Machine control system and method
First Claim
1. A system for generating and distributing a terrain model to vehicles, the system comprising:
- a central control computer including a hardware processor to;
receive field data from a first one of the vehicles including terrain elevations for a field;
store the field data in a memory device;
generate a terrain model from the field data; and
distribute the terrain model to a second one of the vehicles to compare with sensor data generated by the second one of the vehicles and to adjust a position of a working component on the second one of the vehicles relative to the field based on the comparison of the sensor data with the terrain model.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based control system is provided for positioning a working component relative to a work surface, such as an agricultural spray boom over a crop field. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, are mounted on the working component and provide positioning signals to a control processor. A method of positioning a working component relative to a work surface using GNSS-based positioning signals is also disclosed. Further disclosed is a work order management system and method, which can be configured for controlling the operation of multiple vehicles, such as agricultural sprayers each equipped with GNSS-based spray boom height control subsystems. The sprayers can be remotely located from each other on multiple crop fields, and can utilize GNSS-based, field-specific terrain models for controlling their spraying operations.
112 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for generating and distributing a terrain model to vehicles, the system comprising:
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a central control computer including a hardware processor to; receive field data from a first one of the vehicles including terrain elevations for a field; store the field data in a memory device; generate a terrain model from the field data; and distribute the terrain model to a second one of the vehicles to compare with sensor data generated by the second one of the vehicles and to adjust a position of a working component on the second one of the vehicles relative to the field based on the comparison of the sensor data with the terrain model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A control system for controlling the position of a working component relative to a field, the working component coupled to a vehicle, comprising:
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a computer located on the vehicle to; receive a terrain model from a central computer, the terrain model including elevation measurements for the field taken from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) located on a same or a different vehicle; receive inertial data from one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs) mounted on the working component; receive position data from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) located on the vehicle; compare the position data from the GNSS and the inertial data from the IMUs with the terrain model; and move the working component relative to the work surface based on the comparison of the position data and the inertial data with the terrain model. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of coordinating operations of vehicles in a field, comprising:
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downloading, by a computer operating on a first vehicle, a field terrain model from a central server, the field terrain model including terrain elevations for the field measured by a second vehicle; receiving, by the computer, position data from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) located on the vehicle; receiving, by the computer, inertial data from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) located on the vehicle; comparing, by the computer, the position data from the GNSS and the inertial data from the IMU with the field terrain model; and positioning, by the computer, a working component connected to the first vehicle relative to the work surface based on the comparison of the position data and the inertial data with the field terrain model. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification