Swath acquisition system for an agricultural vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9826673-B1
Application number	US-201615166622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	May 27, 2016
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A method for controlling an agricultural vehicle includes receiving, via a processor, a first signal from a user interface indicative of a value of at least one parameter. The method also includes determining, via the processor, a path of the agricultural vehicle toward a guidance swath based at least in part on the at least one parameter. In addition, the method includes outputting, via the processor, a second signal to a display of the user interface indicative of instructions to present a graphical representation of the path of the agricultural vehicle. Furthermore, the method includes controlling the agricultural vehicle, via the processor, based at least in part on the at least one parameter upon receiving at least a third signal from the user interface indicative of acceptance of the value of the at least one parameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an agricultural vehicle, comprising:
receiving, via a processor, a first signal from a user interface indicative of a value of at least one parameter;
determining, via the processor, a path of the agricultural vehicle toward a guidance swath based at least in part on the at least one parameter;
outputting, via the processor, a second signal to a display of the user interface indicative of instructions to present a graphical representation of the path of the agricultural vehicle; and
controlling the agricultural vehicle, via the processor, based at least in part on the at least one parameter upon receiving at least a third signal from the user interface indicative of acceptance of the value of the at least one parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises an initial turn rate of the agricultural vehicle, an approach angle of the agricultural vehicle toward the guidance swath, a swath turn rate of the agricultural vehicle, an overshoot of the guidance swath, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising outputting, via the processor, a fourth signal to the display of the user interface indicative of instructions to present a visual representation of the value of the at least one parameter.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising outputting, via the processor, a fifth signal to the display indicative of instructions to present a graphical representation of the guidance swath.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
determining, via the processor, a path of an agricultural implement coupled to the agricultural vehicle based at least in part on the path of the agricultural vehicle; and
outputting, via the processor, a sixth signal to the display indicative of instructions to present a graphical representation of the path of the agricultural implement.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving, via the processor, a seventh signal from the user interface indicative of a starting angle of the agricultural vehicle relative to the guidance swath, a starting speed of the agricultural vehicle, a starting distance of the agricultural vehicle from the guidance swath, or a combination thereof, wherein determining the path of the agricultural vehicle is based at least in part on the starting angle, the starting speed, the starting distance, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining, via the processor, a starting angle of the agricultural vehicle relative to the guidance swath, a starting speed of the agricultural vehicle, a starting distance of the agricultural vehicle from the guidance swath, or a combination thereof, wherein determining the path of the agricultural vehicle is based at least in part on the starting angle, the starting speed, the starting distance, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the path of the agricultural vehicle comprises simulating movement of the agricultural vehicle using a guidance algorithm, and controlling the agricultural vehicle comprises controlling the agricultural vehicle using the guidance algorithm.

9. A control system for an agricultural vehicle, comprising:
a user interface comprising a display, wherein the user interface is configured to output a first signal indicative of a value of at least one parameter; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the user interface, wherein the controller is configured to determine a path of the agricultural vehicle toward a guidance swath based at least in part on the at least one parameter;
wherein the controller is configured to output a second signal to the display indicative of instructions to display a graphical representation of the path, and the controller is configured to control the agricultural vehicle based at least in part on the at least one parameter upon receiving at least a third signal from the user interface indicative of acceptance of the value of the at least one parameter.

10. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises an initial turn rate of the agricultural vehicle, an approach angle of the agricultural vehicle toward the guidance swath, a swath turn rate of the agricultural vehicle, an overshoot of the guidance swath, or a combination thereof.

11. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to output a fourth signal to the display indicative of instructions to present a visual representation of the value of the at least one parameter.

12. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to output a fifth signal to the display indicative of instructions to present a graphical representation of the guidance swath.

13. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a path of an agricultural implement coupled to the agricultural vehicle based at least in part on the path of the agricultural vehicle, and the controller is configured to output a sixth signal to the display indicative of instructions to present a graphical representation of the path of the agricultural implement.

14. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the user interface is configured to output a seventh signal indicative of a starting angle of the agricultural vehicle relative to the guidance swath, a starting speed of the agricultural vehicle, a starting distance of the agricultural vehicle from the guidance swath, or a combination thereof, and the controller is configured to determine the path of the agricultural vehicle toward the guidance swath based at least in part on the starting angle, the starting speed, the starting distance, or a combination thereof.

15. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a starting angle of the agricultural vehicle relative to the guidance swath, a starting speed of the agricultural vehicle, a starting distance of the agricultural vehicle from the guidance swath, or a combination thereof, and the controller is configured to determine the path of the agricultural vehicle toward the guidance swath based at least in part on the starting angle, the starting speed, the starting distance, or a combination thereof.

16. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the path of the agricultural vehicle by simulating movement of the agricultural vehicle using a guidance algorithm, and the controller is configured to control the agricultural vehicle using the guidance algorithm.

17. An apparatus comprising:
at least one non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable media having instructions encoded thereon for execution by a processor, the instructions comprising:
instructions to receive a first signal from a user interface indicative of a value of at least one parameter;
instructions to determine a path of an agricultural vehicle toward a guidance swath based at least in part on the at least one parameter;
instructions to output a second signal to a display of the user interface indicative of instructions to display a graphical representation of the path of the agricultural vehicle; and
instructions to control the agricultural vehicle based at least in part on the at least one parameter upon receiving at least a third signal from the user interface indicative of acceptance of the value of the at least one parameter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises an initial turn rate of the agricultural vehicle, an approach angle of the agricultural vehicle toward the guidance swath, a

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc
• Autonomous Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Ray Brian Robert
• McClelland Brett Carson
• Dix Peter John
• Bunderson Nathan Eric

Classifications

• A01B69/007 Primary

  Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow · CPC title

• A01B79/005

  Precision agriculture · CPC title

• A01B69/008 Primary

  automatic · CPC title

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title