1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to articulated equipment position control, and particularly to a system and method for DGPS-based positioning of an operative piece of equipment, such as a farm implement, which is pulled, pushed or carried by a motive piece of equipment, such as a tractor, by manipulation of a power-articulated connection therebetween.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various equipment systems include articulated components. For example, a common configuration involves a “motive” component, which supplies the motive force for pulling, pushing or carrying a “working” component through an articulated connection located therebetween. For example, tractors serve as motive components in agricultural and other operations. The working components can comprise various implements, which perform specific “working” functions.
Articulated connections can be provided between such components to accommodate relative movement therebetween. For example, detachable hitches allow the equipment systems to be reconfigured in various combinations, depending on the task at hand. Moreover, such articulated interconnections commonly accommodate relative movement between the components. Common examples in agricultural equipment systems include three-point hitches, clevis-type hitches, drawbars, etc. “Free” movement articulated connections include pivotal hitches. “Fixed” articulated connections include two-point and three-point hitches. Both types of articulated connections allow relative movement between the motive and working components. Such relative movement may be necessary to accommodate turning, as in the case of tractors pulling wheeled ground-working implements along curved travel paths, which are accommodated by pivotal hitches. Relative movement in the case of two-point and three-point hitches can involve adjusting implement height, pitch and other attitudes with respect to a tractor.
An example of articulated equipment with GPS-based guidance capabilities is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,303 for GPS Derived Swathing Guidance System, which is incorporated herein by reference. GPS guidance can utilize absolute positioning techniques based on GPS coordinates, or relative positioning based on previous travel paths and previously identified locations. Various error correction techniques are employed to improve the accuracy of GPS positioning. For example, Whitehead U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,147 for Relative GPS Positioning Using a Single GPS Receiver with Internally Generated Differential Correction Terms and U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,663 for Method and System for GPS and WAAS Carrier Phase Measurements for Relative Positioning are assigned to CSI Wireless Inc. and are incorporated herein by reference. This technology is available from CSI Wireless Inc. under its trademark “e-Dif™” . The Global Navigation Satellite System (“GNSS”) currently includes GPS, the GLONASS (“GLObal NAvigation Satellite System”) satellites of the former USSR and other satellite ranging technologies. Current GNSS augmentation systems include WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) in the United States, EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System) in Europe and MSAS (Multifunctional Transport Satellite Space-based Augmentation System) in Japan. Each of these augmentation systems, which are all compatible, includes a ground network for observing the GPS constellation, and one or more geostationary satellites.
Relatively precise GPS positioning can be achieved with real time kinetic (“RTK”) technology. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,663 for Method and System for GPS and WAAS Carrier Phase Measurements for Relative Positioning discloses a single frequency RTK solution, and is incorporated herein by reference. Such greater precision can significantly expand the commercial applications for DGPS-based positioning and navigation. For example, in row crop agriculture, sub-meter tolerances are necessary to avoid equipment damage to crops. The application of DGPS-based automatic guidance offers the potential for reducing steering deviation associated with manual steering and guidance based on disk markers, foam markers and other prior art, non-automated techniques. However, guiding articulated agricultural equipment is particularly challenging because crop damage can be caused by either the motive or the working component, or both.
The present invention addresses this problem by providing a system and method for positioning a working component relative to a motive component by a power-articulation of the hitch or other connection therebetween. Heretofore there has not been available an articulated equipment position control system and method with the advantages and features of the present invention.
Other related art patents include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,462 for GPS Control of a Tractor-Towed Implement; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,511,623 and 5,664,632 for Quick Hitch Guidance Device; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,230 for Self Steering Tandem Hitch.
In the practice of the present invention, a system and method are provided for controlling the position of an articulated connection between motive and working components in an equipment system. The motive component can comprise a tractor or other piece of equipment, which is designed to pull, push or otherwise transport a working component, such as a ground-working implement, in an articulated equipment system. Control can be based on GPS positional data, and various types of DGPS (Differential GPS) controls can be used, including WAAS and other suitable error-correction functionalities. A relatively simple configuration with a single DGPS antenna solution can be used. This gives the operator guidance as well as providing a correction reference for the implement position. The system includes a DGPS receiver, which is preferably mounted on the motive vehicle. A control subsystem includes an on-board computer, which receives positional data from the DGPS receiver, processes same along with various other input data, and outputs signals that control the working component position through the articulated interconnection. The system and method have several operating modes, including “Follow GPS/Guidance” whereby the connection maintains the position of the implement on a predetermined travel path. In a “Follow/Match Tracks” mode the articulated connection conforms the travel path of the implement to that of the motive component. A “Manual” operating mode is provided for direct operator control. Both straight-line and contour travel paths can be accommodated.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as oriented in the view being referred to. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning.
Referring to the drawings in more detail, the reference numeral 2 generally designates an articulated equipment position control system embodying the present invention. Without limitation on the generality of useful applications of the control system 2, equipment 4 comprising a motive component 6 connected to a working component 8 through an articulated connection or hitch 10 is shown. Without limitation on the generality of articulated connections that can be utilized with the present invention, the hitch 10 can comprise, for example, an Adjustable Draw Bar Offset as shown and described in the Miller U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,916, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such a hitch is available as an Outback Hitch product of RHS, Inc. of Hiawatha, Kans. Also by way of example, the motive component 6 can comprise a tractor and the working component 8 can comprise a ground-working implement. However, the position control system 2 can be applied to other equipment configurations for a wide range of other applications. Such applications include equipment and components used in road construction, road maintenance, earthworking, mining, transportation, industry, manufacturing, etc.
The power-articulated connection 10 enables positioning the working component 8 from the motive component 6 by means of a control subsystem 12. The control subsystem 12 is associated with and mounted in the motive component 6, for example, inside the tractor cab thereof. The control subsystem I2 includes a microprocessor 14 which receives input signals from a DGPS receiver 16 connected to an antenna 18, which can be mounted on the roof of the tractor cab. The microprocessor 14 processes and stores the differentially corrected positional data received through the DGPS receiver 16.
A hitch position control input/output (“I/O”) user interface 26 includes a hitch guidance control panel 28 (
A downwardly-concave, arcuate hitch position indicator light array 42 comprises multiple left side (port) indicator lights 43, a center indicator light 44 and multiple right side (starboard) indicator lights 45. The lights 43, 45 can be color-coded (e.g., left red and right=green). The amount of lateral hitch swing or deflection is proportionally indicated by the number of lights 43, 45 illuminated on either side of the center light 44. The control panel 28 includes left and right switches 46a, b respectively, which are used for swinging the implement 8 left and right respectively. A “RUN” switch 48 is provided for initiating operation of the control subsystem 12. A “HOLD” switch 50 effectively pauses the control software. A “CENTER” switch 52 centers the hitch 10. The “S Present” indicator light 54 indicates the operation of the steering guide 20, e.g. an “Outback S™” system.
Additional input to the control subsystem 12 is provided by a potentiometer 56 associated with a respective piston-and-cylinder unit 24 for indicating the extended/retracted condition thereof. The cross-track, curvature and lilt inputs are calibrated relative to the valve potentiometer 56 position. A tilt sensor 58 is mounted on the hitch 10 for indicating a tilt angle of the equipment 4, which input data are utilized in correcting for sloping field conditions.
In one exemplary application of the system 2, a clevis-type, pivotal hitch 10 is power-articulated to adjust the position of a working implement 8 with respect to a tractor 6. A “Towed Point” at the hitch pin 30 is adjusted mechanically based on and in response to inputs, which can include: GPS-derived signals indicating cross-track error (i.e., steering error representing displacement from the desired track 32 (FIG. 7A)); GPS-derived speed; GPS-derived heading; and tilt as detected by the tilt sensor 58.
The system 2 has three modes of operation: Follow GPS/Guidance, Follow/Match Tracks and Manual.
1. Follow GPS/Guidance Mode (
In Follow GPS/Guidance mode, the cross-track error of the GPS steering guide 20, which is typically mounted on the tractor 6, from the present position to the desired track is used as the feedback element for the system. The guidance mode can be either straight (
2. Follow/Match Tracks Mode (
With “Follow Tracks” mode selected on the control panel (
At least five conditions are possible: a) straight/level, therefore no correction; b) straight/side slope, therefore correction for one variable; c) turn/level, therefore correction for one variable; d) turn/downhill, therefore correction for two variables; and e) turn/uphill (
3. Manual Mode. In this mode the operator can manually control articulation of the hitch 10 through the left/right switches 46a/46b. The hitch 10 can be centered with the center switch 52 (
A technique to generate an accurate radius of curvature has been developed from the DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) heading information. This value has been found to be proportional to the amount of hitch position movement required to make the implement 8 wheels follow those of the tractor 6. Similarly, a tilt sensor input is measured and calibrated to maintain the implement wheels in the tracks of the tractor wheels. The microprocessor 14 generates the required signals to activate the piston-and-cylinder unit hydraulic valves 22 whereby the hitch 10 accomplishes the required corrections.
Curvature correction is calculated from the GPS information. Heading and speed are input whereby the system automatically generates the required radius of curvature. Using the heading information, typically generated at a rate of 5 Hz, the rate of heading change can be calculated in degrees per second. A best fit algorithm of heading and time is used to reduce noise and generate a more stable rate of turn. By knowing the ground speed of the vehicle, the radius of curvature of any turn is calculable with the GPS positioning data inputs. With rate of turn ROT in degrees per second and speed S in meters per second, the radius of curvature R in meters can he generated from the formula:
R=S*1801(pi*ROT)
The line of travel that the hitch 10 has to travel in order to allow the trailer tires to follow in line with those of the tractor is inversely proportional to this radius of curvature value. The tighter the turn the more compensation is required up to the limit of the hitch movement. This proportional relationship is generally consistent for similar tractor/trailer configurations.
(D)GPS errors can be: a) corrected as necessary using existing error-correction techniques, such as government-sponsored WAAS and EGNOS, commercially available differential services such as those supplied by OmniStar and RACAL, e-Dif differential techniques, and both focal and wide area RTK methods.
Improved positioning can be achieved by using two DGPS receivers, with antennas mounted on the tractor for operator guidance and on the implement for implement control, as discussed below.
It is to be understood that the invention can be embodied in various forms, and is not to be limited to the examples discussed above. Other components can be utilized. For example, the working component can comprise a sprayer with spray booms connected to a vehicle and adapted to be raised and lowered in response to GPS position data.
This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/733,960, filed Dec. 11, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,162,348, issued Jan. 9, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/432,719, filed Dec. 11, 2002, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3727710 | Sanders et al. | Apr 1973 | A |
3737710 | Waymouth et al. | Jun 1973 | A |
3899028 | Morris et al. | Aug 1975 | A |
4132272 | Holloway et al. | Jan 1979 | A |
4180133 | Collogan et al. | Dec 1979 | A |
4453614 | Allen et al. | Jun 1984 | A |
4637474 | Leonard | Jan 1987 | A |
4751512 | Longaker | Jun 1988 | A |
4802545 | Nystuen et al. | Feb 1989 | A |
4812991 | Hatch | Mar 1989 | A |
4858132 | Holmquist | Aug 1989 | A |
4918607 | Wible | Apr 1990 | A |
5031704 | Fleischer et al. | Jul 1991 | A |
5148179 | Allison | Sep 1992 | A |
5152347 | Miller | Oct 1992 | A |
5155490 | Spradley, Jr. et al. | Oct 1992 | A |
5156219 | Schmidt et al. | Oct 1992 | A |
5202829 | Geier | Apr 1993 | A |
5207239 | Schwitalla | May 1993 | A |
5255756 | Follmer et al. | Oct 1993 | A |
5296861 | Knight | Mar 1994 | A |
5323322 | Mueller et al. | Jun 1994 | A |
5365447 | Dennis | Nov 1994 | A |
5369589 | Steiner | Nov 1994 | A |
5375059 | Kyrtsos et al. | Dec 1994 | A |
5389934 | Kass | Feb 1995 | A |
5390125 | Sennott et al. | Feb 1995 | A |
5467282 | Dennis | Nov 1995 | A |
5471217 | Hatch et al. | Nov 1995 | A |
5476147 | Fixemer | Dec 1995 | A |
5477228 | Tiwari et al. | Dec 1995 | A |
5477458 | Loomis | Dec 1995 | A |
5490073 | Kyrtsos | Feb 1996 | A |
5491636 | Robertson et al. | Feb 1996 | A |
5511623 | Frasier | Apr 1996 | A |
5523761 | Gildea | Jun 1996 | A |
5534875 | Diefes et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
5543804 | Buchler et al. | Aug 1996 | A |
5546093 | Gudat et al. | Aug 1996 | A |
5548293 | Cohen et al. | Aug 1996 | A |
5561432 | Knight | Oct 1996 | A |
5564632 | Prohazka | Oct 1996 | A |
5583513 | Cohen | Dec 1996 | A |
5592382 | Colley | Jan 1997 | A |
5608393 | Hartman | Mar 1997 | A |
5610616 | Vallot et al. | Mar 1997 | A |
5610845 | Slabinski et al. | Mar 1997 | A |
5612883 | Shaffer et al. | Mar 1997 | A |
5615116 | Gudat et al. | Mar 1997 | A |
5617100 | Akiyoshi et al. | Apr 1997 | A |
5617317 | Ignagni | Apr 1997 | A |
5644139 | Allen et al. | Jul 1997 | A |
5664632 | Frasier | Sep 1997 | A |
5684696 | Rao et al. | Nov 1997 | A |
5702070 | Waid | Dec 1997 | A |
5717593 | Gvili | Feb 1998 | A |
5725230 | Walkup | Mar 1998 | A |
5739785 | Allison | Apr 1998 | A |
5757316 | Buchler | May 1998 | A |
5765123 | Nimura et al. | Jun 1998 | A |
5777578 | Chang et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
5810095 | Orbach et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5821900 | Kishimoto | Oct 1998 | A |
5828336 | Yunck et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
5838562 | Gudat et al. | Nov 1998 | A |
5862501 | Talbot et al. | Jan 1999 | A |
5875408 | Bendett et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
5899957 | Loomis | May 1999 | A |
5903235 | Nichols | May 1999 | A |
5917448 | Mickelson | Jun 1999 | A |
5918558 | Susag | Jul 1999 | A |
5923270 | Sampo et al. | Jul 1999 | A |
5928309 | Korver et al. | Jul 1999 | A |
5933110 | Tang et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
5935183 | Sahm et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
5936573 | Smith | Aug 1999 | A |
5940026 | Popeck | Aug 1999 | A |
5941317 | Mansur | Aug 1999 | A |
5943008 | Dusseldorp | Aug 1999 | A |
5945917 | Harry | Aug 1999 | A |
5956250 | Gudat et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
5969670 | Kalafus et al. | Oct 1999 | A |
5987383 | Keller et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
6014608 | Seo | Jan 2000 | A |
6018313 | Engelmayer et al. | Jan 2000 | A |
6023239 | Kovach | Feb 2000 | A |
6049304 | Rudel et al. | Apr 2000 | A |
6052647 | Parkinson et al. | Apr 2000 | A |
6057800 | Yang et al. | May 2000 | A |
6061632 | Dreier | May 2000 | A |
6062317 | Gharsalli | May 2000 | A |
6076612 | Carr et al. | Jun 2000 | A |
6100842 | Dreier et al. | Aug 2000 | A |
6122595 | Varley et al. | Sep 2000 | A |
6144335 | Rogers et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6191733 | Dizchavez | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6198430 | Hwang et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6198992 | Winslow | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6199000 | Keller et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6205401 | Pickhard et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6229479 | Kozlov et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
6230097 | Dance et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
6233511 | Berger et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
6236916 | Staub et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
6236924 | Motz et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
6253160 | Hanseder | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6256583 | Sutton | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6259398 | Riley | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6285320 | Olster et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
6292132 | Wilson | Sep 2001 | B1 |
6304210 | Allison et al. | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6313788 | Wilson | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6314348 | Winslow | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6324473 | Eschenbach | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6325684 | Knight | Dec 2001 | B1 |
6336066 | Pellenc et al. | Jan 2002 | B1 |
6345231 | Quincke | Feb 2002 | B2 |
6371416 | Hawthorne | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6377889 | Soest | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6389345 | Phelps | May 2002 | B2 |
6392589 | Rogers et al. | May 2002 | B1 |
6397147 | Whitehead | May 2002 | B1 |
6411254 | Moeglein et al. | Jun 2002 | B1 |
6415229 | Diekhans | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6421003 | Riley et al. | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6425186 | Oliver | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6431576 | Viaud et al. | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6434462 | Bevly et al. | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6445983 | Dickson et al. | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6445990 | Manring | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6449558 | Small | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6463374 | Keller et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6466871 | Reisman et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6469663 | Whitehead et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6484097 | Fuchs et al. | Nov 2002 | B2 |
6501422 | Nichols | Dec 2002 | B1 |
6515619 | McKay, Jr. | Feb 2003 | B1 |
6539303 | McClure et al. | Mar 2003 | B2 |
6542077 | Joao | Apr 2003 | B2 |
6553299 | Keller et al. | Apr 2003 | B1 |
6553311 | Lange et al. | Apr 2003 | B2 |
6567041 | O'Dell | May 2003 | B1 |
6587761 | Kumar et al. | Jul 2003 | B2 |
6611228 | Toda et al. | Aug 2003 | B2 |
6618671 | Dooley et al. | Sep 2003 | B2 |
6631916 | Miller | Oct 2003 | B1 |
6643576 | O'Connor et al. | Nov 2003 | B1 |
6646603 | Dooley et al. | Nov 2003 | B2 |
6657585 | Kucik | Dec 2003 | B1 |
6671587 | Hrovat et al. | Dec 2003 | B2 |
6688403 | Bernhardt et al. | Feb 2004 | B2 |
6703973 | Nichols | Mar 2004 | B1 |
6711501 | McClure et al. | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6756938 | Zhao et al. | Jun 2004 | B2 |
6788951 | Aoki et al. | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6792380 | Toda | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6819269 | Flick | Nov 2004 | B2 |
6822314 | Beasom | Nov 2004 | B2 |
6865465 | McClure | Mar 2005 | B2 |
6865484 | Miyasaka | Mar 2005 | B2 |
6922635 | Rorabaugh | Jul 2005 | B2 |
7026982 | Toda et al. | Apr 2006 | B2 |
7027918 | Zimmerman et al. | Apr 2006 | B2 |
7031725 | Rorabaugh | Apr 2006 | B2 |
7162348 | McClure et al. | Jan 2007 | B2 |
7162384 | Browning et al. | Jan 2007 | B1 |
20020029110 | Fukuda et al. | Mar 2002 | A1 |
20020038171 | Deguchi et al. | Mar 2002 | A1 |
20020072850 | McClure et al. | Jun 2002 | A1 |
20020165648 | Zeitler | Nov 2002 | A1 |
20020165669 | Pinto et al. | Nov 2002 | A1 |
20020175858 | Takahashi | Nov 2002 | A1 |
20030009282 | Upadhyaya et al. | Jan 2003 | A1 |
20030187560 | Keller et al. | Oct 2003 | A1 |
20040186644 | McClure et al. | Sep 2004 | A1 |
20040210357 | McKay et al. | Oct 2004 | A1 |
20040212533 | Whitehead | Oct 2004 | A1 |
20050116859 | Miller | Jun 2005 | A1 |
20060017611 | Hatch et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
07244150 | Sep 1995 | JP |
WO9836288 | Aug 1998 | WO |
WO0024239 | May 2000 | WO |
WO03019430 | Mar 2003 | WO |
WO2005119386 | Dec 2005 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20070112493 A1 | May 2007 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60432719 | Dec 2002 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 10733960 | Dec 2003 | US |
Child | 11650784 | US |