Mobile Machine Navigation Dead Band Steering Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile-machine navigation systems cause excessive wear on skid-steer type steering systems due to frequent heading changes, especially when navigating near a target path, as they continuously adjust the heading without considering upcoming path changes, leading to frequent reentries and exits from a dead band.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that operate the steering system to change the heading of a mobile machine only in response to deviations from a first navigational dead band and subsequent predetermined events, such as entering a target zone, thereby reducing unnecessary heading changes and wear on steering components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the navigation system continuously adjusts the heading of the mobile machine to keep it close to the target path, then the navigation precision is improved, but the steering system experiences excessive wear and heating
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation dead band is divided into multiple segments along the target path, with each segment having an associated lookahead point. This segmentation allows the system to make discrete, planned heading changes at specific locations rather than continuous adjustments, reducing steering system wear while maintaining navigation precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates lookahead points for each dead band segment and plans heading changes in advance. By determining the optimal heading change points before the machine reaches them, the system avoids reactive, frequent steering adjustments and reduces wear on the steering system while maintaining accurate path following.
2Manufacturing precision
If the navigation system makes frequent heading changes to correct path deviations, then the navigation accuracy is improved, but the productivity and efficiency are reduced due to excessive steering operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic heading changes based on predetermined dead band segments rather than continuous corrections. By structuring steering actions as periodic events at specific locations along the path, the system maintains path following accuracy while significantly reducing the frequency of steering operations to improve productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-plans heading changes at lookahead points before the machine reaches the dead band boundaries. This preliminary action allows the machine to maintain its current trajectory longer without frequent reactive steering interventions, improving navigation efficiency while still achieving accurate path following.
3Device complexity
If the navigation system operates without considering upcoming path changes, then the device complexity is reduced, but the navigation precision deteriorates due to frequent reentries into the dead band
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates lookahead points for each dead band segment based on the predetermined target path geometry. By planning heading changes in advance at these lookahead points, the system anticipates upcoming path changes without requiring complex real-time calculations, maintaining both simplicity and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the machine's current position relative to the segmented dead band and predetermined lookahead points to trigger heading changes. This feedback mechanism ensures the machine follows the target path accurately by making heading adjustments at optimal points while maintaining relatively simple control logic.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of navigating a mobile machine dependent upon the relationship of the mobile machine to a target path includes operating a steering system to change the heading of the mobile machine in response to the mobile machine deviating from a first navigational dead band. Additionally, the method may include subsequently operating the steering system to make a heading change of the mobile machine only in response to predetermined events, which may include operating the steering system to make a heading change of the mobile machine if the mobile machine deviates from a second navigational dead band.