Autonomous Farm Vehicle Coupling Using Position-Based Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current farm vehicle technologies require manual effort to combine with work machines, increasing labor input and reducing efficiency in agricultural tasks.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for automatically combining a farm vehicle with a work machine, involving a processor-controlled farm vehicle that confirms the work machine's position and aligns coupling units to enable autonomous coupling, reducing the need for manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual effort is used to combine farm vehicle with work machine, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity decreases due to increased labor input
Solution Approach 1:
The farm vehicle automatically determines its own position relative to the work machine using positioning information, and autonomously controls the coupling unit to align and connect with the work machine without requiring manual operation. The system serves itself by performing the coupling operation automatically based on detected positional data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical coupling operations with an automated control system that uses positioning information and electronic control signals. The coupling process is substituted from a purely mechanical manual task to an automated system combining positioning technology, control units, and automated actuation.
2Productivity
If automated coupling system is implemented, then productivity increases through autonomous operation, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it determines positioning information, controls the coupling unit alignment, and manages the automated coupling process. The positioning system also serves dual purposes for both navigation and coupling alignment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
3Loss of time
If manual coupling operation is used, then device complexity is minimized, but loss of time increases due to manual intervention requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary positioning determination and alignment calculations before the actual coupling operation. The farm vehicle proactively seeks out and aligns with the work machine based on positioning information, preparing the coupling units for connection in advance, which eliminates time-consuming manual search and alignment operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method of automatically combining a farm vehicle with a work machine including confirming a current position of the work machine, moving a farm vehicle into a range having a predetermined radius around the current position, and controlling the farm vehicle, on the basis of a current position and direction of a first coupling unit included in the work machine, so that the first coupling unit and a second coupling unit included in the farm vehicle are coupled to each other.