PISTE GROOMING VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A PISTE GROOMING VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a piste grooming vehicle having at least one piste grooming device for preparing a piste and to a method for operating such a piste grooming vehicle.

Use in grooming ski pistes or snowboard pistes.

Claims

1. Method for operating a piste grooming vehicle having at least one piste grooming device for preparing a piste, having the steps: a) detecting an actual topography of a piste section, positioned in front of the piste grooming vehicle in the forward travel direction thereof, of the piste; b) determining at least one differential value between coordinates of the actual topography and coordinates of a reference topography of the piste; and c) actuating the at least one piste grooming device in accordance with the at least one determined differential value.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein step a) comprises the steps: a1) detecting coordinates of the actual topography with respect to a local vehicle coordinate system which is assigned to the piste grooming vehicle; a2) detecting a location and a position of the piste grooming vehicle and therefore of the local vehicle coordinate system with respect to a global reference coordinate system on which the coordinates of the reference topography are based; and a3) transforming the detected coordinates of the actual topography into the reference coordinate system as a function of the determined location and the position of the vehicle coordinate system.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the differential value is a difference between an altitude coordinate of the actual topography and an altitude coordinate of the reference topography.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the actuation of the at least one piste grooming device comprises changing a location and/or a position of the piste grooming device relative to the determined actual topography.

5. Method according to claim 1, having the step: d) displaying the determined actual topography in the form of a virtual terrain model.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein step d) comprises displaying the terrain model by means of a screen and/or a headup display and/or data glasses.

7. Piste grooming vehicle for carrying out a method according to claim 1, having at least one piste grooming device for preparing a piste, having: a detection device which is configured to detect an actual topography of a piste section, positioned in front of the piste grooming vehicle in the forward travel direction thereof, of the piste; a determining device which is connected to the detection device and which is configured to determine at least one differential value between coordinates of the actual topography and coordinates of a reference topography of the piste; and a control device which is connected to the determining device and which is configured to actuate the at least one piste grooming device in accordance with the at least one determined differential value.

8. Piste grooming vehicle according to claim 7, wherein in that the detection device is configured to detect coordinates of the actual topography with respect to a local vehicle coordinate system which is assigned to the piste grooming vehicle, in that the detection device is configured to detect a location and a position of the piste grooming vehicle and therefore of the local vehicle coordinate system with respect to a global reference coordinate system on which the coordinates of the reference topography are based, and in that the determining device is configured to transform the detected coordinates of the actual topography into the reference coordinate system in accordance with the determined location and the position of the vehicle coordinate system.

9. Piste grooming vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the detection device has a lidar system which is arranged oriented in the forward travel direction in such a way that the piste section which is positioned in front of the piste grooming vehicle can be detected in terms of measuring technology by means of the lidar system.

10. Piste grooming vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the detection device has a GPS unit, which is configured to detect the location of the piste grooming vehicle with respect to the reference coordinate system, and has a position-measuring unit which is configured to detect the position of the piste grooming vehicle with respect to the reference coordinate system.

11. Piste grooming vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the determining device has a processor unit which is configured to perform data-based transformation of the detected vehicle coordinates of the actual topography into the global reference coordinate system and to calculate the at least one differential value between the transformed coordinates of the actual topography and the coordinates of the reference topography.

12. Piste grooming vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the piste grooming device has a snow plow which is arranged on the frontwith respect to the forward travel directionwherein the control device is configured to actuate the snow plow with respect to a change in a location and/or a position of the snow plow relative to the actual topography.

13. Piste grooming vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a display device is provided which is configured to display the determined actual topography in the form of a virtual terrain model.

14. Piste grooming vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the display device has a screen and/or a headup display and/or data glasses.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Further advantages and features of the invention can be found in the claims and in the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention which are illustrated by means of the drawings, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a piste grooming vehicle according to the invention, wherein individual components of the piste grooming vehicle are illustrated in the manner of a highly simplified block diagram,

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the piste grooming vehicle according to FIG. 1 in an operating state during the grooming of a schematically illustrated ski piste or snowboard piste which is covered with snow,

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a method according to the invention, and

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of further details of the method according to FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] According to FIG. 1, a piste grooming vehicle 1 is provided in the form of a piste groomer for grooming a ski piste or snowboard piste. The piste grooming vehicle 1 has a structural design which is basically known per se with an elongate vehicle supporting frame 2, a caterpillar track 3 which is arranged on the bottom on the vehicle supporting frame 2, a driver's cab 4 which is arranged in a front region on the vehicle supporting frame 2, and two piste grooming devices 5 and 6 which are arranged on the front and rear on the vehicle supporting frame 2. The caterpillar track 3 and the two piste grooming devices 5 and 6 are driven hydraulically in a basically known fashion, wherein the operational energy which is necessary for this is made available by a central diesel assembly which is not shown in more detail.

[0031] The piste grooming device 6 which is arranged on the rear is detachably arranged on a rear-mounted device carrier (not designated in more detail) which can be varied in respect of height and inclination relative to the vehicle supporting frame 2 by means of hydraulic actuating elements. The piste grooming device 6 here has a snow blower 7 and a smoothing device 8 which is positioned after it and is also referred to as a finisher. In this respect, the design of the piste grooming device 6 is basically known.

[0032] The piste grooming device arranged at the front is embodied here in the form of a snow plow 5 which is supported by means of hydraulic actuating cylinders 9, 10 on the vehicle supporting frame 2 and is movable in a lifting and pivoting fashion relative thereto. In the same way as the piste grooming device 6, the piste grooming device 5 is basically known per se, so that there is no need to go into more detail on the further method of functioning and structural configuration.

[0033] In addition, the piste grooming vehicle 1 has a control device 11 which is illustrated in FIG. 1 in a schematically simplified fashion in the manner of a block diagram. The control device 11 serves for actuating the hydraulic actuating cylinders 9, 10 for changing the location and position of the snow plow 5, which is to be clarified with reference to a signal line, which is not denoted in more detail and is indicated by dashed lines. In an embodiment which is not illustrated in more detail in the drawings, the control device can alternatively or additionally be configured to actuate the piste grooming device 6 which is arranged on the rear. Furthermore, the piste grooming vehicle 1 has a detection device 12 and a determining device 13. In this context, the detection device 12 is connected to the determining device 13 via a signal line (not denoted in more detail), and said determining device 13 is connected to the control device 11 by means of a signal line (not denoted in more detail). The signal lines can be embodied in a wireless or wire-bound fashion. The rest of the design and the method of functioning of, in particular; the detection device 12, determining device 13 and control device 11 are described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows the piste grooming vehicle 1 in a schematic operational state during preparation of a piste 15 which is covered with snow 14. During the operation illustrated there, the piste grooming vehicle 1 moves over the piste 15 along a forward travel direction V, wherein the piste 15 is prepared with the piste grooming device 5 and/or the piste grooming device 6.

[0035] It is also clear from FIG. 2 that the piste 15 has an actual topography TI. The actual topography TI has hills, depressions, transitions between gradients and the like. This actual topography TI is to be differentiated from a virtual reference topography TR of the piste 15. The reference topography TR relates here to a state of the piste 15 which is not covered with snow 14. In an exemplary embodiment which is not illustrated in more detail in the drawing, the reference topography TR can alternatively relate to a state of the piste 15 which is covered more or less with snow 14 at a previous point in time. As a further alternative, the reference topography TR can describe a setpoint state, to be established by means of the piste grooming vehicle 1, of the piste 15, and therefore a type of setpoint surface or setpoint configuration.

[0036] The detection device 12 is configured to detect the actual topography TI of a piste section 16 which is positioned in front of the piste grooming vehicle 1 with respect to the forward travel direction V. For this purpose, the detection device 12 has here a lidar system 17. The lidar system 17 serves for performing laser-assisted scanning, in terms of measuring technology, of the piste 15, wherein the basic method of functioning of lidar systems is known per se so that there is no need here to give more details thereon. The lidar system 17 is arranged oriented in the forward travel direction V, so that the piste section 16 which is positioned in front of the piste grooming vehicle 1 can be detected in terms of measuring technology by means of the lidar system 17. In this context, the piste 15 is, expressed in simplified terms, scanned optically row by row, wherein the travel movement of the piste grooming vehicle 1 along the forward travel direction V causes this row-by-row scanning to move forward along the piste 15.

[0037] The determining device 13 (FIG. 1) which is connected to the detection device 12 is configured to determine a geometric deviation between the actual topography TI and the reference topography TR. For this purpose, the determining device 13 has here a processor unit 18 (FIG. 1) which is configured to perform data-based evaluation of the actual topography TI detected by means of the detection device 12 and the reference topography TR. The reference topography TR is stored here in the form of a data-based surface model in a memory unit 19 (FIG. 1) which is assigned to the determining device 13. The determining device 13 determines, for the comparison between the actual topography TI and the reference topography TR described above, at least one differential value D between coordinates X2, Y2, Z2 of the actual topography TI and coordinates X1, Y1, Z1 of the reference topography TR. In this context, the differential value D can represent, for example, a scalar or a vectorial deviation between the actual topography TI and the reference topography TR. The control device 11 (FIG. 1) which is connected to the determining device 13 is configured to actuate the hydraulic actuating cylinders 9, 10 of the snow plow 5 in accordance with the differential value D. That is to say the snow plow 5 is actuated by means of the control device 11 in accordance with the previously determined deviation between actual topography TI and reference topography TR of the piste 15. In the present case, the reference topography TR describes the piste 15 which is not covered with snow 14, so that the differential value D describes a current snow depth, as a function of which the snow plow 5 can be actuated.

[0038] Since the detection device 12 and, in particular, the lidar system 17 are arranged on the piste grooming vehicle 1, the detection, described above, of the actual topography TI takes place with respect to a movable local vehicle coordinate system K which is assigned to the piste grooming vehicle 1. That is to say, to put it simply, the travel movements of the piste grooming vehicle 1 superimpose the detection of the piste 15 in terms of measuring technology. On the basis of this superimposition it is not readily possible to establish a relationship between coordinates X2, Y2, Z2 of the piste 15, which are detected by means of the detection device 12 and which are related to the vehicle coordinate system K, and the coordinates X1, Y1, Z1 of the reference topography TR. This is because the latter are related here to a global reference coordinate system K. The global reference coordinate system K can also be referred to as a GPS coordinate system. In order to be able to establish a relationship between the coordinates X2, Y2, Z2, which relate to the local vehicle coordinate system K, and the coordinates X1, Y1, Z1, which relate to the global reference coordinate system K, it is necessary to determine the location and position of the piste grooming vehicle 1 and therefore of the vehicle coordinate system K in relation to the global reference coordinate system K. The detection device 12 is, for this purpose, configured to detect a location S and a position L of the piste grooming vehicle 1and therefore of the vehicle coordinate system Kwith respect to the reference coordinate system K. The detection device 12 for this has a GPS unit 20 and a position-measuring unit 21. For this purpose, the GPS unit 20 interacts in a basically known fashion with a basically known differential GPS location system 22, 23, which has a plurality of locating satellites 22 and a reference unit 23. The reference unit 23 is arranged in a positionally fixed fashion at a location in the vicinity of the piste 15 which is known with respect to the reference coordinate system K, and said reference unit 23 serves to determine correction data which permit detection of the location S improved with respect to its accuracy. Since the basic design and the method of functioning of differential GPS locating systems is known, there is no need to give more details here. The position-measuring unit 21 is configured to detect the position L of the piste grooming vehicle 1 and/or of the vehicle coordinate system K. For this purpose, the position-measuring unit 21 can have, for example, at least one inertial sensor (not denoted in more detail) for detecting a longitudinal inclination and/or transverse inclination of the piste grooming vehicle 1. Such inertial sensors for measuring the inclination are basically known per se.

[0039] The location S and position L which are determined in this way can be used as the basis for a coordinate transformation of the coordinates X2, Y2, Z2, determined by means of the lidar system 17, of the actual topography TI into the reference coordinate system K. The processor unit 18 is configured here to perform such a transformation of the coordinates of the actual topography TI into the reference coordinate system K. That is to say the coordinates X2, Y2, Z2 which are detected by means of the lidar system 17 are converted by means of the processor unit 18 in a data-based fashion, with recourse to basically known geometric transformation relationships, into the data X2, Y2, Z2 which are referred to the reference coordinate system K. The differential value D is calculated by means of the processor unit 18 by means of the transformation which is described above. The differential value D is here a difference between the vertical coordinate Z2 and the vertical coordinate Z1 of the actual topography TI or the reference topography TR. In this respect, the differential value D describes an absolute depth of the snow 14 above the snow-free base of the piste 15. In this context, the control unit 11 actuates the snow plow 5 with respect to a change in a location SR and/or a position LR of the snow plow 5 relative to the determined actual topography TI. The position SR is here a lifting position, and the position LR is here a longitudinal inclination and/or transverse inclination of the snow plow 5 relative to the surface of the piste 15.

[0040] The piste grooming vehicle 1 additionally has a display device 24 which is configured to display the determined actual topography TI in the form of a virtual terrain model G. The display device 24 is connected to the determining device 13 by means of a signal line which is indicated by dashed lines. In the present case, the determining device 13 is configured to determine the virtual terrain model G on the basis of the actual topography TI, determined by means of the lidar system 17, with respect to the global reference coordinate system K. The virtual terrain model G can be displayed in the form of a two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional surface model of the piste section 16 positioned in front, by means of the display device 24. For example, the virtual terrain model G can permit obstacles located on the piste section 16 to be detected. In this respect, the display device 24 serves, in particular, as a type of visual aid of a vehicle driver of the piste grooming vehicle 1 in the case of visibility conditions being restricted owing to the weather and/or time of day.

[0041] In the embodiment shown, the display device 24 has a headup display 25 which, in order to display the virtual terrain model G, is arranged in the region of a front windshield (not denoted in more detail) of the piste grooming vehicle 1. In an embodiment which is not illustrated in more detail in the drawing, the display device 24 can have a screen and/or data glasses as an alternative or in addition to the headup display 25.

[0042] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate once more the method which has already been described with respect to FIG. 2, for operating the piste grooming vehicle 1. In a first step a), the actual topography TI of the piste section 16, positioned in front of the piste grooming vehicle 1 in the forward travel direction V thereof, of the piste 15 is detected. This is done here by means of the lidar system 17 of the detection device 12. In a further step b), the at least one differential value D between the coordinates X2, Y2, Z2 of the actual topography TI and the coordinates X1, Y1, Z1 of the reference topography TR of the piste 15 is determined. This is done here by means of the processor unit 18. In a further step c), at least one of the piste grooming devices 5, 6 is actuated in accordance with the differential value D. This is done here by means of the control device 11, wherein the front-side piste grooming device 5 is actuated.

[0043] Further partial aspects of the detection of the actual topography TI according to step a) are clarified by means of FIG. 4. Here, in a step a1), the coordinates X2, Y2, Z2 of the actual topography TI are initially detected with respect to the local vehicle coordinate system K. This is because the detection device 12 and the lidar system 17 are mounted together on the piste grooming vehicle 1 so as to be capable of moving therewith. In a further step a2), the location S and the position L of the piste grooming vehicle 1and therefore of the local vehicle coordinate system Kare detected with respect to the reference coordinate system K on which the coordinates X1, Y1, Z1 of the reference topography TR are based. The detection of the location and position is carried out here by means of the GPS unit 20 and the position-measuring unit 21 of the detection device 12. In a further step, the coordinates X2, Y2, Z2 of the actual topography TI are transformed into the reference coordinate system K in accordance with the determined location S and the position L. This coordinate transformation is carried out here by means of the processor unit 18 of the determining device 13, wherein transformation relationships which are basically known per se are used as the basis.

[0044] In a further step d) of the method clarified by means of FIG. 3, the actual topography which was determined previously is displayed in the form of the virtual terrain model G. In the embodiment shown, this is done by means of the headup display 25.