Implement and boom height control system and method

• US 9,781,915 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Inventors: Gattis, Joshua M., Koch, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US14/214,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/008 Tanks, chassis or related parts
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0057 with active regulation of the boom position
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 9/0076 Special arrangements or adaptations of the dusting or distributing parts, e.g. mounting of the spray booms, the protection shields nozzles B05B1/00; spray pistols B05B9/01

Abstract

A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based control system is provided for positioning a working component relative to a work surface. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, are mounted on the working component and provide positioning signals to a control compute engine. A method of positioning a working component relative to a work surface using GNSS-based positioning signals is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the position of a working component relative to a work surface, comprising:

storing field terrain elevation data for the work surface;

receiving a selection of a desired height of the working component above the work surface;

receiving inertial movement data from multiple inertial measurement units (IMU) located on different sections of the working component as part of sensor data identifying different x, y, and z positions for the different sections of the working component with respect to the work surface;

comparing the sensor data with the field terrain elevation data; and

adjusting heights of the different sections of the working component relative to the work surface based on the desired height of the working component above the work surface and the comparison of the inertial movement data with the field terrain elevation data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements for the working component as at least part of the sensor data; and

adjusting the height of the working component based on a comparison of the GNSS measurements and the field terrain elevation data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes both gyroscope inertial measurements and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the height of the working component using an electro-hydraulic mechanism.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring the field terrain elevation data for the work surface in an initial measurement operation;

storing the measured field terrain elevation data in a data management system;

load the measured field terrain elevation data from the data management system into a vehicle guidance system;

receiving the sensor data during a second operation as the working component travels over the working surface;

comparing the measured field terrain elevation data with the sensor data as the working component travels over the working surface.

2. A method of controlling the position of a working component relative to a work surface, comprising:

storing field terrain elevation data for the work surface;

receiving a selection of a desired height of the working component above the work surface;

receiving sensor data identifying a position of the working component with respect to the work surface;

comparing the sensor data with the field terrain elevation data;

adjusting a height of the working component relative to the work surface based on the desired height of the working component above the work surface and the comparison of the sensor data with the field terrain elevation data;

receiving inertial movement data as at least part of the sensor data, wherein different portions of the inertial movement data are associated with different sections of the working component;

comparing the inertial movement data for the different sections of the working component with the field terrain elevation data; and

adjusting the height of the working component relative to the work surface based the comparison of the inertial movement data associated with the different sections of the working component with the field terrain elevation data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving the inertial movement data from separate inertial measurement units located on the different sections of the working component.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting individual heights of the different sections of the working component relative to the work surface based on the comparison of the inertial movement data associated with the different sections of the working component with the field terrain elevation data.

9. A height control system for a work implement, comprising:

a processing system to;

load elevation data for a work surface;

identify a desired height of the work implement above the work surface;

receive sensor data from different inertial measurement units located on different sections of the work implement identifying different positions of the work implement with respect to the work surface;

compare the sensor data with the elevation data; and

adjust heights of the different sections of work implement based on the comparison of the sensor data with the elevation data to maintain the desired height of the work implement above the work surface.

13. The height control system of claim 9, the processing system further to:

receive global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements for the work implement as at least part of the sensor data; and

adjust the height of the work implement based on a comparison of the GNSS measurements with the elevation data.

14. The height control system of claim 9, wherein the sensor data includes both inertial gyroscope measurements and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements identifying the position of the work implement along X, Y, and Z axes.

15. The height control system of claim 9, the processing system further to use an electro-hydraulic mechanism to adjust the height of the work implement.

16. The height control system of claim 9, the processing system further to:

load the elevation data from an initial measurement operation prior to the work implement traveling over the work surface;

receive the sensor data as the work implement travels over the work surface; and

compare the elevation data with the sensor data and adjust the height of the work implement as the work implement travels over the work surface.

10. A height control system for a work implement, comprising:

a processing system to;

load elevation data for a work surface;

identify a desired height of the work implement above the work surface;

receive sensor data identifying a position of the work implement with respect to the work surface;

compare the sensor data with the elevation data;

adjust a height of the work implement based on the comparison of the sensor data with the elevation data to maintain the desired height of the work implement above the work surface;

receive inertial movement data as at least part of the sensor data, wherein different portions of the inertial movement data are associated with different sections of the work implement;

compare the inertial movement data for the different sections of the work implement with the elevation data; and

adjust the height for the work implement above the work surface based the comparison of the inertial movement data for the different sections of the work implement with the elevation data.

11. The height control system of claim 10, the processing system further to receive the inertial movement data from separate inertial measurement units located on the different sections of the work implement.

12. The height control system of claim 11, the processing system further to adjust individual heights of the different sections of the work implement above the work surface based the comparison of the inertial movement data associated with the different sections of the work implement with the elevation data.