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;   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;   a vehicle controller;   a location and/or navigation system;   one or more communication interfaces; and   one or more computers configured to: 
 use the one or more communication interfaces to receive one or more container identifications, wherein the one or more container identifications identify one or more containers, respectively, and each of the one or more container identifications includes a location of a container of the one or more containers; 
 use the received one or more container identifications to select a container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart; 
 use the location and/or navigation system to determine a location of the cart; 
 use the location and/or navigation system to determine a route from the location of the cart to a location of the selected container; and 
 cause the vehicle controller to control one or more of the one or more vehicle components to move the cart to the location of the selected container on the determined route. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the one or more container identifications comprises receiving only one container identification, and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises selecting the container identified by the one received container identification. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one received container identification includes an assigned capacity of material to unload into the selected container. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the one or more container identifications comprises receiving two or more container identifications. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises considering route distances between the cart and the containers identified by the two or more container identifications. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises considering estimated travel times to the containers identified by the two or more container identifications. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the two or more container identifications includes a remaining capacity of the container identified by the container identification, and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises considering a volume of material in the hopper of the cart and the remaining capacities of the containers identified by the two or more container identifications. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the two or more container identifications includes an indication of whether the container identified by the container identification or a portion of a capacity of the container identified by the container identification is reserved by one or more other carts, and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises considering the indications of whether the containers or portions thereof identified by the container identifications are reserved by one or more other carts. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises considering whether the containers identified by the two or more container identifications are stationary or moving. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the two or more container identifications includes a remaining capacity of the container identified by the container identification, and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises:
 determining which of the containers identified by the two or more container identifications have a remaining capacity sufficient to receive the material in the hopper of the cart; and   selecting a container of the containers determined to have a remaining capacity sufficient to receive the material in the hopper of the cart that is closest to the location of the cart.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises selecting one or more containers identified by the two or more container identifications that would result in the fastest unloading of the cart. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the two or more container identifications includes a remaining capacity of the container identified by the container identification, and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises selecting one or more containers identified by the two or more container identifications such that the remaining capacities of the selected one or more containers would be completely filled by the material in the hopper of the cart. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more container identifications includes a unique identification number for the identified container, and the one or more computers are further configured to:
 using the one or more communication interfaces and/or one or more cameras to obtain container information from the selected container, wherein the container information includes a container identification; and   confirming that the unique identification number of the container identification identifying the selected container matches the container identification of the container information obtained from the selected container.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to obtain one or more container indications for the selected container, wherein the container indications identify a container opening size, a container position, a container total capacity, and/or a container remaining capacity. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to use the one or more communication interfaces to communicate a weight of the material in the hopper of the cart. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors, wherein the one or more computers are configured to:
 use the location and/or navigation system and/or the one or more sensors to determine whether the cart is near the location of the selected container; and   if the cart is determined to be near the location of the selected container, cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components to stop the cart.   
     
     
         17 . A method performed by a system, the method comprising:
 using one or more communication interfaces of the system to receive one or more container identifications, wherein the one or more container identifications identify one or more containers, respectively, and each of the one or more container identifications includes a location of a container of the one or more containers;   using the received one or more container identifications to select a container for unloading material from a hopper of a cart of the system;   using a location and/or navigation system of the system to determine a location of the cart;   using the location and/or navigation system to determine a route from the location of the cart to a location of the selected container; and   causing a vehicle controller of the system to control one or more vehicle components of the system to move the cart to the location of the selected container on the determined route, 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.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein receiving the one or more container identifications comprises receiving only one container identification, and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises selecting the container identified by the one received container identification. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein receiving the one or more container identifications comprises receiving two or more container identifications. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprises considering route distances between the cart and the containers identified by the two or more container identifications.