GNSS-IMU Implement Height Control for Terrain Drift

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing satellite positioning systems for agricultural and mining applications fail to accurately account for terrain curvature, leading to imprecise parallel or contour swathing due to errors in Doppler radar, gyroscopes, and GNSS systems, which result in inefficiencies and inaccuracies, especially in dynamic and sloped terrains.

Innovation Solution

A system combining GNSS and inertial measurement units (IMUs) with multiple antennas and a real-time compute engine that processes sensor data against spatial data to maintain precise implement height, eliminating long-term drift issues and improving navigation accuracy by integrating GNSS-derived attitude information and optional gyroscopes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If Doppler radar and gyroscopes are used for positioning and navigation, then short-term accuracy is improved, but long-term drift errors occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidlong-term stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple positioning systems (Doppler radar, gyroscopes, inertial navigation) into an integrated system that leverages the short-term accuracy of each while compensating for their individual long-term drift issues through data fusion and cross-validation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where positioning data from multiple sources is continuously monitored and used to correct drift errors in real-time, maintaining long-term accuracy by constantly comparing and adjusting measurements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Area of stationary object

If GNSS systems are used for vehicle navigation, then coverage area is improved, but lag time and real-time performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation coverageVSAvoidpositioning lag

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculations and predictions of vehicle position based on current velocity and heading data, providing estimated position information before actual GNSS position data is received, thereby reducing perceived lag time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary computational algorithms that process and predict position data, acting as a mediator between the delayed GNSS signals and the real-time navigation requirements, smoothing out lag effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If low-cost MEMS gyroscopes are used for attitude measurement, then cost is reduced, but long-term drift errors increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem costVSAvoidheading accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges low-cost MEMS gyroscope data with GNSS-derived attitude information and data from other sensors to create a composite attitude solution that maintains low cost while compensating for the gyroscope's long-term drift through multi-source validation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9781915B2Implement and boom height control system and method

Publication Date: 2017.10.10 AGJUNCTION LLC

AI summary

A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based control system is provided for positioning a working component relative to a work surface. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, are mounted on the working component and provide positioning signals to a control compute engine. A method of positioning a working component relative to a work surface using GNSS-based positioning signals is also disclosed.