Agricultural Implement Metric Priority Control for Multi-Parameter Tuning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current agricultural equipment control systems face challenges in optimizing performance settings, often sacrificing one parameter to maintain another, leading to undesirable outcomes, as operators struggle to determine if adjustments achieve optimal or acceptable settings during operations.

Innovation Solution

An agricultural implement control system that prioritizes metrics, allowing operators to set target values and threshold ranges for various performance criteria, ensuring higher priority metrics are maintained within defined ranges before adjusting lower priority settings, using a network-connected architecture with sensors and controllable subsystems to generate control signals dynamically.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the control system maintains one parameter at the pre-set level, then that parameter is controlled optimally, but other parameters sacrifice performance and achieve undesirable results

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter control precisionVSAvoidoverall performance reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control system segments multiple performance parameters into hierarchical groups, with each group having a primary parameter and secondary parameters. This segmentation allows the system to maintain precise control of the primary parameter while systematically managing secondary parameters to prevent performance sacrifice, resolving the contradiction between single-parameter precision and overall reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts control strategies based on real-time monitoring of multiple parameters. When the primary parameter is maintained at its pre-set level, the system automatically adjusts secondary parameters to prevent them from deteriorating, transforming the static single-parameter control into a dynamic multi-parameter optimization process that maintains both precision and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If operators make multiple adjustments to implement and tractor settings, then various performance criteria can be modified, but it becomes difficult to determine whether optimal or acceptable settings are achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance adjustment flexibilityVSAvoidsettings evaluation difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control system implements comprehensive feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor all adjusted parameters and provide real-time information to operators about the current performance status. The system displays whether each parameter is within acceptable ranges and highlights optimal settings, making it easy for operators to evaluate the results of their adjustments despite the flexibility to modify multiple performance criteria.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system integrates multiple parameter evaluations into a composite performance assessment, combining data from various sensors and metrics into a unified display that shows overall system status. This composite approach allows operators to see the combined effect of multiple adjustments and determine whether optimal settings are achieved without being overwhelmed by individual parameter complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If the control system controls multiple parameters simultaneously, then comprehensive performance can be maintained, but the system complexity increases and makes control difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-parameter performanceVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system segments multiple parameters into hierarchical groups with clear primary and secondary relationships. Each group is managed through dedicated control logic that follows a systematic sequence, breaking down the complex multi-parameter control into manageable segments that can be processed and monitored independently while maintaining overall system coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes pre-defined control sequences and priority levels for different parameters before operation begins. This preliminary structuring allows the control system to automatically manage multiple parameters in a predetermined optimal sequence, reducing the real-time decision-making complexity while maintaining comprehensive performance control across all parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3527060B1Controlling an agricultural implement using a metric priority
Publication Date: 2023.08.30 DEERE & CO
  • EP3527060B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3527060B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3527060B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A metric priority is accessed, which identifies a priority of a plurality of different control metrics that are used in controlling an agricultural implement. Control signals are generated to control the implement to bring the metrics within corresponding predefined ranges in descending order of priority.