Automatic Work Vehicle Steering Sensitivity for Route Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic traveling work vehicles face challenges in achieving appropriate steering control due to varying work field conditions and types, leading to unsatisfactory performance in returning to a target travel route, especially when the necessary control characteristics are not aligned with the specific requirements of the work field or work type.

Innovation Solution

The system employs variable steering sensitivity based on the state of the work field and work type, allowing for customized control amounts to be calculated and adjusted, enabling the vehicle to return to the target route with either a gentle or rapidly changing travel locus, using a combination of satellite positioning, inertial navigation, and user-adjustable sensitivity settings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If steering sensitivity is increased to return quickly to the target travel route, then the vehicle returns rapidly to the route, but the wheels may dig into soft soil and leave the travel locus

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of returning to target routeVSAvoidwheels digging into soft soil
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The steering sensitivity is made dynamically adjustable based on detected work field conditions. The system transitions from fixed sensitivity to variable sensitivity that adapts to soil hardness, allowing rapid correction on hard surfaces while preventing wheel digging on soft soil.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The steering sensitivity parameter is changed based on work field detection results. When soft soil is detected, the sensitivity parameter is reduced to prevent excessive steering correction that would cause wheels to dig into the soil.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If steering sensitivity is decreased to prevent wheels from digging into soft soil, then the vehicle maintains stable travel locus, but the vehicle takes longer to return to the target travel route

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of travel locusVSAvoidtime to return to target route
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts steering sensitivity based on real-time work field conditions rather than using a fixed low sensitivity value, optimizing both stability and return time for each specific condition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The steering sensitivity parameter is adjusted according to detected soil conditions, allowing the system to achieve stable travel locus while minimizing time loss through condition-appropriate sensitivity levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If fixed steering sensitivity is used for automatic steering control, then the control system is simple, but the steering control is not appropriate for varying work field conditions and work types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of control systemVSAvoidadaptability to work field conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The automatic steering system performs self-adjustment of steering sensitivity based on its own detection of work field conditions, eliminating the need for complex manual configuration while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from work field detection to automatically adjust steering sensitivity, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to varying conditions without increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Measurement precision

If steering sensitivity is increased for rapid correction, then the vehicle quickly eliminates track deviation, but the travel locus becomes unstable in soft soil conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of track deviation eliminationVSAvoidstability of travel locus
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The steering sensitivity parameter is changed based on work field detection, allowing high precision track deviation elimination on hard surfaces while maintaining stability on soft soil through reduced sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3351080B1Automatic traveling work vehicle and method for controlling work traveling for an automatic traveling work vehicle along a target travel route in a work field
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3351080B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3351080B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3351080B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present disclosure refers to an automatic traveling work vehicle in which steering control is performed in consideration of at least a state of a work field and a work type when a vehicle body deviating from a target travel route is returned to the target travel route. The automatic traveling work vehicle includes: a work traveling information storing unit (45) to store work traveling information including the state of the work field and the work type of the work device; a steering mechanism (13) to change a traveling direction of the vehicle body; an own vehicle position calculation unit (70) to calculate an own vehicle position; a travel route setting unit (51) to set a target travel route; a control input value calculation unit (502) to calculate a control input value based on a track deviation that is a deviation of the vehicle body from the target travel route based on the target travel route and the own vehicle position; a steering control unit (501) to calculate a control amount in which the steering mechanism is controlled based on the control input value and steering sensitivity; and a steering sensitivity setting unit (503) to derive the steering sensitivity from the state of the work field and the work type, which are read from the work traveling information. Further, a method for controlling work traveling for an automatic traveling work vehicle along a target travel route in a work field is provided.