A01D34/00

CONTROL DEVICE, WORK MACHINE, AND WORK SYSTEM
20220386523 · 2022-12-08 ·

An aspect of the present invention is a control device for performing travel control of a work machine, the work machine executes work while traveling in a work region based on a reference line, and the control device comprises a setting unit that sets a distance from the reference line, a first control unit that controls the work machine to travel along a first virtual line, the first virtual line being a virtual line away from the reference line on one side, a second control unit that controls the work machine to travel along a second virtual line, the second virtual line being a virtual line away from the reference line on another side, and a selection unit that selects one of the control by the first control unit and the control by the second control unit.

Work vehicle
11516963 · 2022-12-06 · ·

A work vehicle includes a first detection unit that detects an optical beam emitted from a beam projector disposed at one end of a reference travel path, a first position deviation calculation section that calculates position deviation by a vehicle body from the reference travel path based on a detection signal from the first detection unit, a second detection unit that detects a work boundary line that occurs due to work travel, a second position deviation calculation section that calculates position deviation of the vehicle body traveling along successive travel paths from the work boundary line based on a detection signal from the second detection unit, and a steering information generation section that, based on the position deviation calculated by the first position deviation calculation section and the second position deviation calculation section, generates steering information for correcting the position deviation.

Autonomous mower navigation system and method
11519733 · 2022-12-06 · ·

A method for autonomous mower navigation includes performing a training operation for an area including identifying a GPS signal associated with a training apparatus, iteratively recording data associated geolocations of the training apparatus as the training apparatus moves along a trajectory through the area, smoothing the geolocation data associated with the trajectory, and storing the smoothed geolocation data. The method can include subsequent to the training operation, performing a greens association process including establishing a link between the autonomous mower and an RTK-GPS base, receiving by the autonomous mower correction data from the RTK-GPS base, and determining an approach angle to a work area, wherein the path the autonomous mower travels to the work zone is defined by the approach angle.

Electrically actuated mulch control lever

An electrically actuated mulch control lever includes an upper plate and a lower plate pivotably mounted together on a top surface of a mower deck. A compression spring is retained between the upper plate and the lower plate urging the upper plate and the lower plate to pivot together. An electric linear actuator is connected to one of the plates, and a mulch gate hinge is attached to the other plate.

CENTER PIVOT MOWER WITH TURN COMPENSATION
20220377963 · 2022-12-01 · ·

An agricultural mower system includes: a towing vehicle including an engine and a tongue coupler and defining a towing centerline; a mower including a frame carrying cutters and pivotably coupled to a tongue that is pivotably coupled to the tongue coupler, the frame defining a mower centerline that is offset from the towing centerline, the tongue defining a towing angle with respect to the towing centerline and a mower angle with respect to the mower centerline; a mower angle actuator coupled to the tongue and the frame; and a controller configured to: determine the towing angle has changed by a change amount relative to a defined towing angle; determine a turn compensation amount for the mower angle as a function of the change amount and a constant; and output a compensation signal to cause the mower angle actuator to adjust the mower angle by the determined turn compensation amount.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODELING AN ENVIRONMENT PROXIMATE AN AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM

A method and apparatus for modeling the environment proximate an autonomous system. The method and apparatus accesses vision data, assigns semantic labels to points in the vision data, processes points that are identified as being a drivable surface (ground) and performs an optimization over the identified points to form a surface model. The model is subsequently used for detecting objects, planning, and mapping.

Harvesting header segment display and map
11510365 · 2022-11-29 · ·

Method and apparatus for presenting information associated with a multi-segment header of an agricultural harvester. The operational states of the segments are monitored and used to present information. Examples of presented information include graphics depicting which segments are operational and which segments are non-operational, crop coverage maps, and crop yield maps.

System and method for automated grounds maintenance

A grounds maintenance system comprising: a robot tractor comprising; a robot body; a drive system including one or more motorized drive wheels to propel the robot body; a control system coupled to the drive system, the control system configurable to store a mow plan that specifies a set of paths to be traversed for a grounds maintenance operation and control the drive system to autonomously traverse the set of paths to implement the mow plan; a battery system comprising one or more batteries housed in the robot body; and a low-profile mowing deck coupled to the robot body, the mowing deck adapted to tilt and lift relative to the robot body, wherein the control system is configured to control tilting and lifting of the mowing deck and cutting by the mowing deck.

AUTONOMOUS MOWER
20220369546 · 2022-11-24 ·

Aspects relate to an autonomous ground working vehicle. The vehicle has a chassis, wheels coupled to the chassis, a motor housing coupled to the chassis, a tool motor, and a tool. The motor housing defines a motor cavity extending in an axial direction and has a first inner housing portion having a first helical thread about the motor cavity and a second inner housing portion having a second helical thread about the motor cavity that engages the first helical thread. The first inner housing portion has a motor mounting surface and is axially translatable relative to the chassis and rotatably fixed relative to the chassis. The second inner housing portion is rotatable relative to the chassis and axially fixed relative to the chassis. The tool motor is fixed to the motor mounting surface and has an output shaft extending in a first direction. The tool is fixed to the output shaft.

WORK MACHINE AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

A work machine comprises, a drive source, a working unit that includes a rotary member rotated by the drive source and performs a predetermined work by rotation of the rotary member, and a control unit that controls the drive source so that output of the rotary member partially takes different values in one rotation of the rotary member.