System and method for steering of an implement on sloped ground

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9374939-B2
Application number	US-201414473049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2014
Priority date	Aug 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

A target steering angle is detected, where the target steering angle is associated with an implement steering system for tracking a planned implement path. A data processor determines whether or not the implement steering angle is at or near a maximum steering angle toward a lateral upslope of ground. The data processor determines whether the implement is aligned with the planned implement path. A controller or data processor adjusts a target vehicle steering angle of the vehicle to guide the implement toward the lateral upslope in alignment with the planned implement path such that the implement tracks the planned implement path if the implement steering angle is at or near the maximum steering angle.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A method for steering an implement, the method comprising:
detecting a target steering angle associated with an implement steering system of the implement for tracking a planned implement path;
determining whether or not the implement steering angle is at or near a maximum steering angle toward a lateral upslope of ground;
determining whether the implement is aligned with the planned implement path; and
adjusting a target vehicle steering angle of the vehicle to guide the implement toward the lateral upslope in alignment with the planned implement path such that the implement tracks the planned implement path if the implement steering angle is at or near the maximum steering angle.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the determining whether the implement is aligned comprises determining, by evaluating location data from a location-determining receiver with respect to a planned implement path, whether the implement is downward on the lateral upslope from the planned implement path.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the target vehicle steering angle is adjusted to guide the implement toward the lateral upslope in alignment with the planned implement path such that the implement tracks the planned implement path if the implement steering angle is at or near the maximum steering angle and if the implement is downward on the lateral slope from the planned implement path.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
detecting a transverse slope at the implement, the vehicle, or both and determining a magnitude of a corrective adjustment to the vehicle steering angle of the vehicle based on the transverse slope angle and an error angle between the planned implement path and the observed implement path of the implement.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting a target vehicle steering angle of the vehicle to guide the implement toward the lateral upslope in alignment with the planned implement path such that the implement tracks the planned implement path if the implement steering angle is at or near the maximum steering angle and if the transverse slope angle is greater than or equal to a threshold.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising:
detecting a transverse slope at the implement, the vehicle, or both and determining that no corrective adjustment to the target steering angle of the vehicle is permitted if the transverse slope angle is less than the threshold.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the target steering angle such that the vehicle target steering angle is reduced by limiting the target steering angle consistent with a maximum rate of angular change per unit time.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
applying the target vehicle steering angle to an actuator for controlling an angular heading or yaw angle of one or more wheels of the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
collecting implement position data and implement heading data for an implement via an implement location-determining receiver;
collecting vehicle position data and vehicle heading data for a vehicle via a vehicle location-determining receiver; and
determining implement steering data between the implement position data, the vehicle position data, the implement heading data and the vehicle heading data, calculating the target implement steering angle for the implement steering system and the vehicle steering system collectively based on the implement steering data if the implement steering angle is at or near a maximum angle.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the target vehicle steering angle is based at least partially on a kinematic model of the vehicle and implement.

11. A system for steering an implement, the system comprising:
a steering detector for detecting an implement steering angle associated with an implement steering system of the implement for tracking a planned path;
an implement location-determining receiver for determining an implement position;
an implement steering controller for determining whether or not the implement steering angle is at or near a maximum steering angle or a maximum steering angle toward a lateral upslope of ground;
the implement steering controller or a data processor adapted to determine whether the implement is aligned with the planned implement path; and
a vehicle controller for adjusting a target vehicle steering angle of the vehicle to guide the implement toward the lateral upslope in alignment with the planned implement path such that the implement tracks the planned implement path if the implement steering angle is at or near the maximum steering angle.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the implement steering controller or the data processor is adapted determine whether the implement is downward on the lateral upslope from the planned implement path based on location data from the implement location-determining receiver.

13. The system according to claim 11 wherein the data processor or the vehicular control is arranged to adjust the target vehicle steering angle to guide the implement toward the lateral upslope in alignment with the planned implement path such that the implement tracks the planned implement path if the implement steering angle is at or near the maximum steering angle and if the implement is downward on the lateral slope from the planned implement path.

14. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:
a slope detector for detecting a transverse slope at the implement, the vehicle, or both;
the data processor adapted to determine a magnitude of a corrective adjustment to the vehicle steering angle of the vehicle based on the transverse slope angle and an error angle between the planned implement path and the observed implement path of the implement.

15. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:
a slope detector for detecting a transverse slope at the implement, the vehicle, or both; wherein the data processor is adapted to determine that no corrective adjustment to the target steering angle of the vehicle is permitted if the transverse slope angle is less than a threshold.

16. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:
an implement location-determining receiver for detecting a transverse slope at the implement, the vehicle, or both; wherein the data processor adapted to determine a magnitude of a corrective adjustment to the vehicle steering angle of the vehicle based on the transverse slope angle and an error angle between the planned implement path and the observed implement path of the implement.

17. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:
an implement location-determining receiver for detecting a transverse slope at the implement, the vehicle, or both; wherein the data processor is adapted to determine that no corrective adjustment to the target steering angle of the vehicle is permitted if the transverse slope angle is less than a threshold.

18. The system according to claim 11 wherein the vehicular controller is adapted to adjust the target steering angle such that the vehicle target steering angle is reduced by limiting the target steering angle consistent with a maximum rate of angular change per unit time.

19. The system according to claim 11 wherein the vehicular controller is adapted to apply the target vehicle steering angle to an actuator for controlling an angular heading or yaw angle of one or

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Pickett Terence D
• Mitchell Wade S
• Nelson Frederick W

Classifications

• G05D2201/0201

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/021

  specially adapted to land vehicles · CPC title

• A01B69/008 Primary

  automatic · CPC title

• B62D6/00

  Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits (means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00) · CPC title

• A01B69/006 Primary

  derived from the steering of the tractor · CPC title