Vehicle Heading Control via Propagation Time Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to maintain a desired degree of alignment and coordination between a lead vehicle and one or more following vehicles in various activities, as existing systems lack effective methods to ensure precise tracking and navigation, especially in scenarios involving unmanned vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A system where a lead vehicle transmits signals to beacons on a following vehicle, allowing a data processor to determine propagation times, which are used to control the following vehicle's heading and position to maintain alignment, using a combination of electromagnetic signals and vehicle controllers to manage steering, braking, and propulsion systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a lead vehicle transmits signals to beacons on a following vehicle to determine propagation times for controlling heading, then alignment precision between vehicles is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple beacons, signal transmission components, and data processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The following vehicle is divided into multiple beacons (at least two beacons spaced apart), allowing the system to measure propagation times to different points on the same vehicle. This segmentation enables precise determination of the following vehicle's position and orientation relative to the lead vehicle, achieving high alignment precision while distributing the measurement function across multiple simple beacon units.
Solution Approach 2:
Electromagnetic signals serve as intermediaries between the lead vehicle's transmitter and the following vehicle's beacons. These signals carry timing information that enables the data processor to calculate propagation times and determine spatial relationships without requiring direct physical contact or complex mechanical linkages between vehicles.
2Measurement precision
If multiple beacons are used on the following vehicle to measure propagation times, then tracking accuracy is improved, but the quantity of components and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The following vehicle incorporates multiple beacons (at least two) spaced at a known distance apart. Each beacon independently receives signals from the lead vehicle, and the system measures propagation times to each beacon. This segmentation provides redundant measurement paths and enables calculation of both position and orientation, improving tracking accuracy while using relatively simple beacon components.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple beacons are combined on a single following vehicle platform, sharing common mounting structures and spatial relationships. The known separation distance between beacons is utilized as a reference parameter, allowing the system to derive comprehensive positional and orientational information from multiple signal paths without requiring each beacon to be a fully independent system.
3Reliability
If propagation time measurements are used to control following vehicle heading, then coordination between vehicles is improved, but the time required for precise measurement and processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously transmits electromagnetic signals from the lead vehicle and continuously measures propagation times to the following vehicle's beacons. This continuous measurement approach provides real-time updates on the relative position and orientation of the vehicles, enabling ongoing adjustments to maintain coordination without requiring intermittent, time-consuming measurement cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical or manual alignment methods with electromagnetic signal-based propagation time measurements. This substitution enables rapid, automated determination of spatial relationships and heading information, significantly reducing the time required for measurement and processing compared to traditional mechanical alignment systems while improving coordination reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system enables accurate and reliable tracking of a lead vehicle by a following vehicle, maintaining alignment and coordination with high precision, even in complex maneuvers, and allows for safe and uniform distance maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter at a lead vehicle transmits a first transmission signal toward a first beacon and a second beacon associated with a following vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a data processor or estimator determines a first propagation time associated with the first transmission and the first beacon; a data processor or estimator determines a second propagation time associated with the first transmission and the second beacon
Data Source
AI summary
A transmitter at a lead vehicle transmits a first transmission signal toward a first beacon and a second beacon associated with a following vehicle. A data processor or estimator determines a first propagation time associated with the first transmission and the first beacon and a second propagation time associated with the first transmission and the second beacon. A vehicle controller controls a heading of the following vehicle to maintain a first distance substantially equal to a second distance (i.e., first propagation time substantially equal to a second propagation time) or a first distance that deviates from the second distance by a predetermined maximum amount.