System and method for synchronized control of a harvester and transport vehicle

• US 8,606,454 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH America Llc (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Wang, Guoping, Aznavorian, Todd, Natarajan, Arun, Nejad, Kousha Moaveni
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US13/171,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/41, 701/410, 701/422, 701/423, 180/6.24
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1278 for automatic steering
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/087 with controllable discharge spout
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling

Abstract

A control system and method is provided for synchronized control of a harvester and transport vehicle during unload on the go operation. The control system can maintain a desired lateral distance between the harvester and transport vehicle using swath information that is used to steer the harvester. In addition, the control system can also bring a transport vehicle into appropriate alignment with the harvester using the same swath information.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a transport vehicle to bring the transport vehicle into alignment with a harvester for unload on the go operation, the method comprising:

determining a position for the transport vehicle;

determining an active swath for the harvester;

calculating an adjusted swath for the transport vehicle based on the active swath for the harvester;

calculating a trajectory for the transport vehicle to travel from the determined position of the transport vehicle to the adjusted swath, the trajectory including a straight line component and an arc component, the arc component being tangent to both the straight line component and the adjusted swath; and

controlling the transport vehicle to follow the calculated trajectory with commands from a controller;

wherein calculating a trajectory for the transport vehicle includes calculating a radius for the arc component, the calculated radius for the arc component being greater than a minimum turning radius for the transport vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculated radius for the arc component is at least 20% greater than the minimum turning radius for the transport vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein calculating a trajectory for the transport vehicle includes aligning the straight line component with a heading for the transport vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating unload on the go operation between the transport vehicle and the harvester in response to the transport vehicle following the calculated trajectory and travelling on the adjusted swath.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the adjusted swath is substantially parallel to the active swath.

6. A method for controlling a transport vehicle to bring the transport vehicle into alignment with a harvester for unload on the go operation, the method comprising:

determining a position for the transport vehicle;

determining an active swath for the harvester;

calculating an adjusted swath for the transport vehicle based on the active swath for the harvester;

calculating a trajectory for the transport vehicle to travel from the determined

position of the transport vehicle to the adjusted swath, the trajectory including a straight line component and an arc component, the arc component being tangent to both the straight line component and the adjusted swath;

controlling the transport vehicle to follow the calculated trajectory with commands from a controller; and

wherein calculating a trajectory for the transport vehicle includes determining a straight line approximation to a section of the adjusted swath, the arc component being tangent to the straight line approximation.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the straight line approximation is located behind a current position of the harvester.

8. A method for controlling a transport vehicle to bring the transport vehicle into alignment with a harvester for unload on the go operation, the method comprising:

determining a position for the transport vehicle;

determining an active swath for the harvester;

calculating an adjusted swath for the transport vehicle based on the active swath for the harvester;

calculating a trajectory for the transport vehicle to travel from the determined position of the trans ort vehicle to the adjusted swath the trajectory including a straight line component and an arc component, the arc component being tangent to both the straight line component and the adjusted swath;

controlling the transport vehicle to follow the calculated trajectory with commands from a controller; and

transmitting the active swath to the transport vehicle in a message from the harvester.

9. A method for controlling a transport vehicle to bring the transport vehicle into alignment with a harvester for unload on the co operation, the method comprising:

determining a position for the transport vehicle;

determining an active swath for the harvester;

calculating an adjusted swath for the transport vehicle based on the active swath for the harvester;

calculating a trajectory for the transport vehicle to travel from the determined position of the transport vehicle to the adjusted swath, the trajectory including a straight line component and an arc component, the arc component being tangent to both the straight line component and the adjusted swath;

controlling the transport vehicle to follow the calculated trajectory with commands from a controller; and

determining whether the transport vehicle and harvester are within wireless communication range and wherein determining a position for the transport vehicle, determining an active swath for the harvester, calculating an adjusted swath for the transport vehicle, calculating a trajectory for the transport vehicle and controlling the transport vehicle to follow the calculated trajectory are executed in response to the transport vehicle and harvester being within wireless communication range.

10. A control system to synchronize control of a harvester and a transport vehicle, the control system comprising:

a harvester control system comprising;

a first global positioning system device to determine a position of a harvester;

a first controller to control operation of the harvester the first controller comprising a first microprocessor to execute a computer program to determine an active swath for the harvester using the position of the harvester from the first global positioning system device and using information relating to a recorded master swath and a harvester swath width; and

a first communication device;

a transport vehicle control system comprising;

a second global positioning system device to determine a position of a transport vehicle;

a second controller to control operation of the transport vehicle, the second controller comprising a second microprocessor to execute a computer program to determine an adjusted swath for the transport vehicle based on the active swath; and

a second communication device, the second communication device being configured and positioned to wirelessly exchange information with the first communication device;

the second controller calculates a trajectory for the transport vehicle based on the position of the transport vehicle from the second global positioning system device, the determined adjusted swath and the first communication device and the second communication device being within wireless communication range with a computer program executed by the second microprocessor; and

the second controller transmits a control signal to control the transport vehicle to follow the calculated trajectory with a computer program executed by the second microprocessor;

wherein the calculated trajectory includes a straight line component and an arc component, the arc component being tangent to both the straight line component and the adjusted swath.

11. The control system of claim 10 wherein the arc component has a radius, the radius of the arc component being greater than a minimum turning radius for the transport vehicle.

12. The control system of claim 11 wherein the radius for the arc component is at least 20% greater than the turning radius for the transport vehicle.

13. The control system of claim 10 wherein the straight line component is aligned with a heading for the transport vehicle.

14. A control system to synchronize control of a harvester and a transport vehicle, the control system comprising:

a harvester control system comprising;

a first global positioning system device to determine a position of a harvester;

a first controller to control operation of the harvester, the first controller comprising a first microprocessor to execute a computer program to determine an active swath for the harvester using the position of the harvester from the first global positioning system device and using information relating to a recorded master swath and a harvester swath width; and

a first communication device;

a transport vehicle control system comprising;

a second global positioning system device to determine a position of a transport vehicle;

a second controller to control operation of the transport vehicle, the second controller comprising a second microprocessor to execute a computer program to determine an adjusted swath for the transport vehicle based on the active swath; and

a second communication device, the second communication device being configured and positioned to wirelessly exchange information with the first communication device;

the second controller calculates a trajectory for the transport vehicle based on the position of the transport vehicle from the second global positioning system device, the determined adjusted swath and the first communication device and the second communication device being within wireless communication range with a computer program executed by the second microprocessor; and

the second controller transmits a control signal to control the transport vehicle to follow the calculated trajectory with a computer program executed by the second microprocessor; and

wherein the harvester control system sends a control setup command message to the transport vehicle control system using the first communication device, the control setup command message includes information on at least one of a master swath, a swath type an active swath a swath width, a harvester header offset, or an unload tube position offset.

15. The control system of claim 14 wherein the first communication device and the second communication device communicate between a controller area network of the harvester and a controller area network of the transport vehicle.

16. The control system of claim 14 wherein the first controller and the second controller each include a user interface.

17. The control system of claim 16 wherein each user interface includes a message box to display messages and a control button to initiate actions by the corresponding controller.

18. The control system of claim 14 wherein the transport vehicle and harvester are in wireless communication range upon exchange of heartbeat messages by the transport vehicle control system and harvester control system.

19. The control system of claim 14 wherein the adjusted swath is substantially parallel to the active swath.