Moving Geofence for Machine Tracking in Agriculture

• US 20120259537A1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Original Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Inventors: Schmidt, Lee A., Riegger, Lorenz
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/00 Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle tracking system provides a moving geofence about the location of a vehicle. When the moving geofence contacts a point of interest, such as another moving geofence, an alert is issued. The particular characteristics of the moving geofence may be generated in accordance with a predetermined scheme.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a moving geofence for a vehicle using vehicle location information; and

determining whether the moving geofence contacts a point of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving location information about the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving vehicle identification information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

issuing an alert if the moving geofence contacts a point of interest.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

issuing an alert if the moving geofence ceases contact with a point of interest.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data representative of a point of interest.

7. A moving geofence apparatus, comprising:

a moving geofence generator configured to generate a moving geofence for a vehicle using vehicle location information; and

a moving geofence determinator configured to determine whether the moving geofence contacts a point of interest.

11. The moving geofence apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a communication device configured to receive vehicle location information and provide the vehicle location information to the moving geofence generator for generating the moving geofence.

12. The moving geofence apparatus of claim 11, wherein the moving geofence comparator is configured to issue an alert if the moving geofence contacts a point of interest.

13. The moving geofence apparatus of claim 11, wherein the moving geofence comparator is configured to generate a signal if the moving geofence contacts a point of interest.

14. The moving geofence of claim 13, further comprising a communication device is configured to send the signal to the vehicle.

15. A moving geofence system, comprising:

a location determination system for determining the location information for a vehicle; and

a moving geofence apparatus configured to generate a moving geofence for the vehicle using the location information.

16. The moving geofence system of claim 15, wherein the location determination system determines the location of the vehicle.

17. The moving geofence system of claim 15, wherein the location determination system further comprises a first communication device configured to send the location information to the moving geofence apparatus.

18. The moving geofence system of claim 15, wherein the moving geofence apparatus comprises:

a moving geofence generator configured to generate a moving geofence for a vehicle using vehicle location information; and

a moving geofence comparator configured to determine whether the moving geofence contacts a point of interest.

19. The moving geofence system of claim 18, wherein the moving geofence comparator is configured to issue an alert if the moving geofence contacts a point of interest.

20. The moving geofence system of claim 18, wherein the moving geofence comparator is configured to generate a signal if the moving geofence contacts a point of interest.

21. The moving geofence system of claim 20 wherein the moving geofence apparatus further comprises a communication device configured to send the signal to the vehicle.

22. The moving geofence system of claim 21, further comprising a controller configured to perform an action in response to the signal.

23. The moving geofence system of claim 22, wherein the action is displaying of an alert message.