Vehicle parameter offset value management and control system
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsSara C. O'Connor, Kellen E. O'Connor, Jeremy J. Faust, Ryan R. White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A physical attribute of a receiving vehicle (a receiving vehicle parameter) is located by calculating a vehicle parameter offset value indicative of the location of the receiving vehicle parameter relative to a reference point on a following vehicle, the following vehicle providing propulsion to the receiving vehicle. The vehicle parameter offset value is stored for access during an unloading operation. A leading vehicle automatically accesses the vehicle parameter offset value and unloads material into the receiving vehicle using the vehicle parameter offset value corresponding to the receiving vehicle.
Claims19
A method of controlling an unloading operation for unloading material from a leading vehicle into a receiving vehicle that is propelled by a following vehicle, the following vehicle and receiving vehicle comprising a following vehicle/receiving vehicle pair, the method comprising:
- detecting a vehicle identifier corresponding to the following vehicle/receiving vehicle pair;
- obtaining a vehicle parameter offset value corresponding to the vehicle identifier, the vehicle parameter offset value being indicative of a location of a receiving vehicle parameter relative to a following vehicle reference point on the following vehicle,
- wherein obtaining the vehicle parameter offset value comprises:
- detecting, by a receiving vehicle sensor on the leading vehicle, the receiving vehicle parameter;
- determining a relative location of the receiving vehicle parameter, detected by the receiving vehicle sensor, relative to a leading vehicle reference point on the leading vehicle;
- and
- determining the location of the receiving vehicle parameter relative to the following vehicle reference point based on the relative location of the receiving vehicle parameter relative to the leading vehicle reference point on the leading vehicle;
- obtaining an indication of a relative position of the following vehicle reference point relative to the leading vehicle;
- and
- controlling the unloading operation based on:
- the vehicle parameter offset value indicative of the location of the receiving vehicle parameter relative to the following vehicle reference point on the following vehicle, and
- the relative position of the following vehicle reference point relative to the leading vehicle.
A control system configured to control an unloading operation for unloading material from a leading vehicle into a receiving vehicle that is propelled by a following vehicle, the following vehicle and receiving vehicle comprising a following vehicle/receiving vehicle pair, the control system comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the control system to:
- retrieve a vehicle parameter offset value using a vehicle identifier corresponding to the following vehicle/receiving vehicle pair, the vehicle parameter offset value being indicative of a location of a receiving vehicle parameter relative to a reference point on the following vehicle;
- detect a mismatch between the vehicle identifier used to retrieve the vehicle parameter offset value and a currently-detected vehicle identifier;
- and
- in response to the detected mismatch, perform vehicle parameter offset value retrieval based on the currently-detected vehicle identifier.
A method of controlling an unloading operation for unloading material from a leading vehicle into a receiving vehicle that is propelled by a following vehicle, the method comprising:
- detecting by a receiving vehicle sensor on the leading vehicle, a receiving vehicle parameter;
- determining a first relative location of the receiving vehicle parameter, detected by the receiving vehicle sensor, relative to a leading vehicle reference point on the leading vehicle;
- determining a second relative location of the receiving vehicle parameter relative to the following vehicle reference point based on the first relative location of the receiving vehicle parameter relative to the leading vehicle reference point on the leading vehicle;
- generating a calibrated offset value, based on the second relative location and controlling the unloading operation based on the calibrated offset value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.