Autonomous agricultural system user interface interlock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11169689-B2
Application number	US-202016743914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2020
Priority date	Jun 10, 2016
Publication date	Nov 9, 2021
Grant date	Nov 9, 2021

Abstract

A control system for an autonomous agricultural system includes a display configured to display at least one control function associated with at least one operation. The display is configured to output a first signal indicative of a first input. The control system includes a controller comprising a processor and a memory. The controller is communicatively coupled to the display and configured to receive the first signal indicative of the first input and to send a second signal to the display indicative of instructions to display a second control in an unlocked state. The display is configured to output a third signal to the controller indicative of the second input. The controller is configured to receive the third signal and to output a fourth signal indicative of instructions to control the at least one operation of the autonomous agricultural system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for an agricultural system, wherein the controller comprises a memory operatively coupled to a processor, and the controller is configured to:
receive a first signal indicative of a first input from a touchscreen display, wherein the first signal is associated with unlocking a manual control of the agricultural system;
output a second signal to the touchscreen display indicative of instructions to display the manual control in an unlocked state;
receive a third signal indicative of a second input from the manual control while the manual control is in the unlocked state; and
output a fourth signal to control the agricultural system based on the second input.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first signal associated with unlocking the manual control comprises a depression of the manual control for a threshold duration.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first signal associated with unlocking the manual control comprises a gesture of the manual control.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the fourth signal is indicative of instructions to control a selected operation of a plurality of operations associated with the agricultural system.

5. The control system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of operations comprises a three-point hitch (3PH) of an implement of the agricultural system, control a power take off (PTO) of a vehicle of the agricultural system, control an electric hydraulic remote (EHV) of the implement, or any combination thereof.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output a seventh signal to the touchscreen to display a login prompt a period of time after any input is received by the touchscreen display.

7. The control system of claim 6 , wherein the manual control of the touchscreen display is disabled during display of the login prompt until login information is entered.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output an eighth signal indicative of instructions to display the manual control in a locked state a period of time after the first signal or the third signal is received from the touchscreen display.

9. A controller for an agricultural system, wherein the controller comprises a memory operatively coupled to a processor, and the controller is configured to:
receive a first signal indicative of a first input from a touchscreen display, wherein the first signal is associated with unlocking a control of the agricultural system;
output a second signal to the touchscreen display in response to receipt of the first signal, wherein the second signal is indicative of instructions to display the control in an unlocked state;
receive a third signal indicative of a second input from the touchscreen display, wherein the second input is indicative of actuation of the control while the control is displayed in the unlocked state; and
output a fourth signal indicative of instructions to control at least one operation of the agricultural system based on the second input.

10. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the first input comprises a multipoint depression, a depression of a threshold pressure, a gesture, a depression of a threshold duration, or any combination thereof.

11. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the at least one operation comprises operation of a three-point hitch (3PH) of an implement of the agricultural system, operation of a power take off (PTO) of a vehicle of the agricultural system, operation of an electro-hydraulic valve (EHV) of the implement, or any combination thereof.

12. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the control displayed in the unlocked state comprises a slide bar.

13. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to output a fifth signal to the touchscreen display to display a login prompt a period of time after any input is received by the touchscreen display, and the control of the touchscreen display is disabled during display of the login prompt until login information that matches stored login information is entered.

14. The controller of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a sixth signal from the touchscreen display indicative of a third input associated with login information;
compare the login information to the stored login information to determine whether the login information matches the stored login information; and
output a seventh signal to the touchscreen display indicative of instructions to enable actuation of the control in response to determining the login information matches the stored login information.

15. A controller for an agricultural system, wherein the controller comprises a memory operatively coupled to a processor, and the controller is configured to:
receive a first signal indicative of actuation of a first control function of a plurality of control functions displayed by a touchscreen display while the plurality of control functions is in a locked state, and the plurality of control functions is associated with at least one operation of the agricultural system;
output a second signal to the touchscreen display indicative of instructions to display the plurality of control functions in an unlocked state in response to receipt of the first signal;
receive a third signal indicative of the first control function while the plurality of control functions is in the unlocked state; and
output a fourth signal indicative of instructions to control an operation of the at least one operation of the agricultural system based on the third signal.

16. The controller of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a fifth signal indicative of actuation of a second control function of the plurality of control functions while the plurality of control functions is in the unlocked state; and
output a sixth signal indicative of instructions to control another operation of the at least one operation of the agricultural system based on the fifth signal.

17. The controller of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to output a seventh signal to the touchscreen display indicative of instructions to display a change in a color, font, or both of the plurality of control functions, text associated with the plurality of control functions, or any combination thereof, in response to the plurality of control functions transitioning from the locked state to the unlocked state.

18. The controller of claim 15 , wherein the at least one operation comprises control of a three-point hitch (3PH) of an implement of the agricultural system, control of a power take off (PTO) of a vehicle of the agricultural system, control of an electro-hydraulic valve (EHV) of the implement, or any combination thereof.

19. The controller of claim 15 , wherein the first signal is indicative of a multipoint depression, a depression of a threshold pressure, a gesture, a depression of a threshold duration, or any combination thereof, of the first control function.

20. The controller of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to output an eighth signal to the touchscreen display indicative of instructions to display a login prompt a period of time after any input is received by the touchscreen display, and the plurality of control functions is disabled during display of the login prompt until login information that matches stored login information is entered.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc
• Autonomous Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Foster Christopher Alan
• Posselius John Henry
• Turpin Bret Todd
• Morwood Daniel John
• Adams Brandon Chamberlain
• Bradford James Allen
• Barker Kim Richardson

Classifications

• A01B69/008

  automatic · CPC title

• G06F3/0488 Primary

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title

• G05D1/0278

  using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS · CPC title