Autoguidance system and method for an agricultural machine

• US 6,236,916 B1
• Filed: 03/29/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Staub, Michael D., Motz, Darin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/280,198
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 701/28, 701/29, 701/50, 701/207, 701/209, 172/2, 172/5, 172/6, 172/26, 180/131, 180/169, 348/120
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A system and method for providing autoguidance for an agricultural machine. The system includes a main machine control module to control steering of the agricultural machine, a position determining system, and a guidance map. The system also includes an autoguidance control module to receive a position signal from the position determining system and data from the guidance map, and responsively determine a current position and a desired path to traverse by the agricultural machine, wherein the desired path to traverse is determined with respect to rows of crop in a field, and wherein the main machine control module is adapted to receive a control signal from the autoguidance control module and control steering of the agricultural machine in response to activation of the autoguidance control module control signal.

Claims

1. A system for providing autoguidance for an agricultural machine having a work implement attached, comprising:

a main machine control module located on the agricultural machine and adapted to control steering of the agricultural machine;

a position determining system located on the agricultural machine;

a guidance map located on the agricultural machine;

an autoguidance control module located on the agricultural machine and adapted to receive a position signal from the position determining system and data from the guidance map, and responsively determine a current position and a desired path to traverse by the agricultural machine, wherein the desired path to traverse is determined with respect to rows of crop in a field, and wherein the main machine control module is adapted to receive a control signal from the autoguidance control module and control steering of the agricultural machine in response to activation of the autoguidance control module control signal; and

a network bridge located on the agricultural machine and adapted to provide a controlled path for data to flow between the main machine control module, the position determining system, and the autoguidance control module.

2. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a machine information display system located on the agricultural machine, wherein the autoguidance control module is further adapted to deliver display data to the machine information display system.

3. A system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the display data enables the machine information display system to display the position and heading of the agricultural machine with respect to the rows of crop in the field.

4. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the autoguidance control module is activated by an operator controlled switch.

5. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a heading rate sensor located on the agricultural machine.

6. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a roll sensor located on the agricultural machine.

7. A system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the autoguidance control module is further adapted to receive data from the roll sensor and responsively compensate for errors in the position determinations caused by roll of the agricultural machine.

8. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a rowcrop detector located on the agricultural machine.

9. A system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the rowcrop detector is adapted to detect the position of rows of crop with respect to the position of the agricultural machine.

10. A system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the rowcrop detector includes at least one sensor adapted to sense the presence of rowcrop in response to making contact with the rowcrop.

11. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including an alert system located on the agricultural machine and adapted to notify an operator in response to the autoguidance control module determining a condition requiring operator intervention.

12. A system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the alert system is adapted to provide at least one of a visual and audible notification.

13. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the autoguidance control module is further adapted to determine a plurality of parallel paths for the agricultural machine to traverse.

14. A system, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the parallel paths are determined as a function of the width of the work implement.

15. A system for providing autoguidance for an agricultural machine having a work implement attached, comprising:

a main machine control module located on the agricultural machine and adapted to control steering of the agricultural machine;

a position determining system located on the agricultural machine;

a guidance map located on the agricultural machine;

an autoguidance control module located on the agricultural machine and adapted to receive a position signal from the position determining system and data from the guidance map, and responsively determine a current position and a desired path to traverse by the agricultural machine, wherein the desired path to traverse is determined with respect to the width of the work implement, and wherein the main machine control module is adapted to receive a control signal from the autoguidance control module and control steering of the agricultural machine in response to activation of the autoguidance control module control signal; and

a network bridge located on the agricultural machine and adapted to provide a controlled path for data to flow between the main machine control module, the position determining system, and the autoguidance control module.

16. A system, as set forth in claim 15, wherein the determined desired path is determined as one of a plurality of parallel paths, each determined path being determined as a function of the width of the work implement.

17. A system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the autoguidance control module is further adapted to determine the plurality of parallel paths as a function of a first determined reference path.

18. A system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the plurality of parallel paths are determined as a function of the first determined reference path being one of a straight and curved path segment.

19. A method for providing autoguidance for an agricultural machine having a work implement attached, including the steps of:

determining a position and a heading of the agricultural machine;

compensating the position determination with a roll compensation factor;

determining the location of a plurality of desired paths;

enabling autoguidance of the agricultural machine in response to activation of an autoguidance control module; and

controlling steering of the agricultural machine with respect to the desired paths, wherein steering in a lateral direction is further controlled with respect to the roll compensation factor.

20. A method, as set forth in claim 19, further including the step of displaying to an operator the position and the heading of the agricultural machine with respect to the desired paths.

21. A method, as set forth in claim 19, wherein activation of the autoguidance control module is performed by an operator controlled switch.

22. A method, as set forth in claim 19, further including the step of notifying an operator in response to a condition requiring operator intervention.

23. A method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein notifying an operator is performed by at least one of a visual and an audible notification.

24. A method, as set forth in claim 19, wherein determining the location of a plurality of desired paths includes the step of determining a plurality of parallel paths for the agricultural machine to traverse.

25. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the parallel paths are determined as a function of the width of the work implement.

26. A method, as set forth in claim 19, further including the step of controlling the flow of data on the agricultural machine.

27. A system for providing autoguidance for an agricultural machine having a work implement attached, comprising:

a main machine control module located on the agricultural machine and adapted to control steering of the agricultural machine;

a position determining system located on the agricultural machine;

a guidance map located on the agricultural machine;

a heading rate sensor located on the agricultural machine;

a roll sensor located on the agricultural machine; and

an autoguidance control module located on the agricultural machine and adapted to receive a position signal from the position determining system and data from the guidance map, the heading rate sensor, and the roll sensor, and responsively determine a current position and a desired path to traverse by the agricultural machine, wherein the desired path to traverse is determined with respect to rows of crop in a field, wherein the main machine control module is adapted to receive a control signal from the autoguidance control module and control steering of the agricultural machine in response to activation of the autoguidance control module control signal, and wherein the autoguidance control module is adapted to receive an amount of roll detected by the roll sensor and responsively determine a roll compensation factor to compensate the position determination of the agricultural machine in a lateral direction.

28. A system, as set forth in claim 27, further including a machine information display system located on the agricultural machine, wherein the autoguidance control module is further adapted to deliver display data to the machine information display system.

29. A system, as set forth in claim 28, further including a network bridge located on the agricultural machine and adapted to provide a controlled path for data to flow between the main machine control module, the position determining system, the machine information display system, and the autoguidance control module.