310b (e.g., changing the position of the implement system's hydraulic cylinder). According to some embodiments, in response to the determination that a region of interference of the follower vehicle 120 corresponding to the implement will overlap the operational limit 310b along a current travel path, the processor 232 can control the implement actuator to change a position of the implement. For example, the processor 232 can control the implement actuator to retract the implement inward toward the follower vehicle 120.According to some examples of embodiments, processor 232 can control an actuation magnitude (e.g., a distance by which the position of the implement system's hydraulic cylinder will be moved) of the implement actuator to change the implement's position more quickly (e.g., move the hydraulic cylinder a greater distance and / or more quickly) in scenarios where the overlap region is closer to a current position of the follower vehicle 120.

[0052] According to some embodiments, the above operations to determine the operational limit 310b can be performed continuously and / or periodically. Consequently, the operational limit 310b can be dynamically determined / generated to take into account obstacles 305 detected during an operation performed in the work area 130 by the following vehicle 120 (e.g., an agricultural and / or industrial operation such as harvesting, planting, sowing, cultivation, spraying, etc.). According to some embodiments, the following vehicle 120 (and / or the leading vehicle 110) can guide the following vehicle 120 based on the operational limit 310b while following a path or attempting to travel to a target position (e.g., the first position relative to the leading vehicle 110 discussed above). Consequently, the above discussion on the magnitude of actuation controlled by the processor 232 in relation to the steering actuator, to Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 45 / 62 / 36 pedal actuator and / or implement actuator may represent a balance between the aggressiveness of path following (and / or position direction) and the proximity of obstacles 305 to the operational limit 310b. For example, in a scenario where there are no obstacles 305 near the operational limit 310b, processor 232 may control the following vehicle 120 to follow the path (or reach the position) more aggressively. However, in a scenario where one or more obstacles 305 are close to the operational limit 310b, processor 232 can control the follower vehicle 120 to follow the path (or reach the position) in a less aggressive manner, avoiding one or more obstacles 305 (for example, by applying an actuation magnitude that increases as the proximity of one or more obstacles 305 increases), as discussed above.

[0053] FIG 4 illustrates a scenario for collaborative operations with multiple vehicles, including two or more follower vehicles, according to some examples of modalities.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 4, a collaborative operation (which may also be referred to here as coordinated and / or cooperative) (e.g., an agricultural and / or industrial operation) may be performed by the lead vehicle 110, a first follower vehicle 120a, and a second follower vehicle 120b. In this scenario, each of the first follower vehicle 120a and the second follower vehicle 120b includes an open container 122a and 122b, respectively, but some exemplary embodiments are not limited to this. According to some exemplary embodiments, each of the first follower vehicle 120a and the second follower vehicle 120b may be the same as or similar to the follower vehicle 120 discussed here.

[0055] According to some examples of modalities, each of the first follower vehicle 120a and the second follower vehicle 120b can determine / generate a corresponding operational limit according to the Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 46 / 62 / 36 operations discussed here. For example, the first follower vehicle 120a can generate a first operational limit 410a, and the second follower vehicle 120b can generate a second operational limit 410b. According to some example modalities, each of the first follower vehicle 120a and the second follower vehicle 120b can generate / determine the first operational limit 410a and the second operational limit 410b, respectively, without communicating with each other.For example, the first follower vehicle 120a can generate the first operational limit 410a by considering the second follower vehicle 120b as an obstacle (for example, by detecting the second follower vehicle 120b using perception information and determining that the second follower vehicle 120b is an obstacle), and the second follower vehicle 120b can generate the second operational limit 410b by considering the first follower vehicle 120a as an obstacle (for example, by detecting the first follower vehicle 120a using perception information and determining that the first follower vehicle 120a is an obstacle).

[0056] Current devices and methods for coordinating operations between multiple vehicles are unable to perform operations involving the coordination of multiple follower vehicles due to, for example, a lack of communication between vehicles regarding vehicle characteristics. However, according to embodiment examples, improved devices and methods are provided to coordinate such operations. For example, as described above, multiple follower vehicles can perform operations by considering each other as obstacles and generating respective operational limits, as described herein. Consequently, the improved devices and methods overcome the shortcomings of current devices and methods to allow the coordination of multiple follower vehicles without the follower vehicles communicating their respective characteristics to each other. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 47 / 62 / 36

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates a method for generating an operational limit for a follower vehicle, according to some example embodiments. According to some example embodiments, the method can be executed by processor 232.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 5, in operation 502, the method may include determining the position of an obstacle for a following vehicle. For example, the obstacle's position may be determined using a LiDAR system and / or a camera system, as discussed further below. According to some example modalities, the obstacle may be a rock, a fence, a tree, a watercourse, another following vehicle, etc.

[0059] In the 504 operation, the method may include generating an operational boundary for the following vehicle based on the obstacle's position, the relative position of the following vehicle with respect to a lead vehicle, and characteristics of both the following and lead vehicles. According to some embodiments, the 504 operation may include generating the operational boundary to exclude a region occupied by the obstacle, a region occupied by a lead vehicle structure, and / or a region used by the lead vehicle to perform an operation, as discussed later in this document. According to some embodiments, the operational boundary may be continuous and may encircle the following vehicle.

[0060] In operation 506, the method may include controlling the steering angle of a steering actuator based on the operational limit. According to some embodiments, operation 506 may include controlling the steering angle of the steering actuator to steer the follower vehicle 120 to remain within the operational limit, as discussed further in this document.

[0061] As discussed above, operations 502, 504, and 506 can be executed iteratively throughout a follower vehicle 120 operation (e.g., an agricultural and / or industrial operation) to generate Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 48 / 62 / 36 dynamically the operational limit and control the follower vehicle 120 to remain within the operational limit throughout the operation.

[0062] The various operations of the methods described above can be performed by any suitable device capable of performing the operations, such as the processing circuit discussed above. For example, as discussed above, the operations of the methods described above can be performed by various hardware and / or software implemented in some form of hardware (e.g., processor, ASIC, etc.).

[0063] Software may comprise an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions and may be incorporated into any processor-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction-executing system, apparatus, or device, such as a single-core or multi-core processor or a processor-containing system.

[0064] The blocks or operations of a method or algorithm and functions described in connection with some examples of embodiments disclosed herein may be incorporated directly into hardware, into a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code in a tangible, non-transient, computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 214 and memory 234).

[0065] According to some examples of embodiments, memory 214 and memory 234 can each be a tangible, non-transient, computer-readable medium, such as random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a compact disc (CD) ROM, any combination thereof, or any Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 49 / 62 / 36 another form of storage medium known in the art.

[0066] Some examples of modalities can be described with reference to acts and symbolic representations of operations (e.g., in the form of flowcharts, flow diagrams, data flow diagrams, structure diagrams, block diagrams, etc.) that can be implemented in conjunction with units and / or devices discussed in more detail below. Although discussed in a particular way, a function or operation specified in a specific block may be executed differently from the flow specified in a flowchart, flow diagram, etc. For example, functions or operations illustrated as being executed serially in two consecutive blocks may, in fact, be executed concurrently, simultaneously, or, in some cases, be executed in reverse order.

[0067] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed associated items.

[0068] Although the terms “first” or “second” can be used to explain various components (or parameters, values, etc.), the components (or parameters, values, etc.) are not limited to the terms. These terms should only be used to distinguish one component from another. For example, a “first” component can be called a “second” component or, similarly, a “second” component can be called a “first” component. Expressions such as at least one of, when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. For example, the expression at least one of a, b, c should be understood as including only a, only b, Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, p. 50 / 62 / 36 only c, both aeb, both aec, both bec, all of a, bec, or any variations of the examples mentioned above. Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, pp. 51 / 62

Claims

1 / 4 CLAIMS 1. Follower vehicle (120), characterized in that it comprises: a steering actuator (160); and a set of processing circuits (232) configured to cause the follower vehicle (120) to determine the position of an obstacle (305) for the follower vehicle (120), generate an operational limit (310b) of the follower vehicle (120) based on the position of the obstacle (305), a relative position of the follower vehicle (120) with respect to a leader vehicle (110) and characteristics of the follower vehicle (120) and the leader vehicle (110), and control a steering angle of a steering actuator (160) based on the operational limit (310b).

2. Following vehicle (120) according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing circuit (232) is configured to determine the position of the obstacle (305) using a LiDAR system or a camera system (238).

3. Follower vehicle (120) according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing circuit (232) is configured to generate the operational limit (310b) to exclude one or more of the following: a region occupied by the obstacle (305); a region occupied by a structure of the leader vehicle (110); or a region used by the leader vehicle (110) to perform an operation.

4. Follower vehicle (120) according to claim 1, characterized in that the operational boundary (310b) is continuous and Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, page 52 / 62 2 / 4 surrounds the follower vehicle (120).

5. Follower vehicle (120) according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing circuit (232) is configured to control the steering angle of the steering actuator (160) to steer the follower vehicle (120) to remain within the operational limit (310b).

6. Method, characterized in that it comprises: determining a position of an obstacle (305) for a following vehicle (120); generating an operational limit (310b) of the following vehicle (120) based on the position of the obstacle (305), a relative position of the following vehicle (120) with respect to a leading vehicle (110) and characteristics of the following vehicle (120) and the leading vehicle (110); and controlling a steering angle of a steering actuator (160) based on the operational limit (310b).

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the determination comprises determining the position of the obstacle (305) using a LiDAR system or a camera system (238).

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the generation comprises generating the operational boundary (310b) to exclude one or more of the following: a region occupied by the obstacle (305); a region occupied by a structure of the lead vehicle (110); or a region used by the lead vehicle (110) to perform an operation.

9. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the operational limit (310b) is continuous and encircles the following vehicle (120). Petition 870250083684, dated 17 / 09 / 2025, pp. 53 / 62 3 / 4 10. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the control comprises controlling the steering angle of the steering actuator (160) to steer the following vehicle (120) to remain within the operating limit (310b).

11. Non-transient computer-readable medium (234), characterized in that it stores instructions which, when executed by at least one processor (232) of a follower vehicle (120), cause the at least one processor (232) to perform a method, the method comprising: determining the position of an obstacle (305) for the follower vehicle (120); generating an operational limit (310b) of the follower vehicle (120) based on the position of the obstacle (305), a relative position of the follower vehicle (120) with respect to a leader vehicle (110) and characteristics of the follower vehicle (120) and the leader vehicle (110); and controlling a steering angle of a steering actuator (160) based on the operational limit (310b).

12. Non-transient computer-readable means (234) according to claim 11, characterized in that the determination comprises determining the position of the obstacle (305) using a LiDAR system or a camera system (238).

13. Non-transient computer-readable means (234) according to claim 12, characterized in that the generation comprises the generation of the operational boundary (310b) to exclude one or more of the following: a region occupied by the obstacle (305); a region occupied by a structure of the leading vehicle (110); or a region used by the leading vehicle (110) to perform an operation.

14. Non-transient computer-readable medium (234) according to claim 11, characterized in that the operating boundary (310b) is continuous and encircles the following vehicle (120).

15. Non-transient computer-readable means (234) according to claim 11, characterized in that the control comprises controlling the steering angle of the steering actuator (160) to steer the following vehicle (120) to remain within the operational limit (310b). Petition 870250083684, dated 09 / 17 / 2025, pp. 55 / 62

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