Patent ID: 9227660
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: B62D

Claim Text:
1. A steering method for an agricultural vehicle having one or more steerable wheels, a hydraulic steering device coupled to at least one of the one or more steerable wheels, a valve assembly configured to hydraulically control the hydraulic steering device in order to steer at least one of the one or more steerable wheels, a controller configured to provide steering commands to the valve assembly to cause the valve assembly to hydraulically control the hydraulic steering device, and a pressure sensor in hydraulic communication with the valve assembly, the steering method comprising: determining a ground speed of the agricultural vehicle; determining whether the controller is currently providing a steering command to the valve assembly; determining an operational pressure at the valve assembly with the pressure sensor; determining a threshold pressure based upon, at least in part, one or more of the ground speed of the agricultural vehicle and whether the controller is currently providing a steering command to the valve assembly; comparing the operational pressure with the threshold pressure; and disabling the control of the hydraulic steering device by the valve assembly based upon, at least in part, the comparing of the operational pressure with the threshold pressure; wherein the controller is determined to be currently providing a first steering command to the valve assembly, the method further comprising: determining an initial pressure at the valve assembly with the pressure sensor for a time prior to execution of the first steering command by the valve assembly; wherein the threshold pressure is determined to be equal to the initial pressure plus a pressure offset; and wherein the control of the hydraulic steering device by the valve assembly is disabled based upon, at least in part, determining that the threshold pressure exceeds the operational pressure.