Digital Fence Control for Off-Road Equipment Boundary Proximity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Off-road equipment, such as agricultural machinery, faces inefficiencies when operating near boundaries due to difficulties in accurately gauging dimensions and predicting the path of towed implements, leading to reduced speed and increased distance from boundaries to avoid crossing, resulting in longer operation times and wasted space.
Innovation Solution
A digital fence is generated and loaded into a machine control system that detects the equipment's proximity to boundaries and automatically adjusts operating parameters like speed and steering to prevent boundary crossing, using a combination of GPS, sensors, and equipment models to limit the operating envelope.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operator reduces speed and increases distance from boundaries to avoid crossing, then boundary crossing is prevented, but operation time increases and work area utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by calculating the equipment's future position based on current speed and heading before the equipment actually reaches the boundary. The machine control system uses the equipment model to predict where the equipment will be, and proactively adjusts operating parameters to prevent boundary encroachment before it occurs, allowing the equipment to maintain higher speeds while still ensuring safe operation.
2Reliability
If the operator reduces speed and increases distance from boundaries to avoid crossing, then boundary crossing is prevented, but work area utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates future equipment position in advance using the equipment model, predicting where the equipment will be based on current operating parameters. This allows the equipment to operate closer to boundaries at higher speeds while the system proactively adjusts parameters only when necessary to prevent boundary encroachment, thereby maximizing work area utilization.
3Productivity
If the equipment operates closer to boundaries at higher speeds, then productivity increases, but the risk of boundary crossing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the equipment's actual position using GPS or other location systems and compares it to the predicted future position. When the equipment operates closer to boundaries at higher speeds, the feedback mechanism detects the increased risk and triggers automatic adjustment of operating parameters through the machine control system to prevent boundary encroachment, maintaining both high productivity and reliability.
4Measurement precision
If the equipment model is used to predict future position, then boundary crossing prevention accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The equipment model serves as an intermediary that simplifies the complex task of boundary crossing prevention. Instead of directly monitoring and reacting to boundary proximity, the model creates a predicted future position that accounts for the equipment's dimensions, current speed, and heading. This intermediary calculation allows for more accurate boundary proximity detection while managing system complexity by using a standardized predictive approach.
Data Source
AI summary
A digital fence of a work area is generated and loaded into a machine control system that controls an off-road machine. The machine control system detects whether the off-road machine is within a threshold distance of the digital fence and automatically controls operating parameters of the off-road machine when the off-road machine is within a threshold distance of the digital fence.