System and method for feed control in a spreader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12274195-B2
Application number	US-202117448112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2021
Priority date	Oct 1, 2020
Publication date	Apr 15, 2025
Grant date	Apr 15, 2025

Abstract

A feed control system for a spreader includes a section configuration module configured to output a section configuration and a section control module configured to receive the section configuration, determine a first actuator position based on the section configuration, and determine a second actuator position based on the section configuration. The feed control system also includes a belt speed module configured to receive the section configuration, receive a commanded belt speed, and determine a target belt speed based on (i) the section configuration and (ii) the commanded belt speed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A feed control system for a spreader comprising:
a section configuration module configured to output a section configuration;
a section control module configured to:
receive the section configuration,
determine a first actuator position based on the section configuration, and
determine a second actuator position based on the section configuration; and

a belt speed module configured to:
receive the section configuration,
receive a commanded belt speed, and
determine a target belt speed based on (i) the section configuration and (ii) the commanded belt speed.

2. The feed control system of claim 1 further comprising:
a ground speed module configured to:
receive (i) an application rate and (ii) the section configuration, and
determine and output a ground speed based on the (i) the application rate and (ii) the section configuration; and

an operator interface that includes a display, wherein the operator interface in configured to receive the determined ground speed and present the speed as a suggested speed on the display.

3. The feed control system of claim 2 , wherein the ground speed module is configured to adjust a travel speed of the spreader by providing the determined ground speed to a vehicle control system of the spreader or a cruise control system of the spreader.

4. The feed control system of claim 1 wherein the section configuration module is configured to:
receive (i) a first input and (ii) a second input; and
generate the section configuration based on (i) the first input and (ii) the second input.

5. The feed control system of claim 4 wherein the first input is a manual section input and the second input is an automated section input.

6. The feed control system of claim 4 wherein the section configuration module is configured to in response to determining that the first input indicates that (i) the spreader is in an application mode or (ii) a bin of the spreader is not empty, generate the section configuration based on the second input.

7. The feed control system of claim 1 wherein the spreader includes a first actuator and a second actuator, the feed control system further comprising:
a first actuator module configured to:
receive the first actuator position from the section control module, and
adjust the first actuator by generating one more first actuator commands based on the received first actuator position; and

a second actuator module configured to:
receive the second actuator position from the section control module, and
adjust the second actuator by generating one more second actuator commands based on the received second actuator positions.

8. A method for controlling a spreader that includes a bin, a conveyor, a first actuator, and a second actuator, the method comprising:
receiving a first input;
determining a section configuration based on at least the first input;
determining a first actuator position and a second actuator position based on the section configuration;
receiving a commanded belt speed;
determining a target belt speed based on (i) the section configuration and (ii) the commanded belt speed;
adjusting the first actuator based on the determined first actuator position;
adjusting the second actuator based on the determined second actuator position; and
adjusting a speed of the conveyor based on the determined target belt speed.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the spreader includes an operator interface, the method further comprising:
receiving an application rate;
determining a ground speed based on the section configuration and the application rate; and
displaying, on the operator interface, the ground speed as a suggested vehicle speed.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
providing the determined ground speed to a vehicle control system of the spreader or a cruise control system of the spreader; and
adjusting, via the vehicle control system or the cruise control system, a travel speed of the spreader based on the determined ground speed.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
receiving a second input; and
determining the section configuration based on the first input and the second input.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first input is a manual section input and the second input is an automated section input.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
adjusting the first actuator includes generating one or more first actuator commands based on the determined first actuator position; and
adjusting the second actuator includes generating one or more second actuator commands based on the determined second actuator position.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first input corresponds to a level of a material in the bin.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor executable instructions for controlling a spreader that includes a bin, a conveyor, a first actuator, and a second actuator, the instructions comprising:
receiving a first input;
determining a section configuration based on at least the first input;
determining, based on the section configuration, (i) a first actuator position and (ii) a second actuator position;
receiving a commanded belt speed;
determining a target belt speed based on (i) the section configuration and (ii) the commanded belt speed;
adjusting the first actuator based on the determined first actuator position;
adjusting the second actuator based on the determined second actuator position; and
adjusting a speed of the conveyor based on the determined target belt speed.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the instructions further comprising:
receiving an application rate;
determining a ground speed based on the section configuration and the application rate; and
displaying, on an operator interface, the ground speed as a suggested vehicle speed.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , the instructions further comprising:
providing the determined ground speed to a vehicle control system of the spreader or a cruise control system of the spreader; and
adjusting, via the vehicle control system or the cruise control system, a travel speed of the spreader based on the determined ground speed.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the instructions further comprising:
receiving a second input; and
determining the section configuration based on the first input and the second input.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the first input is a manual section input and the second input is an automated section input.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:
adjusting the first actuator includes generating one or more first actuator commands based on the determined first actuator position; and
adjusting the second actuator includes generating one or more second actuator commands based on the determined second actuator position.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Bharatiya Paresh
• Chow Augustine Y
• Dhavan Nilesh
• Kale Mandar Mhalsakant

Classifications

• A01C21/002

  Apparatus for sowing fertiliser; Fertiliser drill · CPC title

• B60W30/143

  Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60W2300/15

  Agricultural vehicles · CPC title

• B60W2050/146

  Display means · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title