Work Vehicle Antenna Alignment During Steady Traveling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional azimuth and posture measuring devices for work vehicles, such as dump trucks, struggle to accurately detect errors in antenna installation positions due to vibrations and impacts from loading and unloading operations, especially in uneven terrain.

Innovation Solution

The work vehicle is equipped with a control device that calculates a second vehicle direction using changes in position information from satellite positioning system antennas, allowing for the detection of antenna installation position errors even when the vehicle is not moving in a strictly front-rear direction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If antennas are installed on poles extending upward from the vehicle body to avoid radio wave blocking, then radio wave reception is improved, but the antennas become vulnerable to vibration and impact during loading and unloading operations, causing installation position errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveradio wave receptionVSAvoidantenna installation position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement of the baseline vector between antennas during periods when the vehicle is stationary or undergoing steady traveling. This preliminary data is stored and used for subsequent vehicle direction calculations, eliminating the need for continuous real-time measurement and reducing the impact of vibration-induced position errors during active operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors vehicle traveling states through sensors (acceleration sensors, angular velocity sensors) and uses this feedback to determine when conditions are suitable for baseline vector measurement. When steady traveling is detected, the system automatically performs measurement; when vibration is detected during loading/unloading, the system switches to using previously stored baseline data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If the vehicle advances in a front-rear direction on an approximately horizontal surface for error detection, then antenna installation position error detection is simplified, but this condition is limited and not flexible for diverse working conditions in mining and construction sites

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror detection operationVSAvoidworking condition flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts its measurement strategy based on detected traveling conditions. It can perform baseline vector measurements during steady traveling (which includes turning and straight advancing) and switch between different measurement modes depending on the vehicle's state, making the error detection system adaptable to various working conditions rather than requiring a single fixed operational mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes its operational parameters based on detected conditions: when steady traveling is detected, it performs baseline vector measurement with specific sampling frequencies; when vibration or other conditions are detected, it switches to using stored data or adjusts measurement parameters. This allows the system to maintain accuracy across diverse working conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If multiple sensors (acceleration sensors, angular velocity sensors) are added to detect steady traveling states, then the accuracy of vehicle direction calculation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle direction calculation accuracyVSAvoidsensor system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The multiple sensors serve multiple functions: acceleration sensors detect both linear acceleration for steady traveling determination and contribute to baseline vector calculation; angular velocity sensors detect rotational motion for steady traveling determination and can contribute to posture measurement. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by extracting maximum utility from each sensor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system automatically determines when steady traveling conditions exist and triggers baseline vector measurements without external intervention. The system self-regulates its measurement activity based on sensor data, reducing the need for manual control or additional control logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 solution enables more flexible detection of antenna installation errors, improving the accuracy of vehicle direction calculations and reducing the need for frequent error detection in diverse working conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a first antenna 121 and a second antenna 122 that are mounted to a vehicle 110 and receive radio waves of a satellite positioning system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadio wave reception: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4130801B1Work vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO LTD
  • EP4130801B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4130801B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4130801B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a work vehicle that allows detecting an error in an installation position of an antenna more flexibly than a conventional device. The work vehicle includes a control device 150. The control device 150 has a detection function F106, a calculation function F104, a calculation function F105, a calculation function F107, and an estimation function F110. The detection function F106 detects steady traveling based on a velocity, an acceleration, and an angular velocity of a vehicle. The calculation function F104 calculates a first vehicle direction based on installation information of a first antenna and a second antenna with respect to the vehicle. The calculation function F105 calculates a second vehicle direction based on a time change of position information of the first antenna when the steady traveling is detected. The calculation function F107 calculates a direction correction parameter for correcting the first vehicle direction based on the second vehicle direction. The estimation function F110 estimates a location and a posture of the vehicle based on the direction correction parameter and the first vehicle direction.