System and method for interactive selection and determination of agricultural vehicle guide paths offset from each other with varying curvature along their length
US7451030B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 4, 2005 |
| Grant date | Nov 11, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 26, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D1/0272
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method provide for precision guiding of agricultural vehicles along a series of adjacent paths to form rows for cultivating a field. In one aspect of the invention the vehicle is moved along a first path while receiving positioning information from a navigational system (e.g., RTK GPS). This positioning information is stored in a processor and is used by the processor to compute a second path adjacent to said first path by calculating piecewise perpendicular offsets from the first path at multiple locations along the first path. The process is repeated to compute a third and subsequent paths so as to cover the field. Because of the offset process, the field may be covered with paths that have varying curvature along their length, while providing substantially no gaps or overlaps in the coverage of the field. In another aspect of the invention, the system may propose alternative paths and the user can intervene by steering the vehicle or using a graphical user interface to select among the alternative paths. A still further aspect of the invention allows for the recording of the paths that provide coverage of a field in the form of a template. This template can then be …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.