Electric Track Vehicle Control via Closed-Loop Encoder Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Two-track vehicles face significant challenges in maintaining straight trajectory at high speeds due to unintended speed differences between their tracks, caused by errors in hydraulic fluid flow, leading to constant pulling to one side, which existing control methods fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a closed-loop control system that uses rotation encoders to monitor and adjust the rotational frequency and phase of electric motors driving the tracks, ensuring they operate at the same speed and minimizing errors, thereby maintaining directional stability through motor control signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If open-loop hydrostatic control is used to adjust hydraulic fluid flow, then track vehicle can operate at low speeds, but speed difference between tracks increases at high speeds causing vehicle to pull left or right
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop control system that continuously monitors the rotational speed of each track using rotation encoders and provides feedback to the controller. The controller adjusts the electric motor speeds based on the detected speed difference, ensuring both tracks operate at the same speed. This feedback mechanism eliminates the speed inconsistency problem that occurs with open-loop hydrostatic control at high speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the hydraulic fluid flow control system with an electric motor control system. Each track is driven by an independent electric motor whose speed can be precisely controlled and adjusted individually. This substitution eliminates the inherent imprecision of hydraulic flow control and enables accurate speed matching between tracks through electronic control.
2Productivity
If hydraulic fluid flow is adjusted to control track speed, then vehicle can change speed, but errors in hydraulic fluid flow cause unintended speed difference between tracks
Solution Approach 1:
The closed-loop control system uses rotation encoders to continuously measure the actual rotational speed of each track and feeds this information back to the controller. The controller compares the measured speeds with the target speeds and adjusts the electric motor outputs accordingly, achieving precise speed control for each track independently. This eliminates the speed precision errors inherent in hydraulic fluid flow control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the hydraulic fluid flow control mechanism with electronic motor control. Electric motors provide precise, programmable speed control without the flow rate errors associated with hydraulic systems. The electronic control system can accurately regulate motor speed through pulse width modulation or other precise control methods, achieving superior speed precision compared to hydraulic systems.
3Stability of the object's composition
If both tracks operate at the same speed, then vehicle travels straight, but existing control methods cannot maintain equal speed at high speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors the speed of each track using rotation encoders and provides real-time feedback to the controller. At high speeds, the controller adjusts the electric motor speeds based on the detected differences, ensuring both tracks maintain equal speed. This feedback mechanism enables stable straight-line travel even at high speeds where hydraulic control systems fail to maintain track speed consistency.
4Manufacturing precision
If rotation encoders and motor controllers are implemented for each track, then track speed precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into independent modules, with each track having its own rotation encoder and motor controller. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the control logic, as each controller only needs to manage its associated motor based on feedback from its encoder. The modular architecture reduces overall system complexity despite the addition of components.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for track vehicle control are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises: receiving a steering control signal; inputting a first rotation signal from a first encoder representing a rotational frequency and phase of a first electric motor coupled to a first continuous track mechanism; inputting a second rotation signal from a second encoder representing a rotational frequency and phase of a second electric motor coupled to a second continuous track mechanism; and outputting motor control signals to a first and second motor controllers in response to the steering control signal and differences between the rotational frequency and phase for the first electric motor and the rotational frequency and phase for the second electric motor, wherein the first motor controller is coupled to the first electric motor and the second motor controller is coupled to the second electric motor.