Autonomous Travel Steering Control for Smooth Target-Track Following
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional autonomous travel vehicles for construction equipment, such as vibrating rollers, experience position deviations from target tracks due to delayed steering angle corrections, leading to zigzag paths and inefficient compaction management, which requires experienced operators to adjust vibration conditions and vehicle speed.
Innovation Solution
A construction-vehicle autonomous travel control device that calculates an expected arrival point based on vehicle speed and steering angle, and adjusts the steering angle to direct the vehicle to a target point, preventing sudden corrections and ensuring smooth travel by using a target circle to vary the steering angle calculations based on vehicle speed and track curvature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the vehicle directly travels toward the target point with immediate steering angle correction, then the response speed is improved, but the travel trace becomes zigzag causing position deviation from the target track
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates an expected arrival point that is ahead of the current vehicle position, anticipating where the vehicle will be after a predetermined time period. This preliminary positioning allows the steering angle to be adjusted in advance, directing the vehicle smoothly toward the target point without sudden zigzag corrections, thereby maintaining both responsive control and accurate track following
2Productivity
If the vehicle speed is increased to improve productivity, then the compaction efficiency is improved, but the position deviation from target track increases due to delayed steering response
Solution Approach 1:
By calculating the expected arrival point based on current vehicle speed and steering angle, the system anticipates the vehicle's future position. This allows steering corrections to be made proactively rather than reactively, maintaining accurate track following even at higher speeds where traditional systems would experience delayed response and position deviation
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the expected arrival point calculation based on the current vehicle speed. As speed increases, the calculation accounts for the longer time required to respond and correct, ensuring that the steering angle adjustments remain appropriate and effective across varying operating conditions, thereby maintaining position accuracy regardless of speed variations
3Manufacturing precision
If complex feed-forward control is implemented to improve position accuracy, then the travel trace smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes readily available existing data (vehicle speed and steering angle) to calculate the expected arrival point, rather than requiring additional complex sensors or measurement systems. This self-service approach achieves smooth, accurate travel trace control using information already present in the autonomous travel control device, avoiding the need for complicated additional hardware or complex feed-forward control algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
A construction-vehicle autonomous travel control device to correct a steering angle so as to direct to a target point set on a target track includes: an expected arrival point calculator to calculate an expected arrival point of a vehicle to arrive after a predetermined time based on a vehicle speed and a steering angle; and a corrected steering angle calculator to calculate a corrected steering angle so as to direct the expected arrival point to the target point.