Tractor-Implement Bus Communication With Adaptive Parameter Requests
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing amount of data from various implement operation parameters on agricultural machines burdens the data transmission capacity of the data bus connecting the tractor and the implement, leading to inefficient data communication.
Innovation Solution
The method optimizes data communication by having the control device on the tractor request only the present parameter values supported by the control unit on the implement, preventing requests for unsupported parameters, and allowing the subset of supported parameters to change based on operation modes, thereby reducing data traffic through the data bus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the control device requests present parameter values for all implement operation parameters (P1 to Pn), then the control device can access comprehensive data, but the data traffic on the data bus increases and burdens the transmission capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit transmits a response data message in advance that indicates which parameter values (P1 to Pm) it is configured to provide. This preliminary information allows the control device to plan future data collection messages efficiently, requesting only the parameters that the control unit can actually supply, thereby avoiding unnecessary data traffic while ensuring complete access to available parameters.
2Ease of operation
If the control device requests present parameter values for parameters not supported by the control unit, then the control device can maintain a standardized data collection process, but unnecessary data requests are transmitted increasing data traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit provides feedback through a response data message that indicates the subset of implement operation parameters (P1 to Pm) for which it can provide present parameter values. The control device uses this feedback information to adapt its future data collection messages, requesting only the parameters that the control unit supports. This feedback mechanism maintains operational simplicity while eliminating unnecessary data requests.
3Loss of information
If the control unit provides present parameter values for all implement operation parameters (P1 to Pn), then the implement can provide comprehensive data, but the control unit must handle more data processing and transmission load
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit extracts and transmits only the subset of implement operation parameters (P1 to Pm) for which it is configured to provide present parameter values, rather than attempting to provide all parameters (P1 to Pn). This extraction approach reduces the control unit's data processing and transmission load to only the parameters it actually supports, while still providing complete information for the available parameters through the feedback mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating an agricultural machine having a tractor (1) and an implement (2) hitched to the tractor (1), the method comprising connecting a control device (12) provided on the tractor (1) to a data bus (6), wherein the control device (12) is configured to process data indicative for a plurality of implement operation parameters assigned parameter identifiers P1 to Pn (n ≥ 2); connecting a control unit (9b) provided on the implement to the data bus (6), wherein the control unit (9b) is assigned to at least one functional element of the implement (2); and establishing data communication between the control device (12) and the control unit (9b) through the data bus (6), comprising, in response to connecting the control unit (9b) to the data bus (6), transmitting a response data message from the control unit (9b) to the control device, the response data message indicating the control unit (9b) being configured to provide present parameter values for only a subset of implement operation parameters assigned parameter identifiers P1 to Pm (m < n), but not for a subset of remaining implement operation parameters assigned parameter identifiers Pm+1 to Pn. Further, in response to receiving the response data message in the control device, future data collecting messages transmitted from the control device (12) to the control unit (9b) are limited to requesting present parameter values for the subset of implement operation parameters assigned parameter identifiers P1 to Pm only, and the future data collecting messages transmitted to the control unit (9b) are prevented from requesting present parameter values for the subset of the remaining implement operation parameters assigned parameter identifiers Pm+1 to Pn. Furthermore, an agricultural machine having a tractor (1) and an implement (2) hitched to the tractor (1) is provided.