System and method for determining implement train position

• US 8,924,099 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raven Industries Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Raven Industries Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Robert Leonard Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUSHABER, FREDERICK M
• Application Number:
  US13/796,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/006 derived from the steering of the tractor
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/007 Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 76/00 Parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, not provided for in groups A01B51/00 - A01B75/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring

Abstract

Leading vehicle position information can be used to determine a location and heading of one or more implements of a trailing vehicle in an implement train that includes the leading vehicle. In an example, the leading vehicle pulls one or more trailing vehicles, and information about the leading vehicle position or heading is used to update a function of one or more implements associated with trailing vehicles of the implement train. In an example, the present subject matter includes identifying a heading of a trailing vehicle based on its initial location, an intermediate location, and a destination location. In an example, the present subject matter includes identifying a speed of one or more points on a trailing vehicle. In some examples, the present subject matter includes determining a location, heading, or speed of multiple implements associated with multiple trailing vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for using information about a determined location or heading of one or more fiducials of a trailing vehicle in an implement train based on information about a rear hitch of a leading vehicle of the implement train, the method comprising:

identifying, using a processor circuit, a destination location for a rear hitch of a leading vehicle;

identifying, using the processor circuit, a first location and a first heading of a trailing vehicle;

determining, using the processor circuit, a destination heading of the trailing vehicle when the rear hitch of the leading vehicle coincides with a front hitch of the trailing vehicle and the destination location, wherein determining the destination heading includes;

identifying a linear distance between the first location of the trailing vehicle and the destination location for the rear hitch of the leading vehicle,

determining an intermediate location ahead of the first location of the trailing vehicle by less than the linear distance and in the direction of the first heading of the trailing vehicle, and

determining the destination heading of the trailing vehicle, the destination heading corresponding to a direction of a shortest path from the intermediate location to the destination location for the rear hitch of the leading vehicle;

determining, using the processor circuit, a location of one or more fiducials on the trailing vehicle, the determining using the destination location for the rear hitch of the leading vehicle and the destination heading of the trailing vehicle; and

updating an operational status of at least one implement, the implement corresponding to the determined location of one of the fiducials on the trailing vehicle, and the updating the operational status including initiating or inhibiting release of an agricultural product from the at least one implement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the destination heading of the trailing vehicle includes determining the destination heading of the trailing vehicle when the rear hitch of the leading vehicle coincides with the front hitch of the trailing vehicle, wherein the rear hitch and the front hitch are coupled using an articulating joint.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first location and the first heading of the trailing vehicle includes identifying a first location and a first heading of a trailing vehicle fiducial, and wherein determining the destination heading of the trailing vehicle includes determining the destination heading of the trailing vehicle fiducial.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the linear distance between the first location and the destination location includes computing the linear distance using coordinate information about the first location and coordinate information about the destination location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the location of one or more fiducials on the trailing vehicle includes determining locations of a plurality of implements on the trailing vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining the location of the at least one implement of the plurality of implements on the trailing vehicle includes identifying the location of the at least one implement along a boom of the trailing vehicle, wherein the boom extends parallel to an axle of the trailing vehicle.

7. A non-transitory massed machine-readable medium (MMRM) including instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

identifying a destination location of a leading vehicle fiducial of a leading vehicle, the leading vehicle fiducial coincident with a first fiducial of a first trailing vehicle of an implement train;

identifying an initial heading corresponding to the first fiducial and a second fiducial of the first trailing vehicle when the second fiducial coincides with an initial location;

determining a heading of the first and second fiducials of the first trailing vehicle when the first fiducial coincides with the destination location, determining the heading of the first and second fiducials including;

identifying a linear distance between the destination location of the leading vehicle fiducial and the initial location, and

determining an intermediate location based on the linear distance and the initial heading, the intermediate location between the initial location and the destination location; and

determining a location and heading of a third fiducial of the first trailing vehicle, based on the heading of the first and second fiducials when the first fiducial coincides with the destination location of the leading vehicle fiducial;

wherein the operations comprise updating an operational status of at least one implement, the implement corresponding to the determined location and heading of the third fiducial, and the updating the operational status including initiating or inhibiting release of an agricultural product from the at least one implement.

8. The MMRM of claim 7, wherein the identifying the linear distance between the destination location and the initial location includes computing the linear distance.

9. The MMRM of claim 7, wherein the determining the location and heading of the third fiducial includes determining a location and heading of at least one implement of a plurality of implements, the at least one implement corresponding to the third fiducial and disposed on a boom of the first trailing vehicle, and determining the location of the at least one implement including identifying a location of the implement along the boom.

10. The MMRM of claim 9, wherein the determining the location of the at least one implement includes determining a location of an agricultural row unit in a Cartesian plane corresponding to an agricultural field.

11. The MMRM of claim 10, wherein the agricultural row unit is one of a planter unit or a fertilizer unit.

12. The MMRM of claim 7, wherein the operations comprise estimating a velocity of the third fiducial, the third fiducial corresponding to a location of a first implement coupled to the first trailing vehicle, estimating the velocity based on prior information about the location of the third fiducial, and based on information about a relative location of the third fiducial on the first trailing vehicle relative to a boom end of the first trailing vehicle.

13. The MMRM of claim 12, wherein the operations comprise estimating a velocity of a fourth fiducial corresponding to a location of a second implement coupled to the first trailing vehicle, wherein the velocity of the fourth fiducial is different than the velocity of the third fiducial, and wherein estimating the velocity of the fourth fiducial includes using information about the relative locations of the third and fourth fiducials.

14. The MMRM of claim 7, wherein determining the intermediate location includes determining a location spaced from the initial location by a distance that is half of the identified linear distance.

15. The MMRM of claim 14, wherein determining the intermediate location includes determining a location between the initial location and the destination location that corresponds with the initial heading.

16. The MMRM of claim 7, wherein determining the heading of the first and second fiducials includes when the first fiducial and the leading vehicle fiducial are coupled with an articulating joint.

17. The MMRM of claim 7, wherein the operations comprise determining a location and heading of a fifth fiducial of a second trailing vehicle of the implement train, when the first fiducial coincides with the destination location and the second trailing vehicle is coupled to the first trailing vehicle with an articulating joint.

18. The MMRM of claim 17, wherein determining the location and heading of the fifth fiducial includes:

identifying a second destination location of the fifth fiducial, the fifth fiducial coincident with a hitch fiducial of the first trailing vehicle;

identifying a second initial location and second initial heading of the fifth fiducial of the second trailing vehicle;

determining a heading of the fifth fiducial of the second trailing vehicle when the first fiducial coincides with the destination location, determining the heading of the fifth fiducial including;

identifying a second linear distance between the second destination location and the second initial location, and

determining a second intermediate location based on the second linear distance and the second initial heading, the second intermediate location between the second initial location and the second destination location, and

determining a location and heading of a sixth fiducial of the second trailing vehicle, based on the heading of the fifth fiducial when the fifth fiducial coincides with the second destination location.

19. The MMRM of claim 7, wherein the identifying the destination location of the leading vehicle fiducial includes identifying the destination location of a leading vehicle hitch fiducial using information about a distance between the leading vehicle hitch fiducial and an antenna, the antenna coupled to the leading vehicle and configured to receive a location signal.

20. A method for updating a function of an implement on a first trailing vehicle in am implement train, including identifying a location and direction of the first trailing vehicle based on a location of a leading vehicle, the leading vehicle coupled to the first trailing vehicle using an articulating joint, the method comprising:

determining, using a processor circuit, a linear distance between an initial location of a first trailing vehicle axle fiducial and a destination location for a front hitch of the first trailing vehicle, the destination location corresponding to a rear hitch of a leading vehicle;

determining, using the processor circuit, a first increment path having a direction perpendicular to an axle of the first trailing vehicle when the axle fiducial is at the initial location;

determining, using the processor circuit, a first increment endpoint spaced from the initial location a distance less than the determined linear distance;

determining, using the processor circuit, a second increment direction, based on the first increment endpoint and the destination location for the front hitch, wherein the second increment path length is less than the determined linear distance;

identifying, using the processor circuit, a location and direction of the first trailing vehicle when the front hitch corresponds with the destination location, using the second increment direction; and

updating the function of the implement on the first trailing vehicle using the identified location and direction of the first trailing vehicle, the updating the function including at least one of;

changing an implement on/off state, changing a material dispensing rate from the implement, and selecting a material type to dispense from the implement.

21. A system comprising:

an implement associated with a first trailing vehicle in an implement train;

a processor circuit; and

a non-transitory tangible processor-readable medium, coupled to the processor circuit, comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to;

receive information about a distance between an initial location of the first trailing vehicle fiducial and a destination location of the first trailing vehicle;

determine a heading of the first trailing vehicle fiducial when the first trailing vehicle is at the destination location, the heading of the first trailing vehicle fiducial based on an intermediate location between the initial location and the destination location; and

provide a control signal to update the implement associated with the first trailing vehicle based on the determined heading of the first trailing vehicle fiducial, the update to the implement including initiating or inhibiting the release of an agricultural product from the implement.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions cause the processor circuit to determine, as the distance between the initial location and the destination location, a linear distance between the initial location and the destination location.

23. The system of claim 21, comprising a leading vehicle including a rear hitch, wherein the rear hitch is joined to the first trailing vehicle at an articulating joint that coincides with the first trailing vehicle fiducial.

24. The system of claim 23, comprising an antenna, coupled to the leading vehicle, the antenna configured to receive a location signal, and wherein the instructions cause the processor circuit to receive information about the location signal from the antenna, the information about the location signal indicative of the initial location and the destination location of the first trailing vehicle fiducial.

25. The system of claim 24, comprising:

a wireless transmitter, coupled to the leading vehicle, configured to broadcast the control signal from the processor circuit to a wireless receiver associated with one or more implements on the first trailing vehicle.