Work Vehicle Steering Display for Automatic Guidance Setup

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing agricultural working machines face difficulties in determining whether the reference traveling line is correctly set for automatic steering, leading to challenges in aligning the machine body and maintaining proper traveling conditions, especially when the driver is unaware of the necessary traveling-related items.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a working vehicle with a position detector device, correction switch, and automatic steering mechanism that allows the driver to easily set and correct the vehicle's position using a steering switch and display screens, ensuring accurate alignment with the scheduled traveling line and facilitating easy switching between manual and automatic steering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If the reference traveling line is set before automatic steering using instruction buttons, then the automatic steering function can be implemented, but the driver cannot easily determine whether the reference traveling line is correctly set

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic steering functionVSAvoiddriver awareness of setting status
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism by displaying the position of the vehicle body relative to the scheduled traveling line on a screen. The display shows whether the vehicle is to the left or right of the line and by how much, providing continuous visual feedback to the driver about the accuracy of the reference traveling line setting and current positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary display device that mediates between the positioning system and the driver. This display acts as an intermediary to translate complex positioning data into simple, intuitive visual information that the driver can easily understand, such as showing the vehicle's position relative to the traveling line with directional indicators.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If the driver operates instruction buttons to set the reference traveling line, then the automatic steering can be configured, but the driver needs to know traveling-related items which complicates the operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic steering configurationVSAvoiddriver operation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically calculating and displaying the scheduled traveling line based on the reference traveling line and predetermined offset distance. The system also automatically determines and displays steering instructions, reducing the need for the driver to manually calculate or understand complex traveling parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating the scheduled traveling line and preparation information before the driver needs to operate. The display shows advance information about the vehicle's position and required steering actions, allowing the driver to prepare for the next operation without needing to understand all traveling parameters in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the machine body alignment is performed using centre mascot and index line, then the vehicle can be positioned, but the driver needs to understand multiple traveling-related items simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle body alignment accuracyVSAvoidalignment operation difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display provides continuous feedback showing whether the vehicle body is correctly aligned with the scheduled traveling line. It visually indicates the direction and magnitude of any misalignment, allowing the driver to make simple corrective steering actions without needing to understand complex alignment theory or multiple traveling parameters simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3744603B1Work vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3744603B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3744603B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3744603B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

To enable a driver to easily know whether or not setting prior to automatic steering is allowed. A working vehicle (1) includes a steering handle (30); a vehicle body (3) to travel in manual steering by the steering handle or in automatic steering for the steering handle based on a scheduled traveling line; a setting switch (51) to switch, between to be valid and to be invalid, a setting mode for setting at least the automatic steering before the automatic steering is started; and a display device (61) having a driving display portion (45) to display driving information of the vehicle body in traveling. When the setting mode is switched to be valid, the display device (45) changes a displaying state of the driving display portion to another different displaying state different from the displaying state where the setting mode is invalid.