Automated cart operation

Abstract

Systems and methods for automated cart operation. The automated cart operation may include determining whether a container is full at a first unloading location and, if so, moving the cart from the first unloading location to a second unloading location. The automated cart operation may include moving the cart to a container, determining whether the cart is near the container, and, if the cart is determined to be near the container, stopping the cart. The automated cart operation may include determining a route from a current location to the location of a farm implement that avoids one or more permanent obstacles and areas of the field that have not been harvested and moving the cart to the farm implement on the determined route.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a cart, wherein the cart includes a hopper;   a vehicle controller;   one or more vehicle components, wherein the one or more vehicle components comprise a power source, a steering component, a transmission component, a braking component, an acceleration component, a power takeoff, a prime mover, and/or an engine; and   one or more computers configured to use one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle configured to tow the cart, wherein the one or more performance parameters include a minimum turning radius for the cart, and the one or more computers are configured to, in using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart, use the minimum turning radius limit to prevent a tire of the vehicle from contacting the cart. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include one or more power takeoff (PTO) revolutions per minute (RPM) performance specifications that correlate flow gate opening and PTO RPM speed. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include travel speed limits based on a weight of material in the hopper, load positioning, and/or hitch weight, and the one or more computers are configured to, in using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart, use the travel speed limits to limit a travel speed of the cart. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include a distance from an axle of the cart to a hitch. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include an overall width of the cart, and the one or more computers are configured to, in using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart, use the overall width of the cart to determine a proper parallel travel offset distance relative to a discharge end of an offloading conveyor of a combine harvester and maintain the cart at the proper parallel travel offset distance. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include dimensions of an open top of the hopper relative to a hitch, and the one or more computers are configured to, in using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart, use the dimensions of the open top of the hopper relative to the hitch to set fore and aft offset distances position of the open top of the hopper of the cart under a discharge end of an offloading conveyor of an combine harvester. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to, in using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart, use the overall width of the cart when approaching a container to avoid the cart colliding with the container. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cart comprises an auger assembly that includes a spout, the one or more performance parameters include an auger discharge position of the spout of the auger assembly relative to a hitch, and the one or more computers are configured to, in using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart, use the auger discharge position of the spout of the auger assembly relative to the hitch position the spout of auger assembly for unloading into a container. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include auger fold swing dimensions and/or auger discharge height. 
     
     
         11 . A method performed by a system, the method comprising:
 using one or more performance parameters to cause a vehicle controller of a system to control one or more vehicle components of the system to move a cart of the system, wherein the cart includes a hopper, and the one or more vehicle components comprise a power source, a steering component, a transmission component, a braking component, an acceleration component, a power takeoff, a prime mover, and/or an engine.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include a minimum turning radius for the cart, and using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart comprises using the minimum turning radius limit to prevent a tire of a vehicle towing the cart from contacting the cart. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include one or more power takeoff (PTO) revolutions per minute (RPM) performance specifications that correlate flow gate opening and PTO RPM speed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include travel speed limits based on a weight of material in the hopper, load positioning, and/or hitch weight, and using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart comprises using the travel speed limits to limit a travel speed of the cart. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include a distance from an axle of the cart to a hitch. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include an overall width of the cart, and using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart comprises using the overall width of the cart to determine a proper parallel travel offset distance relative to a discharge end of an offloading conveyor of a combine harvester and maintain the cart at the proper parallel travel offset distance. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include dimensions of an open top of the hopper relative to a hitch, and using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart comprises using the dimensions of the open top of the hopper relative to the hitch to set fore and aft offset distances position of the open top of the hopper of the cart under a discharge end of an offloading conveyor of an combine harvester. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart comprises using the overall width of the cart when approaching a container to avoid the cart colliding with the container. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cart comprises an auger assembly that includes a spout, the one or more performance parameters include an auger discharge position of the spout of the auger assembly relative to a hitch, and using the one or more performance parameters to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart comprises using the auger discharge position of the spout of the auger assembly relative to the hitch position the spout of auger assembly for unloading into a container. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more performance parameters include auger fold swing dimensions and/or auger discharge height.