Traction machine and equipment combination with driver assistance system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10085372-B2
Application number	US-201715590550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2017
Priority date	May 10, 2016
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

An agricultural machine arrangement includes at least one traction machine and at least one attachment device adapted to the traction machine with a driver assistance system optimizing the operation of the traction machine and/or of the respective attachment device. The drive assistance system includes a computing unit and at least one display unit, wherein the computing unit processes information generated by machine-internal sensor systems, external information and information storable in the computing unit. The driver assistance system is structured so that it forms an automatic traction machine adjusting unit and/or an automatic attachment device adjusting unit, wherein the respective automatic adjusting units independently of one another or as a function of one another bring about an “optimization” of the mode of operation of the traction machine and/or of the at least one attachment device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural machine system comprising:
at least one traction machine comprising a traction machine control unit comprising traction machine control unit regulations configured to control an aspect of the agricultural machine system;
at least one attachment device coupled to the traction machine and comprising an attachment device control unit comprising attachment device control unit regulations configured to control another aspect of the agricultural machine system; and
a driver assistance system operably coupled to the traction machine and the attachment device, the driver assistance system comprising a computing unit and at least one input unit, the computing unit configured to process information generated by machine-internal sensor systems, external information and information stored in the computing unit, the computing unit comprising an automatic traction machine adjusting unit and an automatic attachment device adjusting unit;
wherein the automatic traction machine adjusting unit comprises automatic traction machine adjusting unit regulations and is configured to generate, based on the automatic traction machine adjusting unit regulations, one or more control signals as input to the traction machine control unit for the traction machine in order to control at least one aspect of the traction machine;
wherein the automatic attachment device adjusting unit is configured to generate one or more control signals as input to the attachment device control unit for the attachment device in order to control at least one aspect of the attachment device; and
wherein the automatic traction machine adjusting unit and the automatic attachment device adjusting unit are configured to operate independently of one another in order to optimize a mode of operation of the traction machine and the attachment device.

2. The agricultural machine system of claim 1 ,
wherein the automatic traction machine adjusting unit regulations assigned to the automatic traction machine adjusting unit brings about an optimization of the mode of operation of the traction machine independently of the mode of operation of the attachment device.

3. The agricultural machine system of claim 2 , wherein the automatic traction machine adjusting unit regulations assigned to the automatic traction machine adjusting unit comprises a set of regulations for optimizing the mode of operation of the attachment device; and
wherein the driver assistance system is configured to optimize the mode of operation of both the traction machine and the attachment device.

4. The agricultural machine system of claim 3 , wherein the set of regulations for optimizing the mode of operation of the attachment device is based on a set of regulations provided by the attachment device.

5. The agricultural machine system of claim 4 , wherein the traction machine control unit regulations comprise the set regulations for optimizing the mode of operation of the attachment device.

6. The agricultural machine system of claim 1 , wherein the driver assistance system is configured to optimize the mode of operation of the traction machine and of the attachment device by implementing selectable optimization strategies;
wherein the selectable optimization strategies comprise at least one or both of traction machine-specific strategies and attachment device-specific strategies; and
wherein one or both of the automatic traction machine adjusting unit and the automatic attachment device adjusting unit are configured to use the selectable optimization strategies to optimize the mode of operation of the traction machine and the attachment device.

7. The agricultural machine system of claim 6 , wherein the selectable optimization strategies comprise at least one or a plurality of: efficiency; performance; working quality; balance; soil protection; comfort; or user-defined.

8. The agricultural machine system of claim 1 , wherein the driver assistance system comprises an operating purpose module configured to determine an operating purpose in response to dialogue guided by an operator;
wherein the operating purpose module comprises one or more of the operating purposes of: soil tilling; power take-off shaft operation; transport work; or front loader work; and
wherein optimization of the traction machine or the attachment device is based on the operating purpose.

9. The agricultural machine system of claim 8 , wherein parameters defined in the operating purpose module and operating parameters, used to control operation of the traction machine or the attachment device and generated after execution of an optimization strategy in the driver assistance system, are stored as one or more data sets; and
wherein the one or more data sets are repeatedly accessible and editable.

10. The agricultural machine system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more data sets comprise specific data sets for working on field and road trips; and
wherein the specific data sets for working on field and road trips are directly accessible.

11. The agricultural machine system of claim 9 , wherein the data sets comprise editable operating parameters of the traction machine.

12. The agricultural machine system of claim 11 , wherein the operating parameters comprise one or a plurality of: engine lugging; acceleration; choice of suitable driving range; travelling speed and presetting of speed values for a cruise control; activation and deactivation of an all-wheel drive; activation and deactivation of a differential known per se; a proposal for suitable tires; suitable ballasting weights for front or rear attachment; cab spring suspension; front axle spring suspension; behavior and type of connection of the attachment device to the traction machine; adapting hydraulic adjustments, valves to be used, required oil quantity and oil delivery times; an optimized tire inflation pressure; power take-off shaft rotational speed; type and embodiment of the power take-off shaft; steering mode; or driving programs.

13. The agricultural machine system of claim 11 , wherein the attachment device comprises a soil tilling device and the editable operating parameters of the attachment device are one or a plurality of the following: working depth of tools; working width of the attachment device; preload of traction cylinders; number and type of installed tools; working speed of the attachment device; adjustment of existing tools; type of hitching of the attachment device to the traction machine; type and status of a stone guard; type and status of a transport device; type and status of a support; or guiding unit.

14. The agricultural machine system of claim 1 , wherein the traction machine control unit regulations comprise a set of regulations for the attachment device.

15. The agricultural machine system of claim 14 , wherein the attachment device comprises a particular attachment device; and
wherein the traction machine control unit regulations comprise a first set of regulations for the attachment device and a second set of regulations for the attachment device, the second set of regulations being more specifically defined to the particular attachment device than the first set of regulations.

16. The agricultural machine system of claim 15 , wherein the second set of regulations for the attachment device are resident in the attachment device.

17. The agricultural machine system of claim 14 , wherein the automatic traction machine adjusting unit regulations, in the automatic traction machine adjusting unit, includes the set of regulations for the attachment device.

Assignees

• Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen Gmbh
• CLAAS Selbstfahrende Ernemaschinen GmbH

Inventors

• Noyer Pierre
• Bölling Ralf
• Harmann Tim Lütke
• Köhler Mathieu
• Wachter Julien
• Sagemüller Burkhard

Classifications

• B60G2400/97

  Relation between towing and towed vehicle, e.g. tractor-trailer combination · CPC title

• B62D6/007

  adjustable by the driver, e.g. sport mode · CPC title

• B60G17/0195

  characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems {(conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22)} · CPC title

• B60R16/0236

  for economical driving · CPC title

• B60R16/0373

  Voice control (in general G10L) · CPC title