Machine positioning system having alignment error detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9250086-B1
Application number	US-201414466929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 22, 2014
Priority date	Aug 22, 2014
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A method and system for determining an alignment error between sensors mounted to a machine is disclosed. The method may include calculating a first orientation value based on a signal received from a first sensor. The method may further include calculating a second orientation value based on a signal received from a second sensor. The method may further include calculating an alignment error between the first sensor and the second sensor based on a difference between the first orientation value and the second orientation value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining an alignment error between sensors mounted to a machine, comprising:
calculating a first orientation value based on a signal received from a first sensor;
calculating a second orientation value based on a signal received from a second sensor;
calculating the alignment error between the first sensor and the second sensor based on a difference between the first orientation value and the second orientation value, wherein the first sensor is a dual forward-aft GPS receiver and the second sensor is an inclinometer; and
controlling and positioning the machine with an improved estimation of a pose of the machine based on the alignment error between the first sensor and the second sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first orientation value and the second orientation value indicate a roll or pitch of the machine.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first orientation value and the second orientation indicate a pitch of the machine.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first orientation value is calculated using consecutive positions of the first sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is one of the dual forward-aft GPS receivers and the second sensor is the dual forward-aft GPS receivers.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first orientation value and the second orientation value indicate a heading of the machine.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first orientation value is calculated using consecutive positions of the first sensor.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the alignment error is greater than a threshold value, and
one of compensating for the alignment error and flagging an error in response to determining that the alignment error is greater than the threshold value.

9. A positioning system for determining an alignment error between sensors mounted to a machine, comprising:
a first sensor;
a second sensor; and
a controller in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller configured to:
calculate a first orientation value based on a signal received from the first sensor;
calculate a second orientation value based on a signal received from the second sensor;
calculate the alignment error between the first sensor and the second sensor based on a difference between the first orientation value and the second orientation value, wherein the first sensor is a dual forward-aft GPS receiver and the second sensor is an inclinometer; and
control and position the machine with an improved estimation of a pose of the machine based on the alignment error between the first sensor and the second sensor.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first orientation value and the second orientation value indicate a roll or pitch of the machine.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first orientation value and the second orientation indicate a pitch of the machine.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first orientation value is calculated using consecutive positions of the first sensor.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first sensor is one of the dual forward-aft GPS receivers and the second sensor is the dual forward-aft GPS receivers.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first orientation value and the second orientation value indicate a heading of the machine.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first orientation value is calculated using consecutive positions of the first sensor.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the alignment error is greater than a threshold value, and
compensate for the alignment error or flag an error in response to determining that the alignment error is greater than the threshold value.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Friend Paul Russell
• Willis Frank Arthur
• Becicka Troy Kenneth

Classifications

• G01S19/53

  Determining attitude · CPC title

• G01S19/14 Primary

  specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G01C21/20 Primary

  Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01S19/47

  the supplementary measurement being an inertial measurement, e.g. tightly coupled inertial · CPC title