METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AGRICULTURAL MACHINE SYSTEMS

Abstract

For controlling several agricultural machine systems during operation on a territory, based on a reference line, an optimized route for working the territory is determined for the particular machine system, and the particular machine system is driven along this route. The reference line is determined by recording a reference path that was driven along with a first machine system, and the first machine system is controlled based on this reference line with consideration for the working conditions of the first machine system. This reference line is also transmitted by the first machine system to at least one second machine system, which is controlled based on this reference line of the first machine system and with consideration for the working conditions of the second machine system. A corresponding control system for controlling several agricultural machine systems during operation of a territory is also described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of an inventive control system for controlling two machine systems,

FIG. 2 shows a territory to be worked according to a route plan by a team of machines composed of three machine systems, according to a first exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 3 shows the territory in FIG. 2, which is to be worked according to a route plan by a team of machines composed of three machine systems, according to a second exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 4 shows a depiction of possible reference lines in a territory with polygonal outer contours,

FIG. 5 shows a territory to be worked by two working machines, which is subdivided into driving paths.

Claims

1. A method for controlling several agricultural machine systems during operation on a territory, comprising the steps of determining, based on a reference line, an optimized route for working the territory for a first machine system; driving the first machine system along the optimized route; determining the reference line by recording a reference path that was driven along with the first machine system; transmitting this reference line by the first machine system to at least one second machine system; controlling the second machine system based on the reference line of the first machine system and with consideration for working conditions of the second machine system.

2. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising controlling the first machine system based on the reference line recorded by the first machine system, with consideration for working conditions of the first machine system.

3. A method as defined in claim 2; and further comprising using a same coordinate system to determine the reference line and to determine optimized routes for the first machine system and the second machine system.

4. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising working the territory with the first machine system and the second machine system in chronological succession.

5. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising working the territory with the first machine system and the second machine system in parallel, at least part of the time.

6. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising determining by the first machine system several reference lines and transmitting the determined several reference lines to the second machine system.

7. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising, based on the determined reference line, determining a further reference line that is transmitted to the second machine system instead of or together with the reference line that was determined initially.

8. A method as defined 1; and further comprising, in addition to the reference line, transmitting additional information by the first machine system to the second machine system.

9. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising, if a new reference line is determined using the first machine system, transmitting the new reference line immediately to the second machine system.

10. A control system for controlling several agricultural machine systems during operation on a territory, comprising a reference line determination device locatable on a first machine system for determining a reference line by recording a reference path that was driven along with the first machine system; a transmitter located on the first machine system for transmitting the reference line to at least one second machine system; a receiver located on the at least one second machine system for receiving the reference line of the first machine system; a route planning device for the second machine system, for determining-based on the reference line received with consideration for working conditions of the second machine system-an optimized route for working the territory for the second machine system.

11. A control system as defined in claim 10; and further comprising a reference line determination device locatable on the second machine system for determining a reference line by receiving a reference path driven along with the second machine system; a transmitter for transmitting the reference line to at least one further machine system; and a receiver provided in the first machine system for receiving a reference line from the further machine system.