System for setting operating parameters of a harvesting machine

• US 6,205,384 B1
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Original Assignee: Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Inventors: Diekhans, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arthur, Gertrude
• Application Number:
  US09/224,752
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 701/24, 701/25, 701/33, 701/50, 172/4.5, 172/9, 56/101, 56/102.R, 56/149, 56/153, 56/155, 56/156, 56/157, 180/900, 340/459
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines

Abstract

A system is described for setting a self-propelled harvesting machine having several machine components with respectively adjustable parameters wherein setting of these parameters takes into account external harvesting conditions. Means are provided for manually inputting and/or automatically detecting the external harvesting conditions for the particular harvesting application. Furthermore at least one storage means is provided for storing the machine parameters for the respective harvesting application and for different external harvesting conditions. Also, if the occasion arises, the storage means may take into account at least one target standard. The stored machine parameters for setting the harvesting machine can be called up from the storage means after the system knows the respective external harvesting conditions and, if necessary, the respective target standard.

Claims

1. In a self-propelled harvesting machine for harvesting crops and having one or more machine components with respectively adjustable parameters and taking into account external harvesting conditions;

the improvement comprising;

a system including means for receiving input about external harvesting conditions for respective particular harvesting applications, storage means for storing at least one machine parameter for different external harvesting conditions, and means for accessing the stored machine parameter from the storage means after the input about the respective external harvesting conditions, wherein said machine parameter is stored while taking into account at least one target standard for the respective harvesting application and is accessed from the storage means to provide a predetermined setting and

wherein said at least one target standard includes at least one of a quantity of harvest losses, a quantity of throughput, and a combination of capacity parameters by displacement of characteristic curve.

2. A self-propelled harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein said target standard is derived from individual target standards and stored in the storage means.

3. In a self-propelled harvesting machine for harvesting crops and having one or more machine components with respectively adjustable parameters and taking into account external harvesting conditions;

the improvement comprising;

a system including means for receiving input about external harvesting conditions for respective particular harvesting applications, storage means for storing at least one machine parameter for different external harvesting conditions, and means for accessing the stored machine parameter from the storage means after the input about the respective external harvesting conditions, wherein said machine parameter is stored while taking into account at least one target standard for the respective harvesting application and is accessed from the storage means to provide a predetermined setting and including on-board information equipment, and a means for deriving said target standards from existing machine-specific information obtained at least partially from the on-board information equipment.

4. In a self-propelled harvesting machine for harvesting crops and having one or more machine components with respectively adjustable parameters and taking into account external harvesting conditions;

the improvement comprising;

a system including means for receiving input about external harvesting conditions for respective particular harvesting applications, storage means for storing at least one machine parameter for different external harvesting conditions, and means for accessing the stored machine parameter from the storage means after the input about the respective external harvesting conditions and including on-board information equipment, and means for deriving said harvesting conditions from existing machine-specific information obtained at least partially from the on-board information equipment.

5. In a self-propelled harvesting machine for harvesting crops and having one or more machine components with respectively adjustable parameters and taking into account external harvesting conditions;

the improvement comprising;

a system including means for receiving input about external harvesting conditions for respective particular harvesting applications, storage means for storing at least one machine parameter for different external harvesting conditions, and means for accessing the stored machine parameter from the storage means after the input about the respective external harvesting conditions, wherein said machine parameter is stored while taking into account at least one target standard for the respective harvesting application and is accessed from the storage means to provide a predetermined setting and including on-board information equipment, and means for deriving said target standards from existing job-specific information obtained at least partially from the on-board information equipment.

6. In a self-propelled harvesting machine for harvesting crops and having one or more machine components with respectively adjustable parameters and taking into account external harvesting conditions;

the improvement comprising;

a system including means for receiving input about external harvesting conditions for respective particular harvesting applications, storage means for storing at least one machine parameter for different external harvesting conditions, and means for accessing the stored machine parameter from the storage means after the input about the respective external harvesting conditions including on-board information equipment, and means for deriving said harvesting conditions from existing job-specific information obtained at least partially from the on-board information equipment.