Correction in position with hitch position sensor

• US 20060142936A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Dix, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,580,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/004 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence

Abstract

An automatic guidance system for an agricultural vehicle includes a tractor, a towed implement, an absolute tractor position sensor, a relative implement position sensor, and an electronic control system. The operator inputs the implement geometry and field information into the control system. The control system combines this data with the absolute vehicle position and relative implement position to accurately guide the towed implement through a field.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for steering an agricultural vehicle towing an implement, comprising the steps of:

receiving satellite navigation data indicating a vehicle location and direction of movement;

receiving data indicative of a position of the implement relative to the vehicle;

calculating a steering command based at least upon the satellite data and the data indicative; and

steering the vehicle with the steering command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicative includes data indicative of an angle between the vehicle and the implement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving data indicative further includes the step of measuring the angle between the vehicle and the implement, wherein the angle is horizontal and taken at a coupling between the vehicle and the implement.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a yaw rate signal, and further wherein the step of calculating a steering command includes the step of calculating the steering command based upon the yaw rate signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating a steering command includes calculating a steering command configured for forward travel and a steering command configured for reverse travel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating a steering command includes calculating an estimated vehicle heading based upon a yaw rate signal and the vehicle location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of calculating a steering command includes calculating an estimated implement position and an estimated implement heading based upon the estimated vehicle heading and the data indicative.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of calculating a steering command includes calculating a desired vehicle steering angle based on the estimated implement position and the estimated implement heading and the data indicative.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the steering command is a valve command, and further wherein the step of calculating a steering command includes a step of calculating a steering valve command based upon the desired vehicle steering angle and the actual vehicle steering angle.

10. A guidance system for a tractor towing an implement, the system comprising:

means for generating tractor location and direction of movement signals;

means for generating an angle signal representing an angle between the tractor and the towed implement; and

means for computing an implement heading based upon the tractor location and movement signals, and the angle signal.

11. The tractor guidance system of claim 10, wherein the tractor location means includes a means for receiving satellite navigation information.

12. The tractor guidance system of claim 10, further comprising a means for computing a tractor heading based upon the implement heading and the angle signal.

13. An agricultural vehicle including:

a tractor;

a towed implement, coupled to the tractor;

a position sensor configured to indicate the position of the tractor;

a relative position sensor configured to provide a signal indicating a relative position of the implement with respect to the tractor; and

an electronic control system for calculating a heading of the tractor based on the position of the tractor and the relative position of the implement.

14. The agricultural vehicle of claim 13, wherein the electronic control system includes at least one digital microprocessor and digital memory.

15. The agricultural vehicle of claim 13, wherein the electronic control system is configured to calculate a steering command for the tractor.

16. The agricultural vehicle of claim 13, wherein the implement is pivotally coupled to the tractor at an implement hitch, and the relative position sensor measures an angle between the towed implement and the tractor at the hitch.

17. The agricultural vehicle of claim 14, wherein the electronic control system includes an operator input device, wherein the operator input device is configured to receive a geometry of the towed implement and the digital memory is configured to store the geometry.

18. The agricultural vehicle of claim 17, wherein the electronic control system is configured to calculate a desired vehicle steering angle based at least upon the geometry and the relative position signal.

19. The agricultural vehicle of claim 13, wherein the electronic control system is configured to calculate a steering command for the tractor based at least upon the position of the tractor and the relative position signal.

20. The agricultural vehicle of claim 13, wherein the position sensor includes a satellite navigation receiver.