System and method to mitigate boom assembly movement

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle is provided herein that includes a chassis operably coupled with a powertrain control system. A boom assembly is operably coupled with the chassis. One or more nozzles is positioned along the boom assembly. A flow control assembly is configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product from a tank through the one or more nozzles. A controller is operably coupled with the powertrain control system and the boom assembly. The controller includes a processor and associated memory with the memory storing instructions that, when implemented by the processor, configure the controller to receive instructions to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle and alter a flow rate of the agricultural product through actuation of the flow control assembly in response to receiving instructions to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An agricultural vehicle comprising:
 a chassis operably coupled with a powertrain control system;   a boom assembly operably coupled with the chassis;   one or more nozzles positioned along the boom assembly;   a pump configured to selectively dispense an agricultural product from a tank through the one or more nozzles; and   a controller operably coupled with the powertrain control system and the boom assembly, the controller including a processor and associated memory, the memory storing instructions that, when implemented by the processor, configure the controller to alter a stiffness of the boom assembly in response to receiving instructions to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle.   
     
     
         22 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a boom suspension operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to control the stiffness of the boom assembly based on the instructions from the controller.   
     
     
         23 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a positioning system, the controller being configured to receive location data from the positioning system associated with the boom assembly and alter the stiffness of the boom assembly in response to receiving location data indicating an upcoming change in a vehicle speed.   
     
     
         24 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a user input device communicatively coupled with the controller and configured to accept a desired agricultural product application rate, the application rate defined between an upper threshold and a lower threshold.   
     
     
         25 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to limit a vehicle speed to maintain an application within a desired agricultural product application rate. 
     
     
         26 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a weather station commutatively coupled with the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to alter the stiffness of the boom assembly in response to receiving data indicative of a change in weather.   
     
     
         27 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more nozzles includes a first nozzle and a second nozzle housed in a turret and wherein the turret is configured to fluidly couple the first nozzle or the second nozzle to the pump. 
     
     
         28 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a human-machine interface (HMI) configured to generate a notification to a user when the stiffness of the boom assembly is altered.   
     
     
         29 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a sensor operably coupled with the boom assembly and configured to capture data associated with one or more application variables, wherein the controller is further configured to alter the stiffness of the boom assembly in response to one or more of the application variables deviating from a predefined range.   
     
     
         30 . The vehicle of  claim 29 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a LIDAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, an imager, or an ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
         31 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to alter the stiffness of the boom assembly based at least one of an incorrect nozzle tip, an incorrect application rate, inclement weather meeting one or more criteria, boom assembly pressure exceeding a predefined pressure level, a boom assembly movement exceeding a movement limit, the vehicle exceeding a predefined vehicle speed, or a turning speed or radius deviating from a predefined range or speed defined by an upper threshold and a lower threshold. 
     
     
         32 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein a damping level of a vehicle suspension is altered due movement of the boom assembly deviating a predefined range. 
     
     
         33 . The vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein a damping level of a vehicle suspension in response to receiving instructions to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle. 
     
     
         34 . A method for mitigating misapplications of an agricultural product during a spray operation, the method comprising:
 receiving, with a computing device, instructions to accelerate or decelerate a vehicle; and   altering, with the computing device, a boom suspension damping level based on a change in an overall spray quality index.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 altering a damping level of a vehicle suspension in response to receiving instructions to alter a vehicle speed, a vehicle acceleration/deceleration, or a vehicle direction.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 receiving data from one or more sensors that is indicative of an application variable contributing to an overall spray quality index of a spray operation; and   monitoring, with a computing device, the application variable associated with the overall spray quality index based on the data received from the one or more sensors.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 altering, with the computing device, at least one of a vehicle speed, an acceleration of the vehicle, a deceleration of the vehicle, a vehicle direction, or an application rate of a pump based on a change in the overall spray quality index.   
     
     
         38 . An agricultural vehicle comprising:
 a chassis operably coupled with a powertrain control system;   a boom suspension operably coupled with the chassis;   a boom assembly operably coupled with the boom suspension; and   a controller operably coupled with the powertrain control system and the boom assembly, the controller including a processor and associated memory, the memory storing instructions that, when implemented by the processor, configure the controller to alter a damping level of the boom assembly in response to receiving instructions to alter the powertrain control system.   
     
     
         39 . The agricultural vehicle of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 one or more nozzles positioned along the boom assembly.   
     
     
         40 . The agricultural vehicle of  claim 38 , wherein the boom suspension includes one or more actuators that can be configured to mechanically interconnect a frame of the boom assembly to a mast of the boom assembly.