Apparatus and method for autonomous vehicle navigation using absolute data

US5956250A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Caterpillar Inc. · US

Inventors

• Adam J. Gudat · Lacon, US
• Dong Hun Shin · Wonju-si, KR
• William Whittaker · Pittsburgh, US
• Karl W. Kleimenhagen · Peoria, US
• Richard G. Clow · Phoenix, US
• Sanjiv Singh · Pittsburgh, US
• Dana A. Christensen · Peoria, US
• Carl A. Kemner · Peoria Heights, US
• Walter J. Bradbury · Peoria, US
• Craig L. Koehrsen · East Peoria, US
• Christos Kyrtsos · Southfield, US
• Norman K. Lay · Peoria, US
• Joel L. Peterson · East Peoria, US
• Larry E. Schmidt · Peoria, US
• Darrell E. Stafford · Dunlap, US
• Louis J. Weinbeck · Peoria, US
• Lonnie J. Devier · Channahon, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 1, 1995
• Grant date: Sep 21, 1999
• Expiry date: May 1, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05D1/0268
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the navigation of surface based vehicle uses a route that is obtained by manually driving the vehicle over the route to collect data defining the absolute position of the vehicle at various positions along the route. The collected data is smoothed to provide a consistent route to be followed. The smoothed data is subsequently used to automatically guide the vehicle over the route.