Tracking system configured to determine a parameter for use in guiding an implement attached to a work machine

• US 9,113,588 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Kormann, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US11/639,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,175 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/003 Steering or guiding of machines or implements pushed or pulled by or mounted on agricultural vehicles such as tractors, e.g. by lateral shifting of the towing connection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning

Abstract

A tracking system employs at least one parameter for use in guiding an implement attached to a work machine, and includes a first global positioning system (GPS) receiver mounted on the work machine; a second GPS receiver mounted on the implement; and a controller configured to execute program instructions to determine the at least one parameter for use in guiding the implement, including: directing the work machine along a predetermined path; obtaining first position data from the first GPS receiver during the directing the work machine; obtaining second position data from the second GPS receiver during the directing the work machine; and determining the at least one parameter based on the first position data and the second position data.

Claims

1. A tracking system employing a plurality of parameters for use in guiding an implement attached to a work machine, said tracking system comprising:

a first global positioning system (GPS) receiver mounted on said work machine;

a second GPS receiver mounted on said implement; and

a controller configured to execute program instructions to determine the parameters for use in guiding said implement, the parameters comprising a first distance and a second distance, the first distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver, the program instructions comprising;

directing said work machine along a straight segment of a predetermined path while determining the second distance between a hitch point of the work machine and said second GPS receiver based on the first distance and a supplied known distance between the hitch point and the first GPS receiver;

obtaining first position data from said first GPS receiver during said directing said work machine;

obtaining second position data from said second GPS receiver during said directing said work machine;

determining a control point of the work machine, where the control point lies on a radius of a curved segment when the work machine is directed along the curved segment and where the control point is spaced apart from the hitch point; and

determining said parameters based on said first position data and said second position data, wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine said first distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver based on said first position data and said second position data.

2. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine that said first GPS receiver is mounted on said work machine and that said second GPS receiver is mounted on said implement, based on said first position data and said second position data.

3. The tracking system of claim 1, said work machine having a hitch for attaching said implement, said implement being pivotable about the hitch point adjacent said hitch when said implement is attached to said work machine via said hitch, wherein:

the known distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver is received by said tracking system; and

said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine said second distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver based on said first position data, said second position data, and said known distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver.

4. The tracking system of claim 3, wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to obtain said first position data and said second position data while directing said work machine along said straight segment.

5. The tracking system of claim 1, said tracking system further comprising a terrain compensation module, wherein:

said predetermined path includes a straight segment having a point P thereon; and

said controller is configured to execute said program instructions for;

obtaining a first subset of said first position data and a first subset of said second position data while said work machine is at said point P and directed in a first direction;

directing said work machine from said point P along said straight segment in said first direction;

directing said work machine back along said straight segment to said point P in a second direction opposite said first direction;

obtaining a second subset of said first position data and a second subset of said second position data while said work machine is at said point P and directed in said second direction; and

determining a calibration for said terrain compensation module based on said first subset of said first position data, said first subset of said second position data, said second subset of said first position data, and said second subset of said second position data.

6. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said predetermined path includes a curved segment having a known radius to a center of said curved segment, and wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to obtain said first position data and said second position data while directing said work machine along said known radius.

7. The tracking system of claim 6, said work machine having a first control point about which said work machine rotates when turning, said implement having a second control point about which said implement rotates when turning, wherein:

said at least one parameter includes a distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point; and

said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine said distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point based on said first position data, said second position data, and said known radius.

8. The tracking system of claim 7, wherein said known radius is a radius to said first control point from said center of said curved segment.

9. The tracking system of claim 7, said work machine having a hitch for attaching said implement, said implement being pivotable about a hitch point adjacent said hitch when said implement is attached to said work machine via said hitch, wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine:

a distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, based on a straight line distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver, and based on a distance between said first GPS receiver and said hitch point;

a radius from said center of said curved segment to said hitch point based on said known radius and based on a distance between said hitch point and said first control point;

a first angle between said work machine and said implement, based on a distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver while said work machine is directed along said known radius, based on a distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, and based on a distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver; and

a second angle between said work machine and said radius, based on said known radius, and based on said a distance between said hitch point and said first control point,

wherein said distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point is determined based on said distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, based on said radius from said center of said curved segment to said hitch point, based on said first angle, and based on said second angle.

10. A work machine configured to attach an implement thereto, comprising:

a drive system for driving said work machine;

a steering system for steering said work machine; and

a tracking system employing at least one parameter, among a plurality of parameters, for use in guiding said implement, said tracking system comprising;

a first global positioning system (GPS) receiver mounted on said work machine;

a second GPS receiver mounted on said implement; and

a controller configured to execute program instructions to determine the parameters for use in guiding said implement, the parameters comprising a first distance and a second distance, the first distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver, the program instructions comprising;

directing said work machine along a straight segment of a predetermined path while determining the second distance between a hitch point of the work machine and said second GPS receiver based on the first distance and a supplied known distance between the hitch point and the first GPS receiver;

obtaining first position data from said first GPS receiver during said directing said work machine;

obtaining second position data from said second GPS receiver during said directing said work machine;

determining a control point of the work machine, where the control point lies on a radius of a curved segment when the work machine is directed along the curved segment and where the control point is spaced apart from the hitch point; and

determining said parameters based on said first position data and said second position data, wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine said first distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver based on said first position data and said second position data.

11. The work machine of claim 10, wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine that said first GPS receiver is mounted on said work machine and that said second GPS receiver is mounted on said implement, based on said first position data and said second position data.

12. The work machine of claim 10, said work machine having a hitch for attaching said implement, said implement being pivotable about the hitch point adjacent said hitch when said implement is attached to said work machine via said hitch, wherein:

the known distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver is received by said tracking system; and

said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine said second distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver based on said first position data, said second position data, and said known distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver.

13. The work machine of claim 12, wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to obtain said first position data and said second position data while directing said work machine along said straight segment.

14. The work machine of claim 13, said tracking system further including a terrain compensation module, wherein:

said predetermined path includes a straight segment having a point P thereon; and

said controller is configured to execute said program instructions for;

obtaining a first subset of said first position data and a first subset of said second position data while said work machine is at said point P and directed in said a direction;

directing said work machine from said point P along said straight segment in said first direction;

directing said work machine back along said straight segment to said point P in a second direction opposite said first direction;

obtaining a second subset of said first position data and a second subset of said second position data while said work machine is at said point P and directed in said second direction; and

determining a calibration for said terrain compensation module based on said first subset of said first position data, said first subset of said second position data, said second subset of said first position data, and said second subset of said second position data.

15. The work machine of claim 10, wherein said predetermined path includes a curved segment having a known radius to a center of said curved segment, and wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to obtain said first position data and said second position data while directing said work machine along said known radius.

16. The work machine of claim 15, said work machine having a first control point about which said work machine rotates when turning, said implement having a second control point about which said implement rotates when turning, wherein:

said at least one parameter includes a distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point; and

said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine said distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point based on said first position data, said second position data, and said known radius.

17. The work machine of claim 16, wherein said known radius is a radius to said first control point from said center of said curved segment.

18. The work machine of claim 16, said work machine having a hitch for attaching said implement, said implement being pivotable about a hitch point adjacent said hitch when said implement is attached to said work machine via said hitch, wherein said controller is configured to execute said program instructions to determine:

a distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, based on a straight line distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver, and based on a distance between said first GPS receiver and said hitch point;

a radius from said center of said curved segment to said hitch point based on said known radius and based on a distance between said hitch point and said first control point;

a first angle between said work machine and said implement, based on a distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver while said work machine is directed along said known radius, based on a distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, and based on a distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver; and

a second angle between said work machine and said radius, based on said known radius, and based on said a distance between said hitch point and said first control point,

wherein said distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point is determined based on said distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, based on said radius from said center of said curved segment to said hitch point, based on said first angle, and based on said second angle.

19. A method for determining a plurality of parameters for use by a tracking system in guiding an implement attached to a work machine, said method comprising:

obtaining first position data from a first GPS receiver during said directing said work machine;

obtaining second position data from a second GPS receiver during said directing said work machine;

determining said parameters based on said first position data and said second position data, the parameters comprising a first distance and a second distance, the first distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver;

directing said work machine along a straight segment of a predetermined path while determining the second distance between a hitch point of the work machine and said second GPS receiver based on the first distance and a supplied known distance between the hitch point and the first GPS receiver;

determining said first distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver based on said first position data and said second position data; and

determining a control point of the work machine, where the control point lies on a radius of a curved segment when the work machine is directed along the curved segment and where the control point is spaced apart from the hitch point.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining that said first GPS receiver is mounted on said work machine and that said second GPS receiver is mounted on said implement, based on said first position data and said second position data.

21. The method of claim 19, said work machine having a hitch for attaching said implement, said implement being pivotable about a the hitch point adjacent said hitch when said implement is attached to said work machine via said hitch, wherein said at least one parameter includes a second distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, said method further comprising

receiving a supplied known distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver;

and

determining said second distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver based on said first position data, said second position data, and said known distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver.

22. The method of claim 21, said method further comprising obtaining said first position data and said second position data while directing said work machine along said straight segment.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said tracking system includes a terrain compensation module, and wherein said predetermined path includes a straight segment having a point P thereon, said method further comprising:

obtaining a first subset of said first position data and a first subset of said second position data while said work machine is at said point P and directed in a first direction;

directing said work machine from said point P along said straight segment in said first direction;

directing said work machine back along said straight segment to said point P in a second direction opposite said first direction;

obtaining a second subset of said first position data and a second subset of said second position data while said work machine is at said point P and directed in said second direction; and

determining a calibration for said terrain compensation module based on said first subset of said first position data, said first subset of said second position data, said second subset of said first position data, and said second subset of said second position data.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said predetermined path includes a curved segment having a known radius to a center of said curved segment, said method further comprising obtaining said first position data and said second position data while directing said work machine along said known radius.

25. The method of claim 24, said work machine having a first control point about which said work machine rotates when turning, said implement having a second control point about which said implement rotates when turning, wherein said at least one parameter includes a distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point, said method further comprising:

determining said distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point based on said first position data, said second position data, and said known radius.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said known radius is a radius to said first control point from said center of said curved segment.

27. The method of claim 25, said work machine having a hitch for attaching said implement, said implement being pivotable about a hitch point adjacent said hitch when said implement is attached to said work machine via said hitch, said method further comprising:

determining a distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, based on a straight line distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver, and based on a distance between said first GPS receiver and said hitch point;

determining a radius from said center of said curved segment to said hitch point based on said known radius and based on a distance between said hitch point and said first control point;

determining a first angle between said work machine and said implement, based on a distance between said first GPS receiver and said second GPS receiver while said work machine is directed along said known radius, based on a distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, and based on a distance between said hitch point and said first GPS receiver;

determining a second angle between said work machine and said radius, based on said known radius, and based on said a distance between said hitch point and said first control point; and

determining said distance between said second GPS receiver and said second control point based on said distance between said hitch point and said second GPS receiver, based on said radius from said center of said curved segment to said hitch point, based on said first angle, and based on said second angle.