Fan control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9605583-B2
Application number	US-201514640497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A method for controlling a fan. An ECU estimates the time for an engine to reach a substantially decreased engine load relative to a current engine load. The ECU determines whether the time to reach the substantially decreased engine load is within a threshold. And the ECU controls a fan operating characteristic based on whether the time is within the threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a fan, the method comprising:
estimating a time for an engine to reach a substantially decreased engine load relative to a current engine load;
determining whether the time to reach the substantially decreased engine load is within a threshold; and
controlling a fan operating characteristic based on whether the time is within the threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling comprises maintaining or decreasing an air flow provided by the fan if the time is within the threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling comprises maintaining or increasing an air flow provided by the fan if the time is outside of the threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the estimating comprises predicting when a vehicle will reach an operating grade associated with the substantially decreased engine load and basing the time thereon; and
the controlling comprises maintaining or decreasing an air flow provided by the fan if the time is within the threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the estimating comprises predicting when a vehicle will reach an end turn and basing the time thereon; and
the controlling comprises maintaining or decreasing an air flow provided by the fan if the time is within the threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the estimating comprises predicting when a vehicle will reach an end of a work application that is external to the vehicle and basing the time thereon; and
the controlling comprises maintaining or decreasing an air flow provided by the fan if the time is within the threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimating is based on a plurality of automated vehicle movements and a plurality of known future vehicle locations.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the estimating comprises predicting when a vehicle will reach an end of a harvesting related operation and basing the time thereon; and
the controlling comprises maintaining or decreasing an air flow provided by the fan if the time is within the threshold.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the harvesting related operation is an unloading operation.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the harvesting related operation is a separating operation.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimating comprises:
determining a current vehicle location; and
identifying terrain data and field data associated with the current vehicle location.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the field data comprises crop yield data.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the crop yield data is based on past harvest data.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the terrain data and the field data comprises soil condition data.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimating comprises:
recording a plurality of vehicle locations;
predicting future vehicle locations based on the plurality of vehicle locations;
predicting future engine loads associated with the predicted future vehicle locations; and
basing the time on the predicted future engine loads associated with the predicted future locations.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the predicted future vehicle locations are based on identified back-and-forth vehicle locations on a work site.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the back-and-forth vehicle locations are parallel to one another.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the estimating comprises:
recording terrain data associated with the plurality of vehicle locations;
predicting future terrain data associated with the predicted future vehicle locations;
predicting future engine loads associated with the predicted future terrain data; and
basing the time on the predicted future engine loads associated with the predicted future vehicle locations.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the estimating comprises:
recording vehicle speeds associated with the plurality of vehicle locations; and
predicting future vehicle speeds associated with the predicted future vehicle locations and the predicted future terrain data.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the estimating comprises:
recording crop yields associated with the plurality of vehicle locations; and
predicting future crop yields associated with the predicted future vehicle locations and the predicted future terrain data;
predicting future engine loads associated with the predicted future terrain data; and
basing the time on the predicted future engine loads associated with the predicted future terrain data.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Goering Dick J
• Jirovsky Jason L
• Sheidler Alan D

Classifications

• F01P7/048 Primary

  using electrical drives · CPC title

• F01P2025/62

  Load · CPC title

• F01P7/04 Primary

  by varying pump speed, e.g. by changing pump-drive gear ratio · CPC title

• F01P5/02

  Pumping cooling-air; Arrangements of cooling-air pumps, e.g. fans or blowers · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title