G05D2201/0201

IMPLEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENT WEAR DETECTION AND ESTIMATION
20220406104 · 2022-12-22 ·

An implement management system detects implement wear and monitors implement states to modify operating modes of a vehicle. The system can determine implement wear using the pull of the implement on the vehicle, the force and angle of which is represented by an orientation vector. The system may measure a current orientation vector and determine an expected orientation vector using sensors and a model (e.g., a machine learned model). Additionally, the implement management system can determine an implement state based on images of the soil and the implement captured by a camera onboard the vehicle during operation. The system may apply different models to the images to determine a likely state of the implement. The difference between the expected and current orientation vectors or the determined implement state may be used to determine whether and how the vehicle's operating mode should be modified.

IMPLEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING IMPLEMENT STATE

An implement management system detects implement wear and monitors implement states to modify operating modes of a vehicle. The system can determine implement wear using the pull of the implement on the vehicle, the force and angle of which is represented by an orientation vector. The system may measure a current orientation vector and determine an expected orientation vector using sensors and a model (e.g., a machine learned model). Additionally, the implement management system can determine an implement state based on images of the soil and the implement captured by a camera onboard the vehicle during operation. The system may apply different models to the images to determine a likely state of the implement. The difference between the expected and current orientation vectors or the determined implement state may be used to determine whether and how the vehicle's operating mode should be modified.

AGRICULTURAL MACHINE

An agricultural machine includes a traveling vehicle body, a detector to detect objects in an area surrounding the traveling vehicle body, a detection adjuster to adjust a detection direction of the detector, a position sensor to detect a position of the traveling vehicle body, and an information acquirer to acquire information relating to an entrance/exit of an agricultural field. The detection adjuster is operable to perform a first adjustment of orienting the detection direction toward an end point of the entrance/exit when the traveling vehicle body is traveling toward the entrance/exit and a distance from the position of the traveling vehicle body to the entrance/exit included in the information is a predetermined value or less, and a second adjustment of orienting the detection direction toward the end point of the entrance/exit or a space forward of the end point in a traveling direction when the traveling vehicle body is traveling on the entrance/exit.

AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT SYSTEM

An agricultural support system includes a first communication device located in or on a tractor to transmit information, and a second communication device located in or on a transport vehicle to acquire the information transmitted from the first communication device. The transport vehicle is capable of transporting the tractor. The agricultural support system further includes a position sensor in or on the working machine to detect a position of the working machine. The first communication device is operable to transmit the position detected by the position sensor to the second communication device as the information. The second communication device is operable to receive the position transmitted from the first communication device.

Apparatus and method for controlling a vehicle
11531345 · 2022-12-20 · ·

A path controller for guiding an autonomous vehicle along a desired path may include an input module that may receive input signals such as, a normal error signal that indicates an off-path deviation of the autonomous vehicle relative to a desired path, a heading signal, and a curvature signal associated with the autonomous vehicle. The path controller may also include a curvature rate module that calculates a curvature rate output signal to guide the autonomous vehicle along the desired path and a communication module that communicates the curvature rate output signal to a steering control system.

System and method for autonomous control of agricultural machinery and equipment
11531334 · 2022-12-20 · ·

A system and method of controlling agriculture equipment which combines geographical coordinates, machine settings, machine position, path plans, user input, and equipment parameters to generate executable commands based of a variety of different in-field agricultural operation objectives for a vehicle equipped with an automatic or electronically controlled locomotion systems capable of reading and executing the commands.

GUIDANCE SYSTEM TO NAVIGATE INTERVENING OBSTACLES AND METHODS FOR SAME

A system having a guidance module to obtain a travel path from an agricultural machine to a target. The guidance module including a perception module to determine target line that extends from the machine to the target, and obstacle detection module to detect an obstacle in the first target line, the obstacle having an obstacle boundary that intersects the target line. The guidance module including a mitigation module to obtain a mitigation path around the obstacle based on the target line and the obstacle boundary, the mitigation path including a mitigation segment. The mitigation module including an entrance module configured to determine a starting position of the mitigation path based on a second target line and an exit module configured to determine the ending position of the mitigation path based on a third target line. The guidance module including convergence module to combine the mitigation path with the travel path.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE GROUND SPEED OF AN AGRICULTURAL SPRAYER DURING A TURN
20220396263 · 2022-12-15 ·

An agricultural sprayer includes a computing system configured to receive a first input associated with a target application rate at which agricultural fluid is to be dispensed onto the field. Moreover, the computing system is configured to receive a second input associated with a turn being made or to be made by the sprayer. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine a maximum ground speed for the turn at which a selected nozzle dispenses the agricultural fluid onto the field at the target application rate based on the received first and second inputs. Furthermore, when the turn is being made, the computing system is configured to control an operation of the sprayer such that the ground speed of the sprayer is at or below the determined maximum ground speed.

Method for operating a system made up of an agricultural working vehicle and at least one working tool arranged thereon
11526171 · 2022-12-13 · ·

A method is provided for operating a system consisting of an agricultural working vehicle, at least one working tool arranged thereon, and a controller assigned to the working vehicle. The method includes detecting, by at least one sensor assembly arranged at least on the working tool and having at least two sensors, two different physical variables. The method further includes storing, by a memory, information characterizing the working tool, continuously storing, by the memory, operating data of at least the working tool, and communicating wirelessly via Bluetooth network with the controller by the at least one sensor assembly via a transmitter. The controller is brought into a transmission range of the sensor assembly to activate the communication between them and the operating data temporarily stored in the memory is transmitted to the controller.

MILESTONE PREDICTION OF FUEL AND CHEMICAL USAGE

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for milestone prediction of fuel and chemical usage. An example apparatus includes one or more memories comprising computer readable instructions; one or more processors to execute the computer readable instructions to determine a current amount of fuel required without halt and a current fuel consumption rate for a machine during a harvesting event in a field based on a first amount of fuel required without halt, a first fuel consumption rate, and real time information from sensors of the machine, and determine a real time amount of fuel required based on the current amount of fuel required without halt, the current fuel consumption rate, and a halt time for the machine during the harvesting event, the one or more processors to use the real time amount of fuel required to schedule fuel delivery for the machine.