B60W2300/15

Intelligent hybrid powertrain systems for combine harvesters

Embodiments of an intelligent hybrid powertrain system include an engine, a controller architecture, and an electric drive subsystem having a battery supply and a motor/generator. The controller architecture is configured to: (i) monitor a current state of charge (SoC) of the battery supply when the combine harvester engages in a combine harvest cycle having a tank fill phase and a tank unload phase; (ii) during the tank fill phase, operate the motor/generator to supplement the engine power output and regulate a rate of battery discharge to prevent the current SoC of the battery supply from decreasing below a lower predetermined SoC threshold prior to completion of the tank fill phase; and (iii) during the tank unload phase, operate the motor/generator to charge the battery supply until the current SoC of the battery supply is equal to or greater than a first upper predetermined SoC threshold.

WORK MACHINE DISTANCE PREDICTION AND ACTION CONTROL
20230166732 · 2023-06-01 ·

A system and a method are disclosed for determining a range of potential distances between a work machine and an object. The system receives an image captured by a camera on the work machine and identifies an object in the image. The system determines an angle between the camera and the object, a height associated with the object, and an uncertainty associated with the height. Based on the angle, the height, and the uncertainty, the system determines a range of potential distances between the work machine and the object. The shortest distance in the range is compared to a threshold distance for safe operation of the work machine. When the shortest distance in the range is less than the threshold distance, the system causes the work machine to perform a safety action.

VEHICLE WHEEL SLIPPAGE CONTROL
20170313318 · 2017-11-02 · ·

An agricultural vehicle and method of controlling the same are provided, the vehicle having a motive power unit providing a driving torque to at least one driven wheel and having at least one tyre or track frictionally coupled with the periphery of the driven wheel. A vehicle operating parameter is controlled in dependence on the driving torque and a slippage characteristic relating the respective driving torque at which the frictional coupling between driven wheel and tyre or track begins to slip for a range of vehicle operating parameter values. The operating parameter is suitably a tyre pressure or track tension, and the control may involve reducing driving torque or increasing pressure/tension to prevent slipping.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AND IMPLEMENTING AN END-OF-ROW TURN PATH

A method includes generating a non-continuous curvature end-of-row turn path for an agricultural vehicle, wherein the non-continuous curvature end-of-row turn path includes a plurality of initial segments that are curved or straight, adding at least one continuity segment between each of the plurality of initial segments, wherein the at least one continuity segment includes a clothoid segment, and the initial segments and the at least one continuity segment combine to form a continuous curvature end-of-row turn path, determining, via an iterative process, a maximum drivable speed based on a minimum speed and a target speed, and implementing the continuous end-of-row turn path at the maximum drivable speed.

Method and system for estimating surface roughness of ground for an off-road vehicle to control steering

A method and system for estimating surface roughness of a ground for an off-road vehicle to control steering of a vehicle, an implement, or both, comprises detecting motion data of an off-road vehicle traversing a field or work site during a sampling interval. A first sensor is adapted to detect pitch data of the off-road vehicle for the sampling interval to obtain a pitch acceleration. A second sensor is adapted to detect roll data of the off-road vehicle for the sampling interval to obtain a roll acceleration. An electronic data processor or surface roughness index module determines or estimates a surface roughness index based on the detected motion data, pitch data and roll data for the sampling interval. The surface roughness index can be displayed on the graphical display to a user or operator of the vehicle.

Slope mower with safety features
11240966 · 2022-02-08 · ·

Mowing systems include a mower and, optionally, a remote control unit such as a handheld unit, between which may be provided 1- or 2-way communications. Components and features are included in the mower, the remote control unit, or both to enhance the safety, functionality, or user experience of the system's user/operator. One aspect relates to monitoring a tilt angle of the mower, and defining or executing different system responses as a function of different first and second conditions that relate to the tilt angle. Another aspect relates to automatic adjustment of a speed setting of the mower's drive system as a function of a power takeoff (PTO) unit of the mower.

AGRICULTURAL FIELD WORK VEHICLE
20220030758 · 2022-02-03 · ·

An agricultural field work vehicle includes a move-off recorder to record, as move-off information, a move-off position or a move-off travel path, the move-off information being information related to the vehicle body having moved off a target travel path while performing agricultural field work during autonomous travel, the move-off position being a position at which the vehicle body moved off the target travel path, the move-off travel path being the target travel path off which the vehicle body moved, and a work return manager to (i) select a resumption travel path based on the move-off information, the resumption travel path being a travel path on which the agricultural field work vehicle, after the vehicle body moved off the target travel path, resumes performing agricultural field work, and (ii) manage a return of the 1vehicle body to the resumption travel path or the move-off position. The work return manager includes a determiner to determine, while the agricultural field work vehicle is being manually driven for the vehicle body to return to the resumption travel path, whether the agricultural field work vehicle is able to transition from manual travel to autonomous travel.

METHOD, SYSTEM AND ROBOT FOR AUTONOMOUS NAVIGATION THEREOF BETWEEN TWO ROWS OF PLANTS

A method, system and robot for autonomous navigation thereof between two rows of plants, wherein said robot includes two or more sensing devices, sensor A and sensor B, mounted thereon and moves forward along an axis parallel to the rows of plants, being autonomously steered by exerting angular corrections to place the robot as close as possible to the centerline between the rows of plants, wherein the method and system includes the following:

(ii) dividing a two-dimensional grid of square cells into I.sub.G.Math.J.sub.G groups of cells;

(iii) obtaining data points using sensor A and sensor B;

(vii) moving the robot: (a) by turning right; or (b) by turning left; or (c) forward without turning,
depending on whether each group of cells (i,j) is calculated as low-activated, high-activated or not activated using said data points.

AUTONOMOUS BALE RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

A bale retriever for retrieving bales which includes a bale pick up configured to contact and pick up a bale, a steering assembly configured to steer the bale retriever, at least one sensor configured to sense at least one bale feature of the bale, and a controller operatively coupled to the steering assembly and the at least one sensor. The controller is configured to receive bale drop location information, receive at least one bale feature signal from the at least one sensor, identify an exact bale location of the bale based at least partially on the bale drop location information and the at least one bale feature signal from the at least one sensor, generate a steering control signal based at least partially on the exact bale location, and output the steering control signal to the steering assembly.

OBSTACLE DETECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE
20210404553 · 2021-12-30 ·

An obstacle detector of a construction vehicle includes a brake mechanism which includes: a first hydraulic closed circuit including a pump for rolling, which is equipped with a swash plate, and a motor for rolling, which is connected with the pump for rolling; a second hydraulic closed circuit including a first hydraulic passage communicating with one side of the pump for rolling and a second hydraulic passage communicating with another side of the pump for rolling, to actuate the swash plate; and a neutral valve provided in the second closed circuit. When an emergency brake is activated, at least one of a compressive returning force to compress a low-pressure side of the tilted swash plate for returning the swash plate to a neutral position and a decompressive returning force to decompress a high-pressure side of the swash plate for returning the swash plate to the neutral position is generated.