Work Vehicle Cooperation System Emulating Master Operations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing work vehicle cooperation systems struggle to accurately emulate complex traveling and work operations, such as deceleration, acceleration, and implement operations, in confined agricultural fields with intricate routes, due to limitations in navigating slave vehicles to follow master vehicles with precision and adapt to different specifications.

Innovation Solution

A work vehicle cooperation system that includes a master position detection module, slave position detection module, master traveling track calculation unit, slave traveling target calculation unit, master parameter generation unit, slave parameter generation unit, and navigation control unit, which enable the slave vehicle to emulate the master vehicle's operations by generating and applying corresponding driving and work parameters, while considering the specifications and ground work widths of both vehicles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a conventional system for performing work and traveling on work ground with a large area using predetermined traveling-system operations and work-system operations is used, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot realize non-simple work traveling with frequent traveling-system operations and work-system operations in confined agricultural fields

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to perform complex work travelingVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The slave work vehicle copies the master work vehicle's operations by detecting its position and generating corresponding work/driving parameters. The system records the master vehicle's traveling track and emulates its operations (deceleration, acceleration, stopping, starting, and work implement operations) in the slave vehicle, enabling complex work traveling without requiring complex predetermined operation sequences

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection and recording of the master work vehicle's position and operations before the slave vehicle executes its emulated operations. By detecting the master vehicle's position in advance and generating corresponding work/driving parameters linked with target traveling positions, the slave vehicle can appropriately perform complex traveling operations in confined fields

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the slave work vehicle is controlled to follow the master work vehicle using predetermined traveling-system operations and work-system operations, then the control system is simple, but it is difficult to accurately emulate operations such as deceleration, acceleration, stopping, and starting in complex routes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition detection accuracyVSAvoidoperation control difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously detects the master work vehicle's position using GPS and other detection modules, and uses this feedback information to generate corresponding work/driving parameters for the slave vehicle. By linking operations with detected positions and target traveling positions, the system accurately emulates the master vehicle's deceleration, acceleration, stopping, and starting operations in complex routes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameters of work/driving operations based on the detected position of the master vehicle. By generating work/driving parameters that are linked with target traveling positions rather than using fixed predetermined operations, the slave vehicle can dynamically adjust its operations to accurately follow the master vehicle's movements in confined fields with complex routes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the slave work vehicle emulates the master work vehicle's operations in confined fields with frequent traveling-system and work-system operations, then the work efficiency is improved, but the requirement for precise navigation and parameter matching increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework efficiencyVSAvoidparameter matching precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the emulation process into distinct functional modules: position detection module, traveling track calculation unit, parameter generation unit, and navigation control unit. Each module handles specific aspects of the emulation, making the complex task of matching parameters manageable and precise while maintaining high work efficiency in confined fields

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation control unit performs multiple functions including position detection, track calculation, parameter generation, and operation control. This multi-functional approach allows the system to maintain precise parameter matching while improving work efficiency, as the same control unit handles all aspects of the slave vehicle's emulated operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3123848B1Work vehicle cooperation system
Publication Date: 2018.12.26 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3123848B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3123848B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3123848B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A work vehicle cooperation system includes: a master traveling track calculation unit that calculates a traveling track of a master work vehicle (1P) based on a detection position at which the master work vehicle (1P) was detected; a slave traveling target calculation unit that calculates a target traveling position of the slave work vehicle (1C) based on the traveling track of the master work vehicle (1P); a master parameter generation unit that generates a master work/driving parameter relating to work/driving executed by the master work vehicle (1P), the master work/driving parameter being linked with the detection position; a slave parameter generation unit that generates a slave work/driving parameter for the slave work vehicle (1C) based on the master work/driving parameter, the slave work/driving parameter being linked with the target traveling position for the slave work vehicle (1C); and a navigation control unit that navigates the slave work vehicle in an unmanned manner based on a detection position of the slave work vehicle (1C), the target traveling position, and the slave work/driving parameter.