U.S. patent application number 10/474643 was filed with the patent office on 2004-06-10 for soil cultivation implement control apparatus and method.
Invention is credited to Mailer, Robert Lindsay.
Application Number | 20040111202 10/474643 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 3828303 |
Filed Date | 2004-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040111202 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mailer, Robert Lindsay |
June 10, 2004 |
Soil cultivation implement control apparatus and method
Abstract
A soil cultivating apparatus including a tractor (2) towing a
row cultivator (4) by means of a three-point linkage (6). The row
cultivator (4) includes a fixed portion (8) and a moveable portion
(10) having soil scarifying tools (18a-18n). The movable portion
(10) is laterally moveable relative to the fixed portion (8) by
means of linkages (12a-12d) and is effected by a hydraulic actuator
(22) under control of tool-bar control system (20) which is able to
determine the position of the moveable portion (10) relative to the
fixed portion (8) by means of a sensor (24). Mounted upon the
moveable portion (10) is a DGPS antenna (26) GPS receiver that
forms part of the control system (20). The control system (20) has
a microprocessor which operatively executes a stored program. The
microprocessor receives data from an intra-rig sensor and from the
GPS receiver specifying the absolute coordinate of the movable
portion (10) relative to the earth. On the basis of the data
received and in accordance with the instructions in the program,
the microprocessor generates a series of lateral motion commands
which controls the hydraulic actuator (22). An operator of the
system may enter coordinates defining a desired line of travel of
the movable portion (10) by means of a data entry device. Command
prompts and other feedback to the operator are displayed by means
of a screen.
Inventors: |
Mailer, Robert Lindsay;
(Queensland, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEYDIG VOIT & MAYER, LTD
TWO PRUDENTIAL PLAZA, SUITE 4900
180 NORTH STETSON AVENUE
CHICAGO
IL
60601-6780
US
|
Family ID: |
3828303 |
Appl. No.: |
10/474643 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
April 9, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AU02/00451 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/50 ;
172/4.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01B 69/004 20130101;
A01B 79/005 20130101; G05D 1/0278 20130101; G05D 2201/0201
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/050 ;
172/004.5 |
International
Class: |
G06F 019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 9, 2001 |
AU |
PR 4303 |
Claims
The claims defining the invention are as follows:
1. Soil cultivation apparatus including: a fixed portion associated
with propulsion means and guidable substantially along a selected
cultivation path; a cultivator portion linked to said fixed
portion; an actuator operable between said fixed portion and said
cultivator portion for effecting lateral displacement therebetween;
a position detector located on said cultivator portion and
establishing position data for said cultivator portion; a relative
lateral position sensor generating relative position data
corresponding to the lateral displacement between said fixed
portion and said cultivator portion; and a processor accessing way
line data corresponding to said selected cultivation path and
operating according to an algorithm selected from a second order
PID control loop algorithm and a bang-bang algorithm selected to
use said position data and said relative position data to generate
a control signal operating said actuator to effect corrected
tracking of the cultivator portion substantially along said way
line.
2. Soil cultivation apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the
position detector is a Differential GPS positioning system
including Differential GPS base station a GPS receiver and an
antenna.
3. Soil cultivation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
relative position sensor includes a rotary transducer.
4. Soil cultivation apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the
relative position sensor includes a second GPS system including a
second antenna located at a point stationary with respect to the
fixed portion.
5. Soil cultivation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the
second antenna is mounted on the fixed portion.
6. Soil cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to
5, wherein said algorithm Includes a second order closed loop PID
algorithm to generate the control signal.
7. Soil cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6
wherein the desired path of travel Is entered by an operator of the
agricultural vehicle and stored in a data storage device accessible
to the processor.
8. A method for controlling a soil cultivation implement of the
type Including a fixed portion for the towing behind an
agricultural vehicle and a moveable portion laterally offsettable
from the fixed portion, the method Including the steps of: towing
the implement behind an agricultural vehicle; monitoring the global
position of the moveable portion; comparing said global position to
a predetermined globally specified desired path; and offsetting the
moveable portion relative to the fixed portion in order that the
moveable portion tracks the desired path by generating a control
signal for controlling an actuator located to effect motion of the
moveable portion relative to the fixed portion, said control signal
being generated by means of an algorithm selected from a second
order PID control loop algorithm and a bang-bang algorithm
responsive to said monitored global position and relative position
data corresponding to said offset.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a soil-cultivation apparatus and
control apparatus and method therefor.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Cultivation of some types of crop, for example cotton, may
be performed in cultivation rows that essentially follow the
contours of the land. When tilling between plantings, this is
desirably performed by reshaping of cultivation rows rather than by
generating an entirely new series of rows.
[0003] In the past attempts have been made to provide an apparatus
which facilitates reshaping of cultivation rows. For example, in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,317 to Mansur there is described a row
cultivator including a fixed toolbar and a trailing moveable
toolbar. Lateral displacement of the moveable toolbar relative to
the fixed toolbar is facilitated by an actuator. A pair of
mechanical sensors located on opposing ends of the trailing toolbar
each determine the position of adjacent, pre-existing, furrows. A
mechanical apparatus is responsive to the sensors and generates a
difference signal that is used to control the actuator in order to
reduce furrow spacing irregularities as the row cultivator is
passed over the pre-existing furrows.
[0004] A problem with the prior art approach to reshaping the
furrows is that the reshaping is partly a function of the position
of the pre-existing furrows. Accordingly a calibration error in the
apparatus may cause errors to accumulate so that over a number of
seasons the re-shaped furrows become more, rather than less,
irregular.
[0005] In addition, the practical limits imposed by wheelbase,
steering scrub, towing pull and traction of the propulsion unit
will necessarily limit the precision at which the cultivator may
track the desired cultivation path.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to a first aspect of the invention there is
provided a soil cultivation apparatus including:
[0007] a fixed portion associated with propulsion means and
guidable thereby substantially along a selected cultivation
path;
[0008] a cultivator portion linked to said fixed portion;
[0009] an actuator operable between said fixed portion and said
cultivator portion for effecting lateral displacement
therebetween;
[0010] a position detector selected to provide position data for
said cultivator portion;
[0011] a processor having data corresponding to said selected
cultivation path and adapted to utilize said position data to
generate a control signal for said actuator to effect corrected
tracking of the cultivator portion along said cultivation path.
[0012] The fixed portion may be adapted to mount to the toolbar of
a conventional tractor or the like. Alternatively, the fixed
portion may comprise a part of a dedicated propulsion unit for the
apparatus.
[0013] The fixed portion may be substantially guided along the
cultivation path by any suitable means. For example, the fixed
portion may be manually guided by steering the fixed portion along
the previous-crop's rows to approximate the desired path.
Alternatively, the fixed portion may be substantially guided along
the path by steering actuators responsive to a control signal that
references the desired cultivation path and the position of the
fixed portion. The control signal may be generated by the same or
different processor means as the cultivator portion, and may obtain
position data from the same or different position indicator.
[0014] The position indicator may be associated directly with the
cultivator portion or may be associated with the propulsion unit or
fixed portion. For example, the position indicator may comprise a
receiving element of a positioning system. Where the position
indicator is associated with the propulsion unit or fixed portion,
there is provided offset data means adapted to provide relative
position data by which the processor may generate an accurate
cultivator position fix from the positioning data generated by the
position indicator.
[0015] The position detector may include a Differential GPS
receiver adapted to accept position data from the satellite
constellation, corrected locally by a further correction signal
from a Differential GPS base station. In the alternative, or in
addition, there may be provided a modified-algorithm base station
adapted to provide more accurate correction data than commercial
DGPS signals, and in this case the differential data receiver may
also be modified.
[0016] Preferably the position detector further includes a relative
position sensor arranged to generate a signal indicative of the
relative position of the moveable portion to the fixed portion,
wherein the software product further includes instructions for
receiving signals from the relative position sensor. The relative
position sensor may be the same or different to the aforementioned
offset data means.
[0017] The relative position sensor may be arranged to monitor
operation of the actuator. Alternatively the relative position
sensor may be coupled between the fixed portion and the moveable
portion and include a rotary transducer.
[0018] In another embodiment the relative position sensor includes
a second Differential GPS system including an antenna located at a
point stationary with respect to the fixed portion. For example the
second antenna may be mounted on the fixed portion or operatively
on the agricultural vehicle.
[0019] It is preferred that the processor include software include
instructions for implementing a second order closed PID loop.
[0020] Alternatively the software may include instructions for
implementing a bang-bang control algorithm.
[0021] According to a further aspect of the present invention there
is provided a control system for a soil cultivation implement of
the type including a fixed portion for towing behind an
agricultural vehicle and a moveable portion laterally offsettable
from the fixed portion, the cultivation implement including an
actuator for effecting lateral offset of the moveable portion, the
control system including:
[0022] position detector means for generating signals indicative of
the global position of the moveable portion; and
[0023] a processor operatively executing a software product
including instructions for receiving the signals from the position
detector means and generating a control signal for minimising
divergence of the moveable portion from a globally desired
path.
[0024] In a preferred embodiment the control system further
includes a relative position detector means arranged to sense the
position of the moveable portion relative to the fixed portion.
[0025] Preferably the relative position detector means includes
position detector means of the fixed portion.
[0026] Alternatively the first absolute position sensor may
determine the position of the fixed portion.
[0027] In a further embodiment the position detector means
comprises the first absolute position sensor and a second absolute
position sensor.
[0028] Preferably the relative position sensor is arranged to
determine lateral offset of the movable portion relative to the
fixed portion.
[0029] Alternatively the relative position sensor may be arranged
to monitor operation of the actuator.
[0030] According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided a method for controlling a soil cultivation implement
of the type including a fixed portion for towing behind an
agricultural vehicle and a moveable portion laterally offsettable
from the fixed portion, the method including the steps of:
[0031] towing the implement behind an agricultural vehicle;
[0032] monitoring the global position of the moveable portion;
[0033] comparing said global position to a predetermined globally
specified desired path; and
[0034] offsetting the moveable portion relative to the fixed
portion in order that the moveable portion tracks the desired
path.
[0035] Preferably the method includes the further step of
monitoring the position of the moveable portion relative to the
fixed portion and using said monitored relative position to
determine the offset required to track the desired path.
[0036] Preferably the step of offsetting the moveable portion
includes generating a control signal for controlling an actuator
located to effect motion of the moveable portion relative to the
fixed portion.
[0037] Preferably the control signal is generated by means of a PID
algorithm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0038] In order that this invention may be readily understood and
put into practical effect, reference will be made to the
accompanying drawings wherein:
[0039] FIG. 1 is a stylised plan view of an agricultural vehicle
towing a controllable soil cultivation implement according to the
present invention.
[0040] FIG. 1A is a close up of a portion of FIG. 1 showing a
relative position sensor.
[0041] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system according to
an embodiment of the invention.
[0042] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a dual loop PID control system
implemented by a software product as used in the present
invention.
[0043] FIG. 4 is a diagram used to explain the operation of an
embodiment of the invention.
[0044] FIG. 5 depicts a desired path of travel of a moveable
portion of a soil conditioning implement.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0045] With reference to FIG. 1 there is depicted a stylised plan
view of a tractor 2 towing a soil conditioning implement in the
form of row-cultivator 4. Row-cultivator 4 is attached to tractor 2
by means of a three-point linkage 6. The row-cultivator includes a
fixed portion 8 and a moveable portion 10. Attached to the moveable
portion are a number of soil scarifying tools 18a-18n. The movable
portion is able to be laterally offset relative to the fixed tool
bar by means of pivotally connected linkages. Left and right
lateral offset of moveable portion 10 relative to fixed portion 8
is indicated by arrows 14 and 16. Lateral offset of the moveable
tool bar is effected by hydraulic actuator 22 under control of
tool-bar control system 20. Tool bar control system 20 is able to
determine the position of the moveable tool-bar relative to the
fixed tool-bar by means of sensor 24. A close-up view of sensor 24
is shown in FIG. 1A.
[0046] The relative position sensor 24 includes a primary
connection member 21 having a first end 23 rotably attached to the
moveable portion 10 via a first anchor member 25. Similarly, the
second end 27 is rotably attached to the fixed portion 8, via a
second anchor member 25a.
[0047] A secondary connection member 28, having a double arm
28a-28b arrangement is rotably attached to the mid point of the
primary connection member 21 and fixedly attached to the moveable
portion.
[0048] A rotary transducer 29 detects lateral offset of the
moveable portion 10 relative to the fixed portion 8, via the arms
28a-28b of the secondary connection member. The displacement is
converted to an electrical signal by the rotary transducer, which
is communicated to the analog to digital converter
[0049] Mounted upon the moveable portion 10 is a differential
geographical positioning system (DGPS) antenna means 26. The output
from the GPS antenna means is coupled to a DGPS receiver that forms
part of the tool bar control system 20. The differential DGPS
receiver is able to calculate the current longitude, latitude and
altitude of the DGPS antenna from the output of the DGPS antenna.
The antenna means is communicatively coupled with a plurality of
satellites (not shown) which provide the necessary signals to the
antenna means, that are used by the receiver in calculating the
current longitude, latitude and altitude.
[0050] The differential GPS system works in co-operation with a
differential GPS base station (not shown). The base station is
situated at a known latitude, longitude, altitude position and
receives signals from the same satellite as the DGPS antenna 26.
The base station compares the position determined from the received
signal to its known position, and calculates an error signal
indicative of the difference between the two valves. The error
signal is communicated to the DGPS receiver 36 for correction of
the positional data received from the differential DGPS antenna
26.
[0051] Differential DGPS base stations are available from a number
of manufacturers. The applicant has found the best results to be
obtained from its own differential GPS base station.
[0052] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of tool bar control system 20.
System 20 is built around microprocessor 30 which operatively
executes a program 34 stored in system memory 32. Microprocessor 30
receives data from intra-rig sensor 24 via analog-to-digital
converter 27. The microprocessor also receives data from GPS
receiver 36. GPS receiver 36 receives an RF signal from GPS antenna
26 mounted on movable tool-bar 10. The GPS receiver 36 generates a
stream of data specifying the absolute coordinate of the movable
tool-bar relative to the earth. On the basis of the data received
from A/D converter 27 and GPS receiver 36, and in accordance with
the instructions in program 34, the microprocessor generates a
series of lateral motion commands which are converted to analog
form by D/A converter 38. The output signal from D/A converter 38
controls intra-rig actuator 22. Intra-rig actuator 22 typically
consists of a hydraulic cylinder under solenoid control with the
control input of the solenoid coupled to D/A converter 38.
[0053] An operator of the system 20 may enter coordinates defining
a desired line of travel of the movable portion by means of data
entry device 11. The line of travel can be a representation of a
set of longitude-latitude pairs along which the desired line of
travel lies. Command prompts and other feedback to the operator are
displayed by means of screen 13.
[0054] With reference to FIG. 3 there is depicted a diagram of the
control system implemented by program 34. Program 34 makes use of
the movement provided by the intra-rig actuator to minimise the
error between a point on a desired line of travel and the current
position as measured by the GPS system.
[0055] The program implements a pair of cascaded parallel PID
control loops with the output 51 for the first loop corresponding
to the PID conditioned across track error of the movable toolbar
relative to a point on the desired line of travel. This valve is
then used as the input to the second loop. The across track error
calculated by the first loop is conditioned to minimise the effect
of noise present in the signal delivered from the GPS antenna 26.
The PID algorithm operates as a closed loop in that any lateral
offset effected by the intra-rig actuator will result in updated
GPS data for the moveable portion. This data is then input for the
first loop.
[0056] PID (proportional, integral, derivative) controllers use a
number of techniques to generate an output that cause a specified
corrective effort to be applied to a process, so as to drive a
measurable process variable towards a desired value, known as the
set point. The aim of the applied corrective effort is to eliminate
the error between the measured process variable and the setpoint.
Various PID algorithms used to calculate the quantities that
represent the corrective effort are known in the art, and a full
discussion of those algorithms is not necessary to fully describe
the present invention. Indeed, the present invention is independent
of the particular PID algorithm that is used to calculate the
lateral motion commands communicated to the intra-rig actuator
22.
[0057] The across track error is the perpendicular distance along
the surface of the earth to the current position of the moveable
portion 10 from a point on the desired line of travel. The across
track error is the shortest distance from the desired line of
travel to a reference point or "control position" on the movable
tool-bar. Typically the reference point will coincide with the
location of antenna 26.
[0058] The process variable of the first loop is the actual across
track error as determined by the desired line of travel and the
current absolute global position given by the GPS receiver 36.
[0059] The output 51, of the first loop is used as the setpoint of
the second loop. An adjustable gain may be applied to the output of
the first loop to match the amplitudes of the signal from the
relative position sensor. Intra-rig displacement is used as the
process variable of the second control loop. An adjustable dead
band is applied to the output of the second loop before it is
delivered to the actuator. Therefore the output of the second loop
is limited in its response to prevent excessive activation of the
intra-rig actuator.
[0060] It will be noted that program 34 includes a program module
36 generating data defining a desired line of travel for movable
tool bar 10. The desired line of travel data may be predetermined.
Alternatively the desired line of travel may be manually entered by
an operator of tractor 2 while the tractor is in motion. The
desired line of travel may consist of a series of points along
which a reference point, for example the midpoint, of moveable tool
bar 10 is to travel.
[0061] An example of the operation of the invention will now be
described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In the example given the
tractor follows a path 40 which typically is represented as an
idealized smooth curve
[0062] The path followed by the tractor will in practice vary from
the desired line because of local conditions. To minimise this
error, the tractor itself may operate under the control of a
vehicle guidance system which may also make use of a differential
GPS system. The use of such a system will enable the tractor to
stay within a desired band of error 40a, 40b along the desired path
40. This is further detailed below.
[0063] The desired path of a reference point on moveable tool-bar
10 is shown by line 43. It will be noted that the desired path of
the tool-bar divergs from the straight line path twice. Initially
at position 42 there is zero lateral offset between moveable
portion 10 and the fixed portion 8. When the moveable portion 10
reaches position 44 it is desired that the moveable portion 10 be
offset from the fixed tool bar 8 by a distance D in the indicated
direction.
[0064] As tractor 2 proceeds along its path system 20 compares GPS
data from receiver 36 to desired path information stored in memory
32. Divergence of the position of movable tool bar 10 from th
desired point data is detected by the dual loop control algorithm
implemented by program 34. Microprocessor 30, in accordance with
the program generates control signals in order to cause intra-rig
actuator 22 to laterally offset moveable tool bar 10 so that the
desired path is tracked with little cross track error. Consequently
at position 44 moveable tool bar 10 is laterally offset a distance
D as is desired.
[0065] The apparatus of FIG. 1 might also be operated by firstly
defining a desired line of travel or "wayline" in memory 32. For
example the wayline might be defined by first driving the tractor 2
to a position which will be a first way point for defining a
wayline. Once at the way point the current global position can be
downloaded, for example by a DGPS antenna with a correctional
signal from a DGPS base station. The tractor 2 may then be driven
to a second way point, with the global position of the second way
point also being downloaded. The direction vector between the way
points is called the wayline.
[0066] Further details of this process are given in the applicants
published international patent application number
PCT/AU99/00930.
[0067] The vehicle is then driven manually by an operator on an
approximately parallel path to that of the wayline. Once the
operator is satisfied that the vehicle is travelling with an
appropriate perpendicular offset to the wayline, the operator
issues a command to the control system to continue travelling with
the selected offset.
[0068] The above steps can then be repeated each time a new wayline
is to be travelled.
[0069] The purpose of the above operational mode is to facilitate
the vehicle travelling at an offset to the position of the desired
wayline at which the effects of the implement are to be made.
[0070] It will be understood that tractor 2 may take another path
other than a straight-line path such as path 40.
[0071] Variations to the apparatus described with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2 are also possible. For example, in one embodiment
intra-rig sensor 24 may be omitted. In that case program 34
implements a bang-bang control system that moves the antenna and
the moveable toolbar to minimise offset from the desired line of
travel.
[0072] In order for the embodiment of the invention described with
reference to FIG. 1 to function effectively, the combination of
actuator force and field conditions must be such that the bandwidth
of the actuation is less than half that of the rate at which
coordinate updates are received from the GPS system.
[0073] A further variation is to fit the actuator with an intra-rig
displacement observer.
[0074] In that case program 34 will, include instructions to
mathematically integrate output from the intra-rig displacement
observer in order to enable the estimation of rig position without
the presence of a separate intra-rig sensor 24. Calibration of the
intra-rig actuator position is regularly required to ensure that
control positions are not outside the physical limitations of the
tool bar being controlled.
[0075] In another variation the intra-rig sensor is replaced by
using a further GPS system including a second GPS antenna mounted
on the tractor 2 or on the fixed toolbar 8. This arrangement
assumes that the toolbar is towed directly behind the tractor and
that lateral offset of the moveable towbar may be determined by a
comparison performed in software of the data from the first and
second GPS receiver.
[0076] It will be realised by those skilled in the art that
preferred embodiments of the present invention are an advance over
soil cultivation implements found in the prior art. Specifically,
prior art implements provide for lateral displacement of the
moveable portion where an irregularity in the spacing of existing
mounds and furrows is sensed by a mechanical probe. This type of
sensing means operates by monitoring the spacing between the probes
and a defined reference position located on the cultivator.
[0077] In contrast, the present inventions use of the global
position of the cultivator relative to a predefined path of travel,
results in an actual path of travel more closely reflecting the
desired path of travel. Further, the use of a reference position
independent of a position on the cultivator ameliorates the
accumulation of calibration errors as occurred in the prior
art.
[0078] It will of course be realised that the above has been given
only by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all
such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to
persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad
scope and ambit of the invention as is defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *