Device for implement localization on an agricultural tractor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10605909-B2
Application number	US-201715443545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2017
Priority date	Mar 17, 2016
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A device for implement localization on an agricultural tractor includes a first tractor-side transponder and a second tractor-side transponder. The first tractor-side transponder includes a first transmission and reception region corresponding with a first mechanical implement interface located on the agricultural tractor, and the second tractor-side transponder includes a second transmission and reception region corresponding with a second mechanical implement interface located on the agricultural tractor. An implement-side transponder is in communication with the first and second tractor-side transponders. Each of the first and second tractor-side transponders transmits a separate position identifier to the implement-side transponder via one of the first or second transmission and reception region, and the position identifier is transmitted back to the respective first or second tractor-side transponder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for implement localization on an agricultural tractor, comprising:
a first tractor-side transponder including a first transmission and reception region corresponding with a first mechanical implement interface located on the agricultural tractor;
a second tractor-side transponder including a second transmission and reception region corresponding with a second mechanical implement interface located on the agricultural tractor;
an implement-side transponder in communication with the first and second tractor-side transponders;
wherein, each of the first and second tractor-side transponders transmits a separate position identifier (ID) to the implement-side transponder via one of the first or second transmission and reception region;
wherein, the position ID is transmitted back to the respective first or second tractor-side transponder and the implement-side transponder transmits implement-specific data to the respective first or second tractor-side transponder; and
wherein, driver-independent pre-adjustment of various devices of the agricultural tractor is performed based on the implement-specific data.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the implement-side transponder transmits implement-specific data with the position ID to the respective first or second tractor-side transponder.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the implement-side transponder is battery-operated.

4. A device for implement localization on an agricultural tractor, comprising:
a first tractor-side transponder including a first transmission and reception region corresponding with a first mechanical implement interface located on the agricultural tractor;
a second tractor-side transponder including a second transmission and reception region corresponding with a second mechanical implement interface located on the agricultural tractor;
a first implement-side transponder positioned in the first transmission and reception region of the first tractor-side transponder to enable communication between the first implement-side transponder and the first tractor-side transponder; and
a second implement-side transponder positioned in the second transmission and reception region of the second tractor-side transponder to enable communication between the second implement-side transponder and the second tractor-side transponder;
wherein each of the first and second tractor-side transponders transmits a separate position identifier (ID) to the corresponding first or second implement-side transponder via one of the first or second transmission and reception region, the position ID is transmitted back to the respective first or second tractor-side transponder, and a field strength of the first and second tractor-side transponders is dimensioned such that overlaps of the first and second transmission and reception regions are excluded.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein each transponder operably communicates via Bluetooth protocol.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the implement-side transponder is operably controlled in a standby mode until it enters the transmission and reception region of the first or second tractor-side transponder.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second tractor-side transponders establishes a temporal coincidence between transmitted and received position IDs.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second tractor-side transponders produces a tractor-specific position ID.

9. A work vehicle system, comprising:
an agricultural tractor;
an implement coupled to the tractor; and
a device for implement localization on the agricultural tractor, the device including:
a first tractor-side transponder including a first transmission and reception region corresponding with a first mechanical implement interface located on the agricultural tractor;
a second tractor-side transponder including a second transmission and reception region corresponding with a second mechanical implement interface located on the agricultural tractor;
an implement-side transponder in communication with the first and second tractor-side transponders;

wherein, each of the first and second tractor-side transponders transmits a separate position identifier (ID) to the implement-side transponder via one of the first or second transmission and reception region;
wherein, the position ID is transmitted back to the respective first or second tractor-side transponder and the implement-side transponder transmits implement-specific data separate from, and supplementary to, the position ID to the respective first or second tractor-side transponder; and
wherein driver-independent pre-adjustment of various devices of the agricultural tractor is performed based on the implement-specific data.

10. The work vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the implement-side transponder is battery-operated.

11. The work vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein a field strength of the first and second tractor-side transponders is dimensioned such that overlaps of the first and second transmission and reception regions are excluded.

12. The work vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein each transponder operably communicates via Bluetooth protocol.

13. The work vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the implement-side transponder is operably controlled in a standby mode until it enters the transmission and reception region of the first or second tractor-side transponder.

14. The work vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second tractor-side transponders establishes a temporal coincidence between transmitted and received position IDs.

15. The work vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second tractor-side transponders produces a tractor-specific position ID.

16. The work vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the tractor-specific position ID is derived from a serial number of the agricultural tractor.

17. The work vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the device includes a second implement-side transponder in communication with at least one of the first and second tractor-side transponders.

18. The work vehicle system of claim 17 , wherein:
at least one of the first and second tractor-side transponders transmits a separate position identifier (ID) to the second implement-side transponder via one of the first or second transmission and reception regions; and
the position ID is transmitted back to at least one of the first and second tractor-side transponders by the second implement-side transponder and the second implement-side transponder transmits implement-specific data separate from, and supplementary to, the position ID to at least one of the first and second tractor-side transponders.

19. The work vehicle system of claim 18 , wherein the second implement-side transponder is battery-operated.

20. The work vehicle system of claim 18 , further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit is operable to perform the driver-independent pre-adjustment of various devices of the agricultural tractor based on the implement-specific data transmitted by at least one of the first and second implement-side transponders.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Baum Bernd
• Mairet Daniel W
• Reinmuth Florian

Classifications

• G01S13/765 Primary

  with exchange of information between interrogator and responder · CPC title

• A01B76/00

  Parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, not provided for in groups A01B51/00 - A01B75/00 · CPC title

• A01B71/02

  Setting or adjusting mechanisms · CPC title

• G01S13/767

  Responders; Transponders (teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26) · CPC title

• A01B59/00 Primary

  Devices specially adapted for connection between animals or tractors and agricultural machines or implements · CPC title