Agricultural machinery

Abstract

Self-propelled agricultural machinery (1), comprising - a plurality of lighting devices (2), - a control device (3) as well as - an input device (4), wherein the lighting means (2) are arranged in such a way that they are jointly suitable to at least partially illuminate an area (5) surrounding the working machine (1) and / or parts of the working machine (1), wherein inputs relating to the activation and / or deactivation of lighting devices (2) can be made by an operator using the input device (4), wherein the control device (3) is operatively connected to the input device (4) so ​​that inputs made by the operator via the input device (4) can be transmitted to the control device (3), wherein the control device (3) is operatively connected to the lighting means (2) so that the lighting means (2) can be controlled by means of the control device (3), characterized by the fact that the input device (4) has an interactive user interface (6) which is configured to allow the operator to input an illumination request by interacting with an area on the user interface (6), wherein the control device (3) is configured to convert the entered illumination request into a selective activation of at least one of the lighting means (2) such that the illumination request is implemented, wherein information is stored in a data memory of the control device (3) which assigns to each lighting means (2) an area of ​​effect, the illumination of which the respective lighting means effect and where, based on this information, the control device (3) is set up to selectively switch those lighting means (2) that are suitable to implement the operator's lighting request.

Description

[0001] The present application relates to a self-propelled agricultural machine. Furthermore, the present application relates to a method for operating such a machine.

[0002] The working machine, which may be a tractor, a forage harvester, or a combine harvester, comprises a number of lighting devices by means of which at least parts of the working machine's surrounding area and / or parts of the working machine itself can be illuminated. These lighting devices may, in particular, be spotlights distributed along the chassis of the working machine. It is equally conceivable that the lighting devices consist of conventional light sources, LEDs, or other light sources. Both fixed and movable lighting devices are also conceivable.

[0003] The machine further comprises at least one control device that is operatively connected to the lighting devices. The control device is thus capable of controlling the lighting devices collectively or individually. This applies in particular to the activation or deactivation of the lighting devices.

[0004] Finally, the machine also includes an input device by means of which an operator can make inputs regarding the activation and / or deactivation of lighting devices. The input device is operatively connected to the control unit, so that inputs made by the operator via the input device can be transmitted to the control unit and converted by it into corresponding control commands for controlling the lighting devices. It is conceivable that the input device and the control unit are connected to each other by means of a physical communication line, so that information regarding inputs made and the like can be exchanged. A wireless connection is also conceivable. This also applies to the connection between the control unit and the individual lighting devices.

[0005] Working machines of the type described above are already known in the prior art. Reference is made in particular to European patent EP 2 158 799 A1. This patent proposes automatically controlling lighting devices depending on the operating conditions of the working machine. Accordingly, it is conceivable, for example, that the operator of the working machine could assign specific lighting devices to a particular operating condition, such as a turn in the headland area of ​​a field. These lighting devices would then be automatically activated or deactivated as soon as and for as long as the respective operating condition exists. In this way, the control of the lighting devices is automated, ensuring that only those lighting devices that actually offer advantages to the operator are used for each operating condition. The operator does not need to worry about the individual switching of the lighting devices.

[0006] The methods for controlling lighting devices have proven disadvantageous in the prior art insofar as the operator of the machine must always proceed iteratively when manually activating and / or deactivating lighting devices until the appropriate combination of activated lighting devices is found for a given illumination requirement. Typically, the activation and deactivation of the lighting devices are performed in isolation or independently of each other. Over a learning period, the operator must first learn which lighting devices produce which illumination, so that they can precisely activate specific lighting devices and deactivate others as needed, adapting to a particular situation.

[0007] The present application is based on the task of providing a working machine by means of which the illumination situation of an area surrounding the working machine and / or of parts of the working machine itself can be more easily controlled.

[0008] The underlying problem is solved according to the invention by means of a machine having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0009] The input device has an interactive user interface configured to allow the operator to input a lighting preference by interacting with an area on the interface. The control unit is configured to translate the input lighting preference into the selective activation of at least one lighting element, preferably a plurality of lighting elements, thus implementing the lighting preference. The present invention therefore employs a fundamentally different control system compared to the prior art, namely, not the activation and / or deactivation of individual lighting elements by the operator, but rather the abstract expression of a lighting preference by the operator, which is then "translated" by the control unit into a switching action of the lighting elements.

[0010] This type of machine offers numerous advantages. In particular, the operator does not need to determine which lighting devices are suitable or necessary to achieve their desired illumination; instead, the relevant information is stored in the control unit's data memory. Based on the operator's input, the control unit can then automatically select the appropriate lighting devices. This concept is especially beneficial in situations where the operator is not fully familiar with the machine, as is often the case with changing operators in larger companies.

[0011] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the lighting equipment of a given machine is continuously modified, for example, by exchanging certain attachments for other attachments, replacing or adding lighting elements, and so on. Thus, different attachments may, for instance, have different lighting elements, each producing a specific beam pattern and thereby illuminating a specific part of the machine's surroundings and / or a specific part of the machine itself. Accordingly, different lighting elements are relevant for fulfilling a given lighting request than with the previous attachment. This data can be stored once on the control unit, so that when the operator expresses a specific lighting request, it automatically activates the available lighting elements.This saves the operator the learning phase of figuring out which lighting devices ultimately produce which effect. In this way, retrofitting lighting devices or replacing individual lighting devices with others can also be implemented without the operator having to learn in detail which lighting devices need to be switched on to achieve a specific lighting requirement.

[0012] Furthermore, the control of the lighting by the control unit ensures that only those lights actually required to fulfill a given lighting requirement are activated. This reduces the overall energy consumption of the machine attributable to the lighting to the necessary minimum, whereas in prior art, the operator would often prefer to activate more lights than were actually needed to meet a specific lighting requirement.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment of the machine according to the invention, the interactive user interface of the input device is touch-sensitive. For example, the user interface can be in the form of a capacitive touchscreen. Such a user interface is particularly well suited for entering a specific lighting setting. In particular, it is conceivable that specific lighting settings can be logically linked by touching certain areas of the user interface, and that these lighting settings can be graphically illustrated on the user interface.

[0014] Additionally or alternatively, it is conceivable that the input device includes at least one gesture recognition system, by means of which gestures performed by the operator can be captured and evaluated for transmission to the control unit. For example, it is conceivable that certain gestures could be interpreted as expressions of specific lighting preferences. Such gestures can be entered in free space or in the form of patterns on a touch-sensitive user interface. Advantageously, the input device includes at least one camera module for the purpose of capturing gestures, in particular hand movements of the operator.

[0015] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the input device includes at least one microphone capable of capturing acoustic signals, particularly human speech. In this way, the input device can be configured to record speech commands, enabling effective voice control of the lighting fixtures. The recorded speech can then be evaluated by the control unit and ultimately translated into control commands.

[0016] Furthermore, such an embodiment of the machine according to the invention can be advantageous in which the input device includes at least one means for optical feedback. This can, in particular, be a display by means of which information can be presented. Ideally, such a means for optical feedback is combined with or integrated into the user interface. For example, it is conceivable that the input device has a combined input / output unit that is suitable, on the one hand, for the graphical representation of information and, on the other hand, serves as a touch-sensitive user interface. Devices comparable to commercially available tablets are conceivable for this purpose. The respective means for optical feedback is configured to show the operator the current illumination situation of the area surrounding the machine and / or the machine itself.Furthermore, the display provided by this device can change depending on the user's needs. For example, it is conceivable that the operator is shown a graphical representation of their current lighting preference, perhaps in the form of color-coded areas or similar.

[0017] It can be particularly advantageous if the means of providing visual feedback includes at least one representation of the machine and / or its surrounding area, providing a bird's-eye view. The representation advantageously also includes multiple discrete illumination zones of the machine and / or its surrounding area. An input device equipped with such a means of visual feedback is particularly user-friendly, as the operator can immediately visualize the machine's illumination situation graphically, including the representation of individual illumination zones that the operator can select to express a specific illumination preference. When using a touch-sensitive user interface, this selection can be made particularly conveniently by simply tapping the desired zone.Operating such an input device is intuitive for any user, regardless of prior knowledge, and requires no learning curve. The graphical representation changes as specific illumination areas are selected, providing feedback to the user.

[0018] Further developing the machine according to the invention, the control unit is freely configurable to functionally assign lighting means to at least a part of the machine's surrounding area and / or to a part of the machine itself. If such an assignment exists, the respective lighting means is activated by the control unit when the operator requests illumination of the relevant part of the surrounding area or part of the machine. The possibility of free configuration creates particular flexibility in operating the machine, allowing, in particular, the addition and configuration of additional lighting means, or the modification of existing lighting means, for example, in their orientation, and thus also the modification of their assigned configuration.In other words, the lighting situation can be flexibly adapted at any time to the actual conditions concerning the lighting equipment itself and / or other equipment options of the respective machine.

[0019] In a further advantageous embodiment, at least one lighting element can be formed by a movable spotlight, which is pivotable about at least one pivot axis. Such mobility allows the control of the lighting elements to go beyond mere activation and / or deactivation, whereby, in particular, the orientation of a respective lighting element can be changed. For example, it is conceivable that the operator expresses a specific illumination requirement that does not require the use of a particular lighting element in its current orientation. However, due to the mobility of the lighting element, its orientation can be changed in such a way that the implementation of the expressed illumination requirement is at least supported.Accordingly, it is possible that, in addition to activating the lighting device in question, the control unit can also initiate its movement, causing the lighting device to change its orientation and thus support the operator's desired illumination. Following the same principle, it is also conceivable that a single lighting device can be used to realize various illumination requirements, which, at least as a rule, occur alternatively. In such a scenario, the respective lighting device can be aligned for either one alternative or the other by means of a corresponding movement, so that, as a result, a single lighting device is suitable for realizing different illumination requirements. This situation is particularly convenient for the operator, as they do not have to worry about the individual correct alignment and activation of each lighting device.He has to take care of deactivation. For him, it remains a matter of intuitively entering a lighting preference using the input device.

[0020] Furthermore, a machine with a user-configurable interface can be advantageous. This can include, in particular, switching between different levels of input complexity, allowing the operator to choose, for example, between a "simple" and a "complex" mode. These different levels of complexity can be beneficial for operators of varying experience. For instance, a less experienced operator might over-illuminate the area surrounding the machine and / or the machine itself, whereas an experienced operator can specify lighting requirements and generally needs fewer active lighting elements. The latter is generally desirable in order to reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine.Nevertheless, the configuration of the input device's user interface can allow for the setting of individual preferences, for example regarding graphical representations, input aids, display sizes, and the like.

[0021] In a further advantageous embodiment of the machine according to the invention, it comprises at least one environmental sensor by means of which at least a part of the machine's surroundings can be monitored. The environmental sensor can, in particular, be a camera module, enabling optical detection of the surroundings. Alternatively or additionally, other types of sensors are conceivable, for example, laser sensors and / or ultrasonic sensors. Each environmental sensor can be used to detect other machines located in the vicinity of the respective machine and to adjust the lighting of the machine accordingly. For example, it is conceivable that lighting devices are automatically deactivated as soon as the risk of dazzling the operator of another machine is detected.It is also conceivable that the lighting situation could be automatically adjusted to current environmental conditions. This can be advantageous, for example, in the case of heavy dust generated during harvesting, as dust particles can reflect light emitted by the machinery and thus dazzle the operator. In such a situation, it can be beneficial if certain lighting elements are automatically deactivated to improve overall visibility for the operator.

[0022] Further developing the machine according to the invention, the control device is configured to register a failure of at least one lighting element and to switch on at least one other lighting element to compensate for the corresponding loss of light output attributable to the failed lighting element. This type of control further develops the concept of decoupling the "desired illumination" from the "activation of specific lighting elements." For the operator, regardless of the failure of a particular lighting element, the goal remains to illuminate a specific part of the surrounding area of ​​the machine and / or the machine itself, but without having to independently switch on specific lighting elements for this purpose.The latter task lies with the control unit, which—in order to optimally meet the illumination requirements at all times—can also react accordingly in the event of a lighting failure and find alternative ways to fulfill the illumination requirement. Switching on at least one additional lighting element to compensate for a failed one is one such possibility. Additionally or alternatively, it is also conceivable that the control unit moves at least one lighting element, in particular by swiveling it to change its orientation, in order to compensate for the reduced light output of a particular lighting element and thus fulfill the operator's continued illumination requirement.

[0023] Finally, such a machine can be advantageous if the input device includes at least one freely configurable control element, which, in conjunction with the control unit, is designed to input a previously defined illumination setting when operated by the user. This illumination setting can, in particular, encompass a combination of several parts of the machine's surroundings and / or several parts of the machine itself. The control element, which essentially functions as a "hotkey," allows each operator to "save" their individual preferences, thus avoiding the need to re-enter potentially complex illumination settings each time the machine is used, depending on the operating situation.For example, it is conceivable that, in a specific operating situation involving a combine harvester, the operator might want to illuminate part of the header and a surrounding area to the side of the combine simultaneously. However, this situation occurs so frequently that the operator does not want to have to manually enter this illumination setting each time. Saving the specific illumination setting in the configuration of the control element allows the operator to directly input the desired illumination setting by simply pressing the control element.

[0024] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. These show: Fig. 1: A front view of an agricultural machine designed as a tractor, Fig. 2: A top view of the working machine according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3: A cross-section through another working machine, designed as a combine harvester and Fig. 4: A schematic detail of an input device of the working machine according to Fig. 3.

[0025] A first embodiment, which is described in the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a working machine 1 according to the invention, which is here designed in the form of a tractor. The working machine 1 comprises a plurality of lighting means 2, which are arranged, for example, on a driver's cab 13 and on a forward end of an engine hood 14 in the direction of travel. Further lighting means 2, which are not shown in the figures, are readily conceivable. The lighting means 2 have in common that they interact with a control device 3, which may in particular include a data processing system. The lighting means 2 each have a light cone 10 in which they can emit light.

[0026] In addition to the lighting devices 2, the control unit 3 also acts with a [function / element] in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 input device 4 (not shown) together, by means of which an operator of the working machine 1 can input information regarding a lighting request for an area 5 surrounding the working machine 1 and / or a part of the working machine 1. For example, the lighting means 2 arranged on the engine hood 14 are primarily designed to illuminate the area 5 surrounding the machine, while the lighting means 2 arranged on the driver's cab 13 also illuminate at least part of the working machine 1 itself, namely, in the example shown, at least part of the engine hood 14 and of the front wheels 15.

[0027] The machine 1 shown also includes an environmental sensor 11, which is designed here in the form of a camera module. The environmental sensor 11 is also connected to the control unit 3, so that data acquired by the environmental sensor 11 can be transmitted to the control unit 3 and evaluated by it. In this way, the control unit 3 is able to control the lighting means 2, taking into account the data acquired by the environmental sensor 11, according to the operator's respective lighting requirements. The input device 4 can be located, in particular, within the driver's cab 13 and comprises a combination of a touch-sensitive user interface 6 and a display 8 for visual feedback.The input device 4 is advantageously oriented relative to a driver's seat of the working machine 1 in such a way that the operator can reach and operate the input device 4 from a position sitting on the driver's seat.

[0028] Another embodiment, consisting of the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, comprises a work machine 1 designed as a combine harvester, which is also equipped with a plurality of lighting devices 2. For this purpose, in Fig. Figure 3 illustrates, by way of example, lighting means 2 at a front end of the working machine 1 and other lighting means 2 at a rear end of the working machine 1. Each individual lighting means 2 comprises a light cone 10 in which it can emit light. As in the first embodiment, the lighting means 2 are connected to a control unit 3, which is arranged in a driver's cab 13 of the working machine 1. The control unit 3 interacts with an input device 4, which is likewise arranged within the driver's cab 13 and comprises an interactive user interface 6.By means of this, the operator of the machine 1 can enter a desired illumination, which is then forwarded to the control unit 3 and implemented by the control unit 3 in such a way that parts of an ambient area 5 of the machine 1 and / or parts of the machine 1 itself corresponding to the desired illumination are illuminated by means of at least one part of the lighting means 2.

[0029] In the example shown, the input device 4 comprises a touch-sensitive user interface 6, which simultaneously includes a means 8 for optical feedback in the form of a display. The input device 4 is exemplified in Fig.Figure 4 illustrates this. It includes a representation of the machine 1 and its surrounding area 5, viewed from a bird's-eye perspective. Furthermore, the input device 4 illustrates a plurality of illumination zones 9, which the operator can use to express a specific illumination requirement. Thus, the operator can select one or more of the illumination zones 9 by touching the touch-sensitive user interface 6, which is then interpreted as a request that corresponding areas of the machine 1 or its surrounding area 5 be illuminated. The corresponding information, which can be graphically reflected back to the operator by means of optical feedback 8, for example by color highlighting the selected illumination zones 9, is forwarded to the control unit 3.Information is stored on a data storage device in the control unit 3, assigning an area of ​​effect to each lighting element 2, and the illumination provided by the respective lighting elements within that area. With this information, the control unit 3 is able to selectively switch on those lighting elements 2 that are suitable for fulfilling the operator's illumination requirement. Prior knowledge on the part of the operator regarding which lighting elements 2 are present, their positions on the chassis of the machine 1, their orientation, and so on, is not required. Therefore, the illumination of the machine 1 can be controlled completely intuitively and without any learning curve for the operator. Furthermore, the control unit 3 selectively activates only those lighting elements 2 that are actually necessary to fulfill the illumination requirement.Lighting devices 2 that are not required for this purpose remain deactivated, so that the energy consumption for illuminating the surrounding area 5 or the machine 1 itself is always minimal. Furthermore, the operator can directly see from the display of the input device 4 which lighting requests may not be feasible. In the prior art, the operator would instead perhaps "try" switching on various lighting devices 2 until realizing that the lighting request is not possible.

[0030] In the example shown, the input device 4 further comprises a camera module 7 suitable for optically capturing gestures. This configuration allows the operator to specify lighting preferences by performing certain gestures. These gestures can include touching the user interface or moving freely in space. It is also possible to equip the input device 4 with at least one microphone, enabling the operator to capture voice commands and thus input lighting preferences.

[0031] In the example shown, the control unit 3 also interacts with a plurality of operating elements 12, which are designed here in the form of pushbuttons. The operating elements 12 are freely configurable by the operator, who can save a specific illumination setting, which, for example, consists of a combination of a plurality of specific illumination zones 9, and enter it for future use by pressing the respective operating element 12 once. The operating elements 12 thus each function as a "hotkey".

[0032] Finally, in the second embodiment, the control device 3 also interacts with an environmental sensor 11, which can function similarly to the first embodiment, so that in particular at least part of the surrounding area of ​​the working machine can be monitored. Reference symbol list 1 working machine 2 lighting devices 3 Control unit 4 Input device 5 Surrounding area 6 User interface 7 camera module 8 Medium 9 Illumination area 10 light cones 11. Environmental sensor 12 Control element 13 Driver's cab 14 Hood 15 front wheel QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 2 158 799 A1

[0005]

Claims

[1] Self-propelled agricultural machinery (1), comprising - a plurality of lighting devices (2), - a control device (3) as well as - an input device (4), wherein the lighting means (2) are arranged in such a way that they are jointly suitable to at least partially illuminate an area (5) surrounding the working machine (1) and / or parts of the working machine (1), wherein inputs relating to the activation and / or deactivation of lighting devices (2) can be made by an operator using the input device (4), wherein the control device (3) is operatively connected to the input device (4) so ​​that inputs made by the operator via the input device (4) can be transmitted to the control device (3), wherein the control device (3) is operatively connected to the lighting means (2) so that the lighting means (2) can be controlled by means of the control device (3), characterized by , that the input device (4) has an interactive user interface (6) which is configured to allow the operator to input an illumination request by interacting with an area on the user interface (6), wherein the control device (3) is configured to convert the entered illumination request into a selective activation of at least one of the lighting means (2) such that the illumination request is implemented, wherein information is stored in a data memory of the control device (3) which assigns to each lighting means (2) an area of ​​effect, the illumination of which the respective lighting means effect and where, based on this information, the control device (3) is set up to selectively switch those lighting means (2) that are suitable to implement the operator's lighting request. [2] Working machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the interactive user interface (6) is designed to be touch-sensitive, in particular in the form of a capacitive touchscreen. [3] Working machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the input device (6) includes at least one gesture recognition, wherein preferably the input device (4) has at least one camera module (7) for capturing hand movements of the operator. [4] Working machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the input device (4) comprises at least one means (8) for optical feedback, preferably in the form of a display integrated into the user interface (6), wherein the means (8) is configured to show the operator a current illumination situation of the ambient area (5) of the working machine (1) and / or the working machine (1). [5] Working machine (1) according to claim 4, characterized by , that the means (8) for optical feedback comprises at least a representation of the working machine (1) and / or the surrounding area (5) of the working machine (1) from a bird's-eye view, wherein preferably the representation shows a plurality of discrete illumination areas (9) of the working machine (1) and / or the surrounding area (5). [6] Working machine (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by, that the means (8) for optical feedback comprises at least a representation of at least one light cone (10) of at least one lighting means (2). [7] Working machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the control device (3) is freely configurable, to functionally assign lighting means (2) to at least one part of the ambient area (5) of the working machine (1) and / or to one part of the working machine (1), so that when the operator requests illumination of the part of the ambient area (5) or the part of the working machine (1), the respective lighting means (2) is activated by means of the control device (3). [8] Working machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least one lighting means (2) is formed by a movable spotlight, in particular one that can be pivoted about at least one pivot axis. [9] Working machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the user interface (6) is configurable by the operator, wherein preferably a degree of differentiation of input options can be selected by the operator, preferably at least between a “simple” degree of differentiation and a “complex” degree of differentiation. [10] Working machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one environmental sensor (11) by means of which at least part of the environment (5) of the working machine (1) can be monitored, in particular with regard to environmental conditions and / or other working machines. [11] Working machine (1) according to claim 10, characterized by, that the environmental sensor (11) is operatively connected to the control device (3) so that at least one lighting device (2) can be controlled, in particular deactivated, by means of the control device (3) depending on a signal from the environmental sensor (11). [12] Working machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the control device (3) is designed to register a failure of at least one lighting device (2) and to switch on at least one other lighting device (2) to compensate for the resulting loss of luminous power of the respective lighting device (2). [13] Working machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the input device (4) includes at least one operating element (12) which can be freely configured by the operator and which, in conjunction with the control device (3), is designed to input an illumination request previously defined by the operator when operated by the operator.

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