Agricultural Vehicle Control via Real-Time Field Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural work vehicle control systems rely on past data, which may not accurately reflect real-time field conditions, leading to inefficient operations and reduced yields due to assumptions about soil hardness and weather, especially during changes like rain.

Innovation Solution

The system uses real-time weather and field information to calculate optimum work modes, adjusting speed and drive values, and employs satellite positioning for precise positioning and control, allowing multiple vehicles to work in parallel and compensate for soil hardness variations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If past data is used to control work parameters, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision of current field conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidfield condition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and stores optimal work parameters for various field conditions in advance. When current field conditions are measured, the system quickly retrieves and applies the pre-calculated parameters, avoiding real-time complex calculations while maintaining high precision adaptability to current conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A host computer serves as an intermediary between field condition measurement and work parameter control. The host computer receives current field data, determines optimal parameters, and transmits them to the agricultural work vehicle, separating the complex decision-making function from the vehicle's control system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If work parameters are adjusted based on assumed field hardness, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to deep tilting and large load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework parameter adjustmentVSAvoidwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously measures current field conditions including soil hardness and provides feedback to the control system. Based on this real-time feedback, work parameters such as tilting depth and load are dynamically adjusted, preventing excessive tilting and maintaining optimal productivity while simplifying operator intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If work is performed to reproduce past work state, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates when weather conditions change

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework mode selectionVSAvoidyield
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts work parameters based on real-time weather and field condition data rather than relying on fixed past work patterns. The control system continuously adapts tillage depth, speed, and other parameters to current conditions, maintaining high productivity and yield while requiring minimal operator decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables agricultural work vehicles to operate at optimal conditions, improving work efficiency and yield by adapting to current weather and soil conditions, and allows for coordinated work among multiple vehicles to reduce overall work time.

Implementation Method 1

a position calculation means measuring a position of the vehicle by a satellite positioning system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSatellite positioning:

Data Source

PatentEP3219184B1Agricultural work vehicle
Publication Date: 2020.04.15 YANMAR CO LTD
  • EP3219184B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3219184B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3219184B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An agricultural work vehicle (1) capable of communicating through a communication device with a host computer (400) and capable of being steered by a remote control device (112) so as to make it possible for the agricultural work vehicle (1) to link with the host computer and perform in an optimum work form, wherein the agricultural work vehicle (1) is provided with a position calculation means for measuring the position of the machine body using a satellite positioning system, a steering actuator for operating a steering device, a shifting means, and a control device for controlling the above elements. An optimum working speed and an optimum work driving value calculated from past and current weather information, field information, work information, work machine information, and crop information are transmitted from the host computer (400) to the control device (30) of the agricultural work vehicle (1). The agricultural work vehicle (1) is controlled and caused to work at the optimum working speed and the optimum work driving value along a set travel path (R).