Controller and system for utility vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle includes a pump having a swash plate tiltable about a swashplate tilt axis, wherein rotation of the swashplate changes the title angle and effects a change in volumetric displacement of the pump. A controller is operatively coupled to the swashplate to effect rotation of the swashplate, the controller including a processor and memory, and logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command.

1 . A vehicle, comprising:
 a pump including a swashplate tiltable about a swashplate tilt axis, wherein rotation of the swashplate changes the title angle and effects a change in volumetric displacement of the pump;   a controller operatively coupled to the swashplate to effect rotation of the swashplate, the controller including a processor and memory; and   logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to effect rotation of the swashplate through application of fluid power to the swashplate. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command includes logic configured to effect rotation of the swashplate independent of the user input command. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising a prime mover for providing power to the vehicle, wherein the logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command includes:
 logic configured to determine an optimal operating speed for the prime mover based on at least one system condition or ambient condition; and   logic configured to regulate the prime mover speed at the optimal operating speed.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an implement drivingly coupled to the prime mover;   a plurality of wheels drivingly coupled to the prime mover; and   logic configured to alter a drive ratio between the implement and the prime mover so as to maintain the implement speed at a first prescribed speed, or alter a drive ratio between the prime mover and the plurality of wheels so as to maintain the wheel speed about a second prescribed level.   
     
     
         6 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command includes logic configured to automatically control a wheel speed of the vehicle independent of the user input command. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 at least one implement, wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the at least one implement; and   wherein the configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of the user input command includes logic configured to regulate, independent of the user input command, a speed of the at least one implement at a prescribed speed.   
     
     
         8 . The vehicle according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one implement comprises mower blades. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle according to  claim 7 , further comprising a prime mover drivingly coupled to the at least one implement, wherein the logic configured to regulate a speed of the at least one implement includes logic configured to vary a speed of the prime mover to regulate the implement speed at the prescribed speed. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle according to  claim 9 , further comprising a prime mover speed sensor operatively coupled to the prime mover, wherein the logic configured to vary a speed of the prime mover includes logic configured to use data from the prime mover speed sensor to vary the speed of the prime mover. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle according to  claim 7 , further comprising a prime mover drivingly coupled to the at least one implement, wherein the logic configured to regulate a speed of the at least one implement includes logic configured to vary a drive ratio between the prime mover and the at least one implement to maintain the implement speed at the prescribed speed. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle according to  claim 11 , further comprising a speed sensor operatively coupled to the at least one implement, wherein the logic configured to vary a drive ratio includes logic configured to use data from the implement speed sensor to control the drive ratio. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising logic configured to alter resolution of a speed input command based on an operating mode of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle according to  claim 13 , wherein the logic configured to alter resolution of a speed input command based on an operating mode of the vehicle include logic configured to increase a maximum speed of the vehicle and decrease a sensitivity of a speed control input when in a first mode, and decrease a maximum speed of the vehicle and increase the sensitivity of the speed input command when in a second mode. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first driven wheel arranged on a first side of the vehicle;   a second driven wheel arranged on a second side of the vehicle;   at least one steerable wheel;   at least one steering attitude sensor coupled to the at least one steerable wheel and to the controller, the attitude sensor operative to communicate a steering attitude of the at least one wheel to the controller; and   at least one steering actuator operatively coupled to the at least one steerable wheel and to the controller,   wherein the logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command includes logic configured to command the at least one steering actuator to turn the at least one steerable wheel based on a speed differential between the at least two driven wheels and data provided by the steering attitude sensor.   
     
     
         16 . The vehicle according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one steerable wheel comprises a plurality of steerable wheels, each wheel operatively coupled to a respective steering actuator and attitude sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising a hydrostatic transmission. 
     
     
         18 . A vehicle controller for operating a vehicle including a pump having a swashplate tiltable about a swashplate tilt axis, wherein rotation of the swashplate changes the title angle and effects a change in volumetric displacement of the pump, the controller comprising:
 a processor and memory; and   logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the logic configured to effect rotation of the swashplate independent of a user input command.   
     
     
         19 . The controller according to  claim 18 , further comprising logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command. 
     
     
         20 . The controller according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 logic configured to determine an optimal operating speed for a prime mover based on at least one system condition or ambient condition; and   logic configured to regulate a prime mover speed at the optimal operating speed.   
     
     
         21 . The controller according to  claim 19 , wherein the logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command includes logic configured to automatically control a wheel speed of the vehicle independent of the user input command. 
     
     
         22 . The controller according to  claim 19 , further comprising logic configured to regulate, independent of a user input command, a speed of at least one implement at a prescribed speed. 
     
     
         23 . The controller according to  claim 18 , further comprising logic configured to alter resolution of a speed input command based on an operating mode of the vehicle. 
     
     
         24 . The controller according to  claim 18 , wherein the logic configured to automatically control at least one vehicle characteristic independent of a user input command includes logic configured to command at least one steering actuator to turn at least one steerable wheel based on a speed differential between at least two driven wheels and data provided by a steering attitude sensor.