Combine data center

In a monitoring system for an agricultural machine including a plurality of sensor means for detecting a plurality of machine functions and for producing corresponding sensor signals, said monitoring system including monitoring circuit means responsive to said sensor signals for producing indication signals corresponding to said plurality of machine functions, the improvement comprising:

• video display means capable of displaying a plurality of lines of alphanumeric information, memory means containing calibration data corresponding to instructions for the calibration of said monitoring system for operation with a particular machine, and display driving means responsive to said calibration data for causing said video display means to display said instructions in alphanumeric form, wherein said agricultural machine comprises a combine, and wherein said plurality of sensor means include load sensor means for sensing the operation of one or more parts of said combine which are variably loaded during the combining operation and ground speed sensor means for sensing the ground speed of said combine, and further including load control circuit means for adjusting the ground speed of the combine in accordance with a predetermined relationship between the operation of said variably loaded combine parts and said ground speed so as to control the load imposed upon said one or more variably loaded combine parts, said calibration data including data corresponding to operations for calibrating said load control means for operation with a particular combine having particular operating characteristics, and automatic calibration means responsive to said calibration data for calibrating said load control means for operation of said particular combine.

A modular monitoring and control system for an agricultural machine comprising;

• data bus means, executive monitoring and control means responsive to data received from said data bus means for producing indication signals corresponding to said data, at least one monitoring module means including input means for receiving sensor signals from sensor means which detect operating conditions of said agricultural machine and produce corresponding sensor signals and signal converting means for converting said sensor signals to data usable by said executive monitoring and control means, said monitoring module means being capable of being coupled with said data bus means for bidirectional transfer of data with said executive monitoring and control means, said executive monitoring and control means including a central processing unit capable of operating in a predetermined cycle for individually and sequentially interrogating each of a plurality of said monitoring module means to receive the data therefrom, and each of said monitoring module means including memory means containing data identifying that monitoring module means and the functioning thereof including data identifying the portions of said predetermined cycle during which that monitoring module is to be interrogated by said central processing unit, a plurality of similar monitoring module means being selectively capable of being coupled with said data bus means to form, together with said executive monitoring and control means, a monitoring and control system comprising a desired number of monitoring module means.

A modular monitoring and control system for a combine comprising:

• data bus means, executive monitoring and control means responsive to data received from said data bus means for producing indication signals corresponding to said data, monitoring module means including input means for receiving sensor signals from sensor means which detect operating conditions of said combine and produce corresponding sensor signals and signal converting means for converting said sensor signals to data usable by said executive monitoring and control means, said monitoring module means being capable of being coupled with said data bus means for bidirectional transfer of data with said executive monitoring and control means, and monitoring and control module means including means for receiving sensor signals from sensor means which respond to at least one controllable combine function for producing corresponding sensor signals, second signal converting means for converting said sensor signals to data usable by said executive monitoring and control means and output circuit means for delivering control signals for said controllable combine functions, said monitor and control module means being capable of being coupled with said data bus means for bidirectional transfer of data with said executive monitoring and control means, said monitoring module means and said monitor and control module means being capable of being coupled with said data bus means to form, together with said executive monitoring and control means, a monitoring and control system comprising a desired number of module means.

A monitoring system for an agricultural machine including a plurality of sensors for detecting a plurality of machine functions and for producing corresponding sensor signals, said monitoring system comprising:

• executive monitoring and control means responsive to data derived from said sensor signals for producing data corresponding to indications of said plurality of machine functions, video display means capable of displaying a plurality of lines of alphanumeric information, display driving means responsive to said indication signals for causing said video display means to produce an observable display corresponding to said indication signals, diagnostic memory means containing data corresponding to values of said sensor signals expected in response to a plurality of failure modes of each sensor and data corresponding to failure mode information identifying each sensor and a plurality of failure modes thereof and corresponding instructional information for the correction of each said failure mode, comparing means coupled with said diagnostic memory means and with said executive monitor and control means for comparing the expected values with the actual values of the sensor signals and upon a predetermined comparison therebetween for selecting the data corresponding to failure mode information and instructional information from said diagnostic memory for delivery to said display driving means for alphanumeric display thereof on said video display means, calibration memory means coupled with said executive monitoring and control means for containing data corresponding to instructional information for calibration of said monitoring system for use with a particular machine having given characteristics and means for actuating said display driving means to select said data corresponding to calibration instructional information and for displaying said instructions in alphanumeric form on said video display, and wherein said executive monitoring and control means includes actuating means accessible to an operator for selecting one of said data corresponding to indications of said plurality of machine functions, said data corresponding to failure mode and instructional information, or said data corresponding to calibration instructional information for display on said video display means.

A monitoring and control system for an agricultural machine including a plurality of sensors for detecting a plurality of machine functions and for producing corresponding sensor signals, said monitoring and control system including executive monitoring and control means responsive to input data for producing display signals, a video display capable of displaying a plurality of lines of alphanumeric information in response to said display signals, memory means containing calibration data corresponding to operations for the calibration of said monitoring and control system for operation with a particular machine and coupled with said executive monitor and control means for display of said calibration data, automatic load calibration means for calibrating the operation of one or more combine parts which are variably loaded during the combining operation and responsive to said calibration data and to selected ones of said sensors for calibrating load control means for control of the operation of said variably loaded combine parts, monitoring module means capable of being coupled with said executive monitor and control means and including means responsive to selected ones of said sensors for converting said sensor signals to data usable by said executive monitor and control means, and control module means capable of being coupled with said executive monitor and control means and including means responsive to selected ones of said sensors for converting said sensor signals to data usable by said executive monitor and control means and diagnostic means including diagnostic memory means for containing failure data corresponding to the expected range of values of each of said sensor signals if produced by a properly functioning sensor and capable of being coupled with said executive monitor and control means for comparing the expected range of values of each sensor signal with its actual value and for producing failure data in the event of a predetermined comparison therebetween for display of corresponding failure and diagnostic information.