US 12,342,745 B2 · Expandable network architecture for communications between machines and implements

Abstract

Described herein are expandable network architectures with communication systems having multiple networks for communications between machines and implements for field operations including planting and harvesting operations. In one embodiment, a communication system includes a first communication module including at least one port of a first network, at least one input port and at least one output port of a second network, and a first network gateway to translate between a first protocol for the first network and a second protocol for the second network. A second communication module is communicatively coupled to tike first communication module. The second communication module includes at least one port of the first network, and at least at least one input port and at least one output port of the second network. The second communication module is configurable to expand a network architecture of the communication system by being capable of communicatively coupling to at least one additional communication module.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A communication system, comprising:

a first communication module of a machine includes at least one port of a first network, at least two ports of a second network, and a first network gateway that is configured to translate between a first protocol for the first network and a second protocol for the second network, wherein the first protocol is different from the second protocol;
and
a second communication module of a first row unit of an agricultural implement is communicatively coupled to the first communication module of the machine with an Ethernet cable, the second communication module includes an input port connected to the first communication module, at least one port of the first network, at least two ports of the second network, and a second network gateway that is configured to translate between the first protocol for the first network and the second protocol for the second network with the second communication module being configurable to expand a network architecture of the communication system by communicatively coupling to at least one additional communication module of a second row unit of the agricultural implement, wherein the second network comprises a Power over Ethernet (POE) network.

An agricultural implement, comprising:

a plurality of row units for agricultural operations;
a first communication module that is associated with a first group of row units, the first communication module of the agricultural implement includes at least one port of a first network to receive data from at least one of sensors and controllers of the agricultural implement, at least two ports of a second network, and a first network gateway to translate between a first protocol for the first network and a second protocol for the second network, wherein the first protocol is different from the second protocol;
and
a second communication module communicatively coupled to the first communication module, wherein the second communication module is associated with a second group of row units and includes at least one port of the first network to receive data from at least one of sensors and controllers of the agricultural implement, at least two ports of the second network, and a second network gateway of the second communication module to translate between the first protocol for the first network and the second protocol for the second network, wherein the second network comprises a Power over Ethernet (POE) network.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Expandable network architecture for communications between machines and implements

Life of this patent

Expandable network architecture for communications between machines and implements

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20