Novariant, Inc.

Lars G Leckie

Glen Alan Sapilewski

Michael Lee O'Connor

Michael Eglington

David G Lawrence

Kurt R Zimmerman

Paul Y Montgomery

H Stewart Cobb

Michael L O′Connor

Avi Gross

Robert C Melhorn, Jr

Qinghe Chang

Brian G Walter

A system and method provide for precision guiding of agricultural vehicles along a series of adjacent paths to form rows for cultivating a field. In one aspect of the invention the vehicle is moved along a first path while receiving positioning information from a navigational system (e.g., RTK GPS). This positioning information is stored in a processor and is used by the processor to compute a second path adjacent to said first path by calculating piecewise perpendicular offsets from the first path at multiple locations along the first path. The process is repeated to compute a third and subsequent paths so as to cover the field. Because of the offset process, the field may be covered with paths that have varying curvature along their length, while providing substantially no gaps or overlaps in the coverage of the field. In another aspect of the invention, the system may propose alternative paths and the user can intervene by steering the vehicle or using a graphical user interface to select among the alternative paths. A still further aspect of the invention allows for the recording of the paths that provide coverage of a field in the form of a template. This template can then be used to cause the vehicle to automatically steer along a previously calculated path in subsequent operations on the field, and in subsequent years.

System and method for interactive selection and determination of agricultural vehicle guide paths offset from each other with varying curvature along their length

System and method for interactive selection of agricultural vehicle guide paths through a graphical user interface other than moving the vehicle

A vehicle control system with user-guided calibration is presented. In one embodiment, a vehicle control system is presented comprising an output device and circuitry operative to provide an output, via the output device, that guides a user through a plurality of calibration steps in a particular order. The circuitry can additionally or alternatively be operative to determine which of the calibration steps, if any, to present as a next calibration step based on whether a given calibration step is successful. Other embodiments are provided, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or in combination with one another.

Vehicle control system with user-guided calibration

A land-leveling system that uses the Global Positioning System is provided. The system provides for an earth-moving machine mounted with an antenna that receives GPS signals from the satellites of the Global Positioning System. The earth-moving machine comprises a vehicle attached to a work implement, which is also connected to an actuator. A decision unit mounted on the vehicle sends control signals to the actuator, which controls the elevation of the work implement. These control signals are generated using the signals received from the antenna and the desired grade map. This system has an increased coverage area, more accuracy and round-the-clock operability. The system could be used to carry out all the land-leveling operations viz. surveying, leveling and verifying.

System and method for land-leveling

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Lars G Leckie