Swathing guidance display

• US 5,945,917 A
• Filed: 12/18/1997
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Harry, Scott E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/993,276
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.45, 340/525, 340/958, 340/684, 340/686, 340/461, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/686.1, 340/691.1, 340/691.6, 180/167, 180/168, 180/900, 701/23, 701/24, 701/50, 701/28, 701/211, 701/213, 56/1
• US Class Current: 340/815.45
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/001 Steering by means of optical assistance, e.g. television cameras steering devices for road marking vehicles E01C23/163
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 180/90 Argicultural-type tractors

Abstract

A swathing guidance display for accurately guiding and navigating an agricultural product application vehicle is described. The invention aids in precision guidance of the application of agricultural products such as fertilizers and herbicides to reduce application overlap. The invention further provides assistance in planting operations without requiring the use of traditional markers, provides parallel swath guidance of an agricultural product application vehicle, and provides an apparatus which providing a vector for navigating an agricultural product application vehicle to a desired application location. The swathing guidance device includes a circular display having a plurality of illuminating radial vectors to indicate the direction of the desired course and course correction. Both guidance and navigational functions are provided.

Claims

1. A swath guidance device for guiding an agricultural vehicle along a swath upon which an agricultural product may be applied, comprising:

a display having a center, said display comprising a guidance mode display and a navigation mode display; and

said guidance mode display having a first plurality of vector indicators, each of said first plurality of vector indicators radially extending from the center on a first portion of said display for indicating a course heading correction for the agricultural vehicle to maintain travel along the swath, and said navigation mode display having a second plurality of vector indicators radially extending from the center on a second portion of said display for indicating a heading to a desired destination.

2. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of vector indicators is a reference vector indicator indicating a course of the agricultural vehicle coincident with the swath.

3. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a course heading correction for the agricultural vehicle is indicated by one of said plurality of vector indicators being disposed at an angle from the reference vector proportional to a course correction angle of the agricultural vehicle.

4. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one light.

5. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one diode.

6. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one light emitting diode.

7. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of vector indicators comprises a row of light emitting diodes.

8. A swath guidance device for guiding an agricultural vehicle along a swath upon which an agricultural product may be applied, comprising:

a circular display having a center; and

a plurality of vector indicators being radially disposed about the center of said display, said plurality of vector indicators indicating a course heading for the agricultural vehicle to a desired location, wherein a course heading for the agricultural vehicle is indicated by activation of a vector indicator being disposed at an angle proportional to the direction of a desired heading with respect to a forward direction of travel of the agricultural vehicle.

9. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 8, wherein one of said plurality of vector indicators is a reference vector indicator indicating a vector coincident with the forward direction of travel of the agricultural vehicle.

10. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one light emitting diode.

11. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one light.

12. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one diode.

13. A swath guidance device for guiding an agricultural vehicle along a swath upon which an agricultural product may be applied, comprising:

a circular display having a center;

a first plurality of vector indicators, each of said first plurality of vector indicators radially extending from the center of said display, said plurality of vector indicators indicating a course heading correction for the agricultural vehicle to maintain travel along the swath; and

a second plurality of vector indicators being radially disposed about the center of the display, said second plurality of vector indicators indicating a course heading for the agricultural vehicle to a desired location, wherein a course heading for the agricultural vehicle is indicated by activation of a vector indicator being disposed at an angle proportional to the direction of a desired heading with respect to a forward direction of travel of the agricultural vehicle.

14. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of said first plurality of vector indicators is a reference vector indicator indicating a course of the agricultural vehicle coincident with the swath.

15. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said first plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one light.

16. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said first plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one diode.

17. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said first plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one light emitting diode.

18. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said first plurality of vector indicators comprises a row of light emitting diodes.

19. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of said second plurality of vector indicators is a reference vector indicator indicating a vector coincident with the forward direction of travel of the agricultural vehicle.

20. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 19, wherein a course heading for the agricultural vehicle is indicated by activation of a vector indicator being disposed at an angle from the reference vector proportional to the direction to the desired heading with respect to the forward direction of travel of the agricultural vehicle.

21. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said second plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one light.

22. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said second plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one diode.

23. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said second plurality of vector indicators comprises at least one light emitting diode.

24. A swath guidance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said second plurality of vector indicators comprises a row of light emitting diodes.