Haul Vehicle Path Control for Harvester Unloading Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing systems for unloading agricultural products from harvesters to mobile storage compartments during on-the-go operations face inaccuracies due to outdated heading, speed, and location data, leading to repeated path redeterminations and potential agricultural product loss.
Innovation Solution
A control system for haul vehicles that receives and analyzes primary and duplicate paths, along with location data of the harvester, to generate an accurate working path for aligning the mobile storage compartment with the harvester's conveyor outlet, reducing the need for repeated path determinations and enhancing transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the haul vehicle uses heading, speed, and location data from the harvester to determine the path, then the path can be determined, but the data is outdated by the time it is received, resulting in inaccurate paths
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-determines multiple possible paths (primary path and duplicate paths) that the harvester may traverse before the actual harvesting operation begins. This allows the haul vehicle to have ready-made path options, eliminating the need to calculate paths in real-time based on potentially outdated data. When the harvester's actual location is known, the system simply identifies which pre-determined path is currently active, significantly improving response time and path accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If the control system periodically redetermines the path based on updated data, then the path accuracy may improve, but this results in multiple path redeterminations and reduced efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple paths are pre-calculated and stored before the harvesting operation begins. Instead of periodically redetermining paths during operation, the system simply identifies which of the pre-determined paths is currently active based on the harvester's location. This eliminates repeated path calculations and maintains high harvesting efficiency while ensuring path accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates duplicate copies of the primary path, offset laterally to account for potential harvester deviations. These duplicate paths serve as pre-prepared alternatives, allowing the system to quickly identify the active path without performing complex recalculations when the harvester's actual position differs from the planned position.
3Manufacturing precision
If the haul vehicle follows an inaccurate path, then alignment with the conveyor outlet is compromised, but correcting the path causes multiple path redeterminations and product loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-determines multiple paths that account for potential harvester position variations. By having these paths ready in advance, the haul vehicle can smoothly transition between pre-calculated paths without abrupt corrections, maintaining continuous alignment with the conveyor outlet and preventing agricultural product loss during path adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically identifies which pre-determined path is currently active based on the harvester's actual location. This allows the haul vehicle to adapt to the harvester's actual position by selecting the appropriate pre-calculated path, maintaining alignment precision without requiring repeated path redeterminations that would cause product loss.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural system includes a target vehicle configured to harvest crops and a work vehicle. The work vehicle includes a controller. The controller includes a memory and a processor, and the controller is configured to receive or determine a plurality of vehicle paths as well as a location of the target vehicle. The controller is also configured to identify an active path of the plurality of vehicle paths based on the location of the target vehicle. The target path is a path traversed by the target vehicle.