Transformation apparatus in an agricultural machine

• US 7,324,881 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Original Assignee: Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Inventors: Brunnert, Andreas, Huster, Jochen, Diekhans, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/953,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/23, 701/25, 701/200, 701213-214, 701/223, 701/50, 701/211, 180/167, 348/113, 348/116, 348118-120, 56/102.F, 56/1, 56/102.R
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic

Abstract

Transformation of differently structured signals of different track guidance systems for automatic control of a steering device in an agricultural working machine includes supplying the differently structured signals of different track guidance systems to a transformation device, and generating by the transformation device from each of the different structured signals a uniform output signal to be used for automatically controlling a steering device of an agricultural working machine.

Claims

1. A method of transformation of differently structured signals of different track guidance systems for automatic control of a steering device in an agricultural working machine, comprising the steps of supplying the differently structured signals of different track guidance systems to a transformation device, and generating by the transformation device from each of the different structured signals a uniform output signal configured for automatically controlling the steering device of all arbitrary agricultural working machines with the use of the thusly generated uniform output signal without a system change of the steering device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising supplying the uniform output signal to a common steering device.

3. A method as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising converting the signal of one of the track guidance systems by the transformation device into the uniform output signal and supplying the uniform output signal to an automatic steering device; and

using the uniform output signal for an automatic track guidance.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said supplying of signals to the transformation device includes supplying of signals from the track guidance systems which include at least two differently structured track guidance systems.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said supplying includes supplying the signals of the different track guidance systems which operate in accordance with different operational principles.

6. A method as defined in claim 1;

and further using the track guidance systems which operate on a principle selected from the group consisting of optical, acoustic, visual, mechanical, ultrasonic, and infrared controlled principles.

7. A method as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising using the track guidance systems which operate in accordance with a principle selected from the group consisting of a laser-controlled principle, a GPS controlled principle and a mechanically-controlled principle.

8. A method as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising supplying to the transformation device further signals, converting the further signals by the transformation device, and transmitting the converted further signals to the steering device.

9. A method as defined in claim 8;

and further comprising selecting the further signals from a group consisting of a harvest-specific parameter and a machine-specific parameter.

10. An apparatus for transformation of differently structured signals of different track guidance systems for automatic control of a steering device of an agricultural working machine, the apparatus comprising a transformation device associatable with different track guidance systems, said transformation device being formed so as to receive signals from the different track guidance systems and to generate a uniform output signal configured for automatically controlling the steering device of all arbitrary agricultural working machines with the use of the thusly generated uniform output signal without a system change of the steering device.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said transformation device is formed so that it produces the uniform output signal such that the uniform output signal is supplied to the steering device that recognizes the output signal as a steering signal for the steering device.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the transformation device is formed so that one such transformation device is associated with the track guidance systems of same operational principles.

13. A method of automatically controlling a steering device in an agricultural working machine, comprising the steps of providing different track guidance systems;

generating by the different track guiding systems differently structured signals;

supplying the differently structured signals generated by the different track guidance systems to a transformation device, generating by the transformation device from each of the different structured signals of the different track guidance systems a uniform output signal; and

automatically controlling the steering device of all arbitrary agricultural working machines with the use of the thusly generated uniform output signal without a system change of the steering device.

14. An apparatus for automatically controlling a steering device in an agricultural working machine, comprising different track guidance systems generating differently structured signals;

a transformation device to which the differently structured signals generated by the different track guidance systems are supplied and which generates from each of the different structured signals of the different track guidance systems a uniform output signal configured for automatically controlling the steering device of all arbitrary agricultural working machines with the use of the thusly generated uniform output signal without a system change of the steering device.