System and method for collision mitigation during machine articulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10246087-B2
Application number	US-201615380623-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2016
Priority date	Dec 15, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

A system and method for mitigating collisions for an articulated work vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to determine a safe-zone around the articulated work vehicle based on signals corresponding to sensed objects around the articulated work vehicle. The controller is further configured to determine a position and velocity of one or more peripheral points on the articulated work vehicle based on signals from a set of sensor systems operatively coupled to the articulated work vehicle. The controller is further configured to receive a driver control input. The controller is further configured to apply a limit to the driver control input when a peripheral point on the articulated work vehicle is expected to be within a predetermined distance to a nearest edge of the safe-zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An articulated work vehicle comprising:
a front frame having a first pair of wheels;
a rear frame having a second pair of wheels;
a hitch pivotally coupling the front frame to the rear frame;
a powertrain configured to drive at least the second pair of wheels;
a steering system configured to provide controlled articulation of the front frame relative to the rear frame about the hitch based on a driver control input that is received by a driver while operating the articulated work vehicle;
a first sensor system configured to sense objects around the articulated work vehicle;
a second sensor system configured to sense real-time articulation angle of the front frame relative to the rear frame;
a third sensor system configured to sense real-time rotation of the first and second pair of wheels; and
real time processing circuitry electrically coupled to the steering system, the first sensor system, the second sensor system, and the third sensor system, the processing circuitry configured to:
determine a safe-zone around the articulated work vehicle based on signals from the first sensor system corresponding to sensed objects around the articulated work vehicle;
determine a position and velocity of one or more peripheral points on the articulated work vehicle based on signals from the second sensor system, and the third sensor system;
receive the driver control input to control articulation of the front frame relative to the rear frame about the hitch;
responsive to the receiving the driver control input to control articulation of the front frame relative to the rear frame about the hitch, determine whether to apply a limit to the driver control input by comparing a desired driver operator articulation angle associated with the received driver control input to the determined safe-zone around the articulated work vehicle; and
responsive to the determining whether to apply the limit, apply the limit to the driver control input when a peripheral point on the articulated work vehicle is expected to be within a predetermined distance to a nearest edge of the safe-zone.

2. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:
a hydraulically controlled tool; and
a fourth sensor system configured to sense real-time position of the hydraulically controlled tool,
wherein the real time processing circuitry is further configured to determine the position and velocity of one or more peripheral points on the articulated work vehicle based on signals from the fourth sensor system.

3. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the limit to the driver control input is a reduction of the rate of articulation of the front frame.

4. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the limit to the driver control input is a hard stop on the articulation of the front frame relative to the rear frame about the hitch.

5. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor system includes one or more cameras.

6. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor system includes one or more radar sensors.

7. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor system includes one or more lidar sensors and/or one or more sonar sensors.

8. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to dynamically adjust the safe-zone based on the signals from the first sensor system corresponding to sensed objects around the articulated work vehicle and/or dynamically adjust application of the limit to the driver control input based on the signals from the second sensor system and the third sensor system.

9. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor system includes one or more rotary position sensors.

10. The articulated work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the third sensor system includes one or more rotation sensors.

11. The articulated work vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the fourth sensor system includes one or more rotary position sensors.

12. A collision mitigation system integrated in an articulated work vehicle, the system comprising:
a steering system configured to provide controlled articulation of the front frame relative to the rear frame about the hitch based on a driver control input that is received by a driver while operating the articulated work vehicle;
a memory configured to store program instructions and sensor signals; and
a controller in communication with the memory and the steering system, the controller configured to:
determine a safe-zone around the articulated work vehicle based on signals from a first sensor system corresponding to sensed objects around the articulated work vehicle;
determine a position and velocity of one or more peripheral points on the articulated work vehicle based on signals from the set of sensor systems operatively coupled to the articulated work vehicle;
receive a driver control input, which is received by a driver while driving the articulated work vehicle, to control articulation of a front frame relative to a rear frame about a hitch of the articulated work vehicle;
responsive to the receiving the driver control input to control articulation of the front frame relative to the rear frame about the hitch, determine whether to apply a limit to the driver control input by comparing a desired driver operator articulation angle associated with the received driver control input to the determined safe-zone around the articulated work vehicle;
responsive to said determining whether to apply the limit, apply the limit to the driver control input when a peripheral point on the articulated work vehicle is expected to be within a predetermined distance to a nearest edge of the safe-zone; and
control the steering system according to the limit to the driver control input.

13. The collision mitigation system of claim 12 , wherein the limit to the driver control input is a reduction of the rate of articulation of a front frame relative to a rear frame about a hitch, of the articulated work vehicle.

14. The collision mitigation system of claim 12 , wherein the limit to the driver control input is a hard stop on the articulation of a front frame relative to a rear frame about a hitch, of the articulated work vehicle.

15. The collision mitigation system of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor system includes one or more cameras.

16. The collision mitigation system of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor system includes one or more radar sensors.

17. The collision mitigation system of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor system includes one or more lidar sensors.

18. The collision mitigation system of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor system includes one or more sonar sensors.

19. The collision mitigation system of claim 12 , wherein the set of sensor systems includes one or more position sensors and one or more rotary position sensors.

20. A method for mitigating collisions for an articulated work vehicle using a collision mitigation system implemented in the articulated work vehicle, the method comprising:
determining, using circuitry of the articulated work vehicle, a safe-zone around the articulated work vehicle based on signals from a first sensor system corresponding to sensed objects around the articulated work vehicle;
receiving, using the circuitry of the articulated work vehicle, signals from the set of sensor systems operatively coupled to the articulated work vehicle;
determining, using the circuitry of the articulated work vehicle, a position

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Mitchell Michael D
• Plecker Adam M
• Robinson Mark A
• Melchiori Shaun R

Classifications

• B60W2554/00

  Input parameters relating to objects · CPC title

• B60W50/12

  Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation · CPC title

• E02F9/262

  with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller · CPC title

• B60W50/10

  Interpretation of driver requests or demands · CPC title

• E02F9/0841

  Articulated frame, i.e. having at least one pivot point between two travelling gear units (tractor-trailer combinations B62D53/00) · CPC title