Abstract:
An agricultural system including a vehicle, a controller and a display mounted in the vehicle. The display is coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to interact with a user by way of the display using a card manager system. The card manager system is configured to display a hierarchy of setup selections on the display using a plurality of setup cards displayed in a hierarchical manner thereby implying dependency between underlying setup criteria of equipment represented by said setup cards.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a controller for an agricultural system, and, more particularly, to a display regime for a data monitor under the control of a controller associated with the agricultural systems. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Modern farming practices have developed to improve the speed and efficiency of the farm equipment used to plant, maintain, and harvest crops. For example, tractors include a global positioning system (GPS) and a controller in the tractor is configured to provide a topographical view of a field and to identify the location of the tractor within the field based on the GPS coordinates. In addition, multiple agricultural implements may be connected to the tractor. During planting, for example, the tractor may pull an air cart having multiple containers including one or more types of seed and/or fertilizer. The tractor may also pull a planter to plant the seeds. 
         [0005]    The controller on the tractor may be configured to control operation of the implements connected to the tractor. Different models of each implement may include varying operating parameters such as capacity, rate of application, or number of rows. The operating parameters may also depend, for example, on the configuration or operating characteristics of the tractor or the location within the field. Each of the operating parameters needs to be configured prior to operation of the respective implement. Consequently, each implement typically includes a configuration module stored on the controller of the tractor to configure operation of the respective implement. 
         [0006]    However, as the number of features on the agricultural implements increase so does the number of operating parameters and the complexity of configuring operation of the tractor and the connected implements. In addition, different implements such as the air cart and planter may interact with each other. Changing the configuration of a parameter on one of the implements may impact operation of the other implement. 
         [0007]    In a known type of planting implement, seed planting or row units are attached to a toolbar extending transverse to the direction of planting. The toolbar is coupled to a tractor or other work vehicle suitable for pulling the planting implement along a field that is to be seeded to a crop. Each planting unit includes a ground penetrating assembly, often including one or more discs, for opening a seed trench or furrow in the ground as the planting implement is pulled across a field. Components of the ground penetrating assembly shape the bottom and sides of the seed trench, and a seed-metering device provides individual seeds at a controlled rate for deposit in the seed trench. Furrow closing components of each row unit close the seed trench in a controlled manner. 
         [0008]    Agricultural planters are commonly used implements to plant seeds in soil. An agricultural planter can include a chassis that carries one or more storage tanks carrying seed, and chemical applications that are to be applied to the field during the planting operation, a hitch mechanism that attaches to a tractor or other implement pulled by a tractor, and a tool bar that row units can be connected to so they are carried by the chassis. The planter can also include a pneumatic system carried by the chassis that supplies pressurized air to transport the seeds or other particulate from the storage tanks to the row units. 
         [0009]    Each row unit of the agricultural planter places seeds in the field. Typically, the row units are laterally arranged along a length of the tool bar so that as the planter is pulled across the field, each row unit plants seeds at predefined intervals along the path it is pulled across. To plant seeds, the row units perform four main operations as they are pulled: opening a trench in the soil; placing a seed into the formed trench at appropriate intervals; closing the formed trench to put soil on top of the placed seed; and packing soil on top of the seed to provide desirable soil contact with the placed seed. To open a trench in the soil, a furrowing disc system, also called an opening disc, cuts into the soil and rotates, dislocating soil as it rotates to form the trench. 
         [0010]    Once the trench is open, a seed is placed in the trench by a metering device which receives seeds from the main storage tank(s) or a row unit storage tank and typically utilizes a combination of differential air pressure, to select the seed, and gravity to place the seed in the trench at predefined intervals along the pulled path so that adjacent seeds in the row are not too close to one another. One or more closing discs carried behind the furrowing disc are pressed into the soil and also rotate as the planter is pulled to replace soil dislocated by the furrowing disc in the trench or dislocate adjacent soil into the trench to cover the seed placed in the trench with soil. Finally, at least one pressing wheel carried behind the closing disc(s) exerts pressure on the soil covering the seed to press the soil down onto the seed and provide good soil contact with the seed. By having multiple row units working in unison as the planter is pulled across a field, many seeds can be effectively planted in an efficient manner. 
         [0011]    Since a variety of tractors can couple to a variety of implements, such as a planter, the capabilities of the controls and availability of information relative to the operation of the implement/vehicle system creates a problem of adequate displays of information and presentation of controls to a user. The amount of setups that a user has to go through on agricultural equipment may be overwhelming. There is software available that enforces an order of setups before it will operate, but it suffers from not conveying dependencies, nor having an intuitive need for order in the setup process. 
         [0012]    What is needed in the art is a robust display that presents setup information and selections in an intuitive and efficient manner. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention provides a hierarchical setup display for the configuring of an agricultural system. 
         [0014]    The invention in one form is directed to an agricultural system including a vehicle, a controller and a display mounted in the vehicle. The display is coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to interact with a user by way of the display using a card manager system. The card manager system is configured to display a hierarchy of setup selections on the display using a plurality of setup cards displayed in a hierarchical manner thereby implying dependency between underlying setup criteria of equipment represented by said setup cards. 
         [0015]    The invention in yet another form is directed to a method of displaying information for an agricultural system that includes a vehicle, a controller and a display mounted in the vehicle. The controller is coupled to the display. The method includes the steps of: interacting with a user using a card manager system, the card manager system being configured to display a plurality of setup cards on the display; and hierarchically displaying the plurality of cards with each card relating to a portion of the agricultural system thereby implying a dependency between at least some of said setup cards. 
         [0016]    An advantage of the present invention is that setup information and selections are displayed in a hierarchical fashion thereby implying dependency of the setups and an order in which the setups should take place. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a complete agricultural system using an embodiment of a hierarchical setup display of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a depiction of an implement of  FIG. 1  that is coupled to tractor and subject to the configuration selections made on the hierarchical setup display of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a depiction of a hierarchical setup display illustrating cards displayed under the control of a card manager system; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is another depiction of the hierarchical setup display of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of a hierarchical setup display of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0023]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an embodiment of an agricultural system  10  having a tractor  12 , an implement  14  and a display  16  that is incorporated in tractor  12 . Display  16  is an interactive display  16  configured to provide information to a user and allow the user to direct the operation of tractor  12  and/or implement  14 . A controller  18  receives information from sensors on implement  14  and tractor  12 , processes, stores and displays selected portions of that information and other stored information such as setup information and configuration selections. The displaying of information and control features on display  16  takes into account needed setup and configuration aspects of the agricultural system  10 . 
         [0025]    Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown some details of a typical implement  14  in the form an agricultural planter  14  which generally includes a chassis C forming a support structure for components of the planter  14  that can be formed by a hitch assembly at a front of the planter  14  connected to a tool bar T, main wheels W carried by the chassis near a rear of the planter  14 , one or more storage tanks  20  and  22  that can be filled with seed or other agriculture material carried by the chassis, and a plurality of row units  24  connected to the tool bar T and arranged laterally across a length of the tool bar T so that they are carried by the chassis. The chassis C can include a hitch  26  configured to be connected to a tractor  12  or other agricultural implement (not shown) so that the planter  14  can be pulled in a forward direction of travel. The hitch  26  can be integrally formed with or connected to a hitch bar  28  that is connected to the tool bar T by bracing bars  30  and one or more cylinders  32 . As can be seen, the planter  14  can also have various hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical lines (unnumbered) throughout to support various cylinders and systems that are included on the planter  14 , such as a pneumatic system  34  connected to the tool bar T and an electric generator  36  also connected to the tool bar T. A marking device  38  can be connected to each lateral end of the tool bar T and extendable so that a marking disc  40  of the marking device  38  can create a line in the soil as the planter  14  is pulled that helps a user in positioning the planter  14  to create subsequent rows. A stair assembly  42  can be mounted to the back of the planter  14  to allow for an operator to access the storage tanks  22 . 
         [0026]    While a planter  14  is shown in detail it is to be understood that any agricultural implement  14  can be utilized. Further, although a towing of implement  14  by tractor  12  is illustrated herein it should be understood that tractor  12  may be any agricultural, construction, or forestry vehicle that can be coupled to various implements  14 . 
         [0027]    Now, additionally referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there are illustrated information/selection screens that are provided by a Menu accessible from the Top Bar of the modular display. This window contains all system settings, diagnostics, and productivity reports, which allow users to switch between them. Within each tab  50 , the content is logically grouped into multiple Cards  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66  and  68  (i.e. System, User Profile, Implement Setup etc.) by way of a card manager system carried out by controller  18 . The layout is designed to help users intuitively understand the hierarchy of setups. Universal Terminal  62 , User Profiles  64 , Data Management  66  and System  68  cards are independent setups, whereas all other setup cards  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60  have dependencies. The line and arrows  70  indicate the setup dependencies and suggested order, generally stated—a hierarchical layout. 
         [0028]    The present invention detects the coupling of implement  14  and tractor  12  and identifies the relationships that previously existed when last coupled together. This includes assigning functions to valve controls and associated flow rates so that implement  14  will function in the same manner as when last connected. For example, a valve control may have been assigned to raise and lower a chisel plow when coupled to tractor  12 , but now that planter  14  is coupled the same control may, for example, cause the marking device  38  to deploy or retract using a different fluid flow rate than used with the chisel plow. The flow rate of hydraulic fluid and the identification of the control are altered due to the detection of the connection of tractor  12  with implement  14 . 
         [0029]    Depending on the equipment coupled together such as tractor  12  and planter  14  the layout of the cards will differ, and yet have a combined layout that is unique for that selection of equipment (such as different layouts for Tractors, Integrated Sprayers, Combo Sprayers, Combines). Each Card  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  and  60  includes a representative icon, a title and a summary of setups inside. The icon on the tabs can be changed dynamically depending on the selection within the card, i.e. red or blue tractor respectively for CaseIH and New Holland Tractors and an icon tractor of whichever color the user has selected for his 3rd party tractor. Upon pressing on the info button, in the top-right corner of each card, a pop-over menu (see card  56 ,  FIG. 3 ) will show up and display the name of the setups (organized in tabs) that the card contains. Upon touching of the whole card, Detailed Setups open. By default the window shall always open on the first tab. 
         [0030]    When the Menu cards have either encountered an error such as an invalid setup or the setup needs checking, the cards coloring will change from blue to either red or orange and may have a an exclamation symbol in a triangle (see card  52 ,  FIG. 3 ) or in a circle (see card  56 ,  FIG. 3 ). Along with the Menu Cards, the Indicators will appear on the Menu Button (see Settings tab in  FIG. 3 ) in the Top Bar to show the user they have an error or they need to check their current settings. Invalid Indicators appear when a card is setup incorrectly. The Indicator will fade once the user corrects all the errors within the Card. Needs Checking (or recommended) indicators (see card  56 ,  FIG. 3 ) appear when a user may need to check over the current settings. The Indicator will fade once more than one tab within the card has been pressed. This is to ensure that the user doesn&#39;t accidentally press the card and triggers indicators to fade without properly checking the flagged tabs. This also allows the user to avoid having to go through every tab that needs checking, if they already know that the tab is setup correctly. These illustrate a level of criticality relative to the need to check a setup or that more critically an error exists in a setup. For example, the level may be a recommended level or a required level of critically, to respectively recommend and require setup selections to be changed. 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 4  the alerts are all cleared, which shows that agricultural system  10  is configured to function. While there are no alerts, the setups may still be selected to vary the configurations as desired. The hierarchical implications of lines and arrows  70  are that certain setups are dependent on others. For example, the selection of a type of seed and chemical inputs in card  60  may require a reconfiguration of the implement  14  in card  54 . The schematical or hierarchical layout also implies that the selection of a product configuration will have little or no impact on the vehicle card  52  and no implication of dependency is shown for the guidance card  58  relative to card  60 . 
         [0032]    Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 5 , there is illustrated another display  116 , with the elements of the previous two Figs. in a different layout. Here the hierarchical presentation of cards  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  and  60  is positioned above cards  62 ,  64 ,  66 ,  68 . 
         [0033]    While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.