Implement Orientation Monitoring for Agricultural Vehicle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural systems face inefficiencies due to the agricultural implement becoming angled at undesirable orientations relative to the work vehicle, which can be caused by uneven soil properties and field contours, leading to reduced performance in farming operations.
Innovation Solution
A position monitoring system that includes a controller, a remote sensor, and a reference element, which determines the orientation of the agricultural implement relative to the work vehicle and outputs control signals to adjust the operation of the agricultural system to maintain a desired orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the agricultural implement operates without position monitoring, then the system structure remains simple, but the implement may become angled at undesirable orientations relative to the work vehicle, reducing farming performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a sensor mounted on the work vehicle detects the position and orientation of the agricultural implement, and this information is fed back to a controller that automatically adjusts the implement's position. This closed-loop feedback system ensures the implement maintains the desired orientation relative to the work vehicle, resolving the contradiction by improving farming performance through active position monitoring and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment methods with an automated sensor-based detection and control system. Instead of relying on operators to manually monitor and adjust implement position, the system uses sensors to detect orientation and a controller to automatically make adjustments, thereby improving farming performance while adding electronic control complexity.
2Reliability
If position monitoring system is implemented, then the agricultural implement orientation can be maintained optimally, but the system complexity increases due to additional sensors and controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback principle is applied by mounting a sensor on the work vehicle that continuously monitors the agricultural implement's position and orientation. The sensor data is fed back to a controller that automatically adjusts the implement to maintain optimal orientation, thereby improving reliability while managing system complexity through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by enabling the agricultural implement to automatically correct its own position and orientation through the sensor-controller feedback loop. The implement monitors its own state and makes self-adjustments without requiring external intervention, improving orientation stability while keeping the control system relatively simple.
3Loss of information
If manual monitoring of implement position is used, then the system remains simple to operate, but it is difficult to determine how the agricultural implement is oriented relative to the work vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback mechanism provides real-time orientation information by using a sensor mounted on the work vehicle to detect the implement's position and feed this data back to the operator or controller. This eliminates the information loss problem by providing continuous, accurate orientation data without requiring complex manual monitoring procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes manual visual monitoring with an automated sensor-based detection system. The sensor mounted on the work vehicle electronically detects and reports the implement's orientation, providing accurate position information without requiring operators to manually assess orientation, thus reducing information loss while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A position monitoring system for an agricultural system includes a controller having a memory and a processor. The controller is configured to receive a remote sensor signal from a remote sensor indicative of a state of a reference element on one of a work vehicle or an agricultural implement coupled to the work vehicle, determine an orientation of the agricultural implement relative to the work vehicle based at least in part on the remote sensor signal, and output a control signal to control operation of the agricultural system based at least in part on the orientation of the agricultural implement relative to the work vehicle.