Agricultural Tool Position Control with Delay Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural implement control systems face delays in responding to large changes in target positions and uneven ground surfaces, leading to poor positioning control of ground engaging tools.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that monitor position signals with associated system delays, estimate arrival times for reaching target positions, and adjust tool positions accordingly, with termination times based on these estimates to prevent overshooting and improve responsiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional PI or PID control system is used to maintain ground engaging tool positions, then the system can maintain positions within thresholds under normal conditions, but the system responds poorly to large changes in target position due to delays in the control system
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary action by estimating the arrival time of the ground engaging tool at the target position based on current position and system delay characteristics. This allows the system to proactively adjust control signals before the actual arrival, compensating for known delays and enabling faster response to large position changes while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts its control strategy by switching between different control approaches based on the magnitude of position changes. For large changes, it uses delay-compensated predictive control; for small changes, it maintains standard PID control. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by optimizing response speed for large changes while preserving reliability for routine operations
2Speed
If the control system adjusts the position of ground engaging tools aggressively to reach target positions quickly, then responsiveness improves, but the tool position may overshoot the target position due to system delay
Solution Approach 1:
The control system applies preliminary anti-action by reducing the control signal before the ground engaging tool actually reaches the target position. Based on estimated arrival time and system delay characteristics, the system proactively counteracts the inevitable overshoot by easing off the control input in advance, thus achieving both fast response and precise positioning without actual overshoot occurring
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automatically controlling a position of one or more ground engaging tools of an agricultural implement is relative to a ground surface may include monitoring a position signal indicative of a position of a ground engaging tool of the implement. The position signal may have an associated system delay time. The method also may include estimating an arrival time when the position of the ground engaging tool will be within a predetermined threshold of a target position based on the monitored position signal and the system delay time associated with the monitored position signal. The method may include adjusting the position of the ground engaging tool and terminating the adjustment of the ground engaging tool at a termination time determined based on the arrival time.