Agricultural Implement Terminal Synchronization for Multi-Display Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The operation of agricultural implements becomes complex and confusing due to the distribution of machine functions across multiple universal terminals, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors, especially when terminals are arranged at different locations.
Innovation Solution
The method involves simultaneously imaging machine parameters on multiple universal terminals, allowing for easier operation by displaying identical regions on different terminals, reducing network interrupts, and enabling interchangeable bus addresses, thus allowing operation from any terminal with a graphical user interface and configuration assistant for secure and efficient machine control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If machine functions are distributed across multiple universal terminals, then information representation capability is improved, but operational complexity and confusion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universal terminals that can function as both primary control interfaces and secondary monitoring displays. Each terminal is capable of displaying any machine parameter and controlling any machine function, allowing the system to adapt to different operational scenarios. A terminal can serve as a primary control station when needed, or as a secondary display providing backup monitoring capabilities, eliminating the need for dedicated primary and secondary displays with different functionalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically assigns roles to terminals based on operational needs. The job computer can designate any terminal as primary or secondary through software configuration, allowing the operational hierarchy to be flexible rather than fixed. This dynamic role assignment enables the system to adapt to different working conditions, operator preferences, and failure scenarios without hardware reconfiguration.
2Loss of information
If multiple universal terminals are used to control machine functions, then information availability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
All terminals in the system are designed with identical hardware capabilities and software functionality, allowing any terminal to perform any control or monitoring task. This universality simplifies the overall system architecture by eliminating the need for different types of displays with specialized functions, reducing inventory requirements, and simplifying training needs while maintaining comprehensive information availability across multiple locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates redundant copies of the control interface across multiple terminals. Each terminal contains a complete representation of the machine's operational parameters and control capabilities, allowing operators to access the same information and controls from different locations. This copying approach ensures information availability while using standardized, interchangeable terminal units rather than complex specialized hardware.
3Ease of operation
If terminals are arranged at different locations, then operational accessibility is improved, but synchronization and coordination become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The job computer continuously monitors the state of all terminals and the machine functions they control, maintaining real-time synchronization across the distributed system. When a parameter is changed at one terminal, the system provides feedback to update other terminals accordingly, ensuring all displays show consistent information. This feedback mechanism coordinates the distributed terminals without requiring complex manual synchronization procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
Because all terminals are universally capable and interchangeable, the system can accommodate terminals at different locations without requiring location-specific configurations. Any terminal can be moved or repositioned and will continue to function identically, simplifying the coordination of distributed terminals compared to systems requiring specialized hardware at each location.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating an agricultural implement is provided, which in particular is configured as an implement pulled by a tractor or a self-propelled implement. One or more machine parameters relevant for the operation are administered via at least one job computer arranged on the implement, and are preferably imaged by means of an interface on one of the at least two universal terminals connected in particular in a wireless and/or cabled manner. After some initial configuration phase dining operation, the at least one machine parameter is imaged simultaneously on the second universal terminal.