Automated multi-vehicle alignment steering
A navigation system aids a driver of a collection vehicle in keeping pace and distance with a lead harvester while collecting grain. The navigation system can be used for any leader-follower vehicle drive formation. A navigation system steers the head vehicle based on a continuously known position and attitude. Navigation data for the lead vehicle is broadcast to a following collection vehicle. A navigation system in the following vehicle processes the lead vehicle navigation data to determine a relative position and attitude. The navigation system in the following vehicle generates steering and speed commands based on the relative position and attitude to automatically drive to a designated target position alongside the lead vehicle. In one example, an artificial oscillation is induced into the target position to more evenly distribute material in the following vehicle.
1. A guidance system, comprising:
a hardware processor to:
calculate a path based on a heading of a lead vehicle as the lead vehicle travels along a way line, wherein the calculated path is parallel with a leading vehicle path;
calculate a lateral distance between a following vehicle and the calculated path, wherein the calculated lateral distance comprises cross-track error;
calculate a longitudinal distance between the following vehicle and a target point along the calculated path, wherein the calculated longitudinal distance comprises along-track error;
generate a first set of navigation commands for the following vehicle to minimize the cross-track error during a first time period and align the following vehicle with the calculated path, and
generate a second set of navigation commands to vary a speed of the following vehicle relative to the lead vehicle to minimize the along-track error during a second time period that is after the first time period.
2. The guidance system of claim 1 , wherein the second set of navigation commands is further to vary a speed of the following vehicle proportionally to a current distance between the target point and a point associated with the following vehicle when the following vehicle is aligned with the calculated path.
3. The guidance system of claim 1 , the hardware processor further to:
receive a new target point associated with the lead vehicle; and
generate at least one additional navigation command, wherein the at least one additional navigation command is configured to locate a receptacle of the following vehicle under the new target point.
4. The guidance system of claim 1 , the hardware processor further to generate a third set of navigation commands to induce harmonic oscillation in the target point that cycles different locations of a receptacle of the following vehicle underneath the target point.
5. The guidance system of claim 1 , the hardware processor further to receive position information for the target point via wireless signals transmitted by the leading vehicle.
6. The guidance system of claim 1 , wherein the lead vehicle is a combine harvester and the target point is located at an outfeed of a grain chute attached to the combine harvester.
7. The guidance system of claim 6 , wherein the following vehicle includes a grain collection receptacle, and wherein the target point is located underneath the outfeed.
8. The guidance system of claim 1 , the hardware processor further to:
display a location of the lead vehicle, a location of the following vehicle, and a location of the target point on a display screen;
detect a user selection moving the target point to a new location on the display screen;
calculate a new target point for the new location on the display screen; and
generate at least one additional navigation command, wherein the at least one additional navigation command is configured to locate a receptacle of the following vehicle under the new target point.
9. The guidance system of claim 1 , the hardware processor further to:
calculate a location of a control point on the lead vehicle; and
calculate the target point based on a distance and position of a receptacle of the following vehicle relative to the control point on the lead vehicle.
10. The guidance system of claim 1 , the hardware processor further to wirelessly transmit the first and second sets of navigation commands to the following vehicle.
11. A method, comprising:
calculating a path based on a heading of a lead vehicle as the lead vehicle travels along a way line, wherein the calculated path is parallel with a leading vehicle path;
calculating a lateral distance between a following vehicle and the calculated path, wherein the calculated lateral distance comprises cross-track error;
calculating a longitudinal distance between the following vehicle and a target point along the calculated path, wherein the calculated longitudinal distance comprises along-track error;
generating a first set of navigation commands for the following vehicle to minimize the cross-track error during a first time period and align the following vehicle with the calculated path, and
generating a second set of navigation commands to vary a speed of the following vehicle relative to the lead vehicle to minimize the along-track error during a second time period that is after the first time period.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second set of navigation commands is further to vary a speed of the following vehicle proportionally to a current distance between the target point and a point associated with the following vehicle when the following vehicle is aligned with the calculated path.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving a new target point associated with the lead vehicle; and
generating at least one additional navigation command, wherein the at least one additional navigation command is configured to locate a receptacle of the following vehicle under the new target point.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating a third set of navigation commands to induce harmonic oscillation in the target point that cycles different locations of a receptacle of the following vehicle underneath the target point.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving position information for the target point via wireless signals transmitted by the leading vehicle.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lead vehicle is a combine harvester and the target point is located at an outfeed of a grain chute attached to the combine harvester.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the following vehicle includes a grain collection receptacle, and wherein the target point is located underneath the outfeed.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
displaying a location of the lead vehicle, a location of the following vehicle, and a location of the target point on a display screen;
detecting a user selection moving the target point to a new location on the display screen;
calculating a new target point for the new location on the display screen; and
generating at least one additional navigation command, wherein the at least one additional navigation command is configured to locate a receptacle of the following vehicle under the new target point.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
calculating a location of a control point on the lead vehicle; and
calculating the target point based on a distance and position of a receptacle of the following vehicle relative to the control point on the lead vehicle.
20. The guidance system of claim 11 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting the first and second sets of navigation commands to the following vehicle.