Visual, GNSS and gyro autosteering control

1. A method of guiding a vehicle using visual references along a guide path thereof and GNSS positioning, which method comprises the steps of:

providing said vehicle with a GNSS positioning subsystem including a GNSS antenna and a GNSS receiver connected to said antenna;

providing said GNSS subsystem with a position and heading sensor including multiple antennas;

providing a visual reference subsystem including a camera mounted on said vehicle and oriented in its direction of travel;

providing said vehicle with a microprocessor connected to said GNSS and visual reference subsystems;

providing said GNSS subsystem with an inertial direction sensor connected to said microprocessor;

inputting to said microprocessor GNSS positioning information from said receiver;

inputting to said microprocessor visual reference information from said visual reference subsystem;

providing an inertial navigation subsystem (INS);

generating signals corresponding to inertial forces on said vehicle with said INS;

inputting said INS signals to said microprocessor;

utilizing with said microprocessor said INS signals in deriving a guidance solution;

guiding said vehicle through a field of row crops;

providing visual references for said vehicle comprising edges of said crop rows or furrows;

visually locking on said crop row edges or furrows with said camera;

outputting visual reference subsystem signals to said microprocessor corresponding to said camera lock on said crop row edges or furrows;

logging vehicle track information with said microprocessor;

providing said vehicle with an autosteering subsystem;

calibrating with said microprocessor nominal turn radius information for said vehicle using information derived from said GNSS and INS subsystems and offsets from a previously logged track;

testing a crop row edge or furrow visibility condition with said microprocessor based on visual reference subsystem signals from said camera;

detecting a crop row edge or furrow visibility loss condition with said microprocessor;

based on said visibility loss condition prioritizing GNSS and INS guidance using an offset from previously logged GNSS tracks if a track log is available or recent line curvatures if a track log is not available;

deriving a guidance solution with said microprocessor based on said GNSS, said INS signals, and visual reference subsystem inputs in conjunction with each other;

guiding said vehicle with said guidance solution;

providing said vehicle with a tractor and an implement connected thereto via an articulated hitch connection;

providing said tractor and implement with independent steering subsystems;

a controller providing independent steering commands to said tractor and implement steering subsystems;

providing said implement with an implement GNSS guidance subsystem;

inputting GNSS-derived positioning information from said implement GNSS guidance subsystem to said microprocessor;

independently guiding said implement with said microprocessor and said implement steering subsystem;

providing said vehicle with a spray boom including multiple spray nozzles;

programming microprocessor to independently and selectively control said spray nozzles;

independently and selectively controlling said spray nozzles with said microprocessor based on the positions of said spray nozzles derived from GNSS, visual reference and INS positioning information;

deriving a nominal turn radius for said vehicle; and

guiding said vehicle through an end-of-row turn using said nominal turn radius.