Articulated Vehicle Encoder Calibration for Curvature-Based Steering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current agricultural vehicle steering systems face challenges in accurately controlling turns, especially in articulated chassis configurations, due to the complex interaction between the front and rear chassis portions, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors in curvature modeling.

Innovation Solution

A steering control system that utilizes processing circuitry to obtain and process steering condition data and curvature data, generating a primary curvature model to determine steering conditions for commanded curvatures, allowing for precise operation of the steering input device and improving turn performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a steering control system uses a primary curvature model to determine steering conditions for commanded curvatures, then the accuracy of turn control is improved, but the complexity of the system increases due to the need to process and model combined curvatures of front and rear chassis portions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveturn control accuracyVSAvoidsteering control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the articulated chassis into front and rear portions, each with its own curvature characteristics. The steering control system independently models the curvature of the front chassis portion and the rear chassis portion, then combines these segmented models to create a comprehensive primary curvature model. This segmentation approach allows the system to manage complexity by breaking down the overall curvature modeling into manageable partial curvature models for each chassis portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges the partial curvature models of the front and rear chassis portions to generate the primary curvature model. By combining the curvature data from both segmented portions, the system creates a unified model that accurately represents the overall steering behavior of the articulated vehicle, thereby improving turn control accuracy while systematically managing the underlying complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If the steering control system processes combined curvatures of front and rear chassis portions, then the reliability of steering operations is improved, but the computational requirements and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesteering operation reliabilityVSAvoidcurvature processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-processing and storing the partial curvature characteristics of the front and rear chassis portions during system initialization or calibration phases. By pre-computing and storing these partial curvature models, the system reduces the computational burden during real-time steering operations, as the complex combined curvature calculations can be performed more efficiently using the pre-prepared partial models.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies dynamics by adaptively adjusting the level of detail and computational effort in curvature processing based on operating conditions. During normal steering operations, the system uses the primary curvature model with full combined curvature processing for high reliability. However, during transient conditions or when rapid responses are needed, the system can dynamically adjust by relying more on the pre-computed partial curvature models, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining adequate steering reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250091566A1Automatic encoder calibration system for an agricultural vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.03.20 CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
  • US20250091566A1 patent drawing
  • US20250091566A1 patent drawing
  • US20250091566A1 patent drawing

AI summary

An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis, a plurality of tractive elements, a steering input device configured to steer the agricultural vehicle to perform a turn, and a steering control system configured to operate the steering input device. The chassis includes a first chassis portion and a second chassis portion pivotably coupled to the first chassis portion. The steering control system includes processing circuitry configured to obtain steering condition data corresponding to steering conditions of the steering input device, obtain partial curvature data corresponding to curvatures of the first chassis portion, determine, based on the partial curvature data, curvature data corresponding to curvatures of the agricultural vehicle, generate, based on the steering condition data and the curvature data, a primary curvature model that determines steering condition data given commanded curvature data, and operate the steering input device using (1) the primary curvature model and (2) a given command curvature.