Farm Vehicle Coupling Control for Autonomous Work Machine Hitching
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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, especially with the need for smart mobility and automation in farming.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for automatically combining a farm vehicle with a work machine, involving a processor that confirms the work machine's position, aligns coupling units, and controls the farm vehicle to couple with the work machine based on position and direction, enabling autonomous operation and reduced labor input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual effort is used to combine farm vehicle with work machine, then operation flexibility is maintained, but labor input increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The farm vehicle automatically determines its own position relative to the work machine using GPS and other positioning technologies, then autonomously navigates to align and couple with the work machine without requiring manual intervention for positioning and coupling operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning and coupling operations with an automated control system that uses electronic positioning data, processors, and automated steering/control mechanisms to achieve alignment and coupling between the farm vehicle and work machine
2Productivity
If automated coupling system is implemented, then productivity and efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The farm vehicle's processor and positioning system serve multiple functions: determining position relative to work machine, calculating alignment requirements, controlling navigation to the work machine, and monitoring coupling status, thereby integrating several functions into a single multi-functional control system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a processor as an intermediary that receives positioning data from GPS and other sensors, processes this information to determine alignment requirements, and generates control signals for the vehicle's navigation and coupling systems, thereby simplifying the overall control architecture
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.