System and method for synchronized control of a harvester and transport vehicle

Abstract

A control system and method is provided to control a longitudinal position of a transport vehicle relative to a harvester during an unload on the go operation and to control both the lateral position and the longitudinal position of a transport vehicle relative to a harvester during an unload on the go operation to evenly fill a receiving area of the transport vehicle with crop material from the harvester. The longitudinal position of the transport vehicle is maintained within an acceptable range by adjusting the velocity of the transport vehicle. The receiving area of the transport vehicle can be more evenly filled with crop material by adjusting the lateral position and the longitudinal position of the transport vehicle within predetermined trim distances associated with the receiving area of the transport vehicle.

1 . A method of controlling a transport vehicle to enable substantially even loading of crop material into the transport vehicle during an unload on the go operation with a harvester, the method comprising:
 determining a current lateral position for a transport vehicle relative to a harvester, the current lateral position being based on a predetermined path for the transport vehicle and a current lateral position adjustment;   determining a current longitudinal position for a transport vehicle relative to a harvester, the current longitudinal position being based on a predetermined longitudinal distance from the harvester and a current longitudinal position adjustment;   calculating a future adjustment to at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position;   calculating a future lateral position for the transport vehicle relative to a harvester and a future longitudinal position for the transport vehicle relative to the harvester using the current lateral position, the current longitudinal position, the predetermined path and the calculated future adjustment to the at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position;   generating a steering control signal to steer the transport vehicle to the future lateral position with an auto-guidance system for the transport vehicle;   generating a speed control signal to control the transport vehicle to the future longitudinal position with an automated speed control in a longitudinal position control system for the transport vehicle; and   applying the generated steering control signal and the generated speed control signal to transport vehicle components to automatically control the steering and speed of the transport vehicle and provide for substantially even filling of the transport vehicle with crop material from the harvester.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein calculating a future adjustment to at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position comprises manually entering by an operator the adjustment to the at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein manually entering by an operator the adjustment comprises manually entering by the operator at least one of a lateral distance deviation or a longitudinal distance deviation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein calculating a future adjustment to at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position comprises entering by an operator at least one control variable to enable automated adjustment of the at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein entering by an operator at least one control variable comprises entering at least one of a trim pattern type, a trim pattern cycle time or a trim pattern travel manner. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein calculating a future adjustment to at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position comprises:
 limiting an adjustment to the current lateral position to be within a predetermined maximum lateral distance adjustment and a predetermined minimum lateral distance adjustment; and 
 limiting an adjustment to the current longitudinal position to be within a predetermined maximum longitudinal distance adjustment and a predetermined minimum longitudinal distance adjustment. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein in the predetermined maximum lateral distance adjustment, the predetermined minimum lateral distance adjustment, the predetermined maximum longitudinal distance adjustment and the predetermined minimum longitudinal distance adjustment correspond to boundaries for a receiving area for crop material in the transport vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein:
 the current lateral position corresponds to a position which offsets from the predetermined path by a current lateral position adjustment; 
 the current longitudinal position corresponds to a predetermined longitudinal distance from the harvester plus a current longitudinal position adjustment; 
 the predetermined maximum lateral distance adjustment and the predetermined minimum lateral distance adjustment are boundaries of a range centered on the predetermined lateral position; and 
 the predetermined maximum longitudinal distance adjustment and the predetermined minimum longitudinal distance adjustment are boundaries of a range centered on the predetermined longitudinal position. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein calculating a future adjustment to at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position comprises selecting one of a harvester operator or a transport vehicle operator to have control of the adjustment to the at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position. 
     
     
         10 . A control system to control a transport vehicle to enable substantially even loading of crop material into the transport vehicle during an unload on the go operation with a harvester, the control system comprising:
 a global positioning system device to determine a current lateral position of a transport vehicle and a current longitudinal position of the transport vehicle;   a user interface for an operator to enter information;   a first controller comprising a microprocessor to execute a computer program to operate an auto-guidance system for the transport vehicle to steer the transport vehicle along a predetermined path or an adjusted path with a parallel offset to the predetermined path by a lateral position adjustment;   a second controller comprising a microprocessor to execute a computer program to calculate an adjustment to at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position of the transport vehicle based on information entered by the operator and to determine a future lateral position for the transport vehicle and a future longitudinal position for the transport vehicle using the current lateral position, the current longitudinal position, the predetermined path and the calculated adjustment to the at least one of the current lateral position or the current longitudinal position;   a third controller comprising a microprocessor to execute a computer program to operate a longitudinal position control system for the transport vehicle to control the transport vehicle to the future longitudinal position relative to the harvester; and   wherein the auto-guidance system and longitudinal position control system for the transport vehicle being operated to control the transport vehicle to the future lateral position and the future longitudinal position through automated steering control and speed control and to provide for substantially even filling of the transport vehicle with crop material from a harvester.   
     
     
         11 . The control system of  claim 10  further comprising a first wireless communication device located on the harvester and a second wireless communication device located on the transport vehicle, the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device being operational to permit communication between the harvester and the transport vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . A method of controlling a transport vehicle to maintain a longitudinal distance between the transport vehicle and a corresponding harvester during an unload on the go operation, the method comprising:
 determining a global positioning system position for each of a transport vehicle and a harvester;   calculating a velocity for the transport vehicle and a velocity for the harvester using the determined global positioning system positions for the transport vehicle and the harvester;   calculating a longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle using the determined global positioning system positions for the transport vehicle and the harvester;   calculating a transport vehicle velocity set point using the calculated velocity for the transport vehicle, the calculated velocity for the harvester, the calculated longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle and a predetermined longitudinal distance; and   controlling a velocity of the transport vehicle in response to the calculated transport vehicle velocity set point to control the longitudinal distance between the transport vehicle and the harvester to be within a predetermined distance deviation from the predetermined longitudinal distance.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 comparing the calculated longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle to a predetermined distance range based on the predetermined longitudinal distance and the predetermined distance deviation; 
 generating an indicator to enable engagement of a discharge auger of the harvester in response to the calculated longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle being within the predetermined distance range; and 
 generating an indicator to disengage the discharge auger of the harvester in response to the calculated longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle being outside of the predetermined distance range. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein calculating a longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle comprises including at least one of crab angles for the harvester and the transport vehicle, a pivot angle for the transport vehicle or a harvester steering angle in the calculation of the longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein calculating a longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle comprises calculating a longitudinal position of the transport vehicle using at least one of a linear approach based on a Cartesian coordinate system, an angular approach based on a Polar coordinate system or a curvilinear approach based on a harvester trajectory. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein calculating a transport vehicle velocity set point comprises setting the transport vehicle velocity set point equal to a harvester velocity in response to the calculated longitudinal distance between the harvester and transport vehicle being equal to the predetermined longitudinal distance. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein calculating a transport vehicle velocity set point comprises:
 calculating a distance error between the calculated longitudinal distance between the harvester and transport vehicle and the predetermined longitudinal distance; 
 providing the calculated distance error to a gain device to generate a first signal; 
 calculating a second signal by adding the first signal to the calculated velocity for the harvester and subtracting the calculated velocity for the transport vehicle; 
 providing the second signal to a proportional-integral dynamic compensator to generate a third signal; 
 providing the calculated velocity for the harvester through a feed-forward dynamic compensator to generate a fourth signal; 
 calculating a fifth signal by adding the third signal and the fourth signal; 
 adjusting the fifth signal to be within a transport vehicle velocity range in response to the fifth signal being outside the transport vehicle velocity range; and 
 applying the adjusted fifth signal to a nonlinearity compensator to generate the transport vehicle velocity set point. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein controlling a velocity of the transport vehicle in response to the calculated transport vehicle velocity set point comprises controlling the velocity of the transport vehicle using at least one of an auto-shift control system, a continuously variable transmission or an automatic engine speed control system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein controlling a velocity of the transport vehicle in response to the calculated transport vehicle velocity set point comprises controlling the velocity of the transport vehicle to position the transport vehicle the predetermined longitudinal distance from the harvester. 
     
     
         20 . A control system to control a velocity of a transport vehicle during an unload on the go operation with a harvester, the control system comprising:
 a first global positioning system device to determine a position of a transport vehicle;   a second global positioning system device to determine a position of a harvester;   a first controller comprising a microprocessor to execute a computer program to calculate a velocity of the transport vehicle, a velocity of the harvester and a longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle using the determined positions of the transport vehicle and the harvester;   a second controller comprising a microprocessor to execute a computer program to calculate a transport vehicle velocity set point using the calculated velocity for the transport vehicle, the calculated velocity for the harvester, the calculated longitudinal distance between the harvester and the transport vehicle and a predetermined longitudinal distance; and   a third controller comprising a microprocessor to execute a computer program to control a velocity of the transport vehicle in response to the calculated transport vehicle velocity set point.   
     
     
         21 . The control system of  claim 20  wherein the first controller, the second controller and the third controller are located on one of the harvester or the transport vehicle. 
     
     
         22 . The control system of  claim 20  further comprising a first wireless communication device located on the harvester and a second wireless communication device located on the transport vehicle, the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device being operational to permit communication between the harvester and the transport vehicle. 
     
     
         23 . A method of controlling movement of an unload tube spout of a harvester, the method comprising:
 determining an activation region for a harvester, the activation region being based on a preselected lateral distance range relative to the harvester and a preselected longitudinal distance range relative to the harvester;   determining a position of a transport vehicle to receive crop material from the harvester, the determined position of the transport vehicle being relative to the harvester;   comparing the determined activation region and the determined position of the transport vehicle;   disabling movement of an unload tube spout of a harvester in response to the determined position of the transport vehicle being outside of the determined activation region; and   enabling movement of an unload tube spout of a harvester between an open position and a closed position in response to the determined position of the transport vehicle being within the determined activation region.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the determined activation region is based on a lateral distance range relative to the harvester and a longitudinal distance range relative to the harvester for a receiving area of the transport vehicle, the receiving area of the transport vehicle being an area to receive crop material from the harvester.