Agjunction LLC

Hemisphere Gps LLC

Other

Hemisphere Gnss, Inc.

Csi Wireless Inc.

Beijing Unistrong Science & Technology Co., Ltd.

Satloc, LLC

Aglunction, LLC

Hemipshere Gps, LLC

John A McClure

Michael L Whitehead

Walter J Feller

Dennis M Collins

Richard W Heiniger

John T E Timm

Steven R Miller

Keith R Jones

Mark R Webber

Kent D Funk

André C Roberge

Aaron C Stichter

Richard B Wong

Bradley Paul Badke

Andrè C Roberge

Greg Guyette

Cary Davis

A raster-based system for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) guidance includes a vehicle-mounted GNSS antenna and receiver. A processor provides guidance and/or autosteering commands based on GNSS-defined pixels forming a grid representing an area to be treated, such as a field. Specific guidance and chemical application methods are provided based on the pixel-defined treatment areas and preprogrammed chemical application prescription maps, which can include variable chemical application rates and dynamic control of the individual nozzles of a sprayer.

Raster-based contour swathing for guidance and variable-rate chemical application

A guidance and vehicle control system for automatically steering a vehicle, such as an agricultural vehicle or a tractor, through a field. The system includes a GNSS receiver and antenna for determining the vehicle's instantaneous position, a guidance CPU, and an automatic steering subsystem integrated with the vehicle's electrical power system. The automatic steering subsystem can be interfaced with the steering column of the vehicle, and mechanically activates the steering column, thereby steering the vehicle according to instructions received from the CPU based upon the vehicle's position and a predetermined path. An interrupt element, such as a wheel movement sensor or a slip gear, may be interfaced with the automatic steering subsystem to allow for manual steering override of the automatic steering control.

System and method for integrating automatic electrical steering with GNSS guidance

A DGNSS-based guidance system, wherein a rover receiver first utilizes data from a master base station transceiver, a DGNSS reference network, or some other differential source to compute a differentially corrected location to establish a reference DGNSS relationship. Using this location and data observed only at the rover, the rover computes an internal set of differential corrections, which set is stored in computer memory, updated as necessary, and applied in future times to correct observations taken by the rover. As the rover enters into areas of other base station receiver reference networks, the rover transceiver will send positional information it receives from the master base station to the new, secondary base station. The secondary base station then calibrates its own reference information using information sent from the original master base station.

Portable base station network for local differential GNSS corrections

A global navigation satellite sensor system (GNSS) and gyroscope control system for vehicle steering control comprising a GNSS receiver and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase position differences. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll and pitch, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system. The system includes gyroscopes for determining system attitude change with respect to multiple axes for integrating with GNSS-derived positioning information to determine vehicle position, velocity, rate-of-turn, attitude and other operating characteristics. Relative orientations and attitudes between motive and working components can be determined using optical sensors and cameras. The system can also be used to guide multiple vehicles in relation to each other.

GNSS and optical guidance and machine control

A spray control method employs a spray vehicle including a material tank, a pump communicating with the tank, and nozzles of a spray boom communicating with the pump. A GNSS receiver mounted on the vehicle and interfaced to a controller tracks its position in relation to stored position coordinates of field boundaries separating spray zones from spray exclusion zones. The tank is activated and deactivated by the controller to retain spray of the material within the spray zones and to prevent spray of the material in the exclusion zones, by processing an offset of the spray nozzles from the receiver, the spray range of the nozzles, spray turn-on and turn-off lag times, and the velocity of the spray vehicle, all in relation to the field boundaries. An alternative embodiment individually controls spray from the nozzles by using associated valves interfaced to the controller.

Control for dispensing material from vehicle

A method for guiding a terrestrial vehicle along a desired path can include receiving a position signal from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna and a gyro signal from a gyro sensor that is indicative of: (i) at least one of a pitch and a roll of the terrestrial vehicle, and (ii) a gyro-based heading direction. A position of a point of interest of the terrestrial vehicle at a location different than the GNSS antenna can be determined based on the position signal, the gyro signal, and a positional relationship between the first location and the second location. A position-based heading direction of the point of interest of the terrestrial vehicle can be determined based on the determined position of the point of interest and at least one previously determined position of the point of interest.

System and method for terrestrial vehicle navigation

A GNSS-based system and method for maintaining a vehicle in a predetermined relation relative to a fixed location defined by GNSS coordinates. The system and method is configured for enabling and facilitating air-to-ground operations.

Hovering control for helicopters using a GNSS vector

A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and gyroscope control system for vehicle steering control comprising a GNSS receiver and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase position differences. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll and pitch, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system. A vehicle control method includes the steps of computing a position and a heading for the vehicle using GNSS positioning and a rate gyro for determining vehicle attitude, which is used for generating a steering command. Relative orientations and attitudes between tractors and implements can be determined using optical sensors and cameras. Laser detectors and rangefinders can also be used.

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Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America

John A McClure