# US 2019/0376786 A1 · Smartphone calibration of a grade control system for a work machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0376786 A1 - Document ID: US20190376786A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/005,143 - Filed: 2018-06-11 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-11 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: Madeline T. Oglesby; Cory J. Brant; Christopher R. Benson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376786A1 ## CPC - G01B 21/042: {Calibration or calibration artifacts (G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence)} - G01C 9/00: Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels - E02F 3/435: {for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like} - E02F 3/7618: {with the scraper blade adjustable relative to the pivoting arms about a horizontal axis} - E02F 3/844: {for positioning the blade, e.g. hydraulically} - E02F 9/264: {Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool} - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) ## Abstract A method of calibrating a grade control system is provided. The method includes placing a smartphone on first defined calibration location of a work machine. The smartphone determines a slope of the first defined calibration location relative to gravity. The smartphone is placed on a second defined calibration location of the work machine and determines a slope of the second defined calibration location relative to gravity. The slope of the first and second defined calibration locations is automatically communicated to the grade control system and is employed for subsequent grade control. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of calibrating a grade control system, the method comprising: placing a smartphone on first defined calibration location of a work machine; causing the smartphone to determine a slope of the first defined calibration location relative to gravity; placing the smartphone on a second defined calibration location of the work machine; causing the smartphone to determine a slope of the second defined calibration location relative to gravity; automatically communicating the slope of the first and second defined calibration locations to the grade control system; and employing the slope of the first and second defined calibration locations for subsequent grade control. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein automatically communicating the slope of the first and second defined calibration locations employs wireless communication. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication has a frequency of about 2.4 GHz. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication is in accordance with a Bluetooth Specification. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless communication is in accordance with a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) specification. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is in accordance with a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) specification. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the WiFi specification is IEEE 802.11. ### Claim 8 A mobile device comprising: a processor; a display coupled to the processor and configured to provide a display output; a wireless communication transceiver coupled to the processor and configured to wirelessly communicate with a grade control system; a slope/tilt sensor operably coupled to the processor and configured to detect slope/tilt of the mobile device relative to gravity; memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, provide a grade calibration application; the grade calibration application being configured to: receive user input confirming placement of the mobile device on a first defined calibration location; in response to receiving user input confirming placement on the first defined calibration location, detect slope of the first defined calibration location using the slope/tilt sensor; receive user input confirming placement of the mobile device on a second defined calibration location; in response to receiving user input confirming placement on the second defined calibration location, detect slope of the second defined calibration location using the slope/tilt sensor; and automatically communicate the first and second detected slope to the grade control system using the wireless communication transceiver. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The mobile device of claim 8, and further comprising a display coupled to the processor and configured to provide a display output, the grade calibration application being configured to provide a display output instructing the user to move the mobile device to the second defined calibration location. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the grade control system using cellular data services. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the grade control system at a frequency of about 2.4 GHz. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the grade control system using a Bluetooth specification. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with grade control system using a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) specification. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the grade calibration application is further configured to: receive user input confirming placement of the mobile device on a third defined calibration location; in response to receiving user input confirming placement on the third defined calibration location, detect slope of the third defined calibration location using the slope/tilt sensor; and automatically communicate the third detected slope to the grade control system using the wireless communication transceiver. ### Claim 15 A work machine comprising: a work blade configured to engage a ground surface, the work blade having a controllable slope; a grade control system having an inertial measurement unit, the grade control system being operably coupled to the work blade to control the controllable slope of the work blade; and a wireless communication module configured to receive slope detection information relative to a plurality of defined calibration locations on the work blade and to calibrate the inertial measurement unit based on the received slope detection information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The work machine of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to receive the slope detection information from a smartphone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The work machine of claim 15, wherein each defined calibration location on the work blade has features that cooperate with a carriage configured to receive a smartphone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The work machine of claim 17, wherein the carriage is shaped rectangularly and is configured to properly register the smartphone to the work machine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The work machine of claim 18, wherein the plurality of defined calibration locations includes three calibration locations. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The work machine of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to communicate at about 2.4 GHz.