Video planter guidance aid
First Claim
1. A guidance aid for assisting an operator in guiding a motorized vehicle pulling an implement pivotally attached thereto for movement about a vertically extending pivot axis, the guidance aid comprising:
- means attached to the implement for creating a mark in a terrain surface;
a video camera pivotally mounted on the implement for converting an image of the mark to electrical image signals indicative thereof;
display means mounted on the vehicle and coupled to the camera for displaying to the operator an image corresponding to the electrical image signals; and
control means for automatically aiming the camera in a fixed predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tractor-planter guidance aid system including a TV camera mounted on a servo motor at an end of the planter to view a mark in the terrain created by a marker mounted on the other end of the planter. Angle sensors send signals to a control circuit, these signals representing the angle between the tractor and the planter and between the camera and the planter. The control circuit cooperates with the servo motor to maintain the camera in parallel alignment with the tractor. A TV monitor displays the image detected by the camera to the operator of the tractor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A guidance aid for assisting an operator in guiding a motorized vehicle pulling an implement pivotally attached thereto for movement about a vertically extending pivot axis, the guidance aid comprising:
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means attached to the implement for creating a mark in a terrain surface; a video camera pivotally mounted on the implement for converting an image of the mark to electrical image signals indicative thereof; display means mounted on the vehicle and coupled to the camera for displaying to the operator an image corresponding to the electrical image signals; and control means for automatically aiming the camera in a fixed predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A guidance aid system for assisting an operator in guiding a vehicle pulling an implement pivotally attached thereto, the guidance aid system comprising:
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marker means attached to the implement for creating a mark in the terrain; a video camera pivotally mounted on the implement for converting an image of the mark to electrical image signals indicative thereof; control means for aiming the camera in a first predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle, the control means comprising implement angle sensing means for generating an implement angle signal representing an angle between the vehicle and the implement, circuit means for generating control signals as a function of the implement angle signals and servo means responsive to the control signals for rotating the camera relative to the implement; and display means mounted on the vehicle and coupled to the camera for displaying to the operator an image corresponding to the electrical image signals. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A guidance aid system for assisting an operator in guiding a vehicle pulling an implement pivotally attached thereto, the guidance aid system comprising:
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marker means attached to the implement for creating an mark in the terrain; video camera pivotally mounted on the implement for converting an image of the mark to electrical image signals; control means for aiming the camera in a fixed predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle, the control means comprising implement angle sensing means for generating an implement angle signal representing an angle between the vehicle and the implement, camera angle sensing means for generating a camera angle signal representing an angle between the camera and the implement, circuit means for comparing the implement and camera angle signals and for generating an error signal representing the difference therebetween and servo means responsive to the error signals for rotating the camera relative to the implement to reduce the magnitude of the error signal; and display means mounted on the vehicle and coupled to the camera for displaying to the operator an image corresponding to the electrical image signals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A guidance aid for assisting an operator in guiding a vehicle with a towed implement pivotally attached thereto, the guidance aid comprising:
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marker means projecting from the implement for creating a mark in the terrain; a video camera means pivotally attached to the implement for converting an image of the mark to electrical image signals; display means mounted on the vehicle and connected to the camera for displaying to the vehicle operator an image corresponding to electrical image signals; first angle sensing means for sensing a relative angle between the vehicle and the implement and for generating an implement angle signal corresponding thereto; circuit means coupled with the angle sensing means for generating a control signal as a function of the implement angle signal; and servo means connected to the camera for pivoting the camera in response to the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A guidance aid for assisting an operator to guide a vehicle towing an implement pivotally coupled thereto about a vertically extending coupling axis, the guidance aid comprising:
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a video camera mounted on the implement for converting an image of a mark created in terrain to electrical image signals; display means mounted on the vehicle for displaying to the operator an image corresponding to the electrical image signals; pivot means for pivotally mounting the camera on the implement; and control means for automatically rotating the camera relative to the implement and for automatically maintaining aiming of the camera in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
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19. A guidance aid for assisting an operator in guiding a motorized vehicle pulling an implement pivotally attached thereto, the guidance aid comprising:
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means attached to the implement for creating a mark in a terrain surface; a video camera pivotally mounted on the implement for converting an image of the mark to electrical image signals indicative thereof; display means mounted on the vehicle and coupled to the camera for displaying to the operator an image corresponding to the electrical image signals; and control means for aiming the camera in a fixed predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle, the control means comprising implement angle sensor means for generating implement angle signals representing an angle between the vehicle and the implement, circuit means for generating control signals as a function of the implement angle signals, and servo means coupled to the circuit means, to the implement, and to the camera for rotating the camera with respect to the implement in response to the control signals.
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20. A guidance aid for assisting an operator in guiding a motorized vehicle pulling an implement pivotally attached thereto, the guidance aid comprising:
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means attached to the implement for creating a mark in a terrain surface; a video camera pivotally mounted on the implement for converting an image of the mark to electrical image signals indicative thereof; display means mounted on the vehicle and coupled to the camera for displaying to the operator an image corresponding to the electrical image signals; and control means for aiming the camera in a first predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle, the control means comprising implement angle sensing means for generating implement angle signals representing an angle between the vehicle and the implement, camera angle sensing means for generating camera angle signals representing an angle between the camera and the implement, circuit means for comparing the implement and camera angle signals and for generating an error signal as a function thereof, and servo means responsive to the error signals for rotating the camera relative to the implement to reduce the magnitude of the error signals.
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Specification