Safety system for guidance control system
First Claim
1. For a tractor that includes a vehicle steering system that is a hydraulic steering system and a guidance control system that has a steering control mechanism that is engaged to automatically control the vehicle steering system, a method of assuring safe operation comprising:
- monitoring said steering control mechanism so as to assure that said guidance control system is operating properly;
monitoring a sensor located within said tractor, said sensor for detecting the presence of the operator of said tractor;
disengaging the steering control mechanism when the output of said steering control mechanism indicates that an error condition has occurred and when the operator is determined to be ready to take control of said tractor;
stopping said tractor when said sensor indicates that the operator is not in said tractor; and
stopping said tractor when an error condition has occurred and the operator is not determined to be ready to take control of the tractor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus that allows for safely operating a vehicle when an automatic steering control feature of a guidance control system is in operation. One or more sensors are used to determine whether the operator is in the vehicle. If the sensors detect that the operator has left the vehicle, the vehicle is shut off. The safety system includes one or more software programs that operate to determine whether the guidance control system is operating properly. More specifically, a control unit is coupled to the microprocessor and the steering control mechanism for determining whether or not an error condition has occurred. In the event that an error condition has occurred, the guidance control system is disengaged and control of the vehicle is turned over to the operator. In one embodiment, the safety system determines whether the operator is ready to take control of the vehicle prior to disengaging the guidance control system. If the operator is not ready to take control of the vehicle, the vehicle is shut off.
42 Citations
13 Claims
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1. For a tractor that includes a vehicle steering system that is a hydraulic steering system and a guidance control system that has a steering control mechanism that is engaged to automatically control the vehicle steering system, a method of assuring safe operation comprising:
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monitoring said steering control mechanism so as to assure that said guidance control system is operating properly;
monitoring a sensor located within said tractor, said sensor for detecting the presence of the operator of said tractor;
disengaging the steering control mechanism when the output of said steering control mechanism indicates that an error condition has occurred and when the operator is determined to be ready to take control of said tractor;
stopping said tractor when said sensor indicates that the operator is not in said tractor; and
stopping said tractor when an error condition has occurred and the operator is not determined to be ready to take control of the tractor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
monitoring the operation of said steering control mechanism using a computer program operable by said microprocessor.
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3. The method of claim 2 wherein said steering control mechanism includes a pulse wave modulated generator and a pulse wave modulated electro-hydraulic valve, said computer program determining that an error condition has occurred when an update from said pulse wave modulated generator has not been transmitted in a predetermined time period.
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4. The method of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a dead-man switch and wherein said step of monitoring a sensor further comprises the step of:
determining if an operator has operated said dead-man switch within a predetermined amount of time.
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5. The method of claim 1 wherein the tractor includes a seat and wherein said sensor indicates whether or not the operator is sitting in said seat, said step of monitoring said sensor further comprising the step of:
determining if an operator is sitting in said seat.
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6. The method of claim 1 wherein the tractor includes a door and wherein said sensor indicates whether or not the door has been opened, said step of monitoring said sensor further comprising the step of:
determining if an operator has opened said door while said guidance control system is engaged.
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7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
providing a safety system microprocessor, said safety system microprocessor coupled to said microprocessor and to said steering control mechanism.
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8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
monitoring the operation of said steering control mechanism using said safety system microprocessor.
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9. In a computer system including a processor coupled to a bus, and a memory unit coupled to said bus for storing information, a computer-implemented method for assuring safe operation of a tractor having a vehicle steering system that is a hydraulic steering system and having a guidance control system that includes a steering control mechanism, said computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring said steering control mechanism so as to assure that said guidance control system is operating properly;
monitoring a sensor located within said tractor, said sensor for detecting the presence of the operator of said tractor;
disengaging said steering control mechanism when an error condition has occurred and when the operator is determined to be ready to take control of said tractor;
stopping said tractor when said sensor indicates that the operator is not in said tractor; and
stopping said tractor when an error condition has occurred and the operator is not determined to be ready to take control of the tractor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
determining that an error condition has occurred when an update from said pulse wave modulated generator has not been transmitted within a predetermined time period.
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11. The method of claim 10 wherein said sensor is a dead-man switch and wherein said step of monitoring a sensor further comprises the step of:
determining if an operator has operated said dead-man switch within a predetermined amount of time.
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12. The method of claim 10 wherein the tractor includes a seat and wherein said sensor indicates whether or not the operator is sitting in said seat, said step of monitoring said sensor further comprising the step of:
determining if an operator is sitting in said seat.
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13. The method of claim 10 wherein the tractor includes a door and wherein said sensor indicates whether or not the door has been opened, said step of monitoring said sensor further comprising the step of:
determining if an operator has opened said door while said guidance control system is engaged.
Specification