Autonomous Work Vehicle Steering Using Predicted Path Deviation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous work vehicles are unstable in navigation due to excessive steering adjustments when deviating from a target travel path, leading to inaccurate path following and inefficient work performance.
Innovation Solution
A control device that calculates an estimated vehicle position based on current position, travel direction, and speed to predict and adjust steering, incorporating lateral and directional deviation calculations for precise path correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the work vehicle is controlled to steer based on the current vehicle position and lateral separation distance from the target travel path, then the vehicle can respond quickly to positional deviations, but the vehicle becomes unstable in autonomous travel due to excessively large or small steering angles
Solution Approach 1:
The control device calculates an estimated vehicle position that predicts where the vehicle will be after a predetermined travel time, and uses this future position to determine the target steering amount. This preliminary action of predicting future state allows the system to anticipate the vehicle's trajectory and apply appropriate steering correction in advance, preventing overcorrection and instability while maintaining responsive path following
2Productivity
If the steering angle is increased to correct large positional deviations from the target travel path, then the vehicle can return to the path more quickly, but the vehicle becomes unstable due to excessive steering corrections
Solution Approach 1:
By calculating the estimated vehicle position based on current position, travel direction, and predetermined travel time, the system determines the appropriate steering amount in advance. This prevents both excessive steering corrections and insufficient corrections, achieving stable and efficient path following
Solution Approach 2:
The control device continuously monitors the vehicle's actual position, calculates the deviation from the target travel path, and adjusts the steering amount accordingly. The feedback loop uses the estimated future position to determine the target steering amount, ensuring stable and accurate path correction
Data Source
AI summary
A control device for a work vehicle configured or programmed to travel autonomously includes a vehicle position calculator to calculate a vehicle position, a travel direction calculator to calculate a travel direction that is a front-back direction of the vehicle body, a steering state detector to obtain data on a steering state, a vehicle position estimator to calculate an estimated vehicle position at which the work vehicle is to be present after performing predetermined travel from the vehicle position of the work vehicle, a deviation calculator to calculate a deviation of the work vehicle at the estimated vehicle position from the target travel path, a target steering amount calculator to calculate a target steering amount based on the deviation, and an autonomous travel controller to control steering based on the target steering amount.