Calibration synchronization for machine and implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020404841-A1
Application number	US-201916452950-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2019
Priority date	Jun 26, 2019
Publication date	Dec 31, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for calibrating a machine for operating with an implement that is selectively coupleable to the machine. Both the implement and the machine have memories storing calibration data for machine-implement combinations. The machine and the implement are operated based on a calibration value stored to the machine memory corresponding to an identification of the specific implement that is coupled to the machine. If a calibration value for the specific implement is not already in the machine memory, the machine determines a calibration value for the implement based on other calibration data stored by the machine memory and/or the implement memory. In some embodiments, the calibration data stored by the machine and by the implement is synchronized when the implement is selectively coupled to the machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of calibrating a machine for operating with an implement that is selectively coupleable to the machine, the method comprising:
detecting a coupling between the machine and the implement selectively coupled to the machine; electronically receiving, from the implement in response to detecting the coupling, an identification of the implement; accessing machine calibration data from a memory of the machine, wherein the machine calibration data includes an identification of one or more specific implements and a calibration value for each of the one or more specific implements; identifying, from the machine calibration data, the calibration value corresponding to the received identification of the implement; operating the machine and the implement based on the identified calibration value; and synchronizing the machine calibration data stored on the memory of the machine with implement calibration data stored on a memory of the implement.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing the machine calibration data with the implement calibration data includes
receiving a calibration value from the implement corresponding to the machine, and updating the machine calibration data to include the calibration value received from the implement and an identification of the implement.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing the machine calibration data with the implement calibration data includes synchronizing the machine calibration data with the implement calibration data in response to detecting the coupling.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the machine calibration data from the memory of the machine includes a calibration value corresponding to the identification of the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein synchronizing the machine calibration data with the implement calibration data includes
transmitting a calibration data query to the implement in response to determining that the machine calibration data does not include the calibration value corresponding to the identification of the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine, receiving, from the implement in response to the calibration data query, a calibration value corresponding to the machine, and updating the machine calibration data to include the calibration value received from the implement in response to the calibration data query and an identification of the implement.

6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
identifying an implement type of the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine, wherein the machine calibration data stored to the memory of the machine includes an identification of the implement type for each of the one or more specific implements; and calculating a new calibration value for the implement in response to determining that the machine calibration data does not include the calibration value corresponding to the identification of the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine, wherein the new calibration value is calculated based at least in part on one or more calibration values in the machine calibration data corresponding to implements of the same implement type as the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein calculating the new calibration value includes calculating the new calibration value as an average of the one or more calibration values in the machine calibration data corresponding to the implements of the same implement type as the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining whether the machine calibration data from the memory of the machine includes any calibration values corresponding to implements of the same implement type as the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine; and determining one or more implement types that are classified as similar to the implement type of the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine, wherein, in response to determining that the machine calibration data does not include any calibration values corresponding to implements of the same implement type as the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine, the new calibration value is calculated based at least in part on one or more calibration values in the machine calibration data corresponding to implements of the one or more implement types that are classified as similar to the implement type of the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
electronically receiving, by the implement from the machine, an identification of the machine; accessing, by the implement, the implement calibration data from the memory of the implement, wherein the implement calibration data includes an identification of one or more specific machines and a calibration value for each of the one or more specific machines; determining, by the implement, whether the implement calibration data includes a calibration value corresponding to the identification of the machine to which the implement is selectively coupled; calculating a new calibration value for the machine in response to determining that the implement calibration data does not include the calibration value corresponding to the identification of the machine; and updating the implement calibration data to include the new calibration value for the machine and the identification of the machine to which the implement is selectively coupled.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein synchronizing the machine calibration data with the implement calibration data includes
transmitting the new calibration value for the machine from the implement to the machine; and updating the machine calibration data to include the new calibration value for the machine and an identification of the implement that is selectively coupled to the machine.

11 . A system for operating a machine with an implement that is selectively coupleable to the machine, the system comprising an electronic machine controller configured to:
detect a coupling between the machine and the implement selectively coupled to the machine; electronically receive, from the implement in response to detecting the coupling, an identification of the implement; access machine calibration data from a memory of the machine, wherein the machine calibration data includes an identification of one or more specific implements and a calibration value for each of the one or more specific implements; identify, from the machine calibration data, the calibration value corresponding to the received identification of the implement; operate the machine and the implement based on the identified calibration value; and synchronize the machine calibration data stored on the memory of the machine with implement calibration data stored on a memory of the implement.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the electronic machine controller is configured to synchronize the machine calibration data with the implement calibration data by
receiving a calibration value from the implement corresponding to the machine, and updating the machine calibration data to include the calibration value received from the implement and an identification of the implement.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the electronic machine controller is configured to synchronize the machine calibration data with the implement calibration data by synchronizing the machine calibration data with the implement calibration data in response to detecti

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Hodson Michael J

Classifications

• A01D41/141

  Automatic header control · CPC title

• A01D41/127 Primary

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01B59/00 Primary

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

• A01B79/005

  Precision agriculture · CPC title