Electronic control system for agricultural vehicle

• US 6,980,895 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2004
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.), CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Ferracin, Paolo, Aberneithy, Milton, Paice, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/916,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/33, 701/35, 701/48, 701/50, 701/102, 701/115, 172 1- 2, 172/4.5, 172/5, 172/7, 172/10, 374/14, 414699-701, 414/730, 318/568.1, 318/568.13, 318/568.14, 318/568.16, 318/568.2, 318/568.25, 318/567, 434/29
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/00 Lifting or adjusting devices or arrangements for agricultural machines or implements lifting mechanisms for the cutter-bar of a mower A01D34/24; adjusting devices for the cutter-bar of a mower A01D34/28; constructional features of lifting devices per se B66F
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/111 regulating working depth of implements
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23423 Record playback
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2663 Tractor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36482 Recording of position and of command instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45017 Agriculture machine, tractor

Abstract

An electronic control system for use in an agricultural vehicle having a hitch for towing an implement. The control system controls any one or more of a plurality of sub-systems relating to the vehicle operation. The electronic control system includes a memory, a recording mode, and a playback mode. In one aspect of the invention, the driver is enabled during the recording mode to record a break signal in addition to, and without interruption of, the recording of the sequence of control steps being executed by the driver and in that during the playback mode automatic execution of the recorded control steps is interrupted upon detection of a break signal, execution of the remaining recorded control steps in the sequence being resumed only in response to an instruction from the vehicle driver.

Claims

1. An electronic control system for use by an operator in an agricultural vehicle having a hitch for towing an implement, the control system being operative to control any one or more of a plurality of sub-systems serving to set the vehicle engine speed, the selected transmission ratio, the hitch position to raise and lower the implement, the estimated flow in electro-hydraulic remote lines connectable to actuators of the towed implement, and the engagement state of the power take off shaft, the electronic control system comprising:

a memory;

a recording portion operable in a recording mode for storing in the memory a sequence of control steps while such steps are being executed under instruction from the operator, the control system being operable during the recording mode to record a break signal in addition to, and without interruption of, the storing of the sequence of control steps being executed by the operator; and

a playback portion operable in a playback mode for reading a previously recorded sequence of steps from the memory to produce control signals to enable the correct sequence of steps to be executed automatically by the control system, the system being operable to interrupt the automatic execution of the recorded control steps during the playback mode upon detection of a break signal, execution of remaining recorded control steps in the sequence being resumed only in response to an instruction from the operator.

2. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control system is able to record and replay several sub-sequences separated by pauses.

3. The control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the recording of each sub-sequence includes a time of commencement of an event, a length of duration of the event, and selected values of any variable changed by the event at the commencement and termination of the event.

4. An electronic control system for use by an operator in an agricultural vehicle having a hitch for towing an implement, the control system being operative to control any one or more of a plurality of sub-systems serving to set the vehicle engine speed, the selected transmission ratio, the hitch position to raise and lower the implement, the estimated flow in electra-hydraulic remote lines connectable to actuators of the towed implement, and the engagement state of the power take off shaft, the electronic control system comprising a memory and software for executing the steps of:

recording a sequence of control steps in the memory while such steps are being executed under instruction from the operator,

recording a break signal in addition to, and without interruption of, the recording of the sequence of control steps being executed by the operator;

reading a previously recorded sequence of steps from the memory to produce control signals to enable the correct sequence of steps to be executed automatically by the control system; and

interrupting the automatic execution of the recorded control steps during the step of reading upon detection of a break signal, execution of the remaining recorded steps in the sequence being resumed only in response to an instruction from the operator.