Customizable equipment library for command and control software

• US 9,949,423 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonomous Solutions, Inc., CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Autonomous Solutions, Inc., CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Foster, Christopher Alan, Posselius, John Henry, Turpin, Bret Todd, Adams, Brandon Chamberlain, Stewart, James Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US15/179,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20170354080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 701 50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 59/00 Devices specially adapted for connection between animals or tractors and agricultural machines or implements A01B63/00 takes precedence; vehicle connections in general B60D; draught assemblies for animal drawn vehicles, in general B62C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 71/02 Setting or adjusting mechanisms
• 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: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

An agricultural system includes agricultural equipment and a user interface. The agricultural equipment includes a command and control system and an equipment configuration code file. The command and control system, in operation, configures and controls the agricultural equipment based at least in part on the equipment configuration code file. The agricultural equipment comprises a work vehicle or an implement to be carried or towed by a work vehicle. The user interface displays information to, and receive inputs from a user for one or more data fields in the equipment configuration code file for the agricultural equipment. The data fields comprise a user-given name and at least one of a compatible implement, an accessory, or a task for which the agricultural equipment may be configured.

Claims

1. An agricultural system comprising:

agricultural equipment comprising a control system, wherein the control system, in operation, configures and controls the agricultural equipment based at least in part on an equipment configuration code file, wherein the agricultural equipment comprises a work vehicle or an implement to be carried or towed by the work vehicle;

a user interface of the agricultural equipment, the user interface comprising a display configured to display information to a user, and one or more user inputs configured to receive inputs from the user, wherein the display is configured to display one or more data fields in the equipment configuration code file for the agricultural equipment, and the one or more data fields comprise a user-given name and at least one of a compatible implement, an accessory, and a task for which the agricultural equipment may be configured.

2. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to display a warning message via the display of the user interface if a selected implement is not listed in the equipment configuration code file for the agricultural equipment as one of the one or more compatible implements.

3. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is in or on the agricultural equipment.

4. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the display of the user interface is configured to display the agricultural equipment in a color selected by the user.

5. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the display of the user interface is configured to display the agricultural equipment with a pendant, a flag, a color chip, or other icon selected by the user.

6. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to perform a search for the agricultural equipment within a fleet of agricultural equipment.

7. The agricultural system of claim 6, wherein the search includes the one or more data fields in the equipment configuration code file.

8. A method of managing a fleet of agricultural equipment, comprising:

receiving, via one or more user inputs of a user interface, inputs from a user for one or more data fields in an equipment configuration code file for agricultural equipment of a fleet of agricultural equipment, wherein the fleet of agricultural equipment comprises at least one driving vehicle and at least one towed or carried implement, and wherein the data fields comprise a user-given name and at least one of a compatible implement, an accessory, or a task for which the agricultural equipment may be configured;

altering, via a control system, the equipment configuration code file based upon the inputs;

storing the altered equipment configuration code file in an electronic storage medium for later access for use in controlling the agricultural equipment; and

configuring and controlling, via the controller, the agricultural equipment based at least in part on the altered equipment configuration code file.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising displaying, via a display of the user interface, the agricultural equipment in a color selected by the user.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising displaying, via a display of the user interface, the agricultural equipment with a pendant, a flag, a color chip, or other icon selected by the user.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising displaying, via a display of the user interface, a warning message if the agricultural equipment is not compatible with a selected implement.

12. The method of claim 8, comprising displaying, via a display of the user interface, a warning message if a selected implement is not listed in the equipment configuration code file for the agricultural equipment in the one or more compatible implements data field.

13. The method of claim 8, comprising performing a search for the equipment configuration code file of the agricultural equipment among one or more configuration code files of the fleet of agricultural equipment.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the search is based at least in part on one or more of the one or more data fields in the equipment configuration code file of the agricultural equipment.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the alteration is performed via command and control software using a docking station for the agricultural equipment.

16. An agricultural equipment fleet management system, comprising:

a user interface comprising a display configured to display information to a user, and one or more user inputs configured to receive inputs from the user, wherein the display is configured to display information to, and receive inputs from the user for one or more data fields in an equipment configuration code file for agricultural equipment of a fleet of agricultural equipment, wherein the data fields comprise a user-given name and at least of a compatible implement, an accessory, or a task for which the agricultural equipment may be configured;

wherein the fleet of agricultural equipment comprises at least one driving vehicle and at least one towed or carried implement; and

means for communicating the altered equipment control file to a control system of the agricultural equipment, that in operation configures and controls operation of the agricultural equipment.

17. The agricultural equipment fleet management system of claim 16, wherein the user interface comprises a work station or docking station of the user.

18. The agricultural equipment fleet management system of claim 16, wherein the user interface is in or on the agricultural equipment.

19. The agricultural equipment fleet management system of claim 16, wherein the user interface is configured to display, via the display of the user interface, a warning message via the user interface if a selected implement is not listed in the equipment configuration code file for the agricultural equipment as one of the one or more compatible implements.

20. The agricultural equipment fleet management system of claim 16, wherein the user interface is configured to display, via the display of the user interface, the agricultural equipment in a color or with a visual identifier selected by the user.