System and method for planning the operations of an agricultural machine in a field

A method for planning the operations of an agricultural machine in a field, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing a site model of the field, the site model including data defining a plurality of parameters associated with the field;
• receiving information indicative of a desired work operation;
• receiving information indicative of a work implement, the work implement being connected to the agricultural machine, the information including at least one of a width of the work implement and a length of the work implement;
• planning a plurality of desired paths for the agricultural machine to traverse as a function of the plurality of field parameters, the desired work operation, and the work implement;
• activating an autoguidance control system, and producing a control signal as a function of the plurality of desired paths;
• and
• controlling the operation of the agricultural machine with respect to the plurality of desired paths in response to the control signal.

A system for planning the operations of an agricultural machine in a field, comprising:

• a path planning system including a site database, an operations database, and an implement database, the path planning system being adapted to receive information indicative of a work implement connected to the agricultural machine, a desired work operation of the agricultural machine, a start point of a reference path, and an end point of the reference path;
• an autoguidance control system located on the agricultural machine, and in communication with the path planning system;
• a position determining system located on the agricultural machine, the position determining system adapted to provide position data to the autoguidance control system, the position data including a position, speed, and heading of the agricultural machine;
• a machine control system located on the agricultural machine, and in communication with the autoguidance control system;
• a display system located on the agricultural machine, and adapted to receive information from the autoguidance control system;
• wherein the site database is adapted to store a site model of the field, the site model including data defining a plurality of parameters associated with the field, the plurality of parameters including at least one of yield data, rainfall data, prescription data, a boundary of the field, an obstacle in the field, and an area of non-tillable terrain in the field;
• wherein the operations database is adapted to store operation data associated with a plurality of work operations, the operation data including a rate of application of the work implement, and an elevation of the work implement;
• wherein the implement database is adapted to store implement data associated with a plurality of work implements, the implement data stored for each of the plurality of work implements includes a width of the work implement, and a length of the work implement;
• wherein the path planning system is further adapted to plan a plurality of desired paths for the agricultural machine to traverse as a function of the plurality of field parameters, the work implement, the desired work operation, and the reference path;
• wherein the plurality of desired paths are parallel, each of the plurality of parallel paths being planned as a function of the reference path and the width of the work implement;
• wherein each of the plurality of desired paths are enclosed in a polygon having at least two parallel sides, the parallel sides being separated by the width of the work implement;
• wherein the plurality of desired paths include a plurality of nodes, each of the plurality of nodes including a control condition;
• wherein the autoguidance control system is adapted to receive the plurality of desired paths, and upon activation produce a control signal indicative of an action to be performed by the agricultural machine at each node;
• wherein the machine control system is adapted to receive the control signal, and responsively control the operation of the agricultural machine;
• and
• wherein the display system is adapted to display the position and heading of the agricultural machine with respect to the plurality of desired paths.