Patent ID: 8180513

Claim:
A reference yaw rate generator for an autonomous ground vehicle control system wherein said reference yaw rate generator is configured to generate a reference yaw rate (r r ) based on an actual latitudinal position (Y), a desired latitudinal position (Y d ), an actual longitudinal position (X), a desired longitudinal position (X d ) and an actual heading (ψ) of said autonomous ground vehicle; and a yaw rate tracking controller configured to receive said reference yaw rate and configured to adjust a steering mechanism based on said reference yaw rate, wherein said reference yaw rate depends on vehicle dynamics, is independent of a mechanism used to steer said autonomous ground vehicle and permits said autonomous ground vehicle to track a trajectory while maintaining autonomous ground vehicle stability, and wherein said yaw rate tracking controller is configured to adjust an autonomous ground vehicle yaw rate to minimize a difference between said reference yaw rate and said autonomous ground vehicle yaw rate.