Automatic swath generation device and methods

• US 9,795,074 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Stratton, John, Payne, Matthew K., Dollinger, Tyson J., Lindsey, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/923,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20170112044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface

Abstract

A method for automatically generating swath paths and navigating a vehicle along the generated swath paths using a controller includes the steps of: marking a plurality of field boundary points; storing the field boundary points in a memory unit of the vehicle; generating a field boundary defining the plurality of field boundary points connected to one another; selecting an edge of the field boundary as a base swath path; generating a plurality of subsequent swath paths from the base swath path; measuring a set of parameters of the vehicle; and automatically selecting one of the subsequent swath paths for the vehicle to follow based on the set of parameters.

Claims

1. A method for automatically generating swath paths used for navigating a vehicle along the generated swath paths using a controller, the method comprising the steps of:

storing field boundary points in a memory unit of said vehicle in communication with said controller, the field boundary points corresponding to global positioning system (GPS) or other geographic location points of a boundary of a field;

generating a field boundary defined by adjacent field boundary points connected to one another;

selecting an edge of said field boundary as a base swath path;

generating a plurality of subsequent swath paths from said base swath path, wherein each subsequent swath path is defined by a plurality of segments, and wherein generating the segments of each of the plurality of subsequent swath paths comprises;

using the boundary points of the base swath path to generate a subsequent swath path that is parallel to the boundary and is a predetermined distance from the base swath path;

determining that at least one curved portion of the subsequent swath path has a curvature that is greater than that of a minimum turning radius of the vehicle;

for each curved portion of the subsequent swath path having a curvature that is greater than that of the minimum turning radius of the vehicle, dividing the curved portion into at least two curved portions that each have a curvature that is less than or equal to that of the minimum turning radius of the vehicle,

wherein a distance between each adjacent subsequent swath path is approximately the same;

measuring a set of parameters of said vehicle as the vehicle travels; and

automatically selecting one of said subsequent swath paths for said vehicle to follow based on said set of parameters.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of defining a start point and a stop point for each of said plurality of subsequent swath paths, wherein said set of parameters defines at least a current geographic location of said vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said selected subsequent swath path has a start point closest to said current geographic location of said vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said set of parameters further defines a current heading of said vehicle, said selected subsequent swath path having a start point within 90 degrees of said current heading of said vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of defining at least one field corner in said field boundary.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said at least one field corner is defined as a pair of connected swath paths defining a turn that is sharper than a minimum turning radius of said vehicle.

7. An agricultural vehicle, comprising:

a chassis;

at least one traction member carried by said chassis;

an automatic guidance control system carried by said chassis and operable to control a direction of said at least one traction member;

a memory unit having a plurality of field boundary points programmed therein, the field boundary points corresponding to global positioning system (GPS) or other geographic location points of a boundary of a field; and

a controller linked to said automatic guidance control system and said memory unit, said controller being operable to;

generate a field boundary defined by adjacent field boundary points connected to one another;

select an edge of said field boundary as a base swath path;

generate a plurality of subsequent swath paths from said base swath path, wherein each subsequent swath path is defined by a plurality of segments, and wherein generating the segments of each subsequent swath path comprises;

generating a plurality of points, each located a predetermined width away from the boundary;

for each generated point, identifying two closest other points;

determine whether the point and the two closest points define a line within a predetermined variance of a straight line;

responsive to a determination that the point and the two closest points defined a line within the predetermined variance of a straight line, defining the line connecting the point and the two closest points as a straight line segment of the subsequent swath path;

responsive to a determination that the point and the two closest points do not define a line within the predetermined variance of a straight line, determine whether a curvature of an arc connecting the point with the two closest points is less than that of a minimum turning radius of the vehicle;

responsive to a determination that the curvature of the arc connecting the point with the two closest points is less than that of the minimum turning radius of the vehicle, defining the arc as a curved swath segment of the subsequent swath path; and

responsive to a determination that the curvature of the arc connecting the point with the two closest points is not less than that of the minimum turning radius of the vehicle, divide the arc into two or more segments of the subsequent swath path that each have a curvature less than that of the minimum turning radius of the vehicle;

measure a set of parameters of said vehicle;

automatically select one of said subsequent swath paths based on said set of parameters; and

cause said automatic guidance control system to direct said at least one traction member such that said vehicle follows said selected subsequent swath path.

8. The agricultural vehicle according to claim 7, wherein said controller is further operable to define a start point and a stop point for each of said plurality of subsequent swath paths.

9. The agricultural vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising a location sensor coupled to said controller, wherein at least one of said measured parameters is a current geographic location of said vehicle.

10. The agricultural vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said selected subsequent swath path has a start point closest to said current geographic location of said vehicle.

11. The agricultural vehicle according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said parameters is a current heading of said vehicle and said selected subsequent swath path has a start point within 90 degrees of said current heading of said vehicle.

12. The agricultural vehicle according to claim 7, wherein said controller is operable to define at least one headland area and at least one field corner in said field boundary.