Method and device for predictive control of agricultural vehicle systems

• US 20130184944A1
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Missotten, Bart M.A., Coen, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• 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 69/007 Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 75/28 Control mechanisms for harvesters or mowers when moving on slopes; Devices preventing lateral pull

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for controlling an agricultural vehicle system when moving along a course of travel over a field. The method comprises:

• • providing (190) a field model correlating a field characteristic, e.g. a farmland condition such as farmland slope, or a crop condition such as crop density or moisture, to a specific location in the field, for example indicated by x and y coordinates;
  • from the field model and at least one previously obtained value for the field characteristic, predicting (191) a value for the field characteristic in front of the agricultural vehicle system thus obtaining an anticipated field characteristic, and;
  • controlling (192) the agricultural vehicle system at least partly in response to the anticipated field characteristic.

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, providing (190) a field model correlating a field characteristic to a specific location in the field includes assuming that the field characteristic varies in a continuous manner.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an agricultural vehicle system when moving along a course of travel over a field, the method comprising:

providing a field model correlating a field characteristic to a specific location in the field, from the field model and at least one previously obtained value for the field characteristic, predicting a value for the field characteristic in front of the agricultural vehicle system thus obtaining an anticipated field characteristic, and

controlling the agricultural vehicle system at least partly in response to the anticipated field characteristic,

wherein providing a field model correlating a field characteristic to a specific location in the field includes assuming that field characteristic varies in a continuous manner.

2. A method according to claim 1, the field model comprising field model variables, wherein assuming that the field characteristic varies in a continuous manner includes taking into account first and second order derivatives of the field model variables.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein providing a field model describing a field characteristic includes optimizing a cost function that takes account of the difference between a model value and a measured value at a specific location, of the first derivatives in orthogonal directions of the model values and of the second derivatives in orthogonal directions of the model values.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein providing a field model describing a field characteristic includes summing a factor related to the squared difference between a model value and a measured value at a location in the field, a factor related to the squared first derivative in orthogonal directions of the model values and a factor related to the squared second derivatives in orthogonal directions of the model values.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein providing a field model includes weighting the factors before summing.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein predicting a value for the field characteristic in front of the agricultural vehicle system includes calculating field characteristic values in a region around a current location of the agricultural vehicle system determined by a span not larger than 6.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein predicting a value for the field characteristic in front of the agricultural vehicle system includes updating the model of the field as new measurements become available.

8. A method according to claim 1, furthermore comprising fitting a grid over the field, the grid consisting of a plurality of elements, and determining a value for the field characteristic of the elements of the grid.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the fitting a grid over the field includes fitting a grid over the field with a resolution determined by the working width of an appliance of the agricultural vehicle system.

10-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An agricultural vehicle system adapted for being controlled by a control signal generated based on a predicted value for a field characteristic in front of the agricultural vehicle system, the predicted value being calculated from a field model correlating the field characteristic to a specific location in the field and at least one previously obtained value for the field characteristic, wherein the field model assumes that the field characteristic varies in a continuous manner.

14. An agricultural vehicle system according to claim 13, furthermore comprising a control system for controlling a vehicle system driving parameter or a vehicle system attribute parameter.

15. An agricultural vehicle system according to claim 14, wherein the control system is adapted for generating the control signal.

16. An agricultural vehicle system according to claim 13, furthermore comprising a sensor unit for measuring the field characteristic.

17. An agricultural vehicle system according to claim 16, wherein the sensor unit includes one or more of a farmland condition sensor or a crop condition sensor.

18. An agricultural vehicle system according to claim 13, furthermore comprising a location specific memory for storing measurement values of one or more field characteristics.