Work Vehicle Travel Control for Outermost Field Periphery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional travel control systems for work vehicles struggle to perform automatic travel in the outermost peripheral region of agricultural fields without encountering ridges or leaving unworked regions.
Innovation Solution
A travel control system that includes a permission unit to allow outermost periphery automatic traveling if predetermined conditions are met, a prohibition unit to prevent automatic traveling if conditions are not satisfied, and a threshold value determination unit that sets conditions based on the working width of the work device, threshold values, and sensor detection ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automatic travel is executed in the outermost peripheral region, then work coverage is improved, but the risk of contacting ridges increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the reference value based on work device specifications and field geometry before executing automatic travel. This advance preparation ensures that the travel path is pre-validated to avoid ridges while maximizing work coverage in the outermost peripheral region.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the actual travel path and compares it with the calculated reference value. If deviations are detected that could lead to ridge contact, the system provides feedback to adjust the travel path in real-time, ensuring both productivity and safety.
2Reliability
If the reference value is increased to prevent ridge contact, then safety is improved, but unworked regions may appear
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the reference value parameter based on the specific geometric characteristics of the agricultural field and the specifications of the work device. By optimizing this parameter rather than simply increasing it, the system maintains safety while preventing unworked regions from appearing.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using a fixed reference value, the system employs dynamic adjustment of the reference value during travel based on real-time position data and field boundaries. This allows the system to maintain safety margins while adapting to varying field conditions to ensure complete work coverage.
3Device complexity
If conventional travel control systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but automatic travel cannot be executed in the outermost peripheral region
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical path adjustment mechanisms with computational calculations. By using a control unit to calculate the reference value based on digital representations of the field and work device specifications, the system achieves enhanced automatic travel capability while maintaining relative simplicity through software-based solutions rather than mechanical complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A travel control system includes a permission unit that permits outermost periphery automatic traveling if predetermined permission conditions are satisfied. The permission conditions include a first condition and a second condition. The first condition is that a reference value corresponding to a working width W1 of a work device 30 is larger than a lateral width W2 of the work device. The second condition is that the reference value is larger than a threshold value determined by a threshold value determination unit. The threshold value determination unit determines the threshold value based on a reference distance D1 between a front end position of a work vehicle 1 and a reference position SP at which the work device 30 is switched from a working state to a non-working state.