Conditioning a Performance Metric for an Operator Display

A method of preparing and presenting an optimum performance in a track-type tractor, the method comprising:

• receiving inputs from the track-type tractor related to a current operating condition and a current operating state, wherein the operating state includes an operational element under the control of an operator;
• iteratively solving a performance calculation over a range of input values of the operational element to determine a set of output performance values and a peak output value of the performance calculation, wherein the peak output value of the performance calculation corresponds to the optimum performance of the track-type tractor;
• determining an optimum input value associated with the peak output value;
• determining a target range of input values that includes the optimum input value, the target range of input values being a subset of the range of input values;
• normalizing a current value of the operational element to the optimum input performance to produce a normalized current performance;
• displaying the normalized current performance and the target range of input values.

A computer-readable memory having computer-executable instructions implementing modules for execution on a processor of a track-type tractor, the modules comprising:

• an input module that receives data corresponding to both an operating condition of the track-type tractor and an operating state of the track-type tractor;
• a performance module that calculates a cycle power value for the track-type tractor;
• an optimizer module that calculates performance levels for a range of input states and identifies an optimum performance level and an optimum operating state of the track-type tractor;
• a scaling module that prepares a weighted target range as a non-linear representation of performance values so that the weighted target range is a subset of performance values centered at the optimum performance level and is weighted more heavily than performance values outside the weighted target range;
• and
• a normalization module that divides the cycle power value by the optimum performance level to create a normalized performance level;
• and
• a display module that presents the normalized performance level relative to the weighted target range for use by an operator in adjusting the operating state of the track-type tractor.