Automatic U-Turn Control for Agricultural Tractor-Machine Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural machines hitched to tractors require complex manual control for U-turns, which is labor-intensive and prone to errors, especially when dealing with machines having specific control means and actuators, due to the lack of a standardized communication network between tractors and machines.
Innovation Solution
An automatic control method that uses a monitoring system to detect changes in tractor control means, triggering corresponding actions or sequences in the agricultural machine's electronic unit, allowing for optimized control coordination between the tractor and machine, independent of user experience or technicality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual control methods are used for U-turns, then the user can directly control the machine, but the operation becomes labor-intensive and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system records the driver's manual control actions (lever positions, button presses, timing) during a first U-turn maneuver and stores them as a predefined sequence. During subsequent U-turns, the system automatically reproduces this recorded sequence, eliminating the need for the driver to manually control each action again. This preliminary recording of actions resolves the contradiction by making subsequent operations both easier and more reliable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of the driver's manual control actions by recording the states of control means over time. This recorded sequence is then reproduced automatically during U-turn maneuvers. The copying principle resolves the contradiction by replacing manual control with an automated reproduction of the recorded control pattern, reducing labor intensity and error risk while maintaining operational effectiveness.
2Extent of automation
If the tractor's computer controls the machine, then automation is improved, but the system lacks communication capability with the machine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a portable storage device (USB drive, memory card) as an intermediary between the tractor's computer and the machine's electronic unit. The control sequence is transferred to this intermediary device, which then serves as the communication bridge to the machine. This resolves the contradiction by enabling automation without requiring a complex direct communication network between tractor and machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The control sequence is extracted from the tractor's computer and stored on a separate portable device. This extraction allows the sequence to be transferred to the machine's electronic unit independently, bypassing the need for a complex communication network. The principle resolves the contradiction by separating the control data from the tractor's computer system and using a simple portable medium for transfer.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a standardized communication network is implemented, then machine control capability is improved, but the system requires complex configuration and reconfiguration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a universal portable storage device that can be inserted into any tractor's computer and any machine's electronic unit. This single intermediary device serves multiple functions: storing control sequences, transferring data between different tractor-machine combinations, and enabling compatibility without complex configuration. The universality principle resolves the contradiction by providing a simple, reusable solution that works across different equipment without requiring system reconfiguration.
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves automatically triggering an action or a sequence of actions to be carried out in an agricultural machine (1) via a control of a controller (10) of the machine by detecting a state change of one of control units (5) of a tractor (2) using a monitoring system (11) that provides information to the controller. The control units are chosen from actuators such as hitch or power take-off shaft, and power distributors such as hydraulic distributor or electrical power distributor.