System and method for generating partitioned swaths

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10459447-B2
Application number	US-201715627207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A control system of an agricultural work vehicle system includes a controller that includes a memory and a processor. The controller is configured to determine multiple partitions based, at least in part, on a map of an agricultural field. Further, the controller is configured to determine a partition list of the multiple partitions based, at least in part, on a set of bounding characteristics of each of the multiple partitions. In addition, the controller is configured to determine an order of the multiple partitions based on the partition list of the multiple partitions. Moreover, the controller is configured to output a signal indicative of a travel path for the agricultural work vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for an agricultural work vehicle comprising:
a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a plurality of partitions based, at least in part, on a map of an agricultural field;
determine a partition list of the plurality of partitions based, at least in part, on a set of bounding characteristics of each of the plurality of partitions;
determine an order of the plurality of partitions based on the partition list of the plurality of partitions;
determine one or more swath paths for each of the plurality of partitions; and
output a signal indicative of a travel path for the agricultural work vehicle based on the partition list of the plurality of partitions, the order of the plurality of partitions, and the one or more swath paths for each of the plurality of partitions;

wherein the one or more swath paths of at least one of the plurality of partitions comprises a plurality of swath paths, and the controller is configured to determine the plurality of swath paths by:
determining a set of angled swath paths for a plurality of incremental angles for the plurality of swath paths;
determining a length of each swath path of the set of angled swath paths for each of the plurality of incremental angles;
determining a lowest difference between a shortest swath path and a longest swath path for each set of angled swath paths for each incremental angle; and
selecting the set of angled swath paths having the lowest difference between the shortest swath path and the longest swath path.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the partition list comprises at least one level with two or more partitions of the plurality of partitions arranged in a sub-hierarchy.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a connection path to connect consecutive partitions of the plurality of partitions.

4. The control system of claim 3 , wherein the connection path is a clothoid or spline.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output instructions for a plurality of work vehicles, and wherein the controller is configured to determine an order of the plurality of partitions for each of the plurality of work vehicles.

6. The control system of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of work vehicles has a different width, and wherein the controller is configured to assign at least one of the plurality of partitions to a respective work vehicle of the plurality of work vehicles based, at least in part, on the different widths of the plurality of work vehicles.

7. One or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions configured to cause a processor to:
determine a plurality of partitions based, at least in part, on a map of an agricultural field;
determine a partition list of the plurality of partitions based, at least in part, on a set of bounding characteristics of each of the plurality of partitions;
determine an order of the plurality of partitions based on the partition list of the plurality of partitions;
determine one or more swath paths for each of the plurality of partitions; and
output a signal indicative of a travel path for an agricultural work vehicle based on the partition list of the plurality of partitions, the order of the plurality of partitions, and the one or more swath paths for each of the plurality of partitions;
wherein the one or more swath paths of at least one of the plurality of partitions comprises a plurality of swath paths, and the instructions are configured to cause the process to determine the plurality of swath paths by:
determining a set of angled swath paths for a plurality of incremental angles for the plurality of swath paths;
determining a length of each swath path of the set of angled swath paths for each of the plurality of incremental angles;
determining a lowest difference between a shortest swath path and a longest swath path for each set of angled swath paths for each incremental angle; and
selecting the set of angled swath paths having the lowest difference between the shortest swath path and the longest swath path.

8. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine an offset for each of the one or more swath paths for at least one of the plurality of partitions.

9. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine an obstacle in the agricultural field based on a type of the agricultural work vehicle.

10. A control system for an agricultural work vehicle comprising:
a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a plurality of swath paths for a partition of an agricultural field; and
output a signal indicative of a travel path for the agricultural work vehicle based on the plurality of swath paths;

wherein the controller is configured to determine the plurality of swath paths by:
determining a set of angled swath paths for a plurality of incremental angles for the plurality of swath paths;
determining a length of each swath path of the set of angled swath paths for each of the plurality of incremental angles;
determining a lowest difference between a shortest swath path and a longest swath path for each set of angled swath paths for each incremental angle; and
selecting the set of angled swath paths having the lowest difference between the shortest swath path and the longest swath path.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc
• Autonomous Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Foster Christopher Alan
• Bunderson Nathan Eric
• Bybee Taylor Chad
• Morwood Daniel John

Classifications

• A01B69/008

  automatic · CPC title

• G05D1/0219 Primary

  ensuring the processing of the whole working surface · CPC title

• G05D1/0291

  Fleet control (monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127) · CPC title

• G05D2201/0201

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0274

  using mapping information stored in a memory device (navigation using map-matching G01C21/30) · CPC title