Parallel travel work system

• US 10,747,233 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2018
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yanmar Company Limited (Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ogura, Kouhei, Kuroda, Akifumi, Matsumoto, Keiji, Aoki, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Brushaber, Frederick M
• Application Number:
  US16/146,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20190101931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• 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 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A parallel travel work system for an autonomous travel work vehicle, an accompanying travel work vehicle accompanying the autonomous travel work vehicle, and a remote controller for communicating with the autonomous travel work vehicle. The remote controller creates a first preset travel path for the autonomous travel work vehicle and a second preset travel path for the accompanying travel work vehicle travels. The autonomous travel work vehicle is equipped with: a position calculator for calculating a position of the autonomous travel work vehicle using a satellite positioning system, a steering actuator for operating a steering device of the autonomous travel work vehicle, a transceiver for communicating with the remote controller, and a control device for controlling the position calculator, the steering actuator and the transceiver. With the control device, the autonomous travelling of the autonomous travel work vehicle is carried out along the first preset travel path.

Claims

1. A parallel travel work system comprising an autonomous travel work vehicle, an accompanying travel work vehicle accompanying the autonomous travel work vehicle, and a remote controller for communicating with the autonomous travel work vehicle, wherein:

the remote controller is configured to create a first preset travel path along which the autonomous travel work vehicle autonomously travels and a second preset travel path along which the accompanying travel work vehicle travels;

the autonomous travel work vehicle is equipped with;

a receiver configured to receive, from a satellite positioning system, data corresponding to a position of a body of the autonomous travel work vehicle,

a steering actuator configured to operate a steering device,

a transceiver configured to communicate with the remote controller, and

a control device coupled to the receiver and configured to control the steering actuator and the transceiver, the control device carrying out autonomous travelling of the autonomous travel work vehicle along the first preset travel path acquired from the remote controller via the transceiver; and

wherein;

the remote controller is provided with a display configured to display the first preset travel path and the second preset travel path; and

the display configured to recognizably display, in the displayed first and second preset travel paths, unworked sections and worked sections of the preset travel paths.

2. The parallel travel work system according to claim 1, wherein:

the remote controller is configured to operate, among others, an emergency stop, a temporary stop, a restart, a speed change, an engine rotation change, a moving up and down of an implement, and a turn on and off of a power takeoff clutch of the autonomous travel work vehicle, and

the display is further configured to display, among others, a traveling condition, engine statuses, an operating condition of an implement, a GPS information of the autonomous travel work vehicle, and images taken by a camera shooting surroundings of a vehicle body of the autonomously travel work vehicle.

3. The parallel travel work system according to claim 1, wherein:

the receiver is configured to calculate a position of the autonomous travel work vehicle from a relative position between a reference station located at a predetermined position and the autonomous travel work vehicle with reference to the reference station, and

the control device is configured to not permit the autonomous travel work vehicle to start autonomous traveling thereof when determined that a reference station used when the first preset travel path and the second preset travel path are created is different from a reference station being used for a position of the autonomous travel work vehicle.

4. The parallel travel work system according to claim 1, wherein:

the receiver is distinct from the transceiver.

5. The parallel travel work system according to claim 1, wherein:

the autonomous travel work vehicle is equipped with an antenna coupled to the receiver; and

the receiver is configured to receive the data via the antenna.

6. The parallel travel work system according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device is configured to not permit the autonomous travel work vehicle to start autonomous traveling thereof when a current position of the autonomous travel work vehicle is at a position away from a start position of the first preset travel path by more than a predetermined range.

7. The parallel travel work system according to claim 6, wherein:

the control device is configured to not permit the autonomous travel work vehicle to start autonomous traveling thereof if a maximum occupied area taken up by the autonomous travel work vehicle and an implement thereof, when a current location of the autonomous travel work vehicle is inside a predetermined range, overlaps a part of land outside of an agricultural filed in which the first preset travel path is created.

8. The parallel travel work system according to claim 6, wherein:

the control device is configured to not permit the autonomous travel work vehicle to start autonomous traveling thereof if a direction of the autonomous travel work vehicle, when a current location of the autonomous travel work vehicle is inside the predetermine range, is outside of a present range with reference to a moving direction of the autonomous travel work vehicle.

9. The parallel travel work system according to claim 6, wherein:

the control device is configured to not permit a start of autonomous traveling of the autonomous travel work vehicle if there is an abnormality in the autonomous travel work vehicle.

10. The parallel travel work system according to claim 6, wherein:

the control device is configured to store, when interruption of autonomous travelling of the autonomous travel work vehicle occurs, a position of the interruption, and to set a position of the interruption as an operation restart position, when the autonomous travelling is restarted, and display the operation restart position on the display.