Autonomous Assembly Configuration for Adaptive Farm Vehicle Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous agricultural systems struggle to adapt to dynamic field conditions and operator preferences, as they are often constrained by pre-developed control templates and lack the ability to fully utilize the capabilities of agricultural vehicles and implements.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous agricultural assembly configurator and controller that generates and refines autonomous operations based on the specific capabilities of selected fields, vehicles, and implements, allowing for the seamless integration of various vehicles and implements and providing operators with customizable control options.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If pre-developed control templates are used for autonomous operations, then the system can be implemented with standardized procedures, but the system lacks adaptability to dynamic field conditions and operator preferences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of implementationVSAvoidadaptability to field conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous operation system transitions from static pre-developed control templates to dynamic generation of autonomous operations. The system adapts in real-time to changing field conditions, vehicle capabilities, and operator preferences by continuously generating updated autonomous operations based on current sensor data and environmental factors, rather than relying on fixed predetermined sequences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables autonomous vehicles and implements to self-configure and self-optimize their operations. By allowing the autonomous operations to be generated automatically based on detected capabilities and conditions, the system eliminates the need for manual reprogramming or intervention, with the operations adapting themselves to match current operational requirements and constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If autonomous operations are developed with teams of developers accessing vehicle and implement capabilities, then comprehensive control can be achieved, but the system complexity and development time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomprehensive controlVSAvoiddevelopment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The manual development process involving teams of developers is replaced with an automated computational system. The autonomous operation generation is performed algorithmically by processing vehicle and implement capability data through software, eliminating the need for human developers to manually code and test control sequences, thereby reducing development complexity while maintaining comprehensive control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

An automated autonomous operation generation system acts as an intermediary between vehicle/implement capabilities and autonomous control execution. This intermediary automatically translates capability specifications into optimized autonomous operations, replacing the human development team while ensuring comprehensive control through systematic processing of all vehicle and implement parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stability of the object's composition

If static autonomous operations are provided by OEM controllers, then consistent baseline performance is achieved, but the system cannot address unique operator preferences or specific field conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsistent baseline performanceVSAvoidcustomization to operator preferences

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts operational parameters of autonomous operations based on detected vehicle capabilities, implement characteristics, field conditions, and operator preferences. By modifying parameters such as speed, path planning, tool engagement, and coordination timing in real-time, the system maintains consistent baseline performance while adapting to specific customization requirements that static operations cannot address.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250117024A1Autonomous assembly configurator and methods for same

Publication Date: 2025.04.10 RAVEN INDUSTRIES INC

AI summary

An autonomous agricultural assembly configurator includes one or more processors configured to receive one or more characteristic bundle inputs. Characteristic bundles include a field characteristic bundle associated with a field, an implement characteristic bundle associated with an agricultural implement, or a vehicle characteristic bundle associated with an agricultural vehicle. The configurator generates an autonomous configuration profile for an autonomous agricultural operation according to the received characteristic bundle inputs. Generation includes determining the autonomous agricultural operation based on the implement characteristic bundle, and determining operation parameters for the autonomous agricultural operation based on one or more of the implement characteristic bundle or the vehicle characteristic bundle. The one or more processors control the agricultural vehicle and the agricultural implement to conduct the agricultural operation according to the autonomous configuration profile.