Agricultural Control Assembly Direction-Based Triggering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control devices for agricultural working machines struggle to determine whether a control sequence can be triggered, especially in situations where manual steering is required and space for turning is limited, leading to uncertainty about when to execute control sequences near the headland or crop boundary.

Innovation Solution

A control device that considers both the position and direction of travel of the working machine to determine the triggerability of a control sequence, providing a permissible area for execution and visual feedback to the operator, allowing for precise manual steering and preventing unintentional triggering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If control sequences are triggered based only on position and area information, then the control device can operate with simpler logic, but the triggerability determination becomes inaccurate when the working machine is manually steered and direction of travel is not considered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetriggerability determination accuracyVSAvoidcontrol logic complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control device determines the permissible area in advance based on the control sequence requirements and working machine parameters. This pre-calculated area information is stored and later used for rapid triggerability assessment, avoiding complex real-time calculations while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control device continuously monitors the working machine position, direction of travel, and compares it against the predetermined permissible area. This feedback mechanism enables accurate triggerability determination by checking whether current operational parameters fall within the acceptable range defined by the permissible area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Extent of automation

If the control device triggers control sequences based on predetermined distances from headland point, then automation is improved, but uncertainty arises when manual steering is used and the working machine may not reach expected distances or may approach from unsuitable directions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol sequence automationVSAvoidcontrol sequence execution reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device dynamically adjusts control sequence triggering by continuously evaluating both position and direction of travel against the permissible area. This dynamic assessment adapts to manual steering variations, ensuring reliable triggerability determination regardless of whether the working machine follows automated or manual pathing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the assessment parameters from solely distance-based to include directional orientation. By incorporating direction of travel as a critical parameter alongside position, the system reliably determines triggerability even when manual steering causes deviations from predetermined paths or distances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If control sequences are triggered without considering direction of travel, then the control device operates more simply, but unintentional triggering may occur when the working machine drives along the crop boundary without intending to transition to headland

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol device operation simplicityVSAvoidunintentional control sequence triggering
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The permissible area is predetermined based on control sequence requirements and working machine parameters before operation begins. This pre-established geometric reference enables simple real-time checking by comparing current position and direction against the stored permissible area, maintaining operational simplicity while preventing unwanted triggering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control device uses feedback from both position and direction of travel sensors to continuously assess whether the working machine is within the permissible area for control sequence triggering. This dual-parameter feedback prevents unintentional triggering by ensuring both location and orientation meet criteria before activation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2710873B1Control assembly for an agricultural work machine
Publication Date: 2018.02.28 CLAAS E SYST KGAA MBH & CO
  • EP2710873B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2710873B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2710873B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The device has a processor (1) determining releasableness of control sequence in a processing field based on a position of a working machine and field information, where the releasableness is determined based on direction of travel of the working machine. The processor device determines validity fields and release dots. A visualization device (8) is utilized for graphically outputting the validity field and the release dots. The visualization device outputs the validity field based on the position of the working machine and the direction of travel. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a method for determining releasableness of control sequence of an agricultural working machine (2) a computer program comprising a set of instructions to perform a method for determining releasableness of control sequence of an agricultural working machine.