Moving geofence for machine tracking in agriculture

• US 9,066,464 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Original Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Inventors: Schmidt, Lee A., Riegger, Lorenz
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga X
• Application Number:
  US13/415,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20120259537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 701/426, 701/517, 701300-302
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/00 Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle tracking system provides a moving geofence about the location of a vehicle. When the moving geofence contacts a point of interest, such as another moving geofence, an alert is issued. The particular characteristics of the moving geofence may be generated in accordance with a predetermined scheme.

Claims

1. A moving geofence system, comprising:

a location determination system for generating location information indicating the location of a vehicle; and

a moving geofence apparatus configured to—

receive the vehicle location information from the location determining system;

generate a first moving geofence for the vehicle using the vehicle location information, the first moving geofence including a plurality of geographic coordinates defining a first geographic area around the vehicle, the moving geofence apparatus configured to generate the first moving geofence by repeatedly generating new geographic coordinates associated with the first moving geofence as the vehicle moves through a geographic area;

determine whether the first moving geofence contacts a first point of interest by placing the first moving geofence and at least one coordinate associated with the first point of interest on a virtual map and determining if the moving geofence overlaps the at least one geographic coordinate,

communicate a first alert to the operator of the vehicle if the first moving geofence contacts the first point of interest,

generate a second moving geofence for the vehicle using the vehicle location information, the second moving geofence including a plurality of geographic coordinates defining a second geographic area around the vehicle that is different than the first geographic area, the moving geofence apparatus configured to generate the second moving geofence by repeatedly generating new geographic coordinates associated with the second moving geofence as the vehicle moves through the geographic area, and

communicate a second alert to the operator of the vehicle if the second moving geofence contacts the second point of interest, the second alert being different than the first alert.

2. The moving geofence system of claim 1, the moving geofence apparatus configured to communicate the first alert only if the first point of interest corresponds to a vehicle.

3. The moving geofence system of claim 2, the moving geofence apparatus configured to communicate the second alert only if the second point of interest corresponds to a weather condition.

4. The moving geofence system of claim 1, the first moving geofence corresponding to a smaller geographic area than the second moving geofence.

5. The moving geofence system of claim 4, the first moving geofence being entirely contained within the second moving geofence.

6. The moving geofence system of claim 4, wherein the moving geofence apparatus is configured to communicate a third alert to the operator of the vehicle if the first moving geofence ceases contact with the first point of interest, the third alert being different than the first alert and the second alert.