Rear Collision Avoidance Control for Differential-Steer Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear collision avoidance systems for machines, particularly compact track loaders and skid steers, struggle to prevent collisions with obstacles while allowing the machine to maneuver close to them due to limited visibility and differential steering mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A rear collision avoidance system that uses sensors to detect obstacles behind the machine and adjusts operator traction device commands to avoid collisions by limiting the propel component of the machine's motion, maintaining the intended path through proportional adjustments to the steer component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the machine maneuvers close to obstacles to work efficiently, then productivity is improved, but the risk of rear collision increases due to limited operator visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of obstacles behind the machine using sensors before the collision actually occurs. The control system continuously monitors the environment and prepares mitigation actions in advance, allowing the machine to work close to obstacles while maintaining safety through early warning and preventive control.
2Measurement precision
If the operator focuses attention on the front of the machine, then steering precision is improved, but rear collision detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensors as an intermediary detection system that compensates for the operator's limited rear visibility. The sensors act as a mediator between the operator and the rear environment, providing obstacle information to the control system without requiring the operator to physically see or focus on the rear area, thus maintaining steering precision while improving detection capability.
3Reliability
If the propel component is limited to avoid collision, then collision avoidance is improved, but the machine's ability to maintain intended path deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the propel and steer components based on real-time obstacle detection and machine state. When an obstacle is detected, the system dynamically modifies the propel component to prevent collision while simultaneously adjusting the steer component to maintain the intended path. This dynamic coordination ensures both collision avoidance and path following are achieved adaptively.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the traction device commands by adjusting the propel and steer components. When collision risk is detected, the propel component is reduced or reversed while the steer component is modified to compensate, changing the motion parameters in a coordinated manner to both avoid collision and maintain the intended operational path.
Data Source
AI summary
A rear collision avoidance system and method for a machine with left and right side traction devices for moving the machine. Sensors monitor obstacles around the machine. A commanded reverse path is calculated based on operator traction device commands. If an obstacle is in the commanded reverse path, the system automatically adjusts the traction device commands to avoid collision with the obstacle. A time to collision can be calculated, and the traction device commands adjusted only when it is below a threshold. Adjusting the traction device commands to avoid collision can include determining reverse propel and steer components based on the traction device commands; and if the reverse propel is greater than a propel threshold then adjusting the traction device commands to reduce reverse propel but maintain the reverse path; and if steer is greater than propel then adjusting the traction device commands to reduce reverse propel.