VEHICLE CONTROL AND GATEWAY MODULE

• US 20130211628A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Agricultural Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Agricultural Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Thurow, Bradley R., Wiig, Johan A., Gelinske, Joshua N., Reich, Adam A., Batcheller, Barry D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,330,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/666 by detecting noise and sounds generated by the flowing fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

A vehicle control and gateway module comprising an electronic control module controlling one or more vehicle systems, a vehicle communications bus, a wireless communications module, an electronic gateway module acting as a translator of information between the vehicle communications bus and the wireless communications module, and a software program, whereby an operator using a remote mobile device can send and receive wireless commands to and from the vehicle with the electronic gateway module translating messages from one data protocol to the other as required.

Claims

1. A gateway system for controlling dynamic equipment, which system comprises:

a wireless mobile device;

an electronic vehicle control module connected to said vehicle and adapted for controlling and monitoring a vehicle function;

a gateway protocol converter connected to said control module;

said protocol converter including a wireless communications module;

said mobile device being adapted for communicating wirelessly with said protocol converter via said communications module;

an interface between said protocol converter and said vehicle control module; and

said protocol converter being adapted for transmitting to and receiving from said mobile device information and commands related to vehicle function.

2. The gateway system according to claim 1, which includes:

a communications bus connected to said control module; and

said control module being adapted for transmitting and receiving data on the communications bus.

3. The gateway system according to claim 2, which includes:

said remote mobile device being handheld; and

said communications module being adapted for transmitting text, data and images wirelessly to and receiving data wirelessly from said remote mobile device.

4. The gateway system according to claim 3, which includes:

a software program hosted on the electronic gateway module; and

said software program being adapted for translating data received on the communications bus into a wireless message protocol.

5. The gateway system according to claim 4 wherein said software program is adapted for translating data received from the wireless communications module into a protocol for transmission on the communications bus.

6. The gateway system according to claim 3 wherein said remote mobile device is adapted for sending control commands to the control module.

7. The gateway system according to claim 6 wherein said remote mobile device is adapted for receiving and displaying information from the vehicle system.

8. The gateway system according to claim 3, which includes:

said remote mobile device acting as a virtual terminal for the vehicle.

9. The gateway system according claim 4 wherein said software program includes a safety function adapted for disabling an equipment function under predefined conditions.

10. The gateway system according to claim 9 wherein said remote device includes a pair of actuators which must be simultaneously engaged by an operator in order to enable said equipment function.

11. The gateway system according to claim 10 wherein said vehicle function comprises a meter roll.

12. The gateway system according to claim 1, which includes an interface adapted for interfacing with one of the group comprising:

a third-party application;

the Internet;

equipment hardware; and

cloud-based Internet capabilities.

13. The gateway system according to claim 12, which includes an interface adapted for receiving and transmitting ISO messages.

14. The gateway system according to claim 2, which includes:

serial communications ports connected to said processor and to said communications bus for receiving and transmitting messages from and to said processor.

15. The gateway system according to claim 14, which includes a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver connected to said processor and adapted for providing GNSS positioning signals to said processor and said processor being adapted for computing a position of said GNSS receiver defined by said GNSS signals.

16. The gateway system according to claim 1, which includes:

motor drive circuits connected to the motor drives on said vehicle and an implement.

17. The gateway system according to claim 1, which is adapted for communicating with one or more of the group comprising a cloud server, a virtual terminal, a cellular telecommunications network and another gateway system.

18. The gateway system according to claim 1, which includes:

said mobile device including a display adapted for representing the function of said equipment.

19. The gateway system according to claim 1, which includes an application interface for an operations scheduling tool adapted for providing an operator with access to information related to one or more the group comprising:

available workers, vehicle status, project completion status, field conditions, weather conditions and field-applied material.

20. The gateway system according to claim 1, which includes:

said display being adapted for displaying maps of fields wherein said equipment operates; and

said display being adapted for displaying position indicators on said field maps.

21. The gateway system according to claim 1 wherein said mobile computing device includes a display screen and is adapted for displaying a job startup checklist and allowing a user to step through a series of screens associated with preparing the equipment for a specific operation.

22. The gateway system according to claim 21, which includes:

said display screen including a banner depicting equipment condition information.

23. The gateway system according to claim 22 wherein said equipment comprises a pneumatic seeder and said gateway module is adapted for detecting a flow blockage monitor and displaying a seed flow blockage status indicator.

24. The gateway system according to claim 1, which includes:

said equipment comprising a tractor towing an agricultural implement;

said agricultural equipment including multiple reservoirs for material to be applied to said field; and

said gateway system being adapted for selectively controlling the application of said material to said field.

25. The gateway system according to claim 24 wherein said material application is based on GNSS-defined positions of said equipment.

26. The gateway system according to claim 24 which includes:

multiple components each associated with a respective crop row and said field; and

said control module selectively controlling said components.

27. The gateway system according to claim 26 wherein said equipment includes one or more of material dispensing control valves, flow meters, material level indicators, load cells and tank pressure indicators.

28. A gateway system for controlling a vehicle, which system comprises:

an electronic vehicle control module connected to said vehicle and adapted for controlling and monitoring a vehicle function;

a communications bus connected to said control module and adapted for transmitting and receiving data on the communications bus;

a remote mobile device;

a wireless communications module adapted for transmitting data wirelessly to and receiving data wirelessly from said remote mobile device;

an electronic gateway module connected to the communications bus and adapted for transmitting and receiving data on the communications bus and the wireless communications module;

a software program posted on the gateway module and adapted for translating data received on the communications bus into a wireless message protocol, where the software program is further capable of translating data received from the wireless communications module into a protocol for transmission on the communications bus; and

said remote mobile device being adapted for sending control commands to the electronic control module and receiving information from the vehicle system for display on the remote mobile device.

29. The gateway system according to claim 28 wherein said remote mobile device is adapted for receiving and displaying text, data and images from the vehicle system.

30. The gateway system according to claim 28 wherein said remote mobile device is adapted for acting as a virtual terminal for the vehicle.

31. A gateway method of controlling dynamic equipment, which method includes the steps of:

providing an electronic control module connected to said equipment;

connecting said control module to a protocol converter;

providing a wireless communications module connected to said control module;

providing a mobile device;

wirelessly transmitting commands to and receiving information from said communications module with said mobile device; and

translating wireless communications between said communications module and said mobile device with said protocol converter.

32. The method according to claim 31, which includes the additional steps of:

providing said remote mobile device with a manual actuator; and

providing said remote mobile device with a safety interlock adapted for disabling a vehicle system in response to an operator releasing said actuator.

33. The method according to claim 31, which includes additional steps of:

providing said vehicle control system with a meter roll function; and

selectively disabling said meter roll function with said safety interlock.

34. The method according to claim 31, which includes the additional steps of transmitting and receiving messages to and from said communications module using one or more of the group comprising:

third-party application;

the Internet;

equipment hardware;

cloud-based Internet capabilities;

another gateway system; and

ISO-formatted messages.

35. The method according to claim 31, which includes the additional steps of:

providing a communications bus;

connecting said communications bus with said processor, said vehicle control module and said communications module;

providing said processor with serial communications ports;

connecting said communications ports to said processor and said communications bus; and

said processor receiving and transmitting messages via said communications ports.

36. The method according to claim 31, which includes the additional steps of:

providing a GNSS receiver connected to said processor;

receiving GNSS positioning signals with said receiver;

processing said GNSS positioning signals with said processor; and

said processor providing an output corresponding to a GNSS-defined position of said equipment.

37. The method according to claim 31, which includes the additional steps of:

providing said equipment with motor drive circuits connected to motor drives on said equipment; and

controlling said motor drive circuits with said processor.

38. The method according to claim 31, which includes additional steps of:

communicating with one or more of the group comprising;

cloud-based server;

virtual terminal;

cellular telecommunications network; and

another gateway system.

39. The method according to claim 31, which includes additional steps of:

displaying a function of said equipment on said mobile device.

40. The method according to claim 39, which includes additional step of:

displaying on said mobile device information related to one or more of the group comprising;

available workers;

vehicle status;

project completion status;

field conditions;

weather conditions; and

field-applied material status.

41. The method according to claim 31 wherein said equipment comprises a pneumatic seeder and said method includes the additional steps of:

detecting a blockage of said seeder; and

indicating said seeder blockage condition to an operator of said equipment.