Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to a machine positioning system and, more particularly, to a machine positioning system that utilizes relative pose information to determine a more accurate position for a machine. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Machines such as, for example, dozers, motor graders, wheel loaders, wheel tractor scrapers, and other types of heavy equipment are used to perform a variety of tasks. Autonomously and semi-autonomously controlled machines are capable of operating with little or no human input by relying on information received from various machine systems. For example, based on machine movement input, terrain input, and/or machine operational input, a machine can be controlled to remotely and/or automatically complete a programmed task. By receiving appropriate feedback from each of the different machine systems during performance of the task, continuous adjustments to machine operation can be made that help to ensure precision and safety in completion of the task. In order to do so, however, the information provided by the different machine systems should be accurate and reliable. The position of the machine is a parameter whose accuracy may be important for control of the machine and its operations. 
         [0003]    Conventional machines typically utilize a navigation or positioning system to determine the absolute position for the machine. Some conventional machines utilize a combination of one or more of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data, a Distance Measurement Indicator (DMI) or odometer measurement data, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data, etc. In addition to having mechanisms for determining absolute position, conventional machines also include mechanisms such as RADAR sensors, SONAR sensors, LIDAR sensors, IR and non-IR cameras, and other similar sensors to determine relative pose between two or more machines. Pose, as used in this disclosure, refers to both position and orientation. However, conventional machines do not utilize this relative pose information to refine their absolute position and derive a more robust and accurate measure of their absolute machines. 
         [0004]    An exemplary system that may be utilized to determine the relative position of a first machine with respect to a second machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,026,848 (“the &#39;848 patent”) to Hanson. The system of the &#39;848 patent determines the relative position by utilizing radios. Specifically, the &#39;848 patent utilizes the time of flight of a radio signal to determine the relative position. Although the system of the &#39;848 patent may be useful in determining the relative positions of two machines, the system does not go further and utilize this information to determine or further refine an absolute position measurement for the machines. 
         [0005]    The positioning system of the present disclosure is directed toward solving one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for estimating a position of a first machine. The system may include a locating device, at the first machine, configured to receive a first signal indicative of a location of the first machine. The system may further include a controller, at the first machine, in communication with the locating device. The controller may be configured to determine a first position estimate and a first uncertainty measure of the first machine based on the first signal. The controller may be further configured to receive, from a second machine, relative pose information determined by the second machine and a second uncertainty measure of the second machine. The controller may be further configured to determine that the first uncertainty measure is higher than the second uncertainty measure. The controller may be further configured to, in response to determining that the first uncertainty measure is higher than the second uncertainty measure, determine a second position estimate of the first machine based on the first position estimate and the relative pose information. 
         [0007]    In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method of estimating a position of a first machine. The method may include determining a first position estimate and a first uncertainty measure of the first machine. The method may further include receiving, from a second machine, relative pose information determined by the second machine and a second uncertainty measure of the second machine. The method may further include determining that the first uncertainty measure is higher than the second uncertainty measure. The method may further include, in response to determining that the first uncertainty measure is higher than the second uncertainty measure, determining a second position estimate of the first machine based on the first position estimate and the relative pose information. 
         [0008]    In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instruction for enabling a processor to execute a method of estimating position of a first machine. The method may include determining a first position estimate and a first uncertainty measure of the first machine. The method may further include receiving, from a second machine, relative pose information determined by the second machine and a second uncertainty measure of the second machine. The method may further include determining that the first uncertainty measure is higher than the second uncertainty measure. The method may further include, in response to determining that the first uncertainty measure is higher than the second uncertainty measure, determining a second position estimate of the first machine based on the first position estimate and the relative pose information. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial illustration of an exemplary disclosed machine; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary disclosed positioning system that may be used in conjunction with the machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart depicting an exemplary disclosed method performed by the disclosed exemplary controller in  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0012]      FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 A,  5 B,  6 A, and  6 B illustrate examples of machines utilizing the system of  FIG. 2  and method of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a machine  100  having an exemplary disclosed positioning system  110 . The machine  100  may be configured to perform some type of operation associated with an industry such as mining, construction, farming, transportation, power generation, or any other industry known in the art. For example, machine  100  may be an earth moving machine such as a haul truck, a dozer, a loader, a backhoe, an excavator, a motor grader, a wheel tractor scraper or any other earth moving machine. Machine  100  may generally include a frame  12  that at least partially defines or supports an operator station, one or more engines mounted to the frame, a plurality of traction devices  14  driven by the engine to propel machine  100 . The traction devices  14 , in the disclosed exemplary embodiments, are wheels located at opposing sides of machine  100 . Each traction device  14  may be independently driven to turn machine  100  or simultaneously and dependently driven to propel machine  100  in a straight direction. It is contemplated that one or all of traction devices  14  may be replaced with another type of traction device, if desired, such as belts or tracks. 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the positioning system  110 . The positioning system  110  may include an odometer  210 , a sensor  220 , a locating device  230 , a range sensor  240 , a controller  250 , and an inertial measurement unit (IMU)  260 . The above sensors and the controller  250  may be connected to each other via a bus  290 . While a bus architecture is shown in  FIG. 2 , any suitable architecture may be used, including any combination of wired and/or wireless networks. Additionally, such networks may be integrated into any local area network, wide area network, and/or the Internet. 
         [0015]    The odometer  210  may provide a signal indicative of a distance traveled by the machine  100 . The odometer  210  may provide as the signal, a measurement of the number of rotations of the traction device  14  (such as a wheel  14 ). The odometer  210  may also provide, as the signal indicative of a distance traveled by the machine, a measurement of the number of rotations of a member of the machine  100 &#39;s drive train. For example, the odometer  210  may provide a measurement of the number of rotations of an axle of the machine  100 . 
         [0016]    The sensor  220  may include any device capable of providing parametric values or machine parameters associated with performance of the machine  100 . For example, the sensor  220  may include a payload sensor that provides a signal indicative of a payload of the machine  100 . The sensor  220  may further include a slip detector that provides a signal indicative of a slip of the machine  100 . The sensor  220  may further include devices capable of providing signals indicative of a slope of the ground on which the machine  100  is operating, an outside temperature, tire pressure if the fraction device  14  is a wheel, etc. It will be understood that the sensor  220  may have one or more of the above-mentioned devices that provide the different parametric values or machine parameters such as payload, temperature, tire pressure, slip, slope, etc. 
         [0017]    The locating device  230  may include any device capable of providing a signal that indicates the machine&#39;s location. More particularly, the locating device  230  may provide the absolute position of the machine  100  and a corresponding uncertainty measure that may be an RMS (root-mean squared) error associated with the measured absolute position. For example, the locating device  230  could embody, a global satellite system device (e.g., a GPS or GNSS device) that receives or determines positional information associated with machine  100  and can provide an independent measurement of the machine&#39;s position. The locating device  230  may be configured to convey a signal indicative of the received or determined positional information to one or more of interface devices for display of machine location, if desired. The signal may also be directed to a controller  250  for further processing. In the exemplary embodiments discussed herein, the locating device  230  receives a GPS signal as the location signal indicative of the location of the machine  100  and provides the received location signal to the controller  250  for further processing. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the disclosed exemplary embodiments could be modified to utilize other indicators of the location of the machine  100 , if desired. 
         [0018]    The range sensor  240  may include any device that is capable of determining the relative pose (range and/or orientation) of the machine  100  with respect to another machine  100  or object. Exemplarily, the range sensor  240  may include ranging radios that include a transmitter and a receiver. The ranging radios may use radio frequency (RF) to determine range between machines  100  or machine  100  and another object. In an exemplary embodiment, the range sensor  240  may be a perception sensor  240 , which may embody a device that detects and ranges objects located  360  degrees around the machine  100 . For example, the perception sensor  240  may be embodied by a LIDAR device, a RADAR (radio detection and ranging) device, a SONAR (sound navigation and ranging) device, a camera device, or another device known in the art. In one example, the perception sensor  240  may include an emitter that emits a detection beam, and an associated receiver that receives a reflection of that detection beam. Based on characteristics of the reflected beam, a distance and a direction from an actual sensing location of the perception sensor  240  on machine  100  to a portion of a sensed physical object may be determined. 
         [0019]    The IMU  260  may include devices that provide angular rates and acceleration of the machine  100 . For example, the IMU  260  may include a 6-degree of freedom (6 DOF) IMU. A 6 DOF IMU consists of a 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis angular rate gyros, and sometimes a 2-axis inclinometer. The 3-axis angular rate gyros may provide signals indicative of the pitch rate, yaw rate, and roll rate of the machine  100 . The 3-axis accelerometer may provide signals indicative of the acceleration of the machine  100  in the x, y, and z directions. 
         [0020]    The controller  250  may include processor  251 , storage  252 , and memory  253 , included together in a single device and/or provided separately. Processor  251  may include one or more known processing devices, such as a microprocessor from the Pentium™ or Xeon™ family manufactured by Intel™, the Turion™ family manufactured by AMD™, or any other type of processor. Memory  253  may include one or more storage devices configured to store information used by controller  250  to perform certain functions related to disclosed embodiments. Storage  252  may include a volatile or non-volatile, magnetic, semiconductor, tape, optical, removable, nonremovable, or other type of storage device or computer-readable medium. Storage  252  may store programs and/or other information, such as information related to processing data received from one or more sensors, as discussed in greater detail below. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, memory  253  may include one or more position estimation programs or subprograms loaded from storage  252  or elsewhere that, when executed by processor  251 , perform various procedures, operations, or processes consistent with the disclosed embodiments. For example, memory  253  may include one or more programs that enable controller  250  to, among other things, collect data from the odometer  210 , the sensor  220 , the locating device  230 , the range sensor  240 , the IMU  260 , and process the data according to disclosed embodiments such as those embodiments discussed with regard to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 A,  4 B,  5 A,  5 B,  6 A, and  6 B, and determine a refined absolute position of the machine  100  based on the processed data. 
         [0022]    For example, controller  250  (and more particularly, processor  251 ) may execute a position estimation program in which controller  250  may determine an absolute pose (position and/or orientation) of the machine  100  based on information received from locating device  230 . In an exemplary embodiment, controller  250  may determine the absolute pose of the machine  100  by using information from the odometer  210  and the sensor  220  in addition to location information received from locating device  230 . The absolute pose may include the absolute position of the machine  100 , which may be, for example, a 2-dimensional position specified in degrees latitude and degrees longitude. In an exemplary embodiment, the absolute position may be a 3-dimensional position specified in degrees latitude, degrees longitude, and elevation. The orientation of the machine may include one or more of the machine heading, roll, and pitch. Controller  250  may also determine along with the absolute pose, an associated uncertainty measure (for example, an error estimate such as an RMS error). This error or uncertainty measure will be hereinafter referred to as the pose error estimate. It will be apparent that a pose error estimate may include both a position error estimate and an orientation estimate. Controller  250  may exchange the absolute pose and the pose error estimate of the machine  100  with another machine  100  so that both machines  100  know each other&#39;s absolute pose and pose error estimates. 
         [0023]    Controllers  250  of each of machines  100  may also determine the relative pose (range and/or orientation) of the machines  100 . Range may indicate a distance between the machines  100 . 
         [0024]    Exemplarily, the relative pose may be determined using information provided to controller  250  by the range sensor  240 . Generally, the relative pose is assumed to be more accurate than the absolute pose. Accordingly, the relative pose calculated by one of the machines may be used by the other machine to refine its absolute position estimate. The above functions performed by controller  250  are explained in further detail below with reference to  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 A,  5 B,  6 A, and  6 C. 
         [0025]    Consider two machines  100  (machines  101  and  102  in  FIGS. 4A and 4B ) that are communicating with each other on a worksite such as a mine site. Machine  101  may be, for example, a haul truck that has a low position certainty, i.e., a high position uncertainty. Accordingly, machine  101  may have a higher pose error estimate. Machine  102  may be, for example, a loader that has a high position certainty, i.e., a lower position uncertainty. Accordingly, machine  102  may have a lower pose error estimate. Both machines  101  and  102  may determine their absolute pose including their absolute position. The absolute position estimate of machine  101  is illustrated in  FIG. 4A  by area  401 , where the radius of area  401  is the position error estimate. That is, machine  101  believes that its position is within area  401 . The absolute position estimate of machine  102  is illustrated in  FIG. 4A  by area  402  whose radius  404  (see  FIG. 4B ) is the position error estimate of machine  102 . 
         [0026]    Machines  101  and  102  may exchange their absolute pose and pose error estimates. Machines  101  and  102  may also determine their relative poses (range and/or orientation) and communicate them with each other. In the example of  FIG. 4B , the relative pose  403  includes only orientation. As shown in  FIG. 4B , machine  102  may determine that machine  101  is at a heading w from machine  102 , and machine  102  may determine its pose error estimate to be orientation error estimate  404 . Based on the relative pose  403  (heading Ψ, i.e., orientation, here) and the orientation error estimate  404 , machine  102  may predict that the absolute position of machine  101  is within area  405  illustrated by dotted lines in  FIG. 4B . It will be understood that area  405  may be determined by machine  101  using relative pose  403 , pose error estimate  404 , and absolute pose of machine  102 . Because the uncertainty measure associated with machine  101  is higher, machine  101  may utilize the relative pose  403  (here, orientation) and pose error estimate (here, the orientation error estimate  404 ) to refine its absolute position estimate. As seen from  FIG. 4B , machine  101  may determine its new absolute position estimate to be area  410 , which is the overlapping area between the original position estimate  401  and area  405 , which is the position of machine  101  indicated by the relative pose  403 . While machine  101  may also transmit relative pose information to machine  102 , machine  102  may not refine its absolute position estimate using the information transmitted by machine  101  because machine  102  has a higher position certainty compared to machine  101 . 
         [0027]    The example of  FIG. 5A and 5B  is similar to the example of  FIGS. 4A and 4B  except that the relative pose information  403  includes range in place of orientation and the pose error estimate of machine  102  is the position error estimate  404 . Based on the relative pose information  403  and the position error estimate  404 , machine  102  may predict that machine  101  is within area  405  illustrated by dotted lines in  FIG. 5B . By using the relative pose information  403  and position error estimate  404 , machine  101  may determine its new absolute position estimate to be area  410 , which is the area of original position estimate  401  overlapping with area  405 , which is the position indicated by relative pose information  403 . 
         [0028]    The example of  FIGS. 6A  and BB is similar to the examples of  FIGS. 4A-4B  and  5 A- 5 B except that the relative pose information  403  includes both range and orientation. By using the relative pose information  403  and pose error estimate  404  (here, both orientation error estimate  404  and position error estimate  404 ) of machine  102 , machine  101  may determine its new absolute position estimate to be area  410 . 
         [0029]    It will be evident from the above examples that the controller  250  may determine a refined absolute position estimate  410  for machine  101  as compared to the original position estimate  401  by utilizing relative pose information  403  and pose error estimate  404  received from machine  102 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  described in the next section sets forth exemplary steps performed by controller  250  to refine the absolute position of machine  100  by utilizing relative pose information from another machine. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0031]    The disclosed positioning system  110  may be applicable to any machine where accurate detection of the machine&#39;s position is desired. The disclosed positioning system may provide for improved estimation of the machine&#39;s position by utilizing relative pose information measured by another machine that has a higher position certainty. Operation of the positioning system  110  will now be described in connection with the flowchart of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0032]    In step  301 , machine  100  may send its absolute pose and pose error estimate to another machine  100 . For example, controller  250  (and more particularly, processor  251 ) may execute a position estimation program in which controller  250  may determine an absolute pose (position and/or orientation) of the machine  100  based on information received from locating device  230 . Controller  250  may also determine along with the absolute pose, an associated uncertainty measure (for example, an error estimate such as an RMS error). Controller  250  may also determine the relative pose (range and/or orientation) of machine  100 . Exemplarily, the relative pose may be determined using information provided to controller  250  by the range sensor  240 . Controller  250  may then send the determined absolute pose, pose error estimate, and relative pose to the other machine  100 . In step  302 , machine  100  may receive the absolute pose, pose error estimate, and relative pose determined by the other machine  100 . 
         [0033]    In step  303 , machine  100  may refine its absolute position estimate based on the received relative pose information from the other machine  100  if the other machine  100  has a lower pose error estimate. If the other machine  100  has a higher pose error estimate, machine  100  may not refine its absolute position estimate. As seen from the examples of  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 A,  5 B,  6 A, and  6 C, machine  100  (e.g., machine  101 ) may refine its absolute position estimate from area  401  to area  410  using the relative pose information  403  and pose error estimate  404  from the other machine  100  (e.g., machine  102 ). 
         [0034]    While the above exemplary embodiments reference only two machines  100 , it will be apparent that more than two machines  100  may interact with each other to refine their absolute position estimates. Further, one or more of the machines  100  may be static or stationary when the machines  100  are communicating their pose estimates. Additionally, in an exemplary embodiment, one of the machines  100  may be replaced by a stationary object that is not a machine  100 . The stationary object may have one or more components illustrated in  FIG. 2  that determine and provide the relative pose information to the machine  100 . For example, in  FIGS. 4A-6B , machine  102  may be replaced by a stationary object. The stationary object may determine its relative pose information with respect to machine  101  and communicate the determined relative pose information to machine  101 . The stationary object&#39;s absolute pose may be known to machine  101  or transmitted to machine  101  through any known means including a central station or by the stationary object itself 
         [0035]    In an exemplary embodiment, the controller  250  of machine  100  may flag an error if the position indicated by the relative pose information from another machine  100  falls outside the bounds of the absolute position estimate calculated by machine  100 . For example, if the position (area  405 ) indicated by relative pose information  403  falls outside of absolute position estimate  401 , the controller of machine  101  may flag an error. 
         [0036]    The disclosed exemplary embodiments may allow for accurate estimation of the position of the machine  100 . For example, by utilizing relative pose information measured by another machine that has a lower error associated with its locating devices, an accurate estimation of the position of the machine  100  may be possible. 
         [0037]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed positioning system. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosed positioning system. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.

Technology Category: 3