U.S. patent application number 16/177371 was filed with the patent office on 2019-05-02 for vehicle implement control.
This patent application is currently assigned to AGJUNCTION LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is AGJUNCTION LLC. Invention is credited to Bilal Arain, Tri M. Dang, Steven J. Dumble, Joshua M. Gattis, Tommy Ertbolle Madsen, Eran D.B. Medagoda, Andreas F. Ramm.
Application Number | 20190124819 16/177371 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 64457096 |
Filed Date | 2019-05-02 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190124819 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Madsen; Tommy Ertbolle ; et
al. |
May 2, 2019 |
VEHICLE IMPLEMENT CONTROL
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to
generating and utilizing three-dimensional terrain maps for
vehicular control. Other embodiments may be described and/or
claimed.
Inventors: |
Madsen; Tommy Ertbolle;
(Fremont, CA) ; Dang; Tri M.; (Durack, AU)
; Gattis; Joshua M.; (Robinson, KS) ; Ramm;
Andreas F.; (Woolloongabba, AU) ; Medagoda; Eran
D.B.; (Morningside, AU) ; Dumble; Steven J.;
(Brisbane, AU) ; Arain; Bilal; (Hiawatha,
KS) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
AGJUNCTION LLC |
Hiawatha |
KS |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
AGJUNCTION LLC
Hiawatha
KS
|
Family ID: |
64457096 |
Appl. No.: |
16/177371 |
Filed: |
October 31, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62579515 |
Oct 31, 2017 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60W 2300/152 20130101;
G05D 2201/0201 20130101; B60W 2530/10 20130101; G05D 1/0212
20130101; B60K 35/00 20130101; B62D 6/001 20130101; B60W 2520/26
20130101; G01C 21/3602 20130101; A01B 69/008 20130101; G06T 17/05
20130101; B60W 10/30 20130101; B60W 2710/20 20130101; G05D 1/0274
20130101; B60W 30/00 20130101; G05D 1/0246 20130101; A01B 79/005
20130101; B60C 23/002 20130101; G01C 11/02 20130101; G05D 1/0214
20130101; B60W 2552/00 20200201; B60W 10/20 20130101; B62D 15/0265
20130101; E02F 9/2045 20130101; G01C 21/20 20130101; G05D 1/0278
20130101; E02F 9/261 20130101; G05D 1/0217 20130101; G05D 1/027
20130101; G06F 16/29 20190101; G01C 21/30 20130101; B60W 2710/30
20130101; A01B 63/023 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01B 63/02 20060101
A01B063/02; G06F 16/29 20060101 G06F016/29; G06T 17/05 20060101
G06T017/05; G05D 1/02 20060101 G05D001/02 |
Claims
1. A vehicle implement control system comprising: a processor; a
sensor system coupled to the processor; and memory coupled to the
processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the
processor, cause the vehicle implement control system to perform
operations comprising: identifying one or more features of a
section of terrain based on: a three-dimensional map including the
section of terrain, and data from the sensor system; determining a
position of the vehicle implement based on data from the sensor
system and the one or more identified terrain features; and
modifying a function of the vehicle implement based on the one or
more identified terrain features and the position of the vehicle
implement.
2. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, wherein the
vehicle implement includes one or more of: a seeder, a fertilizer
spreader, a plow, a disc, a combine, baler, a rake, a mower, a
harrow bed, a tiller, a cultivator, a pesticide sprayer, a mulcher,
a grain cart, a trailer, and a conditioner.
3. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, wherein the
vehicle implement is integrated with a vehicle.
4. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, wherein the
vehicle implement is coupled to a vehicle.
5. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, wherein the
vehicle implement comprises a portion that is adjustable, and
wherein modifying the function of the vehicle implement includes
adjusting the portion of the vehicle implement.
6. The vehicle implement control system of claim 5, wherein the
adjustable portion of the vehicle implement is adapted to be raised
or lowered, and wherein modifying the function of the vehicle
implement includes raising or lowering the portion of the vehicle
implement based on a height of a determined terrain feature.
7. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, further
comprising a positioning system coupled to the processor, wherein
determining the position of the vehicle implement is further based
on data from the positioning system.
8. The vehicle implement control system of claim 7, wherein the
positioning system includes a global navigation satellite system
(GNSS) and does not include an inertial navigation system
(INS).
9. The vehicle implement control system of claim 8, wherein
identifying one or more terrain features includes comparing the
three-dimensional terrain map to data from the GNSS and data from
the sensor system.
10. The vehicle implement control system of claim 9, wherein
identifying the one or more features of the terrain includes
modifying the three-dimensional map in response to comparing the
three-dimensional terrain map to data from the GNSS and data from
the sensor system.
11. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, wherein the
vehicle implement is coupled to a vehicle, and wherein determining
the position of the vehicle implement includes: determining a size,
shape, and weight for the vehicle implement; and identifying an
articulation angle between the vehicle and the vehicle
implement.
12. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, wherein the
sensor system includes one or more of: a radar sensor, a lidar
sensor, and an imaging device.
13. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, wherein the
vehicle implement is coupled to a vehicle, and wherein modifying
the function of the vehicle implement includes: identifying a first
path of the vehicle across the section of terrain; identifying a
second path of the vehicle implement across the section of terrain,
wherein the first path and the second path are different; and
modifying the function of the vehicle implement based on the
difference between the first path and the second path.
14. The vehicle implement control system of claim 13, wherein
modifying the function of the vehicle implement includes moving a
portion of the vehicle implement to avoid collision with a terrain
feature that is in the second path but is not in the first
path.
15. The vehicle implement control system of claim 14, wherein the
terrain feature avoided by moving the portion of the vehicle
implement includes one or more of: a hole, a furrow, a body of
water, and an obstacle extending above a ground plane of the
terrain.
16. The vehicle implement control system of claim 1, wherein the
vehicle implement is coupled to a vehicle, and wherein determining
the position of the vehicle implement is further based on
receiving, from a system coupled to the vehicle, a current velocity
of the vehicle and a current heading of the vehicle.
17. The vehicle implement control system of claim 16, wherein
determining the position of the vehicle implement includes
determining a current heading of the vehicle implement.
18. The vehicle implement control system of claim 17, wherein
modifying the function of the vehicle implement is further based on
determining that the current heading of the vehicle is different
from the current heading of the vehicle implement.
19. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing
instructions that, when executed by a vehicle implement control
system, cause the vehicle implement control system to perform
operations comprising: identifying one or more features of a
section of terrain based on: a three-dimensional map including the
section of terrain, and data from a sensor system; determining a
position of the vehicle implement based on data from the sensor
system and the one or more identified terrain features; and
modifying a function of the vehicle implement based on the one or
more identified terrain features and the position of the vehicle
implement.
20. A method comprising: identifying, by a vehicle implement
control system, one or more features of a section of terrain based
on: a three-dimensional map including the section of terrain, and
data from a sensor system; determining, by the vehicle implement
control system, a position of the vehicle implement based on data
from the sensor system and the one or more identified terrain
features; and modifying, by the vehicle implement control system, a
function of the vehicle implement based on the one or more
identified terrain features and the position of the vehicle
implement.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 62/579,515 filed on October 31, 2017,
entitled: TERRAIN MAPPING, which is incorporated by reference in
its entirety.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
United States Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records,
but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to
generating and utilizing three-dimensional terrain maps for
vehicular control. Other embodiments may be described and/or
claimed.
BACKGROUND
[0004] Vehicle control systems may be used to automatically or
semi-automatically move a vehicle along a desired path.
Three-dimensional terrain maps are maps that depict the topography
of an area of terrain, including natural features (such as rivers,
mountains, hills, ravines, etc.) and other objects associated with
the terrain (such as vehicles, fences, power transmission lines,
etc.). Among other things, embodiments of the present disclosure
describe the generation and use of three-dimensional terrain maps
in conjunction with vehicle control systems.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The included drawings are for illustrative purposes and
serve to provide examples of possible structures and operations for
the disclosed inventive systems, apparatus, methods and
computer-readable storage media. These drawings in no way limit any
changes in form and detail that may be made by one skilled in the
art without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed
implementations.
[0006] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an example of a vehicle
control system according to various aspects of the present
disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example of
components of a control system according to various aspects of the
present disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a vehicle control system
coupled to a vehicle.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a
process according to various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of another
process according to various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of yet
another process according to various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of yet
another process according to various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 7-11 are diagrams of vehicles illustrating various
embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
I. System Examples
[0014] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a vehicle 50 that includes a
vehicle control system 100 for controlling various functions of
vehicle 50, including the steering of the vehicle. Vehicle control
system may also be used in conjunction with generating a 3D terrain
map as described below (for example with reference to the method
described in FIG. 3). In the example shown in FIG. 1A, control
system 100 includes a camera system that uses one or more sensors,
such as cameras 102, to identify features 104 in a field of view
106. In alternate embodiments sensors may be positioned in any
desired configuration around vehicle 50. For example, in addition
facing forward, the cameras 102 may also be positioned at the sides
or back of vehicle 50. Sensors may also be configured to provide a
360-degree coverage around the vehicle, such as an omnidirectional
camera that takes a 360 degree view image.
[0015] In the example shown in FIG. 1A, the vehicle control system
100 operates in conjunction with a global navigation satellite
system (GNSS) 108 and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 110. Data
from the GNSS may be used, for example, in conjunction with turn
rates and accelerations from IMU 110 for determining a heading and
position of vehicle 50 that are then used for steering vehicle
50.
[0016] Control system 100 may also use data from sensors (including
optical sensors, such as cameras 102) to create a map of an area
using a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) process.
Terrain features 104 may be represented in the 3D map The map may
be geographically located (also known as "geo-location") with data
from the GNSS 108. In some embodiments, the 3D map may be stored
online for access and updating by the multiple vehicles working in
an area (e.g., agricultural vehicles working within the same
field).
[0017] FIG. 1B illustrates an example of the components of a
control system B100. In some embodiments, the components of control
system B100 may be used to implement a vehicle control system (such
as the systems depicted in FIG. 1A and FIG. 2), a terrain mapping
system (e.g., for generating a 3D terrain map), or a vehicle
implement control system as referenced in more detail below.
Similarly, control system B100 may be used to implement, or in
conjunction with, the methods described in FIGS. 3-6.
[0018] In this example, control system B100 includes a processor
B110 in communication with a memory B120, sensor system B130,
positioning system B140, user interface B150, and a transceiver
B160. System B100 may include any number of different processors,
memory components, sensors, user interface components, and
transceiver components, and may interact with any other desired
systems and devices in conjunction with embodiments of the present
disclosure. Alternate embodiments of control system B100 may have
more, or fewer, components than shown in the example depicted in
FIG. 1B.
[0019] The functionality of the control system B100, including the
steps of the methods described below (in whole or in part), may be
implemented through the processor B110 executing computer-readable
instructions stored in the memory B120 of the system B100. The
memory B120 may store any computer-readable instructions and data,
including software applications and embedded operating code.
Portions of the functionality of the methods described herein may
also be performed via software operating on one or more other
computing devices in communication with control system B100 (e.g.,
via transceiver B160).
[0020] The functionality of the system B100 or other system and
devices operating in conjunction with embodiments of the present
disclosure may also be implemented through various hardware
components storing machine-readable instructions, such as
application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs),
field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and/or complex programmable
logic devices (CPLDs). Systems according to aspects of certain
embodiments may operate in conjunction with any desired combination
of software and/or hardware components.
[0021] Any type of processor B110, such as an integrated circuit
microprocessor, microcontroller, and/or digital signal processor
(DSP), can be used in conjunction with embodiments of the present
disclosure. A memory B120 operating in conjunction with embodiments
of the disclosure may include any combination of different memory
storage devices, such as hard drives, random access memory (RAM),
read only memory (ROM), FLASH memory, or any other type of volatile
and/or nonvolatile memory. Data can be stored in the memory B120 in
any desired manner, such as in a relational database.
[0022] The sensor system B130 may include a variety of different
sensors, including sensors for analyzing terrain surrounding a
vehicle, such as an imaging device (e.g., a camera or optical
sensor), a radar sensor, and/or a lidar sensor. Sensor system B130
may further include sensors for determining characteristics
regarding a vehicle or terrain, such as an accelerometer, a
gyroscopic sensor, and/or a magnetometer.
[0023] The positioning system B140 may include a variety of
different components for determining the position of a vehicle. For
example, positioning system may include a global navigation
satellite system (GNSS), a local positioning system (LPS), and/or
an inertial navigation system (INS).
[0024] The system B100 includes a user interface B150 that may
include any number of input devices (not shown) to receive
commands, data, and other suitable input. The user interface B150
may also include any number of output devices (not shown) to
provides the user with data (such as a visual display of a 3D
terrain map and a path to be taken by a vehicle),
alerts/notifications, and other information. Typical I/O devices
may include display screens, mice, keyboards, printers, scanners,
video cameras and other devices.
[0025] Transceiver B160 may include any number of communication
devices (such as wireless or wired transceivers, modems, network
interfaces, etc.) to enable the system B100 to communicate with one
or more computing devices, as well as other systems. The control
system B100 may be, include, or operate in conjunction with, a
laptop computer, a desktop computer, a mobile subscriber
communication device, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant
(PDA), a tablet computer, an electronic book or book reader, a
digital camera, a video camera, a video game console, and/or any
other suitable computing device.
[0026] Transceiver B160 may be adapted to communicate using any
electronic communications system or method. Communication among
components operating in conjunction with embodiments of the present
disclosure may be performed using any suitable communication
method, such as, for example, a telephone network, an extranet, an
intranet, the Internet, wireless communications, transponder
communications, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN),
virtual private network (VPN), networked or linked devices, and/or
any suitable communication format.
[0027] While some embodiments can be implemented in fully
functioning computers and computer systems, various embodiments are
capable of being distributed as a computing product in a variety of
forms and are capable of being applied regardless of the particular
type of machine or computer-readable media used to actually effect
the distribution.
[0028] A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium can be
used to store software and data which when executed by a system,
causes the system to perform various operations described herein.
The executable software and data may be stored on various types of
computer-readable media including, for example, ROM, volatile RAM,
non-volatile memory and/or cache. Other examples of
computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, recordable
and non-recordable type media such as volatile and non-volatile
memory devices, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM),
flash memory devices, disk storage media, optical storage media
(e.g., Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD ROMS), Digital Versatile
Disks (DVDs), etc.), among others.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows another example of a vehicle control system
210. In this example, vehicle control system 210 includes a GNSS
receiver 4 comprising an RF convertor (i.e., downconvertor) 16, a
tracking device 18, and a rover RTK receiver element 20. The
receiver 4 electrically communicates with, and provides GNSS
positioning data to, guidance processor 6. Guidance processor 6
includes a graphical user interface (GUI) 26, a microprocessor 24,
and a media element 22, such as a memory storage drive. Guidance
processor 6 electrically communicates with, and provides control
data to a steering control system 166 (also referred to herein as
an "auto-steering system") for controlling operation of the
vehicle. Auto-steering system 166 includes a wheel movement
detection switch 28 and an encoder 30 for interpreting guidance and
steering commands from CPU 6.
[0030] Auto-steering system 166 may interface mechanically with the
vehicle's steering column 34, which is mechanically attached to
steering wheel 32. A control line 42 may transmit guidance data
from the CPU 6 to the auto-steering system 166. An electrical
subsystem 44, which powers the electrical needs of vehicle 100, may
interface directly with auto-steering system 166 through a power
cable 46. The auto-steering subsystem 166 can be mounted to
steering column 34 near the floor of the vehicle, and in proximity
to the vehicle's control pedals 36. Alternatively, auto-steering
system 166 can be mounted at other locations along steering column
34.
[0031] The auto-steering system 166 physically drives and steers
vehicle 100 or 110 by actively turning the steering wheel 32 via
steering column 34. A motor 45 powered by vehicle electrical
subsystem 44 may power a worm drive which powers a worm gear 48
affixed to auto-steering system 166. These components are
preferably enclosed in an enclosure. In other embodiments,
auto-steering system 166 is integrated directly into the vehicle
drive control system independently of steering column 34.
II. Three-Dimensional Terrain Mapping
[0032] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be used to
generate three-dimensional (3D) terrain maps (also known as three
dimensional elevation models). Such maps may be generated using
data from a variety of sources, such as satellite imagery,
surveying using a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) such as
a global positioning system (GPS), surveying using radar or lidar,
using imagery and sensor data captured from ground-based-vehicles,
aerial images from airplanes or drones, and other data. The
different method will have different spatial and height
resolution.
[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates a method 300 for generating a 3D terrain
map according to various aspects of the present disclosure. In this
example, method 300 includes identifying, by a terrain mapping
system (e.g., implemented by control system B100 in FIG. 1B), a
ground surface topography for a section of terrain (305),
identifying a topography of vegetation on the section of terrain
(310), generating, a two-dimensional representation of a 3D terrain
map including the ground surface topography for the section of
terrain and the topography of vegetation on the section of terrain,
displaying the 3D terrain map (320), and transmitting the 3D
terrain map to another system or device (325).
[0034] In method 300, the system may identify a ground surface
topography for a section of terrain (305) based on data received
from a sensor system (e.g., sensor system B130 in FIG. 1B) and
positioning system (e.g., positioning system B140 in FIG. 1B). In
some embodiments, sensor system may include one or more optical
sensors, such as a digital camera.
[0035] Method 300 further includes identifying (e.g., based on the
data received from the sensor system and positioning system) a
topography of vegetation on the section of terrain (310).
[0036] Method 300 includes generating a two-dimensional
representation of a three-dimensional terrain map that includes the
ground surface topography for the section of terrain and the
topography of vegetation on the section of terrain. In some
embodiments, the terrain mapping system implementing method 300 in
FIG. 3 includes a display screen (e.g., as part of user interface
B150 in FIG. 1B), and the terrain mapping system displays (320) the
three-dimensional terrain map on the display screen.
[0037] The system may identify a plurality of objects within the
section of terrain and provide visual indicators for each object on
the 3D terrain map. Additionally, the 3D map may include a
respective visual indicator on the map for each respective object
representing the object is traversable by the vehicle. For example,
the 3D map may include color-coded objects, with red coloring
indicating impassible/non-traversable objects, green coloring
indicating traversable objects, and yellow indicating that a human
operator must authorize the plotting of a path over/through such an
object by a vehicle.
[0038] In some embodiments, generating the three-dimensional
terrain map includes identifying a height of a portion of the
vehicle above the ground surface. Among other things, the system
may determine a depth of tracks made by the vehicle based on a
change in the height of the portion of the vehicle above the ground
surface.
[0039] In some embodiments, for example, a 3D sensor system may be
used to measure the terrain surface relative to the sensor mounting
pose on the vehicle. In some embodiments, the sensor system may
include a rotating lidar system adapted to sweep a number of laser
beams around the Z axis of the sensor at a high frequency.
Additionally or alternatively, the sensor system may include an
array of static laser beams, a stereo camera based on two or more
cameras, or another 3D imaging or scanning device.
[0040] In some embodiments, 3D sensors can provide information when
there is no previous GNSS height information available/terrain
model, as well as provide very detailed maps (e.g., with a
resolution of about 2 cm). Embodiments of the present disclosure
may use GNSS to avoid drift in measuring the height of vegetation
or other terrain features. In some cases, particularly if high
accuracy GNSS is not available, the system may utilize data from
prior-generated elevations maps, particularly if they have better
accuracy than the GNSS. FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a vehicle
with 3D sensors comprising an array of laser beams for determining
the height of crops planted on a section of terrain relative to the
surface of the ground.
[0041] In some embodiments, the system may identify the height of
vegetation above the ground surface during periods where a vehicle
is driving between rows of crops such that the edge of the crops
may be more visible (e.g., because of no crops in between the rows,
or sparse stubbles from previous crops).
[0042] By utilizing existing 3D terrain maps together with sensor
readings, the system helps to create a better estimation of the
current terrain and be able to better accommodate for changes. This
can help improve the steering performance, provide valuable
lookahead for the height control of wide implements for the height
to be adjusted smoothly and/or avoid damage. Embodiments of the
present disclosure may also be used to help speed up or slow down
the vehicle (e.g., via an automatic or semi-automatic vehicle
control system) to increase comfort to an operator, or to traverse
a stretch of rough terrain to reduce strain on vehicles and tools.
In some cases the system may also plot a new path for the vehicle
to avoid an area.
[0043] In some embodiments, the system may be used to detect that a
vehicle is sinking into the ground based on parameters such as the
tire pressure or load on the vehicle, and the height of the GNSS
antenna above the ground plane. For example, a measurement from a
3D sensor may be used to detect the actual GNSS antenna height
above the ground surface. If the vehicle is sinking into the
ground, the change in the antenna height may be used to measure the
depth of the tracks made by the vehicle to determine the degree to
which the vehicle is sinking into the ground. FIG. 8, for example,
depicts the height of crops relative to the ground, as well the
depth beneath the ground level of the tracks made by the
vehicle.
[0044] In some embodiments, the sensor system may include camera
capturing two-dimensional (2D) images. The images may have a
variety of different resolutions or other characteristics. For
example, the camera may capture images in the human-visible
spectrum (e.g., red-green-blue or "RGB" images) or other
wavelengths of interest. In another example, images may be captured
in an infrared (IR) or near-infrared (NIR) spectrum. For 3D maps of
agricultural terrain, for example, embodiments of the present
disclosure may use NIR images as the NIR reflectance of plants are
often high and, plant health indexes such as a normalized
difference vegetation index (NDVI) can be calculated based on 3D
maps generated using NIR image data.
[0045] The 3D terrain map may be generated using data from a
variety of different sources. For example, the system may generate
the 3D map by fusing terrain point clouds with GNSS and IMU data to
a detailed 3D map of the terrain in a global frame of
reference.
[0046] Embodiments of the present disclosure may generate 3D
terrain maps of particular use in agricultural/farming
applications. For example, generation of the three-dimensional
terrain map may include determining a height of a portion of the
vegetation (e.g., crops) on the terrain above the ground surface to
help determine whether a crop is ready for harvesting, identify
brush that may need to be cleared from a field before planting,
assess the health of crops, and other uses.
[0047] The system may also use data (in real-time or
near-real-time) from the positioning system and/or sensor system to
identify discrepancies in a pre-existing 3D terrain map, and update
the 3D terrain map accordingly. For example, the system may modify
a pre-existing feature of a pre-existing three-dimensional terrain
map based on the ground surface topography for the section of
terrain and the topography of vegetation on the section of terrain
to reflect, for example, the growth or harvesting of crops on the
terrain.
[0048] In some embodiments, the terrain mapping system may identify
a level of moisture in a section of terrain depicted in a 3D
terrain map, and provide information regarding the moisture. For
example, the system may identify a first level of moisture in a
first portion of the section of terrain (e.g., a relatively dry
portion of a field), and identify a second level of moisture in a
second portion of the section of terrain (e.g., a relatively wet
portion of a field). In this manner, the system helps to identify
safe (e.g., dryer) paths for vehicles planning to drive over the
terrain to avoid equipment sinking or damaging the field.
[0049] Similarly, the system may identify a body of water in the
section of terrain, such as a puddle, pond, lake, stream, or river,
as well as determining whether a particular vehicle is capable of
traversing the body of water. In determining traversability, the
system may determine a rate of flow of water through the body of
water, as well as a depth of the body of water. In cases where the
body of water is non-traversable, the system may identify (e.g.,
visually on the 3D terrain map) a path for the vehicle to
circumvent the body of water.
[0050] The system may indicate a variety of different features on
the 3D terrain map. In addition to natural features (e.g.,
mountains, streams, trees, ravines, etc.) the system may indicate
man-made features, such as fences, power distribution lines, roads,
etc. In some embodiments, the system may indicate a path for one or
more vehicles on the 3D terrain map. For example, the system may
draw wheel tracks across the map (e.g., using a particular color of
lines) to represent the path to be taken by a vehicle. The track
lines may be spaced based on the wheel-base of the vehicle.
[0051] In some embodiments, for a map generated using GNSS data
captured from a vehicle traversing a section of terrain, there may
only be measurements from where the vehicle has been driving. The
rest of the map may thus be determined by the system based on the
measurements of the vehicle's sensor/positioning systems. Depending
on how the field is farmed, such measurements may be very dense or
very sparse (e.g., controlled traffic farming where there are only
tracks every 12 meters).
[0052] The system may transmit (e.g., using transceiver B160 in
FIG. 1B) an electronic communication comprising the
three-dimensional map to another system or device, such as a
vehicle control system. For example, the system may transmit the 3D
terrain map to a plurality of other vehicles operating in the same
area (e.g., within the same field) to allow the vehicles to
coordinate their paths and operations.
[0053] Embodiments of the present disclosure may utilize updated
data to help continuously improve the accuracy of 3D terrain maps.
For example, the system may map the environment (e.g., based on
current GNSS/INS auto steering systems) and then continuously
updating the model of the terrain presented in the 3D map based on
by data from sensors coupled to one or more vehicles traversing the
terrain.
[0054] In some embodiments, the system may continuously log all
sensor inputs and performance parameters of the system and transmit
them to another system (e.g., a cloud service) that can analyze
data from multiple vehicles. By getting information from multiple
vehicles and training prediction models based on such data,
embodiments of the disclosure can help vehicle control systems to
handle more difficult scenarios without human intervention, thus
providing improvements over conventional autonomous or
semi-autonomous vehicle control systems.
[0055] In some cases, the 3D terrain map may be based on a variety
of information from different sensors. Such information may
include, for example, 3D pointcloud data, images, GNSS data, INS
data, speed/velocity data for a vehicle (e.g., based on wheel
revolutions), characteristics of the vehicle (e.g, tire pressure)
and other information.
[0056] The 3D terrain map may also be generated based on data from
other sources, such as historical data (e.g., previously-generated
terrain maps), weather information, and information regarding the
terrain, such as soil information, depreciation information, the
expected evaporation of water based on soil type, etc. In this
manner, embodiments of the present disclosure can help make better
plans for executing tasks, as well as improving the ability of the
system to handle unforeseen scenarios.
[0057] Embodiments of the present disclosure may also use machine
learning to optimize maps using sensor input analysis algorithms
and controllers to improve performance. The system may further
deploy updated maps and revised algorithms to maintain the accuracy
of the system.
III. Vehicle Control Optimization
[0058] Among other things, embodiments of the present disclosure
may utilize 3D terrain maps to help improve the steering
performance of vehicle control systems, particularly in uneven or
rolling terrain. For example, 3D terrain maps may be used to help
planning paths for vehicles driving on a side slope (e.g., what
slope change to anticipate). In other example, the system may
utilize slip predictions to improve steering (e.g., in curves).
[0059] Additionally, in cases where a vehicle is coupled to a
vehicle implement (e.g., a tractor towing a plow or disc) the
direction of a passive implement may be determined relative to the
vehicle such that a path can be planned to compensate for farming
pass to pass along terrain inflection points, such as terrace tops
or channel valleys. Often these areas may show large pass to pass
errors unless the driver takes over to nudge the location of the
vehicle. Embodiments of the present disclosure, by contrast, can
provide better pass-to-pass positioning, even in rolling
conditions, using information from 3D terrain maps as well as data
from sensor system and positioning systems coupled to the vehicle.
In FIG. 9, for example, the system may identify the dimensions of
section of rolling terrain to be traversed by a vehicle in order to
plan the path of the vehicle to cover the rolling section optimally
(e.g., using three passes corresponding to the three segmented
sections shown in FIG. 9, in this example).
[0060] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a method 400 that may be
implemented by a vehicle control system (e.g., the systems depicted
in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and/or 2). In this example, method 400 includes
determining a position of a vehicle (e.g., coupled to the vehicle
control system) based on the location data from a positioning
system (405), identifying a 3D terrain map associated with the
position of the vehicle; (410), determining a path for the vehicle
based on the 3D terrain map (415), identifying a terrain feature
based on data from a sensor system (420), modifying or maintaining
the path of the vehicle based on the identified terrain feature
(425), and displaying the 3D terrain map (430).
[0061] In some embodiments, the system implementing method 400 may
include a steering control system (such as steering system 166 in
FIG. 2) for controlling operation of the vehicle. In some
embodiments, the steering control system may be implemented as a
component of a user interface (e.g., user interface B150 in FIG.
1B). The steering control system may be adapted to drive and steer
the vehicle along the determined path.
[0062] The system may further include a display (e.g., as a
component of user interface B150 in FIG. 1B) and the system may
display (430) a two-dimensional representation of the
three-dimensional map on the display. Similarly, the system may
display a visual representation of the path in conjunction with the
display of the three-dimensional map on the display.
[0063] The system may determine a path for the vehicle (415) based
on a variety of factors and criteria. For example, the system may
generate a path for an agricultural vehicle (such as a tractor)
coupled to a vehicle implement (such as a seeder) to traverse a
section of terrain (such as a field to be seeded).
[0064] The system may identify one or more terrain features (420)
associated with a section of terrain at any suitable time,
including during initial generation of the path or after the
vehicle has begun traversing the path. The system may analyze the
identified terrain features to determine the vehicles path (415) as
well as to modify or maintain (425) an existing path for a vehicle.
For example, the system may identify a terrain feature comprising a
slope, identify the steepness of the slope, and determine whether
the slope of the terrain feature is traversable by the vehicle. In
some embodiments, the system may halt operation of a steering
control system automatically or semi-automatically controlling the
vehicle in response to identifying one or more terrain features
(e.g., turning manual control over to a human operator). The system
may additionally or alternatively generate an alert to an operator
to provide a warning about a particular terrain feature in the path
of the vehicle, as well as to suggest a course of action (e.g.,
turning left to avoid an object, reducing/increasing tire pressure,
etc.).
[0065] In many cases, it is common for vehicle implements (such as
sprayers) to travel up, over, through rolling obstacles such as
terraces and drain channels. These obstacles can cause transient
motion away from the desired path as the vehicle control system
tries to quickly react to the changing terrain. For small or short
obstacles it would be better if the vehicle control system did
nothing to compensate for the obstacle disturbance, as the
disturbance to the driven path is minimized by allowing the vehicle
to drive straight over rather than taking large control action to
compensate for the disturbance. The control compensation could
cause transient effects that can persist longer than the obstacle
transient effects if no corrective control action was taken. In
some embodiments, the system may analyze the features of a 3D
terrain map to identify the duration of such a disturbance and
minimize the amount of corrections it tries to make based on what
could be a potentially large error feed-back from GNSS and INS
sensors.
[0066] Embodiments of the present disclosure may thus provide
automatic or semi-automatic steering systems that evaluate the
terrain to be traversed by a vehicle based on historic map data
(e.g., from a 3D terrain map) and/or from sensor data collected in
real-time or near-real-time. By contrast, conventional systems may
only measure the current pose of the vehicle and conventional
controllers may continuously try to get the vehicle on the path,
often leading to the control reaction being too late and, in some
cases, not optimal considering the duration of the disturbance.
This could be a longer change in roll due to hillside versus a very
short change in roll due a smaller hole or hump, or a short period
of time involved in crossing below a ditch.
[0067] For example, if the system identifies a terrain features
such as a hole or ditch, the system may utilize data from a sensor
system (e.g., including a lidar sensor and/or image capturing
device) to evaluate if the terrain feature is passable and then
modify the path, speed, or other characteristic of the vehicle (if
necessary) in order to traverse the terrain feature in an optimal
manner.
[0068] In this manner, embodiments of the present disclosure help
to improve the performance and response time of vehicle control
systems, especially when running at high speed. Embodiments of the
present disclosure may utilize measurements from a sensor (e.g., a
measured oscillation after hitting a bump) to determine a roughness
coefficient for the surface of the terrain, thus helping to
identify terrain with dirt clods, rocks, or other small features
that may be passable by the vehicle but may warrant passing over
them at a reduced speed.
[0069] In some cases, when a vehicle (such as a tractor) is driving
on sloped ground, the roll and pitch angles that the vehicle
experiences may change with the direction the vehicle body is
facing. For example, if the vehicle is facing up the slope then the
vehicle is pitched up, if the vehicle is traveling along the slope
then the vehicle is rolled to one side.
[0070] When the expected slope of the ground is known to the
control system by analyzing a 3D terrain map, the system may
correlate the current vehicle roll and pitch angles with the
expected roll and pitch angles, thereby allowing the system to
calculate a vehicle body heading measurement. This heading
measurement can be fused in with other sensor data to help provide
a better vehicle state estimate, improving the robustness and
accuracy of the control system performance.
[0071] Additionally, vehicle (and vehicle implement) control can be
improved by embodiments of the present disclosure by, for example,
using a 3D terrain map to predict future terrain changes or
disturbances the vehicle may encounter. Such future information can
be used to allow the vehicle to take preemptive control action to
minimize the effect of a future terrain change or disturbance.
[0072] The system may determine the path of a vehicle based on a
task to be performed by the vehicle or a desired outcome from the
vehicle traversing the path. For example, the system may determine
the vehicle's path to help optimize water management, provide
safety for the vehicle's operator in hilly or sloped terrain (e.g.,
from rolling the vehicle), and account for land leveling and
erosion (e.g., by tracking how land is changing over time to plan
the use of terraces).
[0073] Furthermore, the system may plan paths for vehicles to run
across a slope compared to up/down the slope in order to conserve
fuel. The system may further update the 3D terrain map as the
vehicle traverses the path (e.g., to identify boundaries, hay
bales, obstacles) to help improve the accuracy of the map.
Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure may be used to
enhance the capability of control systems for vehicles with limited
positioning systems (e.g., only GNSS) by utilizing the information
from the vehicle's positioning system in conjunction with the
information in the 3D terrain map.
[0074] In some embodiments, the system may plan the path for the
vehicle based on a 3D terrain map in order to help segment a
non-convex field and determine the driving direction in such a
field for the optimal (e.g., based on fuel usage and time)
coverage. The system may also plan the path of a vehicle such that
the guess row between two passes with an implement (such as a
seeder) is constant even if the terrain is rolling to help provide
better coverage in the field and allow farmers to plan usage of
their fields more optimally.
[0075] The system may utilize information from the 3D terrain map
and information from a sensor system to detect the headland of a
field in order to determine a path for a vehicle that provides full
implement coverage (e.g., identifying at what points on the path to
lift/lower the implement to cover the field). In conventional
systems, by contrast, a user has to define a boundary by driving
along the field. Furthermore, the user also has to define any
exclude boundaries (obstacles) in the field, and the boundaries are
assumed to be static for a given field.
[0076] In some embodiments, the system may identify vegetation to
be planted by the vehicle on at least a portion of terrain depicted
in the three-dimensional terrain map, determine a water management
process for irrigating the vegetation, and determine the path of
the vehicle to plant the vegetation that corresponds with the water
management process. Similarly, the system may determine a
respective expected fuel consumption rate for each of a plurality
of potential paths for the vehicle, and determine the path of the
vehicle based on the determined fuel consumption rates (e.g.,
selecting the path having the best fuel consumption rate).
[0077] Additionally or alternatively, the system may determine a
respective expected time for the vehicle to traverse each of a
plurality of potential paths for the vehicle, and determine the
path of the vehicle based on the determined traversal times (e.g.,
selecting the path having the shortest time). In some embodiments,
selecting a path based on travel/traversal time of a section
terrain may depend on a particular terrain feature. For example,
the system may determine a path to completely ignore the feature
(e.g., if it is easily passable) or take action to avoid it (e.g.,
if the feature is impassible, would cause harm to the vehicle,
would cause the vehicle to get stuck, etc.). The vehicle control
system may also cause the vehicle to slow down and take a longer
path to avoid a terrain feature. In some cases, the time difference
may be significant (especially for a big field), and in some
embodiments the vehicle control system may determine any additional
time required for avoidance and report it to a human operator
(e.g., the field planner).
[0078] The system may compare a terrain feature identified based on
sensor data to a corresponding terrain feature in the
three-dimensional map and modify a feature of the corresponding
terrain feature in the three-dimensional map based on the
identified terrain feature.
[0079] Embodiments of the present disclosure may identify a
boundary of an area to be traversed by the vehicle (e.g., a fence
surrounding a field), determine a turn radius of the vehicle, and
determine the path of the vehicle to traverse the identified area
within the turn radius of the vehicle and without colliding with
the boundary. In this manner, the system can help ensure that a
vehicle and its implements safely traverse the headland of a field
without straying into any obstacles or boundaries at the edge of
the field.
[0080] The path of the vehicle may be determined based on the
functions to be performed by one or more implements coupled to (or
integrated with) a vehicle. For example, the system may identify
one or more points along the path at which to engage or disengage a
feature of an implement coupled to the vehicle.
[0081] The system may modify or maintain the path of the vehicle
(425) based on a variety of criteria, including based on:
determining an expected time for the vehicle to traverse or avoid
the identified terrain feature, and/or determining whether the
identified terrain feature is traversable by the vehicle (e.g., a
fence or lake vs. a small ditch or stream).
[0082] The system may identify terrain features (420) based on a
variety of sensor data. For example, in a sensor system that
includes an accelerometer, identifying the terrain feature may
include identifying a roughness level of the terrain based on data
from the accelerometer as the vehicle passes over the terrain. In
some embodiments, the system may adjust the speed for the vehicle
based on the roughness level of the terrain.
[0083] In another example, in a sensor system that includes a
gyroscopic sensor, identifying a terrain feature (e.g., a
slope/hill) may include determining one or more of: a roll angle
for the vehicle, a pitch angle for the vehicle, and a yaw angle for
the vehicle. In alternate embodiments, other types of sensors
(e.g., an accelerometer) may also be used to determine attitude
characteristics of a vehicle.
IV. Vehicle Implement Control
[0084] FIG. 5 provides an example of a method 500 that may be used
to control the features and functions of a variety of vehicle
implements. As with all the methods described in FIGS. 3-6, the
features of method 500 may be practiced alone, in part, or in
conjunction with any of the other methods described herein. Method
500 may be performed by a vehicle implement control system (e.g.,
control system B100 shown in FIG. 1B). The vehicle implement
control system may be separate from, or implemented by, a vehicle
control system.
[0085] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in
conjunction with a variety of vehicle implements, including (for
example): a seeder, a fertilizer spreader, a plow, a disc, a
combine, baler, a rake, a mower, a harrow bed, a tiller, a
cultivator, a pesticide sprayer, a mulcher, a grain cart, a
trailer, a conditioner, and combinations thereof. The vehicle
implement may be integrated with a vehicle (e.g., as in the case of
a combine) or coupled to a vehicle (e.g., in the case of a tractor
coupled to a plow).
[0086] For example, a fertilizer spreader may need to adjust the
spreading pattern a lot depending on terrain to maintain an even
distribution and coverage width. Embodiments of the present
disclosure can control the operation of the fertilizer (or provide
data regarding the terrain to the spreader itself) in order for the
spreader to adjust accordingly. Similarly, modern fertilizer
spreaders can adjust the width and amount of fertilizer on the go
to perform precision farming variable rate applications, and the
vehicle implement control system of the present disclosure can help
improve and optimize the spreading pattern of the spreader. In FIG.
10, for example, a spreader is depicted with a first section of
terrain (on the left) having a relatively higher elevation than
terrain on the right. In this example, the spreading pattern may be
adjusted by the system to spread fertilizer out to about 10 meters
on the right side, and a lesser distance on the left side, to
account for the difference in the terrain.
[0087] In the example depicted in FIG. 5, method 500 includes
identifying one or more features of a section of terrain (e.g.,
based on: a three-dimensional map including the section of terrain,
and data from a sensor system) (505), determining a position of the
vehicle implement (e.g., based on data from the sensor system and
the one or more identified terrain features) (510), and modifying a
function of the vehicle implement based on the one or more
identified terrain features and the position of the vehicle
implement (515).
[0088] In some embodiments, the system may include a positioning
system, and the positioning of the vehicle implement may
(additionally or alternatively to other data) be determined based
on data from the positioning system. In one particular example, the
positioning system includes a global navigation satellite system
(GNSS) and does not include an inertial navigation system (INS).
Instead of using an INS, the system may identify one or more
terrain features by comparing the three-dimensional terrain map to
data from the GNSS and data from the sensor system. In some
embodiments, the system may modify the three-dimensional map in
response to comparing the three-dimensional terrain map to data
from the GNSS and data from the sensor system (e.g., to update the
3D terrain map). The sensor system may include any suitable number
and type of sensor, including a radar sensor, a lidar sensor,
and/or an imaging device (such as a camera).
[0089] In cases where the vehicle implement is coupled to a
vehicle, determining the position of the vehicle implement may be
based on determining a size, shape, and weight for the vehicle
implement, and identifying an articulation angle between the
vehicle and the vehicle implement.
[0090] In some embodiments, the vehicle implement may comprise a
portion that is adjustable, and modifying the function of the
vehicle implement (515) includes adjusting the portion of the
vehicle implement. For example, a portion of a vehicle implement,
such as a plow or disc, may be raised (to disengage with the soil)
or lowered (to engage with the soil). The system may accordingly
raise or lower the portion of the vehicle implement based on, for
example, a height of a determined terrain feature (e.g., to avoid
the feature with the implement and/or avoid damage to the
implement).
[0091] For example, for vehicle implements used in harvest
applications with header control, the height of a portion of the
implement height can be controlled more efficiently compared to
conventional systems where such control is typically based on
wheels or feelers that are close to the working point, but provide
no (or very little) ability to look ahead at terrain to be
traversed.
[0092] In another example where a vehicle implement is coupled to a
vehicle, modifying the function of the vehicle implement may
includes identifying a first path of the vehicle across the section
of terrain and identifying a second path of the vehicle implement
across the section of terrain, wherein the first path and the
second path are different. This may occur, for example, in cases
where the vehicle is towing the implement behind the vehicle.
[0093] In such cases, the vehicle implement function may be
modified based on the difference between the first path and the
second path. For example, the system may move a portion of the
vehicle implement to avoid collision with a terrain feature that is
in the second path (for the vehicle implement) but is not in the
first path (for the vehicle). For example, the terrain feature may
include an obstacle that may damage the implement or cause it to
get stuck, such as a hole, a furrow, a body of water, or an
obstacle extending above a ground plane of the terrain (such as
boulder, tree, or another vehicle).
[0094] In some embodiments, where the vehicle implement is coupled
to a vehicle, determining the position of the vehicle implement may
be further based on receiving, from a system coupled to the
vehicle, a current velocity of the vehicle and a current heading of
the vehicle. For example, a vehicle control system coupled to the
vehicle (e.g., as shown in FIG. 2) could communicate with vehicle
implement control system coupled to the vehicle implement control
system (e.g., implemented using system B100 in FIG. 1B) using
wireless transceivers coupled to both systems (e.g., transceiver
B160 in FIG. 1B).
[0095] The system may determine the position of the vehicle
implement based on determining a current heading of the vehicle
implement. The system may also determine that the current heading
of the vehicle is different from the current heading of the vehicle
implement. Such a case can occur when a vehicle towing a vehicle
implement is making a turn.
[0096] In some cases, the assumption that a vehicle (such as a
tractor) and a vehicle implement coupled to the vehicle (such as a
plow coupled to the tractor) are on the same plane is not valid for
fast rolling terrain, particularly when the vehicle operates at
faster driving speeds and in situations where the attitude of the
vehicle rolls to one side or another due to a hole or a furrow.
FIG. 11 illustrates one such example, where a vehicle towing an
implement (such as a disc) has its left set of wheels in a furrow
as it moves forward. Embodiments of the present disclosure may
utilize data from a 3D terrain map and data from a sensor system to
determine how the terrain will be rolling and make adjustments
(e.g., in the path of the vehicle or the vehicle's speed) to handle
holes or furrows.
[0097] In some embodiments, the system may alleviate the need for a
positioning system with GNSS by determining characteristics of the
vehicle implement (such as size, shape, weight, geometry, etc.),
and determining an articulation angle between the vehicle implement
and vehicle, and using data from a terrain map. In some
embodiments, data from the sensor may be used by the system to
determine a surface model of the ground level and the vehicle
implement control system may be used to help control how the
implement sinks into the ground. The system may utilize the 3D
terrain map to determine the path that the implement will follow
relative to the path of the vehicle coupled to the implement.
[0098] In some embodiments, the system may filter the level of
detail of the 3D terrain map based on the type of implement. For
example, some implements may require very detailed information to
control, while others (e.g., wide implements) may need less
detail.
III. Predicting Terrain Traversability for a Vehicle
[0099] For many vehicles, particularly for agricultural vehicles,
it is important to be able to avoid damage to fields by traversing
portions of terrain with excess moisture. For example, driving into
muddy soft parts of the field will lead to extra compaction and
deep tracks that are usually undesirable. It is also important for
such vehicles to avoid getting stuck in mud pools or other bodies
of water to avoid time consuming (and expensive) recovery efforts
for the vehicle.
[0100] Additionally, given the expense of many modern agricultural
vehicles and their cost of operation, it is beneficial for
operators of such vehicles to optimize the usage of such vehicles.
One factor that may have considerable impact on the operating
efficiency of an agricultural vehicle is the degree to which tracks
or wheels of the vehicle slip (e.g., due to mud and wet conditions)
while following a particular path.
[0101] Among other things, embodiments of the present disclosure
can help optimize the usage of a vehicle by predicting the wheel
slippage of the vehicle on the path ahead of the vehicle. For
example, optimal wheel slip depends on the soil type (e.g.,
concrete, firm soil, tilled soil, or soft/sandy soil), but are
typically in the range 8 to 15% slip.
[0102] In some embodiments, the system can report the predicted
rate of wheel slippage along various points of a path to be
followed by a vehicle. For a specific vehicle, the operator (or a
vehicle control system operating in conjunction with embodiments of
the disclosure) can adjust the wheel slip by changing the tyre
pressure, change the weight on the vehicle or by changing the
load.
[0103] For example, many modern vehicles allow tire pressure to be
inflated or deflated during operation in the field. The weight of a
vehicle or implement coupled to the vehicle may be changed by
changing the ballast (additional weights) on the vehicle. Weights
may also be modified by planning some tasks better based on
knowledge about soft spots in the field identified by embodiments
of the present disclosure.
[0104] For example, during harvest the trailer transporting goods
can be loaded in the front of the trailer first to add more weight
to the tractor and reduce the weight on the trailer axles. For some
implements (e.g., carried in the 3-point hitch and by the ground
when working the soil) it is possible to raise the 3-point hitch
and get more of the weight from the implement on the tractor rear
axle.
[0105] In some cases, the load of the vehicle may be changed by,
for example, planning of tasks where the vehicle is either bringing
material (e.g. fertilizer to the field) and gradually reducing the
weight transported as the material is distributed, or the vehicle
is removing material (e.g. harvest crops where a trailer is
gradually filed with material). For example, the path of the
vehicle may thus be planned by the system to traverse sections of
terrain having higher levels of moisture when the vehicle is
lighter.
[0106] In some scenarios the system may re-route the path of a
vehicle to avoid a specific wet area in the field and plan around
it to avoid getting stuck and/or damage to the field.
[0107] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a method for predicting
slippage of a vehicle according to various aspects of the present
disclosure. Method 600 may be performed by a vehicle control system
(such as those described previously). In this example, method 600
includes determining a position of the vehicle based on the
location data from a positioning system (605), identifying a
three-dimensional terrain map associated with the position of the
vehicle (610), determining a path for the vehicle based on the
three-dimensional terrain map (615), determining, based on data
from the sensor system and the three-dimensional terrain map, a
level of moisture associated with a section of terrain along the
path of the vehicle (620). Method 600 further includes, in response
to determining the level of moisture associated with the section of
terrain, performing one or more of: adjusting a feature of the
vehicle prior to traversing the section of terrain, and modifying
the path of the vehicle prior to traversing the section of terrain
(625), and measuring slippage of the vehicle while traversing a
section of terrain (630).
[0108] In some embodiments, the system may determine whether the
section of terrain is traversable by the vehicle without slipping,
as well as predicting a degree of slippage (e.g., as a percentage
described above) the vehicle is likely to experience traversing the
section of terrain. In some embodiments, the system may determine a
rate of fuel consumption associated with the degree of slippage.
Fuel consumption rates beyond a predetermined threshold may, for
example, lead to the section of terrain being deemed
non-traversable due to the high amount of slippage and associated
fuel consumption.
[0109] In addition to predicting the likely rate of slippage, the
system may measure slippage of the vehicle while traversing the
section of terrain (630). The rate of slippage may be recorded and
added to the 3D terrain map to aid in planning future vehicle
paths.
[0110] The system may adjust a variety of features of the vehicle
(625) in response to the determined moisture level in a section of
terrain. For example, the system may inflate or deflate one or more
tires coupled to the vehicle. The system may also modify the path
of the vehicle (625) by, for example: identifying a first expected
weight associated with the vehicle at a first point on the path of
the vehicle; identifying a second expected weight associated with
the vehicle at a second point on the path of the vehicle, the
second weight being different than the first weight; and
[0111] modifying the path of the vehicle to traverse the section of
terrain when the vehicle is associated with the second expected
weight.
[0112] For example, the second weight may be less than the first
weight due to consumption (e.g., fuel) or distribution (e.g., seed
or fertilizer) of a material carried by the vehicle or a vehicle
implement coupled to the vehicle along the path of the vehicle. By
contrast, the second weight may be greater than the first weight
due to addition of a material carried by the vehicle or a vehicle
implement coupled to the vehicle along the path of the vehicle,
such as crops harvested along the path travelled by the vehicle and
implement. In this manner, the system can plan to have a vehicle
traverse a particularly wet section of a field when it is at its
lightest weight (to avoid sinking), or traverse the section at its
heaviest weight to help give the vehicle or its implements traction
to get through the section. The system may also modify the path of
the vehicle to avoid the section of terrain altogether.
[0113] The system may identify the level of moisture in a section
of terrain based on data from a variety of sensors. In some
embodiments, for example, the sensor system includes an imaging
device, and determining the level of moisture associated with a
section of terrain includes: capturing a first image of at least a
portion of the section of the terrain at a first resolution using
the imaging device; capturing a second image of at least a portion
of the section of the terrain at a second resolution using the
imaging device; capturing a third image of at least a portion of
the section of the terrain at a third resolution using the imaging
device, wherein the first resolution is greater than the second
resolution, and the second resolution is greater than the third
resolution; and geo-referencing the first, second, and third images
based on data from the positioning system and the three-dimensional
terrain map.
[0114] In some embodiments, in addition to (or as an alternative
to) identifying the moisture level of a section of terrain, the
system may determine the suitability of traversing the section of
terrain based on other characteristics of the terrain. For example,
such a determination may be made based on operator comfort and/or
wear and tear on the vehicle or implement (e.g., based on a
roughness determination for the ground, avoiding particularly rough
terrain that would be uncomfortable for the operator and could
cause damage to the equipment through excessive jolting and
vibration). In another example, the system may analyze the type of
soil in a section of terrain (e.g., based on data from the 3D
terrain map or sensor system) to determine whether to traverse a
section of terrain. In a specific example, the system may opt to
avoid traversing very sandy soil in favor of traversing a nearby
patch of gravel to avoid slippage of the wheels of the vehicle.
[0115] Such images may be taken of regions of interest in front of
the vehicle--typically along the planned path for the vehicle. One
example could be to take a high-resolution image patch in front of
the vehicle, a medium resolution image patch further away and a
third low resolution patch further away. The images are
geo-referenced so that they can be correlated to the measured
slippage at that location.
[0116] In some embodiments, determining the level of moisture
associated with the section of terrain includes identifying a
depression in the section of terrain based on the three-dimensional
terrain map. The level of moisture may also be determined based on
analyzing weather data indicating an actual or forecast level of
precipitation associated with the section of terrain. Determining
the level of moisture associated with the section of terrain may
also include performing an image recognition process on an image of
the section of terrain captured by the image capturing device.
(e.g., to identify standing water from surrounding soil).
[0117] In some embodiments, the geometry (slope) of the field may
be measured and geo-referenced. This can either be based on data
from a GNSS or INS, data from a 3D terrain map, or from data from
sensors such as lidar or stereo cameras. The slip corresponding to
the image locations may be measured, geo-referenced and used as a
label to train a slippage prediction model. Additional feature
inputs may be used to train the slippage prediction model,
including features of the vehicle.
[0118] For example, the current tire pressure of the vehicle, the
current axle vertical load of the vehicle, and/or the current load
(e.g., engine load, power take-off load, and/or traction load) may
each be geo-referenced and logged and used as training features for
the model. Other input features may include the model/type of the
vehicle the model/type of a vehicle implement, the load on a
trailer (e.g., based on weighing sells or fill level of sprayers or
slurry spreaders), the depth to which the vehicle is sinking into
the ground (e.g., measured by the terrain sensors on stable
ground), the speed of the vehicle, a task being performed by the
vehicle and/or vehicle implement, the type of crop being planted,
tended, or harvested, and/or other features.
[0119] An axle load on the driving wheels and the load pulled may
change during operation both due to the rough surface and
variations in the soil. The load may also change due to loading
material on the vehicle or off the vehicle. For example, for an
implement hitched to a vehicle (e.g., a tractor) to work the soil,
the load may depend on field geometry, speed, soil conditions, and
other factors.
[0120] The weight may depend on how much of the implement weight
that is carried by the tractor and how much of the drawing forces
that are giving a resulting downforce on the driving axles.
[0121] Slippage measurements for different vehicles may also be
used in training a slippage prediction model. The slip input given
for a specific vehicle may be different for another vehicle with
different load, tires, etc. Accordingly, the training data gathered
by the system may be processed to be vehicle independent and
normalized. For example, if a load is changing, it may be taken
into account for that data input before training.
[0122] The predicted rate of slippage for a vehicle may be
determined from a variety of data sources. For example, the
slippage rate may be determined based on data from a camera/sensor
or farm management information system along the vehicle path.
Prediction values from such data may be calibrated based on actual
measured slip for the current given state of the machine (e.g.,
current tire wear, load, tire pressure, weight distribution
etc.).
EXAMPLES
[0123] The following are examples of embodiments of the present
disclosure. Any of the following examples may be combined with any
other example (or combination of examples), unless explicitly
stated otherwise. The foregoing description of one or more
implementations provides illustration and description, but is not
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of embodiments to
the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are
possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from
practice of various embodiments. [0124] 1. A terrain mapping system
for a vehicle, the system comprising:
[0125] a processor;
[0126] a sensor system coupled to the processor for collecting
three-dimensional terrain data;
[0127] a digital camera coupled to the processor for capturing
terrain image data;
[0128] a positioning system coupled to the processor for
determining location data for the vehicle; and
[0129] memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions
that, when executed by the processor, cause the terrain mapping
system to perform operations comprising: [0130] identifying, based
on data received from the sensor system, digital camera, and
positioning system, a ground surface topography for a section of
terrain; [0131] identifying, based on the data received from the
sensor system, digital camera, and positioning system, a topography
of vegetation on the section of terrain; and [0132] generating a
two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional terrain map,
the three-dimensional terrain map including the ground surface
topography for the section of terrain and the topography of
vegetation on the section of terrain. [0133] 2. The terrain mapping
system of example 1, wherein generating the three-dimensional
terrain map includes identifying a plurality of objects within the
section of terrain on the terrain map, and presenting a respective
visual indicator on the map for each respective object representing
the object is traversable by the vehicle. [0134] 3. The terrain
mapping system of example 1, further comprising:
[0135] a display screen coupled to the processor, wherein the
memory further stores instructions for causing the terrain mapping
system to display the three-dimensional terrain map on the display
screen. [0136] 4. The terrain mapping system of example 1, wherein
the memory further stores instructions for transmitting an
electronic communication comprising the three-dimensional map to a
vehicle control system. [0137] 5. The terrain mapping system of
example 1, wherein the positioning system comprises a global
navigation satellite system (GNSS) or a local positioning system
(LPS). [0138] 6. The terrain mapping system of example 1, wherein
the sensor system includes one or more of: a radar sensor, a lidar
sensor, and an imaging device. [0139] 7. The terrain mapping system
of example 1, wherein generating the three-dimensional terrain map
includes identifying a height of a portion of the vehicle above the
ground surface. [0140] 8. The terrain mapping system of example 7,
wherein generating the three-dimensional terrain map includes
determining a depth of tracks made by the vehicle based on a change
in the height of the portion of the vehicle above the ground
surface. [0141] 9. The terrain mapping system of example 1, wherein
generating the three-dimensional terrain map includes determining a
height of a portion of the vegetation on the terrain above the
ground surface. [0142] 10. The terrain mapping system of example 1,
wherein generating the three-dimensional terrain map includes
modifying a pre-existing feature of a pre-existing
three-dimensional terrain map based on the ground surface
topography for the section of terrain and the topography of
vegetation on the section of terrain. [0143] 11. The terrain
mapping system of example 1, wherein the three-dimensional terrain
map is further generated based on data from a sensor system coupled
to a second vehicle. [0144] 12. The terrain mapping system of
example 1, wherein generating the three-dimensional terrain map
includes identifying a level of moisture in the section of terrain.
[0145] 13. The terrain mapping system of example 12, wherein
identifying the level of moisture in the section of terrain
includes identifying a first level of moisture in a first portion
of the section of terrain, and identifying a second level of
moisture in a second portion of the section of terrain, and wherein
the first level of moisture is different from the second level of
moisture. [0146] 14. The terrain mapping system of example 12,
wherein identifying the level of moisture in the section of terrain
includes identifying a body of water in the section of terrain.
[0147] 15. The terrain mapping system of example 14, wherein
identifying the level of moisture in the section of terrain
includes determining whether the vehicle is capable of traversing
the body of water. [0148] 16. The terrain mapping system of example
14, wherein identifying the level of moisture in the section of
terrain includes determining a rate of flow of water through the
body of water. [0149] 17. The terrain mapping system of example 14,
wherein identifying the level of moisture in the section of terrain
includes determining a depth of the body of water. [0150] 18. The
terrain mapping system of example 14, wherein generating the
three-dimensional terrain map includes identifying a path for the
vehicle to circumvent the body of water. [0151] 19. A tangible,
non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that,
when executed by a terrain mapping system, cause the terrain
mapping system to perform operations comprising:
[0152] identifying, based on data received from a sensor system, a
digital camera, and a positioning system, a ground surface
topography for a section of terrain;
[0153] identifying, based on the data received from the sensor
system, digital camera, and positioning system, a topography of
vegetation on the section of terrain; and
[0154] generating a two-dimensional representation of a
three-dimensional terrain map, the three-dimensional terrain map
including the ground surface topography for the section of terrain
and the topography of vegetation on the section of terrain. [0155]
20. A method comprising:
[0156] identifying, by a terrain mapping system based on data
received from a sensor system, a digital camera, and a positioning
system, a ground surface topography for a section of terrain;
[0157] identifying, by the terrain mapping system based on the data
received from the sensor system, digital camera, and positioning
system, a topography of vegetation on the section of terrain;
and
[0158] generating, by the terrain mapping system, a two-dimensional
representation of a three-dimensional terrain map, the
three-dimensional terrain map including the ground surface
topography for the section of terrain and the topography of
vegetation on the section of terrain. [0159] 21. A vehicle control
system comprising:
[0160] a processor;
[0161] a sensor system coupled to the processor;
[0162] a positioning system coupled to the processor for
determining location data for the vehicle; and
[0163] memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions
that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle control
system to perform operations comprising: [0164] determining a
position of a vehicle coupled to the vehicle control system based
on the location data from the positioning system; [0165]
identifying a three-dimensional terrain map associated with the
position of the vehicle; [0166] determining a path for the vehicle
based on the three-dimensional terrain map; [0167] identifying a
terrain feature based on data from the sensor system; and [0168]
modifying or maintaining the path of the vehicle based on the
identified terrain feature. [0169] 22. The vehicle control system
of example 21, wherein the vehicle control system further comprises
a steering control system for controlling operation of the vehicle.
[0170] 23. The vehicle control system of example 22, wherein the
steering control system is adapted to drive and steer the vehicle
along the determined path. [0171] 24. The vehicle control system of
example 21, further comprising a display coupled to the processor,
wherein determining the path for the vehicle includes displaying a
two-dimensional representation of the three-dimensional map on the
display. [0172] 25. The vehicle control system of example 23,
wherein determining the path for the vehicle includes displaying a
visual representation of the path in conjunction with the display
of the three-dimensional map on the display. [0173] 26. The vehicle
control system of example 21, wherein modifying or maintaining the
path of the vehicle based on the identified terrain feature
includes determining an expected time for the vehicle to traverse
or avoid the identified terrain feature. [0174] 27. The vehicle
control system of example 21, wherein modifying or maintaining the
path of the vehicle based on the identified terrain feature
includes determining whether the identified terrain feature is
traversable by the vehicle. [0175] 28. The vehicle control system
of example 21, wherein the sensor system includes one or more of:
an accelerometer, a gyroscopic sensor, and a magnetometer. [0176]
29. The vehicle control system of example 28, wherein the sensor
system includes an accelerometer and wherein identifying the
terrain feature includes identifying a roughness level of the
terrain based on data from the accelerometer. [0177] 30. The
vehicle control system of example 29, wherein modifying or
maintaining the path of the vehicle based on the identified terrain
feature includes determining a speed for the vehicle based on the
roughness level of the terrain. [0178] 31. The vehicle control
system of example 28, wherein the sensor system includes a
gyroscopic sensor, and identifying the terrain feature includes
determining one or more of: a roll angle for the vehicle, a pitch
angle for the vehicle, and a yaw angle for the vehicle. [0179] 32.
The vehicle control system of example 21, wherein determining the
path of the vehicle includes:
[0180] identifying a terrain feature comprising a slope;
[0181] identifying a steepness of the slope; and
[0182] determining whether the slope of the terrain feature is
traversable by the vehicle. [0183] 33. The vehicle control system
of example 21, wherein determining the path of the vehicle
includes:
[0184] identifying vegetation to be planted by the vehicle on at
least a portion of terrain depicted in the three-dimensional
terrain map;
[0185] determining a water management process for irrigating the
vegetation; and
[0186] determining the path of the vehicle to plant the vegetation
that corresponds with the water management process. [0187] 34. The
vehicle control system of example 21, wherein determining the path
of the vehicle includes:
[0188] determining a respective expected fuel consumption rate for
each of a plurality of potential paths for the vehicle; and
[0189] determining the path of the vehicle based on the determined
fuel consumption rates. [0190] 35. The vehicle control system of
example 21, wherein determining the path of the vehicle
includes:
[0191] determining a respective expected time for the vehicle to
traverse each of a plurality of potential paths for the vehicle;
and
[0192] determining the path of the vehicle based on the determined
traversal times. [0193] 36. The vehicle control system of example
21, wherein determining the path of the vehicle includes:
[0194] comparing the terrain feature identified based on the sensor
data to a corresponding terrain feature in the three-dimensional
map; and
[0195] modifying a feature of the corresponding terrain feature in
the three-dimensional map based on the identified terrain feature.
[0196] 37. The vehicle control system of example 21, wherein
determining the path of the vehicle includes:
[0197] identifying a boundary of an area to be traversed by the
vehicle;
[0198] determining a turn radius of the vehicle; and
[0199] determining the path of the vehicle to traverse the
identified area within the turn radius of the vehicle and without
colliding with the boundary. [0200] 38. The vehicle control system
of example 21, wherein determining the path of the vehicle includes
identifying one or more points along the path at which to engage or
disengage a feature of an implement coupled to the vehicle. [0201]
39. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing
instructions that, when executed by a vehicle control system, cause
the vehicle control system to perform operations comprising:
[0202] determining a position of a vehicle coupled to the vehicle
control system based on location data from a positioning
system;
[0203] identifying a three-dimensional terrain map associated with
the position of the vehicle;
[0204] determining a path for the vehicle based on the
three-dimensional terrain map;
[0205] identifying a terrain feature based on data from a sensor
system; and
[0206] modifying or maintaining the path of the vehicle based on
the identified terrain feature. [0207] 40. A method comprising:
[0208] determining, by a vehicle control system, a position of a
vehicle coupled to the vehicle control system based on location
data from a positioning system;
[0209] identifying, by the vehicle control system, a
three-dimensional terrain map associated with the position of the
vehicle;
[0210] determining, by the vehicle control system, a path for the
vehicle based on the three-dimensional terrain map;
[0211] identifying, by the vehicle control system, a terrain
feature based on data from a sensor system; and
[0212] modifying or maintaining the path of the vehicle, by the
vehicle control system, based on the identified terrain feature.
[0213] 41. A vehicle implement control system comprising:
[0214] a processor;
[0215] a sensor system coupled to the processor; and
[0216] memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions
that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle implement
control system to perform operations comprising: [0217] identifying
one or more features of a section of terrain based on: a
three-dimensional map including the section of terrain, and data
from the sensor system; [0218] determining a position of the
vehicle implement based on data from the sensor system and the one
or more identified terrain features; and [0219] modifying a
function of the vehicle implement based on the one or more
identified terrain features and the position of the vehicle
implement. [0220] 42. The vehicle implement control system of
example 41, wherein the vehicle implement includes one or more of:
a seeder, a fertilizer spreader, a plow, a disc, a combine, baler,
a rake, a mower, a harrow bed, a tiller, a cultivator, a pesticide
sprayer, a mulcher, a grain cart, a trailer, and a conditioner.
[0221] 43. The vehicle implement control system of example 41,
wherein the vehicle implement is integrated with a vehicle. [0222]
44. The vehicle implement control system of example 41, wherein the
vehicle implement is coupled to a vehicle. [0223] 45. The vehicle
implement control system of example 41, wherein the vehicle
implement comprises a portion that is adjustable, and wherein
modifying the function of the vehicle implement includes adjusting
the portion of the vehicle implement. [0224] 46. The vehicle
implement control system of example 45, wherein the adjustable
portion of the vehicle implement is adapted to be raised or
lowered, and wherein modifying the function of the vehicle
implement includes raising or lowering the portion of the vehicle
implement based on a height of a determined terrain feature. [0225]
47. The vehicle implement control system of example 41, further
comprising a positioning system coupled to the processor, wherein
determining the position of the vehicle implement is further based
on data from the positioning system. [0226] 48. The vehicle
implement control system of example 47, wherein the positioning
system includes a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and
does not include an inertial navigation system (INS). [0227] 49.
The vehicle implement control system of example 48, wherein
identifying one or more terrain features includes comparing the
three-dimensional terrain map to data from the GNSS and data from
the sensor system. [0228] 50. The vehicle implement control system
of example 49, wherein identifying the one or more features of the
terrain includes modifying the three-dimensional map in response to
comparing the three-dimensional terrain map to data from the GNSS
and data from the sensor system. [0229] 51. The vehicle implement
control system of example 41, wherein the vehicle implement is
coupled to a vehicle, and wherein determining the position of the
vehicle implement includes:
[0230] determining a size, shape, and weight for the vehicle
implement; and
[0231] identifying an articulation angle between the vehicle and
the vehicle implement. [0232] 52. The vehicle implement control
system of example 41, wherein the sensor system includes one or
more of: a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, and an imaging device.
[0233] 53. The vehicle implement control system of example 41,
wherein the vehicle implement is coupled to a vehicle, and wherein
modifying the function of the vehicle implement includes:
[0234] identifying a first path of the vehicle across the section
of terrain;
[0235] identifying a second path of the vehicle implement across
the section of terrain, wherein the first path and the second path
are different; and
[0236] modifying the function of the vehicle implement based on the
difference between the first path and the second path. [0237] 54.
The vehicle implement control system of example 53, wherein
modifying the function of the vehicle implement includes moving a
portion of the vehicle implement to avoid collision with a terrain
feature that is in the second path but is not in the first path.
[0238] 55. The vehicle implement control system of example 54,
wherein the terrain feature avoided by moving the portion of the
vehicle implement includes one or more of: a hole, a furrow, a body
of water, and an obstacle extending above a ground plane of the
terrain. [0239] 56. The vehicle implement control system of example
41, wherein the vehicle implement is coupled to a vehicle, and
wherein determining the position of the vehicle implement is
further based on receiving, from a system coupled to the vehicle, a
current velocity of the vehicle and a current heading of the
vehicle. [0240] 57. The vehicle implement control system of example
56, wherein determining the position of the vehicle implement
includes determining a current heading of the vehicle implement.
[0241] 58. The vehicle implement control system of example 57,
wherein modifying the function of the vehicle implement is further
based on determining that the current heading of the vehicle is
different from the current heading of the vehicle implement. [0242]
59. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing
instructions that, when executed by a vehicle implement control
system, cause the vehicle implement control system to perform
operations comprising:
[0243] identifying one or more features of a section of terrain
based on: a three-dimensional map including the section of terrain,
and data from a sensor system;
[0244] determining a position of the vehicle implement based on
data from the sensor system and the one or more identified terrain
features; and
[0245] modifying a function of the vehicle implement based on the
one or more identified terrain features and the position of the
vehicle implement. [0246] 60. A method comprising:
[0247] identifying, by a vehicle implement control system, one or
more features of a section of terrain based on: a three-dimensional
map including the section of terrain, and data from a sensor
system;
[0248] determining, by the vehicle implement control system, a
position of the vehicle implement based on data from the sensor
system and the one or more identified terrain features; and
[0249] modifying, by the vehicle implement control system, a
function of the vehicle implement based on the one or more
identified terrain features and the position of the vehicle
implement. [0250] 61. A vehicle control system comprising:
[0251] a processor;
[0252] a sensor system coupled to the processor;
[0253] a positioning system coupled to the processor for
determining location data for the vehicle; and
[0254] memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions
that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle control
system to perform operations comprising: [0255] determining a
position of the vehicle based on the location data from the
positioning system; [0256] identifying a three-dimensional terrain
map associated with the position of the vehicle; [0257] determining
a path for the vehicle based on the three-dimensional terrain map;
[0258] determining, based on data from the sensor system and the
three-dimensional terrain map, a level of moisture associated with
a section of terrain along the path of the vehicle; and [0259] in
response to determining the level of moisture associated with the
section of terrain, performing one or more of: adjusting a feature
of the vehicle prior to traversing the section of terrain, and
modifying the path of the vehicle prior to traversing the section
of terrain. [0260] 62. The vehicle control system of example 61,
wherein determining the level of moisture associated with the
section of terrain includes determining whether the section of
terrain is traversable by the vehicle without slipping. [0261] 63.
The vehicle control system of example 62, wherein determining
whether the section of terrain is traversable by the vehicle
includes determining a degree of slippage the vehicle is likely to
experience traversing the section of terrain. [0262] 64. The
vehicle control system of example 63, wherein determining whether
the section of terrain is traversable by the vehicle further
includes a rate of fuel consumption associated with the degree of
slippage. [0263] 65. The vehicle control system of example 61,
wherein the memory further stores instructions for causing the
vehicle control system to measure slippage of the vehicle while
traversing the section of terrain. [0264] 66. The vehicle control
system of example 61, wherein adjusting the feature of the vehicle
includes inflating or deflating a tire coupled to the vehicle.
[0265] 67. The vehicle control system of example 61, wherein
modifying the path of the vehicle includes:
[0266] identifying a first expected weight associated with the
vehicle at a first point on the path of the vehicle;
[0267] identifying a second expected weight associated with the
vehicle at a second point on the path of the vehicle, the second
weight being different than the first weight; and
[0268] modifying the path of the vehicle to traverse the section of
terrain when the vehicle is associated with the second expected
weight. [0269] 68. The vehicle control system of example 67,
wherein the second weight is less than the first weight. [0270] 69.
The vehicle control system of example 68, wherein the second weight
is less than the first weight due to consumption or distribution of
a material carried by the vehicle or a vehicle implement coupled to
the vehicle along the path of the vehicle. [0271] 70. The vehicle
control system of example 67, wherein the second weight is greater
than the first weight. [0272] 71. The vehicle control system of
example 68, wherein the second weight is greater than the first
weight due to addition of a material carried by the vehicle or a
vehicle implement coupled to the vehicle along the path of the
vehicle. [0273] 72. The vehicle control system of example 61,
wherein modifying the path of the vehicle includes avoiding the
section of terrain. [0274] 73. The vehicle control system of
example 61, wherein the sensor system includes an imaging device,
and wherein determining the level of moisture associated with a
section of terrain includes:
[0275] capturing a first image of at least a portion of the section
of the terrain at a first resolution using the imaging device;
[0276] capturing a second image of at least a portion of the
section of the terrain at a second resolution using the imaging
device;
[0277] capturing a third image of at least a portion of the section
of the terrain at a third resolution using the imaging device,
wherein the first resolution is greater than the second resolution,
and the second resolution is greater than the third resolution;
and
[0278] geo-referencing the first, second, and third images based on
data from the positioning system and the three-dimensional terrain
map. [0279] 74. The vehicle control system of example 61, wherein
determining the level of moisture associated with the section of
terrain includes identifying a depression in the section of terrain
based on the three-dimensional terrain map. [0280] 75. The vehicle
control system of example 61, wherein determining the level of
moisture associated with the section of terrain includes analyzing
weather data indicating an actual or forecast level of
precipitation associated with the section of terrain. [0281] 76.
The vehicle control system of example 61, wherein the sensor system
an image capturing device, and wherein determining the level of
moisture associated with the section of terrain includes performing
an image recognition process on an image of the section of terrain
captured by the image capturing device. [0282] 77. The vehicle
control system of example 61, wherein the vehicle control system
further comprises a steering control system adapted to drive and
steer the vehicle along the determined path. [0283] 78. The vehicle
control system of example 61, further comprising a display coupled
to the processor, wherein determining the path for the vehicle
includes displaying a two-dimensional representation of the
three-dimensional map, and a visual representation of the path in
conjunction with the three-dimensional map, on the display. [0284]
79. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing
instructions that, when executed by a vehicle control system, cause
the vehicle control system to perform operations comprising:
[0285] determining a position of the vehicle based on the location
data from a positioning system;
[0286] identifying a three-dimensional terrain map associated with
the position of the vehicle;
[0287] determining a path for the vehicle based on the
three-dimensional terrain map;
[0288] determining, based on data from a sensor system and the
three-dimensional terrain map, a level of moisture associated with
a section of terrain along the path of the vehicle; and
[0289] in response to determining the level of moisture associated
with the section of terrain, performing one or more of: adjusting a
feature of the vehicle prior to traversing the section of terrain,
and modifying the path of the vehicle prior to traversing the
section of terrain. [0290] 80. A method comprising:
[0291] determining a position of a vehicle based on location data
from a positioning system;
[0292] identifying a three-dimensional terrain map associated with
the position of the vehicle;
[0293] determining a path for the vehicle based on the
three-dimensional terrain map;
[0294] determining, based on data from a sensor system and the
three-dimensional terrain map, a level of moisture associated with
a section of terrain along the path of the vehicle; and
[0295] in response to determining the level of moisture associated
with the section of terrain, performing one or more of: adjusting a
feature of the vehicle prior to traversing the section of terrain,
and modifying the path of the vehicle prior to traversing the
section of terrain.
[0296] Example 81 may include an apparatus comprising means to
perform one or more elements of a method described in or related to
any of examples 1-80, or any other method or process described
herein.
[0297] Example 82 may include one or more non-transitory
computer-readable media comprising instructions to cause an
electronic device, upon execution of the instructions by one or
more processors of the electronic device, to perform one or more
elements of a method described in or related to any of examples
1-80, or any other method or process described herein.
[0298] Example 83 may include an apparatus comprising logic,
modules, or circuitry to perform one or more elements of a method
described in or related to any of examples 1-80, or any other
method or process described herein.
[0299] Example 84 may include a method, technique, or process as
described in or related to any of examples 1-80, or portions or
parts thereof.
[0300] Example 85 may include an apparatus comprising: one or more
processors and one or more computer-readable media comprising
instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors,
cause the one or more processors to perform the method, techniques,
or process as described in or related to any of examples 1-80, or
portions thereof.
[0301] Example 86 may include a vehicle control system, a vehicle
implement control system, or a terrain mapping system adapted to
perform a method, technique, or process as described in or related
to any of examples 1-80, or portions or parts thereof.
[0302] Some of the operations described above may be implemented in
software and other operations may be implemented in hardware. One
or more of the operations, processes, or methods described herein
may be performed by an apparatus, device, or system similar to
those as described herein and with reference to the illustrated
figures.
[0303] "Computer-readable storage medium" (or alternatively,
"machine-readable storage medium") used in control system 100 may
include any type of memory, as well as new technologies that may
arise in the future, as long as they may be capable of storing
digital information in the nature of a computer program or other
data, at least temporarily, in such a manner that the stored
information may be "read" by an appropriate processing device. The
term "computer-readable" may not be limited to the historical usage
of "computer" to imply a complete mainframe, mini-computer,
desktop, wireless device, or even a laptop computer. Rather,
"computer-readable" may comprise storage medium that may be
readable by a processor, processing device, or any computing
system. Such media may be any available media that may be locally
and/or remotely accessible by a computer or processor, and may
include volatile and non-volatile media, and removable and
non-removable media.
[0304] Examples of systems, apparatus, computer-readable storage
media, and methods are provided solely to add context and aid in
the understanding of the disclosed implementations. It will thus be
apparent to one skilled in the art that the disclosed
implementations may be practiced without some or all of the
specific details provided. In other instances, certain process or
methods also referred to herein as "blocks," have not been
described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the
disclosed implementations. Other implementations and applications
also are possible, and as such, the following examples should not
be taken as definitive or limiting either in scope or setting.
[0305] References have been made to accompanying drawings, which
form a part of the description and in which are shown, by way of
illustration, specific implementations. Although these disclosed
implementations are described in sufficient detail to enable one
skilled in the art to practice the implementations, it is to be
understood that these examples are not limiting, such that other
implementations may be used and changes may be made to the
disclosed implementations without departing from their spirit and
scope. For example, the blocks of the methods shown and described
are not necessarily performed in the order indicated in some other
implementations. Additionally, in other implementations, the
disclosed methods may include more or fewer blocks than are
described. As another example, some blocks described herein as
separate blocks may be combined in some other implementations.
Conversely, what may be described herein as a single block may be
implemented in multiple blocks in some other implementations.
Additionally, the conjunction "or" is intended herein in the
inclusive sense where appropriate unless otherwise indicated; that
is, the phrase "A, B or C" is intended to include the possibilities
of "A," "B," "C," "A and B," "B and C," "A and C" and "A, B and
C."
[0306] Having described and illustrated the principles of a
preferred embodiment, it should be apparent that the embodiments
may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from
such principles. Claim is made to all modifications and variation
coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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