Case Corporation

Cnh Industrial Belgium Nv

Abraham Orbach

William L Schubert

David D Flamme

Dale W Panoushek

Paul W Haack

Keith Walter Wendte

George H Hale

Eric D Jacobson

Donald D Carr

Steven W Seymour

Jeffrey S Milender

Curtis A Halgrimson

Brian A Hartman

William L Schuubert

William J Schubert

An apparatus and method is disclosed for positioning a farming implement connected to a farm work vehicle controlled by an operator. The apparatus includes an actuation system for positioning the implement with respect to a reference, a position sensor for providing a position signal indicative of the position of the implement above the reference, and an electronic control unit for receiving the position signal. The electronic control unit is operatively connected to the actuation system, and directs the actuation system to stop the implement if a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the position signal indicates that the implement has reached a predetermined position. An apparatus and method is also disclosed for positioning one or more markers associated with a farming implement connected to a farm work vehicle controlled by an operator. The apparatus includes an actuation system for positioning the implement and the one or more markers with respect to a reference, a position sensor for providing a position signal indicative of the position of the implement above the reference, and an electronic control unit for receiving the position signal. The electronic control unit is operatively connected to the actuation system, and directs the actuation system upon a predetermined time lapse after the position signal indicates that the implement has reached a predetermined position.

Apparatus and method for controlling the position of an implement and

An apparatus and method is disclosed for wireless remote control of an output element coupled to a work vehicle. The output element performs work external to the vehicle and is actuated by an actuator controlled by an output controller in response to at least a remote control signal. The apparatus includes a wireless remote transmitter movable with respect to the vehicle and a wireless receiver supported by the vehicle. The transmitter has an actuatable input device for generating a command signal, a transmitter antenna, and a transmitter control circuit which receives the command signal from the input device, generates the remote control signal in response to the command signal, and applies the remote control signal to the transmitter antenna for wireless transmission to the work vehicle. The receiver includes a receiver antenna and a receiver control circuit which receives the remote control signal from the receiver antenna after transmission by the transmitter, and applies the remote control signal to the output controller.

Apparatus and method for wireless remote control of an operation of a

A control system for a hitched or trailed implement coupled to a work vehicle is disclosed herein. The control system allows control to be selectively transferred between various types of implements by use of a hydraulic selector valve. An electronic control unit controls the actions of a hitch assembly actuator, a trailed implement, an auxiliary device, or some combination thereof as determined by the configuration of the hydraulic selector valve.

Control system for a hitched or trailed implement

A centralized monitoring unit for an agricultural implement is disclosed herein. The monitoring unit is preferably used with a planting system including a planting implement coupled to a work vehicle. The implement includes a frame supporting row units which are configured to apply a product (e.g., seed, fertilizer, insecticide, herbicide) to the rows in a field. The monitoring unit includes a product delivery apparatus which has at least one product channel for delivering the product to the row units, and an electronic product sensor which is coupled to the product delivery apparatus and configured to generate a product signal representing an amount of the product which moves through the product channel. An electronic display located in the cab of the work vehicle is configured to generate an image in response to a display signal. A processor circuit is configured to monitor the product signal, calculate application progress statistics, calculate implement statistics, calculate product rate statistics and apply the display signal to the electronic display to generate the image on the electronic display representative of the application progress statistics, the implement statistics and the product rate statistics.

Enhanced statistical/status display

A control system for agricultural implements such as planters, conventional or air drills is disclosed herein. The implement includes a frame with one or more sections. Each section supports a plurality of row units configured to apply a product at variable rates to rows in a field. The products can include seeds, fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides. In one configuration, the control system monitors the rates at which the product is applied to the rows. This configuration of the control system includes sensors configured to sense the rates at which product is applied, and a control module configured to monitor the sensed rates and generate a multiplexed output signal representative thereof. The output signal is used, for example, by a cab-mounted display or recording device. The control system, however, can be reconfigured to both monitor and control the application rates by installing a second control module on the frame. The second control module generates rate control signals in response to rate command input signals. The rate control signals are applied to the metering device to cause the metering device to meter product to the row units at the commanded rates. Commanded rates are set, for example, by a cab-mounted display control module.

Modular agricultural implement control system

A system for controlling a function of a machine system including an off-road work vehicle, a moveable device, and a positioning assembly including an actuator for moving the device in response to a control signal. The system includes an operator-adjustable input device which generates an input signal, and a control circuit which generates the control signal for moving the moveable device in a first or a second manner depending upon the rate of change of the input signal. The first manner is selected when the input signal changes slowly, and the second manner is selected when the input signal changes quickly. The system may include a sensor for sensing a parameter of the machine system and a command device for generating a command signal. A control signal is generated based at least upon the difference between the sensed parameter and command signals. Also disclosed is a system for controlling the elevation of an implement carried or trailed by a work vehicle. An implement positioning assembly includes an actuator for raising and lowering the implement in response to a control signal. The control signal is generated in a first manner when the command signal changes slowly, and in a second manner when the command signal changes quickly. An input device can also be used to override the normal rate of movement of an actuator with a slower value.

Precision control of implement position/motion

A system or method for controlling the position of an implement coupled to a work vehicle. The implement is moveable by a hydraulic positioning assembly including an actuator and a valve assembly which control the flow of fluid to the actuator in response to control signals. The valve assembly includes raise and lower valves, each valve requiring a control signal equal to a threshold value before the valve opens and fluid begins to flow. The system includes a sensor to detect the position of the implement and a control circuit. In response to a change in a position command, the control circuit applies a control signal to the appropriate raise or lower valve based upon the respective threshold value. The control signal may include a component for moving the implement at a desired rate of movement. After undesirable implement movement is detected, the control circuit modifies the threshold value. The modification may occur when the control circuit detects that the implement is moving at an excessive rate due to the effects of valve hysteresis and implement weight. The control circuit may detect the undesirable movement by determining that the position error value is more negative than a predetermined value. The modified threshold value then replaces the threshold value for subsequent implement movement. The new threshold value prevents the undesirable movement in subsequent implement movement.

Threshold current control system for hydraulic valves

A system for physically positioning a hitch assembly at an initialized position prior to subsequent automatic control of the hitch position. The system includes an actuator for positioning an implement coupled to a work vehicle in response to control signals generated by a control circuit. The control circuit compares the sensed implement position to a predetermined position and, based upon the comparison, commands movement of the implement to an initialized position upon receipt of an input signal generated by an input device. The system may include an upper limit device or position command device used to set the predetermined position, and may include a display which indicates when the implement position is above the upper limit position or not equal to the commanded position. The input signal may be processed in another manner when the implement position is not above the limit position and is equal to the commanded position upon start-up. A method includes the steps of detecting the actual position of a structure which supports the implement, comparing the actual position to a predetermined position, awaiting an operator-induced initialization signal based upon the comparison, and moving the support structure to an initialized position following receipt of the initialization signal.

Hitch initialization control system

A system or method for controlling the position of an implement coupled to a work vehicle. The implement is moveable by a hydraulic positioning assembly including an actuator and a valve assembly which control the flow of fluid to the actuator in response to control signals. The valve assembly includes raise and lower valves, each valve requiring a control signal equal to a threshold value before the valve opens and fluid begins to flow. The system includes a sensor to detect the position of the implement and a control circuit. In response to a change in a position command, the control circuit applies a control signal to the appropriate raise or lower valve based upon the respective threshold value. The control signal is generated by using a predetermined gain. When undesirable implement movement such as an overshoot condition is detected, the control circuit modifies the gain value. The modified gain value is used to generate subsequent control signals for actuating the implement.

Gain adaptation control for hydraulic systems

A farming system which identifies the boundaries of agricultural fields and performs functions based upon whether a vehicle is located within a particular field is disclosed. The system includes a location signal generation circuit which receives positioning signals and generates location signals representative of the location of the vehicle. The system further includes a memory circuit which stores geo-referenced digital maps of the fields and may include boundary data or application maps for each field. The system further includes a control circuit which compares the location signals to the data stored in the memory circuit to determine when the vehicle is located in a particular field. In one embodiment, the control circuit selects a variable-rate application map for the particular field and generates variable-rate control signals from the map data which are applied to a variable-rate applicator. In another embodiment, the control circuit stores characteristic data sensed by a sensing circuit with correlated location signals in a geo-referenced digital map for the particular field. In another embodiment, the control circuit generates height control signals to raise and lower an agricultural tool such as a tractor plow or a combine header based upon relationships between the location of the tool in a field and the location of attributes in the field such as field boundaries or obstructions.

Height control of an agricultural tool in a site-specific farming system

A control system for agricultural implements such as planters, conventional or air drills is disclosed herein. The implement has a frame with multiple sections and each section has a plurality of row units to apply product to multiple rows in a field. The implement is equipped with global output devices (e.g., lights, actuators for moving moveable frame members, actuators for moving markers) to perform global implement functions in response to global control signals. Each section includes one or more local product metering devices for applying products at varying rates in response to local control signals. The products include seed, fertilizer, insecticide and herbicide. The control system includes command sources (e.g., a lighting connector; an operator interface in the cab) to generate global commands for the global implement functions and to generate local rate commands for the metering devices. The control system further includes a global controller, and local controllers corresponding to the sections. The global controller receives the global commands for the global implement functions and generates the global control signals therefrom. The local controllers receive the local rate commands for the local product metering devices and generate the local control signals therefrom.

Global controller and distributed local controller(s) for an

A system for controlling wheel slippage of a vehicle carrying or trailing an implement when slip above a slip limit is detected. The implement is coupled to an implement positioning system including an actuator for raising and lowering the implement in response to a control signal. The system includes a first sensor for sensing an operating parameter such as draft force or implement position, a second sensor for sensing the vehicle's apparent speed, and a third sensor for sensing the vehicle's ground speed. The system may include a fourth sensor for sensing a second operating parameter. The system also includes a control circuit configured to generate a slip signal based upon the apparent speed and the ground speed, and to operate in a first manner when the slip signal is below a slip limit and in a second manner when the slip signal is above the slip limit. When operating in the first manner, the control circuit generates the control signal for moving the actuator based upon the difference between the first or second operating parameter and a reference value. When operating in the second manner, the control circuit can override control based on this difference by using a control signal based upon the difference between the slip signal and a slip reference value.

Hitch assembly control system with slip control

A control system for controlling outputs associated with off-road vehicles is disclosed herein. The outputs are actuated by actuators in response to control signals generated by a control circuit. In a normal mode, the control circuit generates the control signals based upon command signals generated by operator-actuatable command devices, and applies the control signals to the actuators to control the outputs. In a record mode, the control circuit stores a sequence of commands in a memory circuit to record the sequential actuations of the command devices. Then, in a playback mode, the control circuit generates the control signals based upon the recorded command sequence instead of the command signals. Playback can be triggered manually by a playback switch, or automatically based upon the geo-graphic position of the off-road vehicle. The control system can record and playback more than one command sequence. Each sequence step generates a recorded command which can depend upon a recorded event based upon values of a timer, geographic position or feedback signal. In addition, the operator can erase, view and edit the commanded sequences. The operator can also download and upload command sequences.

Sequential command repeater system for off-road vehicles

A system for reducing oscillations of an implement carried by a vehicle in a lifted position during travel. The implement is coupled to an implement positioning system including an actuator for raising and lowering the implement in response to a control signal. The system includes at least one load sensor for sensing implement load, a position sensor for sensing implement position, and a control circuit configured to generate a control signal to the actuator in a first manner based at least upon implement position and in a second manner based at least upon implement load. The control circuit transitions from the first manner of operation to the second manner of operation upon detecting oscillations of the implement beyond a predetermined magnitude. The control circuit improves roadability of the vehicle by operating in a roadability mode including the first and second manners of operation wherein the roadability mode is entered based at least upon the implement being in a lifted position and vehicle speed being greater than a predetermined threshold speed.

Active roadability control for work vehicles

A system or method for controlling the position of an implement coupled to a work vehicle. The implement is moveable by a hydraulic positioning assembly including an actuator and a valve assembly which control the flow of fluid to the actuator in response to control signals. The valve assembly includes raise and lower valves, each valve requiring a control signal equal to a threshold value before the valve opens and fluid begins to flow. The system includes a sensor to detect the position of the implement and a control circuit. In response to a change in a position command, the control circuit applies a control signal to the appropriate raise or lower valve based upon the respective threshold value. The control signal may include a component for moving the implement at a desired rate of movement. After undesirable implement movement is detected, the control circuit modifies the threshold value. The modification may occur when the control circuit detects that the implement is moving at an excessive rate due to the effects of valve hysteresis and implement weight. The control circuit may detect the undesirable movement by determining that the position error value is more negative than a predetermined value.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Abraham Orbach