Cab Electronics Wake-Up Control for Faster Tractor Startup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural machines take too long to start up electronic components, which is a problem as users expect immediate availability, and existing solutions like putting components into sleep mode and waking them up based on user action are not effective due to the nature of agricultural machine usage.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a user localization routine using sensors to detect when a user enters the driver's cab, transitioning electronic components from an inactive to a more active state, allowing for quicker startup without visible activation, potentially using an acceleration sensor from an anti-theft device to recognize user actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If electronic components are put into sleep mode to conserve energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but the startup time increases and user expectation for immediate availability is not met
Solution Approach 1:
The control arrangement executes a user localization routine in advance (while in inactive state) to detect whether a user is boarding the agricultural machine or entering the driver's cab. Based on this preliminary detection, the system proactively switches electronic components from inactive to more active state before the user actually needs to interact with them, thus reducing perceived startup time while maintaining energy efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If electronic components are kept in active state to provide immediate responsiveness, then user expectation for immediate availability is met, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of electronic components based on real-time user detection. Instead of maintaining a static active state, the control arrangement transitions components between inactive, more active, and active states according to user proximity and boarding detection, optimizing the balance between responsiveness and energy consumption.
3Use of energy by moving object
If existing wake-up solutions based on user action are used, then energy is conserved, but the response is too slow due to the nature of agricultural machine usage
Solution Approach 1:
The control arrangement uses the existing sensor system (including acceleration sensors from anti-theft devices) for multiple purposes: both for security monitoring and for user localization/detection. This multi-functional use of sensors enables the system to detect user boarding actions without requiring additional dedicated sensors, achieving faster response while maintaining energy efficiency.
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 allows electronic components to appear responsive to user input immediately, reducing startup time and conserving energy by optimizing the state transition of agricultural machine electronics.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor is designed to roughly locate the user. However, detecting that the user is currently boarding the agricultural machine is sufficient; it is not necessarily possible to determine exactly where the user is boarding the agricultural machine.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an agricultural machine with a driver's cab (5), wherein the agricultural machine (1) has a control arrangement (2) and electronics (4) in the driver's cab (5), and wherein the agricultural machine (1) has at least one sensor (6) with which a user (7) can be located. It is proposed that, in an inactive state of the agricultural machine (1), the control arrangement (2) performs a user localization routine (3), that in the user localization routine (3), the control arrangement (2) uses sensor data from the sensor (6) to check whether the user (7) is boarding the agricultural machine (1) and/or entering the driver's cab (5), and that, if the check is successful, the control arrangement (2) switches at least one electronic component (9) of the electronics (4) in the driver's cab (5) from an inactive state to a more active state.