Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9185845
Timestamp: 2018-03-24 12:21:44
Document Index: 527938269

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 300', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'Application No. 60', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'art 300']

US9185845B2 - Method for controlling unload of a mobile farm implement - Google Patents
Method for controlling unload of a mobile farm implement Download PDF
US9185845B2
US9185845B2 US14213246 US201414213246A US9185845B2 US 9185845 B2 US9185845 B2 US 9185845B2 US 14213246 US14213246 US 14213246 US 201414213246 A US201414213246 A US 201414213246A US 9185845 B2 US9185845 B2 US 9185845B2
US14213246
US20140277963A1 (en )
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/799,957, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein in it is entirety.
The present invention relates generally to a handheld control device for interacting with a mobile farm implement and, more particularly, to a handheld control device that is configured to communicate commands or sensor information with the mobile farm implement.
To control and monitor mobile farm implements such as grain carts and tractors, various sensors and controllers have been placed in the mobile farm implements to collect data or carry out commands. On some mobile farm implements, the sensors and controllers have been wired to connect to display terminals mounted in the mobile farm implements. The display terminal on a particular mobile farm implement may display data collected from the sensors on that implement or commands that may be issued to the controllers on that implement. To facilitate communication between display terminals and electronic hardware on mobile farm implements, some manufacturers of mobile farm implements and some manufacturers of display terminals have adopted the same communication protocol in their devices. These mobile farm implements may use the communication protocol to share information about its functionality with terminals that use the same protocol.
A handheld control device, method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for interacting with mobile farm implements is presented.
According to one aspect of the application, the system, method, and computer-readable medium automates unloading of mobile farm implements. In an embodiment, the handheld control device receives, from a user interface of the handheld control device, a first command to assist unloading of agricultural material from a mobile farm implement. It determines whether a speed of the mobile farm implement is at or below a first threshold. In response to a determination that the speed of the mobile farm implement is at or below the first threshold, a second command to the mobile farm implement to unfold an auger arm of the mobile farm implement may be transmitted. In an embodiment, a determination may be made as to whether weight measurements from the mobile farm implement have reached a steady value and whether a power takeoff speed is at or above a second threshold. In response to a determination that both such conditions are satisfied, a third command to the mobile farm implement to open a container door may be transmitted to the mobile farm implement. In an embodiment, a determination may be made as to whether a subsequent weight measurement from the mobile farm implement is at or below a third threshold. In response to a determination that the condition is satisfied, a fourth command may be transmitted to the mobile farm implement to close the container door and a fifth command to the mobile farm implement to fold the auger arm.
In an embodiment, the handheld control device, method, and computer-readable medium may interface with multiple mobile farm implements using multiple communication protocols. In an embodiment, the handheld control device may detect presence of a first mobile farm implement. A determination may be made that the first mobile farm implement uses a first communication protocol. The handheld control device may further determine whether a description of the first communication protocol is stored on the handheld control device. It may communicate, using the first communication protocol, a first command or sensor information with the first mobile farm implement in response to a determination that the description of the first communication protocol is stored on the handheld control device. In an embodiment, presence of a second mobile farm implement may be detected by the handheld control device. A determination may be made that second mobile farm implement is using a second communication protocol, where the first communication protocol is different than the second communication protocol. The handheld control device may determine whether a description of the second communication protocol is stored on the handheld control device. It may communicate, using the second communication protocol, a second command or sensor information with the second mobile farm implement in response to a determination that the description of the second communication protocol is stored on the handheld control device.
In an embodiment, the handheld control device, method, and computer-readable medium may wirelessly collect sensor data from mobile farm implements.
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate an environment in which a handheld control device 100 interacts with mobile farm implements, such as a grain cart 300 or a tractor 200 towing the grain cart, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to one aspect of the invention, the system provides a handheld control device that may automate at least part of an unloading of agricultural material from a mobile farm implement. The automation may include issuing commands to the mobile farm implement in a desired order and may include automatically monitoring unloading conditions. According to another aspect of the invention, the system provides a handheld control device that is able to communicate with multiple mobile farm implements using different communication protocols. For example, the control device may communicate with one mobile farm implement using an ISO 11783 (i.e., Isobus) protocol and may communicate with another mobile farm implement using an ISO 11898 (i.e., CANbus) protocol. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the system provides a handheld control device that may wirelessly collect sensor data from a mobile farm implement while the control device is located outside the mobile farm implement. For example, a driver in a harvester may wirelessly collect sensor data from a grain cart that is being loaded by the harvester.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a handheld control device 100 may communicate directly with the grain cart 300, or may do so through another mobile farm implement, such as the tractor 200. For example, the handheld control device 100 and the grain cart 300 may communicate directly via a USB or IEEE 802.11 (Wi-FI™) or other interface, or the grain cart 300 may have no USB or IEEE 802.11 capability and rely on the tractor 200 to provide such capabilities to communicate with the control device 100.
The handheld control device 100 may be a mobile phone (e.g., iPhone®), a tablet computer (e.g., iPad®), or any other handheld control device. The handheld control device 100 may include a transceiver 101 for communicating with a mobile farm implement, a display 104 and auxiliary input device 105 (e.g., a keyboard) for communicating with a user of the control device 100; a processor 103 and memory 107 for executing modules that implement various functionality of the control device; and a storage device 106 for storing data, instructions, and other information. In an embodiment, the modules may include an operating system 110 (e.g., iOS®) that provides a platform on which another module, such as control module 120, executes. For example, the operating system 110 may allow the control module 120 to be downloaded as an application and to execute on the handheld control device 100. In an embodiment, the memory 107 may provide temporary storage for the modules while they are being executed, while the storage device 106 may provide long-term, non-volatile storage for the modules. The components of the handheld control device 100 may be located inside a housing of the device 100, or may be externally attached to the housing of device 100.
Mobile farm implements such as the tractor 200 and the grain cart 300 may interact with the handheld control device 100 by, for instance, sending sensor information to the handheld control device 100 or executing commands received from the device 100. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the grain cart 300 may provide information about a container 301, a conveyor belt 302, or an auger 303, and may execute commands related to these components.
For the container 301, a load cell sensor 310 may measure a weight or volume of agricultural material held by the container 301, while a container door controller 320 may be configured to open or close a door of the container 301.
For the auger 303, an auger sensor 314 may measure a position or rotational speed of the auger 303, while an auger arm controller 322 or an auger spout controller 323 may control movement of the auger arm or auger spout, respectively. If either the conveyor belt 302 or the auger 303 is actuated by another power source such as a power takeoff, then a power takeoff sensor 313 may measure the rotational speed of the power takeoff (e.g., the PTO RPM).
For the grain cart itself, a rollover sensor 315 may detect a weight distribution across the grain cart 300 or any other indication of an uneven load that may tip over the grain cart 300. A grain cart speed sensor 316 may measure a speed of the grain cart 300. Control of the mobile farm implements, including farm implements with a bin or container to load material, is discussed in more detail in co-owned and co-pending application entitled “Weight-Based Chute Control for a Farm Implement,” Application No. 60/799,099, filed on even date herewith (Mar. 15, 2013), the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
In an embodiment, the interface converter box 210 may include a transceiver 211 configured to communicate with the handheld control device 100 and the grain cart 300, and may include a processor 213 and memory 215 configured to generate signals having the format that will be recognized by the device 100 or cart 300. Format information for a mobile farm implement may be based on a communication protocol being used by the mobile farm implement. The formatting may be performed by the interface converter box 210 on the tractor 200, or may be performed by the handheld control device 100.
In an embodiment, a control device such as the control device 100 may automate at least a portion of tasks performed by mobile farm implements. FIG. 7 illustrates example operations of a method 2000 of automating at least part of the unloading of agricultural material from a mobile farm implement, such as the unloading of a grain cart. In an embodiment, the unloading may involve unfolding an auger of the mobile farm implement after it has slowed to a certain speed, then opening a container door after a power takeoff actuating the auger has reached a sufficient speed, and monitoring a weight of the mobile farm implement to determine when to stop the unloading. The control device may thus automatically invoke these operations in a desired order and under desired conditions. The automation may free a user from having to manually initiate each operation in the unloading sequence and from having to manually monitor whether a desired condition for each operation is being satisfied.
At an operation 2030, the mobile farm implement may be commanded to unfold its auger arm in response to the determination that the speed of the mobile farm implement is below the first threshold. For instance, after the control device 100 determines that the grain cart 300 is at or below the threshold number of miles per hour, it may transmit an auger unfold command to the tractor interface converter box 210 or to the grain cart interface 330. The interface converter box 210 or the grain cart interface 330 may then cause the auger arm controller 322 to output signals that cause an unfolding movement of the auger 303.
At an operation 2090, the mobile farm implement may be commanded to terminate the unloading process. In an embodiment, the termination command may include a command to close the container door and fold the auger arm. For example, the control device 100 may transmit commands to the interface converter box 210 or the grain cart interface 330, which may in turn cause the container door controller 320 and the auger arm controller 322 to close the container door and fold the auger arm, respectively. In an embodiment, recording of weight measurements from the mobile farm implement may be stopped as part of the termination of the unloading process.
1. A method of automating unloading of a mobile farm implement having a container carrying an agricultural material such as grain or seed, wherein the mobile farm implement is connected to a power takeoff and includes an auger arm for unloading the agricultural material, and wherein the auger arm is foldable between a stored position and an operating position with a handheld control device comprising a processor and a transceiver, the method comprising:
receiving a first command to assist unloading of the agricultural material from the mobile farm implement;
determining, by the processor, whether a speed of the mobile farm implement is below a first threshold;
transmitting, by the transceiver, in response to a determination that the speed of the mobile farm implement is below the first threshold, a second command to the mobile farm implement to unfold the auger arm of the mobile farm implement;
determining, by the processor, whether weight measurements of the agricultural material from the mobile farm implement have reached a steady value;
determining, by the processor, whether a power takeoff speed is above a second threshold;
transmitting, by the transceiver, in response to a determination that the weight measurements the agricultural materials have reached the steady value and that the power takeoff speed is above the second threshold, a third command to the mobile farm implement to open a container door;
determining, by the processor, whether a subsequent weight measurement of the agricultural materials from the mobile farm implement is below a third threshold; and
transmitting, by the transceiver, in response to a determination that the subsequent weight measurement of the agricultural materials is below the third threshold, a fourth command to the mobile farm implement to close the container door and a fifth command to the mobile farm implement to fold the auger arm.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user selection of the second command, the third command, the fourth command, and the fifth command before the first command to assist the unloading of the mobile farm implement is received from the handheld control device.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a user input specifying the first threshold, the second threshold, and the third threshold before the first command to assist the unloading of the mobile farm implement is received from the handheld control device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a sixth command to the mobile farm implement to engage an auger of the auger arm with the power takeoff.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording subsequent weight measurements of the agricultural materials from the mobile farm implement in response to a determination that the weight measurements of the agricultural materials from the mobile farm implement has reached the steady value.
US14213246 2013-03-15 2014-03-14 Method for controlling unload of a mobile farm implement Active US9185845B2 (en)
US14213246 US9185845B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2014-03-14 Method for controlling unload of a mobile farm implement
US14466591 US20140365170A1 (en) 2013-03-15 2014-08-22 Grain cart with intergrated moisture sensor
US14942500 US9596805B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2015-11-16 Method for controlling unload of a mobile farm implement
US15428679 US20170150679A1 (en) 2013-03-15 2017-02-09 Method for controlling upload of a mobile farm implement
US14466591 Continuation-In-Part US20140365170A1 (en) 2013-03-15 2014-08-22 Grain cart with intergrated moisture sensor
US14942500 Continuation US9596805B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2015-11-16 Method for controlling unload of a mobile farm implement
US20140277963A1 true US20140277963A1 (en) 2014-09-18
US9185845B2 true US9185845B2 (en) 2015-11-17
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US14213246 Active US9185845B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2014-03-14 Method for controlling unload of a mobile farm implement
US14942500 Active US9596805B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2015-11-16 Method for controlling unload of a mobile farm implement
US15428679 Pending US20170150679A1 (en) 2013-03-15 2017-02-09 Method for controlling upload of a mobile farm implement
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Owner name: UNVERFERTH MANUFACTURING CO., INC., OHIO
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:VAN MILL, MICHAEL D.;GERDEMAN, SHAWN W.;SCHLIMGEN, RONALD J.;SIGNING DATES FROM 20140523 TO 20140529;REEL/FRAME:033061/0175