System for coordinating agricultural vehicle control for loading a truck

• US 9,529,364 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Foster, Christopher A., Rusciolelli, Adam R., Dollinger, Tyson J., Posselius, John, Ray, Brian R., Aznavorian, Todd S.
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/662,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20150264866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/004 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1217 Unloading mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/00 Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading vehicles for carrying harvested crops with means for self-loading or self-unloading A01D90/00; peculiar to refuse collecting-vehicles B65F; loading or unloading vehicles by means not incorporated therein B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/04 Loading land vehicles loading or unloading boats to or from land vehicles B60P3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/24 Unloading land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127

Abstract

A system is provided that automatically assesses weight rating characteristics of a truck and trailer combination. The system coordinates movement and unloading functions of the grain cart to automatically load the trailer to correspond to a target total weight value and a target weight distribution value based on axle weight ratings of the axles of the truck and trailer combination.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating control of at least one agricultural vehicle for loading a trailer of a truck and trailer combination with a harvested crop material, the method comprising:

harvesting crop material from a field with a harvester;

directing the harvested crop material towards a grain cart adjacent the harvester;

receiving the harvested crop material into the grain cart towed by a tractor;

moving the grain cart from adjacent the harvester to a position adjacent to a truck and trailer combination defined by an over the road truck towing a trailer for hauling crop material;

initiating a trailer loading sequence;

determining a target total weight value of crop material to load into the trailer based on axle weight ratings of the axles of the truck and trailer combination;

determining a target weight distribution value of the trailer for distributing the crop material in the trailer based on the axle weight ratings of the axles of the truck and trailer combination;

activating a grain cart unloading system for transferring the crop material from the grain cart to the trailer to load the trailer;

controlling the tractor with a tractor controller of a control system to automatically move the tractor relative to the trailer while the grain cart unloading system is activated to load the trailer based on the determined target total weight of crop material and target weight distribution values; and

transferring crop material from the grain cart into the trailer, determining a partial-full condition of the trailer and storing a partial-full value of the trailer in a memory of the control system corresponding to the partial-full condition of the trailer, receiving a subsequent load of harvested crop material and transferring at least some of the crop material from the subsequent load into an area of the trailer based on the stored partial-full value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the crop material is grain.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising sensors arranged with respect to at least one of the tractor and the grain cart for determining a fill level of the trailer and wherein the control system commands movement of the tractor and the grain cart relative to the trailer based on the determined fill level of the trailer.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising loading a first area of the trailer and detecting when the first area of the trailer reaches a first area required fill level of the crop material, wherein the first area required fill level corresponds to a component of the target total weight value as a function of the target weight distribution value relative to the first area of the trailer, and automatically moving the tractor for loading the crop material into a second area of the trailer based on the detected reaching of the required fill level of the first area.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein when the control system determines a complete-full condition of the trailer corresponding to the target total weight value of crop material to load into the trailer, the control system commands closing a flow gate in the grain cart to stop crop material transfer from the grain cart to the trailer.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the grain cart defines a first grain cart that transfers less than the target total weight value of crop material into the trailer to define the partial-full condition of the trailer, and wherein the first grain cart broadcasts information corresponding to the partial-full condition of the trailer to one or more other grain carts for transferring additional crop material from one of the first grain cart and the one or more other grain carts into the trailer to achieve the target total weight value.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the control system controls the tractor and grain cart to automatically approach the truck and trailer combination to initiate transfer of crop material from the grain cart to the trailer, including

detecting with sensors within a predetermined field of view and distance range for a truck and trailer combination;

identifying a proposed truck and trailer combination;

confirming the proposed truck and trailer combination as suitable for loading;

moving the tractor to approach the truck and trailer combination with the grain cart;

positioning an unloading tube of the grain cart over the trailer; and

transferring crop material from the grain cart into the trailer.

3. The method of claim l wherein the control system identifies the truck and trailer combination and determines the target total weight of crop material and target weight distribution values based on the identified truck and trailer combination.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the control system cooperates with an RFID (radio-frequency identification) system including at least one RFID tag mounted with respect to the truck and trailer combination for identifying the truck and trailer combination.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the target total weight value of crop material to load into the trailer is determined by the control system identifying a target total weight value in a database corresponding to the identified truck and trailer combination.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the target weight distribution value of the trailer is determined by the control system identifying a target weight distribution value in a database corresponding to the identified truck and trailer combination.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein a tractor operator positions an unloading tube of the grain cart before the control system automatically moves the tractor relative to the trailer.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the control system identifies a relative orientation of the trailer relative to the grain cart and determines the path of motion of the grain cart based on the identified orientation of the trailer relative to the grain cart.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein sensors are arranged with respect to at least one of the tractor and the grain cart for determining the relative orientation of the trailer relative to the grain cart and wherein the control system receives signals from the sensors corresponding to the relative orientation of the trailer relative to the grain cart.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining when the grain cart achieves a start-load position and wherein the control system commands at least one of (i) turning on a PTO(power takeoff) and increasing an engine speed of the tractor in preparation for transferring the crop material from the grain cart to the trailer to load the trailer, and (ii) opening a flow gate in the grain cart to initiate crop material transfer from the grain cart to the trailer.

14. The method of claim I further comprising determining an initial fill level of the trailer before beginning transferring the crop material from the grain cart to the trailer and wherein during the determining of the initial fill level of the trailer, the control system moves the tractor relative to the trailer until the partial-full area is detected and wherein the control system commands beginning transfer of the crop material from the grain cart to the trailer at the partial-full area.

17. A method for coordinating control of at least one agricultural vehicle for loading a trailer of a truck and trailer combination with a harvested crop material, the method comprising:

harvesting crop material from a field with a harvester;

directing the harvested crop material towards a grain cart adjacent the harvester;

receiving the harvested crop material into the grain cart towed by a tractor;

moving the grain cart from adjacent the harvester to a position adjacent to a truck and trailer combination having axle weight rating values stored in a database corresponding to ratings of axles of the truck and trailer combination;

determining a loading path plan based on the axle weight rating values of the truck and trailer combination and a value of at least one of (i) a target total weight value of crop material to load into a trailer of the truck and trailer combination, and (ii) a target weight distribution value of the trailer for distributing the crop material in the trailer;

controlling the tractor with a tractor controller to automatically move the tractor relative to a trailer of the truck and trailer combination based on the loading path plan; and

transferring crop material from the grain cart into the trailer, determining a partial-full condition of the trailer and storing a partial-full value of the trailer in a memory of the control system corresponding to the partial-full condition of the trailer, receiving a subsequent load of harvested crop material and transferring at least some of the crop material from the subsequent load into an area of the trailer based on the stored partial-full value.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the loading path plan includes plan components corresponding to a start position of the grain cart unloading system relative to the trailer, a travel direction of the tractor and grain cart, a travel speed of the tractor and grain cart, and a stop position of the grain cart unloading system relative to the trailer.

19. A system for coordinating control of at least one agricultural vehicle for loading a trailer of a truck and trailer combination with a harvested crop material harvested by a harvester, the system comprising:

a tractor;

a grain cart towed by the tractor, the grain cart being adapted for transport between a first position adjacent to a harvester for receiving the harvested crop material from the harvester and a second position adjacent to a truck and trailer combination for unloading the harvested crop material to the truck and trailer combination;

a control system including a tractor controller operatively communicating with a grain cart controller for controlling operation of the grain cart, and a truck and trailer identification system for identifying weight rating information of a truck and trailer combination stored in a database accessible by the control system; and

a sensor system arranged with respect to at least one of the tractor and grain cart for determining loading status of a trailer of the truck and trailer combination and communicating with the control system for automatically coordinating control of at least one of the tractor and the grain cart for achieving a target total weight value and a target weight distribution value of the truck and trailer combination;

wherein the control system is configured to;

determine a partial-full condition of the trailer in response to the transferring of the crop material from the grain cart into the trailer;

store a partial-full value of the trailer in a memory of the control system corresponding to the partial-full condition of the trailer;

broadcast information corresponding to the partial-full condition of the trailer to one or more other grain carts so as to course a subsequent load of harvested crop material to be transferred to an area of trailer based on the stored partial-full value.