Combine performance monitor

• US 4,296,409 A
• Filed: 03/12/1979
• Issued: 10/20/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fleet Credit Corp. (Bobit Business Media, Inc.), Dickey-John Corporation (Churchill Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dickey-John Corporation (Churchill Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Whitaker, Roger B., Blevins, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Sr., John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowicki, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US06/019,287
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 340/684, 340/517, 340/521, 340/52 F, 364/424, 364/431, 364/478, 364/551, 364/579, 364/580, 56/10.2, 56/DIG. 15
• US Class Current: 340/684
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A combine performance monitor includes a programmed, special purpose computer coupled to a plurality of sensors for detecting a plurality of different operating conditions in a combine. The special purpose computer cooperates with operator accessible controls for calculating a plurality of predetermined performance parameters of the combine in accordance with signals from the sensors. The computer is further responsive to actuation of the controls by the operator for modifying the program so as to customize the combine performance monitor for operation with any combine selected, for operation with the particular sensors utilized in that combine selected and for operation of the selected sensors and combine in harvesting a particular grain.

Claims

1. A combine performance monitor for a combine having a plurality of sensor means for detecting a plurality of different operating conditions of the combine and for providing sensor signals corresponding to said conditions, said combine performance monitor comprising:

display means, operator accessible control and selection means and a programmable special purpose computer including means for storing a predetermined computer program, said computer being coupled to said sensor means, to said control and selection means and to said display means for calculating a plurality of values of predetermined combine functions related to combine performance in accordance with said sensor signals and with said predetermined program and for selectively energizing said display means to provide observable indications of said values, said operator accessible control and selection means and said special purpose computer including cooperating customizing means for selectively modifying said predetermined computer program in accordance with combine operating characteristics so as to customize said combine performance monitor for operation with any one of a plurality of combines having different operating characteristics.

2. A combine performance monitor according to claim 1 wherein said customizing means includes means in said special purpose computer responsive to said operator control and selection means and coupled to said means for storing said predetermined program for selectively modifying said predetermined computer program in accordance with the operating characteristics of a particular combine selected from among said plurality of combines.

3. A combine performance monitor according to claim 1 wherein said customizing means further includes means for selectively modifying said predetermined computer program in accordance with the operating characteristics of the particular sensor means associated with a particular combine selected from among said plurality of combines.

4. A combine performance monitor according to claim 1 or claim 3 wherein said customizing means further includes means for selectively modifying said predetermined computer program in accordance with one of a plurality of different grains to be harvested by said combine.

5. A combine performance monitor according to claim 2 wherein said customizing means further includes means in said operator control and selection means for selectively entering into said special purpose computer a plurality of predetermined constants corresponding to selected operating characteristics of the particular combine with which said performance monitor is being used and corresponding to selected operating characteristics of the particular sensor means associated with said comine, said modifying means in said special purpose computer being responsive to said entry of constants for modifying said predetermined program in accordance with said predetermined constants.

6. A combine performance monitor according to claim 5 wherein said special purpose computer includes interfacing means for interfacing with sensor means including a plurality of tachometer means for detecting revolution rates of revolving components of said combine and providing signals corresponding thereto, a plurality of limit sensor means each capable of producing a first output state and a second output state and responsive to preselected structures of said combine for producing said first output state in response to a first condition of the associated structure and producing said second output state in response to a second condition of said associated structure, ground speed sensor means for producing a predetermined number of pulses per linear distance traveled by said combine and a plurality of temperature sensor means and pressure sensor means for detecting the temperature and pressure at predetermined parts of said combine and providing signals corresponding respectively thereto, and wherein said special purpose computer includes second interfacing means for interfacing with said operator accessible control and selection means to receive said constants, including constants corresponding to the types of signals produced by said tachometer means in response to the revolving components, constants corresponding to the conditions of said structures with which said limit sensor first and second output states are associated, a constant corresponding to a header width of said particular combine, a constant corresponding to the number of pulses produced by said ground speed sensor for a predetermined distance traveled by said particular combine and constants corresponding to the temperature response characteristic of each of said temperature sensors and to the pressure response characteristic of each of said pressure sensors.

7. A combine performance monitor according to claim 2 further including alarm means for producing an observable indication, said customizing means further including means in said operator control and selection means for entering into said special purpose computer alarm constants corresponding to predetermined values of said sensor signals from preselected ones of said sensor means in response to which said alarm means are to be actuated and means in said special purpose computer for modifying said program in accordance with said alarm constants and further means in said special purpose computer responsive to said predetermined values of said sensor signals and to said alarm constants for actuating said alarm means.

8. A combine performance monitor according to claim 7 wherein said special purpose computer includes means for interfacing with sensor means including a plurality of tachometer means associated with selected rotatable structures of said combine for producing tachometer signals corresponding to the rotational speed thereof, ground speed sensor means for producing ground speed signals corresponding to the rate of travel of said combine, engine timing means responsive to operation of an engine of said combine for producing engine hours signals corresponding to the cumulative hours of operation of said engine, grain loss sensor means responsive to the rate of grain loss from said combine when in operation for producing a grain loss signal corresponding thereto, a plurality of limit sensor means each capable of producing a first output state and a second output state in response to corresponding first and a second conditions of an associated structure in said combine, temperature sensor means associated with predetermined structures in said combine for producing temperature signals corresponding to the temperatures thereat and pressure sensor means associated with predetermined structures in said combine for providing pressure signals corresponding to the pressure thereat and wherein said special purpose computer includes means for receiving said alarm constants, including alarm constants corresponding to predetermined signal levels of each of said tachometer signals, of said ground speed signals, of said engine hours signals, of said grain loss signals, of said temperature signals and of said pressure signals at which said alarm means is to be actuated, and corresponding to a predetermined one of said first and second output states of each of said limit sensor means at which said alarm means is to be actuated.

9. A combine performance monitor according to claim 1 wherein said customizing means further includes means for selectively modifying said predetermined computer program in accordance with the nominal operating values of the structures of a particular combine associated with preselected ones of said sensor means, said particular combine being selected from among said plurality of combines.

10. A combine performance monitor according to claim 9 wheren said special purpose computer includes means for interfacing with sensor means including a plurality of tachometer means responsive to selected rotatable structures of said combine for providing tachometer signals corresponding to the rotation rates thereof and grain loss sensor means responsive to loss of grain from said combine when in operation for producing a grain loss signal corresponding thereto and wherein said modifying means includes means for modifying said program in accordance with the nominal rotation rate of the structure associated with each of said tachometers and in accordance with a preselected maximum acceptable level of grain loss.

11. A combine performance monitor for monitoring the operation of structures in a combine including structures for threshing, separating and cleaning, said combine being provided with a plurality of sensor means for detecting a plurality of different operating conditions of said combine structures and for providing sensor signals corresponding to said conditions, said combine performance monitor comprising:

display means for producing observable indications of values of functions being monitored, operator accessible control and selection means for control of the performance monitor and for selection of functions to be displayed on said display means, a special purpose computer including means for storing a predetermined program, said computer being coupled to said sensor means, to said control and selection means and to said display means for calculating a predetermined plurality of values related to combine performance in accordance with said sensor signals and for selectively energizing said display means to provide observable indications of said values in accordance with said program and with operator actuation of said operator accessible control and selection means, and customizing means in said special purpose computer and in said operator control and selection means and coupled to said means for storing said predetermined program, for selectively modifying said predetermined program to customize said combine performance monitor for operation with any one of a plurality of combines having different operating characteristics.

12. A combine performance monitor according to claim 11 wherein said customizing means further include means for selectively modifying said predetermined program to customize said combine performance monitor for operation with the particular sensor means associated with said one combine.

13. A combine performance monitor according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein said customizing means further includes means for selectively modifying said predetermined program to customize said combine performance monitor for operation with a particular type of grain to be harvested by said one combine.

14. A combine performance monitor according to claim 11 wherein said customizing means further includes means for selectively modifying said predetermined program to customize said combine performance monitor in accordance with the nominal operating values of the structures of said one combine associated with preselected ones of said sensor means.

15. A combine performance monitor for use with a combine having a plurality of sensor means for detecting a plurality of different operating conditions of said combine and providing sensor signals corresponding to conditions, said combine performance monitor comprising:

display means, operator accessible control and selection means and a programmable, special purpose computer including means for storing a predetermined computer program, said computer being coupled to said sensor means, to said control and selection means and to said display means for determining a predetermined plurality of values of combine functions and of combine performance in accordance with said sensor signals and for energizing said display means to provide observable indications of said values, said special purpose computer includes means responsive to operator actuation of said operator accessible control and selection means and coupled to said means for storing said predetermined program for modifying said predetermined program to customize said combine performance monitor for operation with a particular combine and with the plurality of sensor means associated with said particular combine, said particular combine being selected from a plurality of combines having different characteristics.

17. A combine performance monitor according to claim 15 or 16 further including alarm means and wherein said special purpose computer further includes means responsive to operator actuation of said operator accessible control and selection means and coupled to said means for storing said predetermined computer program for modifying said predetermined program so as to cause actuation of said alarm means in response to predetermined values of the signals from preselected ones of said sensor means, which values correspond to predetermined values of the associated operating conditions at which actuation of said alarm means is desired.

18. A combine performance monitor according to claim 15 or 16 further including means in said special purpose computer responsive to operator actuation of said operator accessible control and selection means for modifying said predetermined program to customize said combine performance monitor for operation in response to nominal operating values of the operating conditions of the combine associated with preselected ones of said plurality of sensor means.

16. A combine performance monitor for a combine having a plurality of sensor means for detecting a plurality of different operating conditions of the combine, said combine performance monitor comprising:

a programmable, special purpose computer including means for storing a predetermined computer program, operator accessible control and selection means and means in said special purpose computer responsive to said operator accessible control and selection means and coupled to said means for storing said predetermined computer program for modifying said predetermined program to customize said combine performance monitor for operation with a particular combine selected from a plurality of differently structured combines and with the plurality of sensor means associated therewith.