System and method for executing straight tracking control of a work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10759476-B2
Application number	US-201916680841-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2019
Priority date	May 15, 2018
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A method for executing straight tracking control may include receiving an input command(s) associated with controlling the operation of a first-side drive system and/or a second-side drive system of a hydrostatic transmission of a work vehicle to drive the vehicle along a straight path. The method may also include receiving first and second speed signals associated with the output speeds of the drive systems, and modifying the first speed signal or the second speed signal based on a speed scaling factor to generate a corrected speed signal. In addition, the method may include determining an adjusted control command for controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission as a function of the input command(s) and a control output determined based on the corrected speed signal. Further, the method may include controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission based at least in part on the adjusted control command.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for executing straight tracking control of a work vehicle having an electronically controlled hydrostatic transmission, the method comprising:
receiving, with a computing device, at least one operator input command associated with controlling an operation of the hydrostatic transmission, the at least one operator input command being associated with commanding the work vehicle to be driven along a straight path;
generating, with the computing device, an initial control command for controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission in response to the at least one operator input command;
receiving, with the computing device, at least one adjusted operator input command associated with adjusting the operation of the hydrostatic transmission to correct a deviation of the work vehicle from the straight path;
generating, with the computing device, an adjusted control command for controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission in response to the at least one adjusted operator input command;

receiving, with the computing device, an operator input providing an indication that the adjusted control command corrected the deviation of the work vehicle from the straight path;
calculating, with the computing device, a speed scaling factor for use with a straight tracking control system of the work vehicle based at least in part on the operator input; and
receiving an input associated with entering a calibration mode for the straight tracking control system of the work vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a first speed signal associated with a first output speed of a first-side drive system of the hydrostatic transmission; and receiving a second speed signal associated with a second output speed of a second-side drive system of the hydrostatic transmission;
wherein calculating the speed scaling factor as a function of the first and second speed signals as the operation of the hydrostatic transmission is being controlled based on the adjusted control command.

3. A computer-implemented method for executing straight tracking control of a work vehicle having an electronically controlled hydrostatic transmission, the method comprising:
receiving, with a computing device, at least one operator input command associated with controlling an operation of the hydrostatic transmission, the at least one operator input command being associated with commanding the work vehicle to be driven along a straight path;
generating, with the computing device, an initial control command for controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission in response to the at least one operator input command;
receiving, with the computing device, at least one adjusted operator input command associated with adjusting the operation of the hydrostatic transmission to correct a deviation of the work vehicle from the straight path;
generating, with the computing device, an adjusted control command for controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission in response to the at least one adjusted operator input command;

receiving, with the computing device, an operator input providing an indication that the adjusted control command corrected the deviation of the work vehicle from the straight path;
calculating, with the computing device, a speed scaling factor for use with a straight tracking control system of the work vehicle based at least in part on the operator input; and
receiving a first speed signal associated with a first output speed of a first-side drive system of the hydrostatic transmission; and receiving a second speed signal associated with a second output speed of a second-side drive system of the hydrostatic transmission;
wherein calculating the speed scaling factor as a function of the first and second speed signals as the operation of the hydrostatic transmission is being controlled based on the adjusted control command;
wherein calculating the speed scaling factor comprises:
analyzing the first speed signal over a time period as the operation of the hydrostatic transmission is being controlled based on the adjusted control command to determine a first travel value associated with the first output speed for the first-side drive system;
analyzing the second speed signal over the time period as the operation of the hydrostatic transmission is being controlled based on the adjusted control command to determine a second travel value associated with the second output speed for the second-side drive system; and
calculating a travel ratio based on the first and second travel values, the travel ratio corresponding to the speed scaling factor.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein calculating the speed scaling factor comprises calculating a speed ratio based on the first and second speed signals as the operation of the hydrostatic transmission is being controlled based on the adjusted control command, the speed ratio corresponding to the speed scaling factor.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the speed scaling factor is used within the straight tracking control system to modify one of the first speed signal or the second speed signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disabling the straight tracking control system of the work vehicle in response to receipt of the input associated with entering the calibration mode.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein disabling the straight tracking control system comprises disabling a closed-loop control algorithm used to generate a control output for controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the adjusted control command comprises incrementally adjusting the initial control command in response to the at least one adjusted operator input command.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one adjusted operator input command comprises a steering command intended to correct the deviation of the work vehicle from the straight path.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one adjusted operator input command is associated with a change in a current position of an input device of the work vehicle, and wherein incrementally adjusting the initial control command comprises incrementally adjusting the initial control command towards a control command associated with the current position of the input device.

11. A computer-implemented method for executing straight tracking control of a work vehicle having an electronically controlled hydrostatic transmission, the method comprising:
receiving, with a computing device, at least one operator input command associated with controlling an operation of the hydrostatic transmission, the at least one operator input command being associated with commanding the work vehicle to be driven along a straight path;
generating, with the computing device, an initial control command for controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission in response to the at least one operator input command;
receiving, with the computing device, at least one adjusted operator input command associated with adjusting the operation of the hydrostatic transmission to correct a deviation of the work vehicle from the straight path;
generating, with the computing device, an adjusted control command for controlling the operation of the hydrostatic transmission in response to the at least one adjusted operator input command;

receiving, with the computing device, an operator input providing an indication that the adjusted control command corrected the deviation of the work vehicle from the straight path;
calculating, with the computing device, a speed scaling factor for use with a straight tracking cont

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Zimmerman Joshua D
• Gravili Andrea
• Venezia Antonio
• Shoemaker Joseph R
• Vora Kushan

Classifications

• F16H61/46

  Automatic regulation in accordance with output requirements · CPC title

• F16H61/44

  with more than one pump or motor in operation · CPC title

• B62D11/003 Primary

  Electric or electronic control systems · CPC title

• F16H61/47

  for achieving a target output speed · CPC title

• B62D11/04

  by means of separate power sources · CPC title