Patent Application
20110160968
Work implement control is a process for engaging and/or disengaging a work implement based on knowledge of a previously worked area. In some situations, multiple machines may be in use in a single working area. For example, multiple combine harvesters may be collecting crop material in the same field. The conventional strategy would be for a human operator to manually engage a header as the harvester enters an unworked area. This often causes problems because the conventional strategy does not always result in complete coverage, particularly for dusk or nighttime operations. For example, an operator may engage the header too late, missing a portion of the worked area, or may leave the header engaged when unnecessary, resulting in additional wear on the components and a potential safety hazard.
Consistent with embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods are disclosed for controlling a work implement. A location and a trajectory associated with a machine may be received. According to the location and trajectory, it may be determined whether the machine is entering an unworked area. If the machine is entering the unworked area, a work implement of the machine may be engaged.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are examples and explanatory only, and should not be considered to restrict the invention's scope, as described and claimed. Further, features and/or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments of the invention may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the detailed description.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings:
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While embodiments of the invention may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the proper scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.
Work implement control based on worked area data may be provided. Consistent with embodiments of the present invention, an agricultural machine may be equipped with a navigation system and/or an automated control system, such as the Auto-Guide™ system produced and distributed by AGCO® of Duluth, Ga., to assist an operator in performing their work. As the machine works the field, a series of data points may be established that may indicate what portions of the field have already been worked. For example, as a combine harvester traverses a field row collecting crop material, a Global Positioning System (GPS) on the harvester may record the area worked along with additional data such as the harvester's speed, direction, amount of crop material collected, and fuel remaining. These data points may be shared with other machines working in the same field, may be stored to an on-board computer, and/or may be transmitted to a field management system, such as the GTA Software Suite produced and distributed by AGCO® of Duluth, Ga. These data points may be compared to known boundaries of a field to determine what area or areas within the field remain unworked. These unworked areas may then be provided to machines working the field, and the work implements may be engaged automatically as the machine enters an unworked area.
Method 300 may begin at starting block 305 and proceed to stage 310 where computing device 500 may identify a field boundary. For example, the boundary may comprise a series of geographical coordinates delineating a work area and/or make use of other features such as roads, rivers, fences, etc to surround the work area.
From stage 310, method 300 may advance to stage 315 where computing device 500 may designate the work area within the boundary as unworked. For example, a particular field to be harvested may be identified according to its boundary and the area within that boundary designated as unworked prior to commencement of the day's operations.
After designating the bounded field as unworked at stage 315, method 300 may advance to stage 320 where computing device 500 may receive a data point. For example, a machine such as apparatus 200 may approach the field boundary and enter the unworked area. As the machine traverses the field, it may periodically generate a data point associated with information about the machine such as location, trajectory, work state, and/or speed.
From stage 320, method 300 may advance to stage 325 where computing device 500 may determine whether a work implement is engaged. For example, on board computer 115 may query electronic control unit 120 to receive a report of a status of work implement 210 (e.g., engaged, disengaged, locked, cooldown, startup), including any configurable adjustments such as a height, RPM, or speed.
If, at stage 325, computing device 500 determines that the work implement is engaged, method 300 may advance to stage 330 where computing device 500 may update a work area. For example, field management system 160 may compute a harvested area based on a data point received from a combine harvester machine. This harvested area within the field boundary may then be designated as worked for future determinations.
From stage 330, method 300 may advance to stage 335 where computing device 500 may determine whether a machine associated with the data point is approaching and/or entering a worked area. If not, method 300 may return to stage 320 where computing device 500 may receive a next data point. Otherwise, method 300 may advance to stage 340 where computing device 500 may disengage the work implement. For example, field management system 160 and/or on-board computer 115 may determine that apparatus 200 comprises an engaged harvester approaching an edge of an unworked area and is about to enter a previously worked area. Electronic control unit 120 may be instructed to disengage work implement 210 as apparatus 200 enters and/or approaches the previously worked area. Method 300 may then return to stage 320.
If, at stage 325, computing device 500 determines that the work implement is not engaged, method 300 may advance to stage 345 where computing device 500 may determine whether the machine is entering an unworked area. For example, on-board computer 115 may receive periodic updates of areas within the field boundary that have been worked, while other areas within the field boundary may be designated as unworked. Positioning system 110 may be operative to provide a location, speed, and/or trajectory of apparatus 200 that on-board computer 115 may compare to the updated worked/unworked areas that may be received, for example, from field management system 160. Consistent with embodiments of the invention, field management system 160 may receive location data points generated by implement controller 100 and respond with evaluations as to whether apparatus 200 is entering or leaving a worked or unworked area.
If computing device 500 determines that the machine is not entering an unworked area at stage 345, method 300 may return to stage 320. Otherwise, method 300 may proceed to stage 350 where computing device 500 may engage the work implement. For example, on-board computer 115 may instruct electronic control unit to activate work implement 210. Consistent with embodiments of the invention, computing device 500 may take a current speed of apparatus 200 and a start-up time for work implement 210 into account when engaging work implement 210. That is, is work implement 210 requires ten seconds to fully engage, such as bringing a cutterbar up to speed and/or adjusting a height of a header mounting, computing device 500 may begin engaging work implement 210 at a point ten seconds' travel from the unworked area at a current speed of apparatus 200. Computing device 500 may also and/or alternatively be operative to reduce a speed of apparatus 200 to allow work implement 210 time to fully engage before apparatus 200 enters the unworked area. Method 300 may then return to stage 330 where computing device 500 may update the area known to have been worked.
An embodiment consistent with the invention may comprise a system for controlling a work implement. The system may comprise a memory storage and a processing unit coupled to the memory storage. The processing unit may be operative to receive a location associated with a machine, receive a trajectory of the machine, and determine whether the machine is entering an unworked or a worked area. The processing unit may be operative to engage the machine's work implement if the machine is entering an unworked area or disengage the work implement if the machine is entering a worked area. The processing unit may be further operative to adjust operations of the work implement based on identification of the work to be undertaken, such as by adjusting a cutterbar height according to a type of crop to be harvested. The processing unit may also be operative to analyze data points collected by the machine to identify areas within a field boundary worked by the machine and update a status for a subset of the field to indicate that subset has been worked. The processing unit may be further operative to measure a speed of the machine and initiate engagement of the work implement to take account of the time needed to fully engage the implement and the time before the machine enters the unworked area. The processing unit may be further operative to identify an amount of time, based on a speed and/or trajectory of the apparatus, before the apparatus reaches an unworked area, determine whether a start-up time for the work implement to become engaged is less than the amount of time before the apparatus reaches the second portion of the work area, and if the start-up time for the work implement to become engaged is less than the amount of time before the apparatus reaches the second portion of the work area, reduce the speed of the apparatus.
Another embodiment consistent with the invention may comprise a system for controlling a work implement, the system comprising a memory storage coupled to a processing unit. The processing unit may be operative to identify an initial field boundary, receive a plurality of data points comprising a worked location within the initial field boundary, designate a subset of the unworked area within the initial field boundary as worked according to the plurality of data points, determine whether a work implement is approaching a remaining unworked area within the initial field boundary, and, if so, engage the work implement. The processing unit may be further operative to receive a work area size associated with each of the plurality of data points, sort the plurality of data points in an order of recording, and identify a work path and work area width associated with the plurality of data points.
Computing device 500 and/or field management system 160 may be implemented using a personal computer, network computer, mainframe, or other similar microcomputer-based workstation. The processors may comprise any type of computer operating environment, such as hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable sender electronic devices, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The processors may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices. Furthermore, the processors may comprise a mobile terminal, such as a smart phone, a cellular telephone, a cellular telephone utilizing wireless application protocol (WAP), personal digital assistant (PDA), intelligent pager, portable computer, a hand held computer, a conventional telephone, or a facsimile machine. The aforementioned systems and devices are exemplary and the processors may comprise other systems or devices.
Network 180 may comprise, for example, a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). Such networking environments are commonplace in work sites, offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the Internet. When a LAN is used as network 180, a network interface located at any of the processors may be used to interconnect any of the processors. The processors may typically include an internal or external modem (not shown) or other means for establishing communications. Further, in utilizing network 180, data sent over network 180 may be encrypted to insure data security by using known encryption/decryption techniques.
A wireless communications system, or a combination of wire line and wireless may be utilized as network 180 in order to, for example, send and receive data points, way points, and/or waylines, exchange web pages via the Internet, exchange e-mails via the Internet, or for utilizing other communications channels. Wireless can be defined as radio transmission via the airwaves. However, it may be appreciated that various other communication techniques can be used to provide wireless transmission, including infrared line of sight, cellular, microwave, satellite, packet radio, and spread spectrum radio. The processors in the wireless environment can be any mobile terminal, such as the mobile terminals described above. Wireless data may include, but is not limited to, paging, text messaging, e-mail, Internet access and other specialized data applications specifically excluding or including voice transmission. For example, the processors may communicate across a wireless interface such as, for example, a cellular interface (e.g., general packet radio system (GPRS), enhanced data rates for global evolution (EDGE), global system for mobile communications (GSM)), a wireless local area network interface (e.g., WLAN, IEEE 802), a Bluetooth interface, another RF communication interface, and/or an optical interface.
Computing device 500 may also transmit data by methods and processes other than, or in combination with, network 180. These methods and processes may include, but are not limited to, transferring data via, diskette, flash memory sticks, CD ROM, facsimile, conventional mail, an interactive voice response system (IVR), or via voice over a publicly switched telephone network.
Embodiments of the present invention, for example, are described above with reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order as shown in any flowchart. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
While certain embodiments of the invention have been described, other embodiments may exist. Furthermore, although embodiments of the present invention have been described as being associated with data stored in memory and other storage mediums, data can also be stored on or read from other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like hard disks, floppy disks, or a CD-ROM, a carrier wave from the Internet, or other forms of RAM or ROM. Further, the disclosed methods' stages may be modified in any manner, including by reordering stages and/or inserting or deleting stages, without departing from the invention.
All rights including copyrights in the code included herein are vested in and the property of the Applicant. The Applicant retains and reserves all rights in the code included herein, and grants permission to reproduce the material only in connection with reproduction of the granted patent and for no other purpose.
While the specification includes examples, the invention's scope is indicated by the following claims. Furthermore, while the specification has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, the claims are not limited to the features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example for embodiments of the invention.
