CN115361861A - Harvester, automatic travel method of harvester, program, recording medium, system, agricultural machine, automatic travel method of agricultural machine, method, and automatic steering management system - Google Patents

Harvester, automatic travel method of harvester, program, recording medium, system, agricultural machine, automatic travel method of agricultural machine, method, and automatic steering management system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CN115361861A
CN115361861A CN202180024559.6A CN202180024559A CN115361861A CN 115361861 A CN115361861 A CN 115361861A CN 202180024559 A CN202180024559 A CN 202180024559A CN 115361861 A CN115361861 A CN 115361861A
Authority
CN
China
Prior art keywords
body position
travel
azimuth
reference azimuth
unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
CN202180024559.6A
Other languages
Chinese (zh)
Inventor
中林隆志
渡边俊树
佐野友彦
吉田脩
川畑翔太郎
堀内真幸
齐藤直
山冈京介
奥平淳人
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kubota Corp
Original Assignee
Kubota Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP2020113235A external-priority patent/JP2022011847A/en
Priority claimed from JP2020113234A external-priority patent/JP2022011846A/en
Priority claimed from JP2020113236A external-priority patent/JP7387544B2/en
Priority claimed from JP2020167985A external-priority patent/JP7387572B2/en
Application filed by Kubota Corp filed Critical Kubota Corp
Publication of CN115361861A publication Critical patent/CN115361861A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
    • A01B69/00—Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
    • A01B69/007—Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow
    • A01B69/008—Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow automatic
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
    • A01B69/00—Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D34/00—Mowers; Mowing apparatus of harvesters
    • A01D34/006—Control or measuring arrangements
    • A01D34/008—Control or measuring arrangements for automated or remotely controlled operation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot
    • G05D1/02—Control of position or course in two dimensions

Abstract

The harvester is provided with: a body position calculation unit (40) for positioning the body position of the computer using the satellites; a first body position acquisition unit (41) that takes, as a first body position, a body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by manual operation during a harvesting operation; a second body position acquisition unit (42) for setting, as a second body position, a body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a location separated from the first body position during a harvesting operation; a reference azimuth calculation unit (43) that calculates, as a reference azimuth, the azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a travel control unit (50) that controls the automatic travel of the machine body on the basis of the reference azimuth or the travel route calculated on the basis of the reference azimuth.

Description

Harvester, automatic traveling method of harvester, program, recording medium, system, agricultural machine, automatic traveling method of agricultural machine, method, and automatic steering management system
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a harvester, an automatic travel method of a harvester, a program, a recording medium, a system, an agricultural machine, an automatic travel method of an agricultural machine, a method, and an automatic steering management system.
Background
A rice transplanter, which is one of agricultural vehicles, divides a field into an outer peripheral region and a central region located inside the outer peripheral region to perform seedling planting. For example, in the rice transplanter capable of traveling automatically of patent document 1, before the seedling planting work is performed, a linear teaching travel by manual steering is performed along a ridge in the outer peripheral region.
A direction along the taught path obtained by teaching travel is set as a target azimuth (reference azimuth). In the automatic steering, a target azimuth and a target travel path are used.
The seedling planting work is performed by automatic steering from the central area. The seedling planting work is performed while the vehicle is moving straight by the automatic steering along the first target travel route, the direction of the machine body is switched during the turning travel by the manual steering performed near the field, and the seedling planting work by the automatic steering using the target direction and the next target travel route is performed again.
When the seedling planting work for the central area is finished by repeating such straight running and turning running, the seedling planting work for the peripheral area is performed. After the seedling planting operation for the peripheral area is finished, the transplanter leaves to the outside of the field.
The agricultural machine disclosed in patent document 2 is provided with positioning means capable of acquiring positional information of the machine body using a navigation satellite, and steering control by a steering control unit is performed so that the agricultural machine travels in a reference azimuth calculated during initial teaching travel.
Patent document 3 discloses an automatic travel system for a working vehicle that manages a plurality of automatically traveling agricultural vehicles thrown into one field. In this work vehicle automatic travel system, for example, a first agricultural work vehicle and a second agricultural work vehicle capable of data communication exchange work travel states.
Each farm work vehicle includes a path element selection unit that selects a travel path element to be a travel target for automatic travel from a travel path element group generated in advance. The path element selection unit selects the next travel path element in consideration of both the work travel states and both the machine body positions. Thereby, the first agricultural vehicle and the second agricultural vehicle cooperatively perform the harvesting work while avoiding mutual collision.
The first agricultural vehicle and the second agricultural vehicle can exchange setting parameters of the vehicle travel equipment group and the working equipment group, and can adjust parameters of the vehicle based on parameters of the target vehicle.
The harvester capable of automatic traveling of patent document 4 is calculated with one side of a polygonal non-working area formed by manually round harvesting traveling as a reference side and with a line obtained by moving the reference side inward in parallel by 1/2 of the working width (including overlapping) as an initial reference line.
The work in the non-working area is performed in a reciprocating travel mode in which the straight travel under the automatic steering and the U-turn travel under the manual steering are repeated with the initial reference line as the target travel path. The target path for straight traveling under automatic steering is calculated by moving the initial reference line inward by the parallel working width.
The rice transplanter and the harvester divide a field into an outer peripheral region and a central region located inside the outer peripheral region to perform agricultural operations. In this case, in the rice transplanter capable of traveling automatically of patent document 1, teaching traveling based on a manual straight line is performed in the outer peripheral area before the seedling planting operation. A direction along the taught path obtained by teaching travel is set as a target azimuth (reference azimuth).
In the automatic steering, a target azimuth and a target travel path are used. The seedling planting work is performed by automatic steering from the central area. The seedling planting work is performed while the machine body is moving straight by the automatic steering along the first target running path, the direction of the machine body is switched during the turning running near the field, and the seedling planting work under the automatic steering using the reference direction and the next target running path is performed again.
When the seedling planting work for the central area is finished by repeating such straight running and turning running, the seedling planting work for the peripheral area is performed. After the seedling planting operation for the peripheral area is finished, the transplanter is separated to the outside of the field.
Documents of the prior art
Patent document
Patent document 1 Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2017-123804
Patent document 2 Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2019-097503
Patent document 3 japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2018-99043 (paragraph No. 0080 to 0107)
Patent document 4 Japanese patent laid-open No. 2020-022397 (paragraphs 0053 to 0056)
Disclosure of Invention
Problems to be solved by the invention
[ first subject ]
In the harvester, in order to perform automatic travel by automatic steering using a reference azimuth calculated by taught travel as disclosed in patent document 1, taught travel must be performed. However, if a harvester, which is one of the field working vehicles, enters the field, the harvest will be pushed over if the harvesting operation is not performed immediately.
Therefore, a method is considered in which the harvester is first moved into the field by manual steering, and teaching travel is performed in a work area formed by performing a certain harvesting work. In this method, there is a disadvantage that the efficiency of the harvesting operation is deteriorated due to an increase in the travel time of the harvester without accompanying the harvesting operation.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a harvester capable of obtaining a reference orientation based on teaching travel even though a harvesting operation is performed.
[ second subject ]
If a harvester, which is one of the agricultural vehicles, enters the field, the harvest will be pushed over if the harvesting is not performed immediately. In addition, in the harvester that performs automatic travel using the reference azimuth calculated by the taught travel as disclosed in patent document 1, the taught travel must be performed before the automatic travel. Therefore, when entering a field and performing a harvesting operation, it is preferable to perform teaching travel at the earliest possible timing.
The harvesting operation of the harvester is first carried out by travelling around the turns of the field along the ridge side. In the circling travel, avoidance travel using a protrusion area protruding from the ridge, a water outlet, and the like is performed in places where the protrusion area and the water outlet are located, so as to avoid the backward movement. Further, at the beginning of harvesting work, the relationship between the vehicle speed and the processing speed of the harvesting device may be inappropriate, and if clogging of the harvested material or the like occurs, it is necessary to temporarily stop the machine body or stop the engine in order to remove the clogging.
In the conventional teaching travel described in patent document 1, a travel state of emergency evacuation such as a backward travel, a stop, and an engine stop during the teaching travel is not taken into consideration, and when such a travel state occurs, the teaching travel is suspended, and thereafter, the teaching travel is resumed. This is a problem for a driver who wants to move to automatic driving as early as possible.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an agricultural machine capable of obtaining a reference azimuth necessary for automatic travel even in a travel state in which an emergency evacuation occurs during teaching travel.
[ third subject ]
The agricultural machine disclosed in patent document 2 performs steering control along one reference azimuth. Depending on the type of agricultural machine, the agricultural machine may travel not only in one direction of the field but also in a plurality of directions depending on the shape of the field. Therefore, it is desirable to separately use a plurality of reference azimuths at random in accordance with the traveling state of the machine body.
The invention aims to provide an agricultural machine capable of performing automatic steering control along a plurality of directions according to the shape of a field and the like.
[ fourth subject ]
In the working vehicles of patent documents 4 and 1, it is not considered that at least 1 working vehicle performs automatic working travel using the same initial reference line or reference azimuth substantially simultaneously or at time intervals (seasonally) in the same field. Thus, in this case, each agricultural vehicle needs to calculate an initial reference line or reference azimuth, respectively. If the initial reference lines or the reference orientations calculated separately differ, there is a problem that automatic steering based on a uniform reference cannot be performed.
In the work vehicle automatic travel system of patent document 3, information such as a work travel state and a machine body position is exchanged between a plurality of work vehicles thrown into the same field, and an appropriate travel path element is selected, thereby realizing cooperative automatic work travel. However, in this work vehicle automatic travel system, it is necessary to generate a travel path element group covering a field in advance.
An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic steering management system capable of performing automatic traveling of an agricultural vehicle using an automatic steering reference that can be easily calculated without generating a traveling route for automatic traveling in a private agricultural work area in advance.
Means for solving the problems
As a means for solving the first problem, a harvester of the present invention includes: a machine body having a running device; a body position calculation unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position acquiring unit that sets the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation during a harvesting operation as a first body position; a second body position acquiring unit that sets, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a location away from the first body position during the harvesting operation; a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the machine body according to the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
In this configuration, the harvester enters the field and performs harvesting work by manual driving. At this time, the first body position and the second body position calculated by the satellite positioning are acquired in response to the operation of the driver. The direction of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position obtained at the interval is calculated as a reference direction. And starting automatic travel according to the calculated reference azimuth or the travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth. That is, if the harvesting work is performed by the manual driving only while the first body position and the second body position are obtained, the harvesting work can be performed by the automatic driving thereafter. The term "during harvesting" herein includes a state in which the machine body performs harvesting while traveling, and a state in which the machine body stops and performs harvesting.
Automatic steering using the reference azimuth can be realized in a plurality of control modes. One of them is to use the reference azimuth as the target azimuth for automatic travel and to perform steering so as to maintain the target azimuth from the time point when the start instruction for automatic travel is issued. The other is to set a travel route extending from the body position at the time of issuing the start command of the automatic travel to the reference azimuth as a target route for automatic steering, and to perform steering so as to follow the target route. In the former control mode, when a positional deviation occurs in the middle of a steering operation due to a slip or the like, the positional deviation cannot be corrected. In the latter control mode, there are a method of steering to eliminate a positional deviation (lateral deviation) of the body with respect to the travel path calculated using the body position by satellite positioning and a method of steering to combine the positional deviation and the azimuth deviation, but in either method, the problem of the former control mode can be eliminated. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the travel route is set based on the reference azimuth at the start of automatic travel, and the travel control unit controls automatic travel of the machine body so as to follow the travel route.
The teaching travel for obtaining the first body position and the second body position is preferably a travel that is stable even if harvesting work is performed simultaneously. In order to obtain a desired reference azimuth, it is necessary to acquire the second body position at the body position appropriate for the first body position. Therefore, during manual traveling when the vehicle reaches the second body position from the first body position, accurate manual steering is required. In order to solve the problem, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle body control device includes a display information generating unit that generates a travel trajectory of the vehicle body from the first vehicle body position to the second vehicle body position, and a display device that displays the travel trajectory. In this configuration, the driver can confirm the traveling state by the traveling locus displayed on the display device, and thus the driver can easily perform accurate traveling.
In the case where the driving assistance information is displayed on the display device, the display device is always checked by the driver during driving, and therefore, the display device is also effective as an operation input device for giving an instruction related to traveling to the harvester by the driver. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the display device is a touch panel, the manual operation for generating the first signal is a touch operation on a first button displayed on the touch panel, and the manual operation for generating the second signal is a touch operation on a second button displayed on the touch panel.
In the case where the reference azimuth is calculated using a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position calculated by satellite positioning, the accuracy of azimuth calculation increases as the distance between the first body position and the second body position increases, taking into account the error in satellite positioning. The distance between the first body position and the second body position, which is minimally necessary, can be estimated from the error between the desired reference azimuth calculation accuracy and the satellite positioning. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the condition for generating the second signal is set to be a condition for traveling a predetermined distance or more or a predetermined time or more from the first body position. The predetermined distance is determined based on the error between the desired reference azimuth calculation accuracy and the satellite positioning. Further, since the vehicle speed suitable for the harvesting work is substantially fixed, the time for traveling a predetermined distance can be similarly determined.
In one preferable embodiment of the present invention, the second button is displayed on the touch panel when the condition that the vehicle travels a predetermined distance or more or travels a predetermined time or more from the first body position is satisfied. With this configuration, when the condition (travel distance, travel time) for ensuring the calculation accuracy of the reference azimuth is satisfied after the first body position is set, the second button for setting the second body position is displayed on the touch panel, and therefore, it is possible to avoid a driver's mistake of setting the second body position before the condition is satisfied.
In order to set the second body position at the correct position, it is preferable that the target mark is displayed on the display device even when the driver confirms the traveling state of the harvester while viewing the traveling locus displayed on the display device. In particular, since the harvester travels with a boundary line indicating a harvesting work area (field) and a line indicating a planting ridge of a harvested crop as targets, if a line that specifically achieves such a target is displayed on the display device, it is a good aid for calculating an appropriate reference azimuth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the display information generating unit generates a marking line parallel to a boundary line of a harvest work area or a planting ridge of a harvested crop, and the boundary line or the marking line is displayed on the display device together with the travel locus.
If the operation for obtaining the first body position is performed at the time of or immediately after the start of the harvesting work, the operation for obtaining the second body position can be performed at an earlier time from the start of the harvesting work, and as a result, the start of the automatic travel can be advanced. Thus, in one of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the manual operation that generates the first signal is an operation of a harvest start operation implement that causes the harvesting apparatus to start a harvesting action. With this configuration, even when the harvesting work is started, the operation for obtaining the first body position is facilitated.
The present invention is directed to not only a harvester but also an automatic traveling method for a harvester. The automatic traveling method of a harvester including a machine body having a traveling device according to the present invention includes: a body position calculation step of positioning a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position acquisition step of taking, as a first body position, the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation in a harvesting job based on manual steering; a second body position acquisition step of taking the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a location away from the first body position in the harvesting work as a second body position; a reference azimuth calculation step of calculating, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a travel control step of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth. The above-described operation and effect of the harvester and the embodiment can be applied to the automatic traveling method of the present invention.
As means for solving the first problem described above, a program according to the present invention is a program for controlling a harvester including a body having a travel device, the program causing a computer to realize: a body position calculation function of positioning a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position obtaining function of taking the body position obtained in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation in a harvesting work based on a manual steering as a first body position; a second body position acquisition function of taking, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a place away from the first body position in the harvesting work; a reference orientation calculation function of calculating an orientation of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference orientation; and a travel control function of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth
As means for solving the first problem, a recording medium of the present invention records a program for controlling a harvester including a machine body having a travel device, the program causing a computer to realize: a body position calculation function of positioning a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position obtaining function of taking the body position obtained in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation in a harvesting work based on a manual steering as a first body position; a second body position acquisition function of taking, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a place away from the first body position in the harvesting work; a reference orientation calculation function of calculating an orientation of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference orientation; and a travel control function of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth.
As means for solving the first problem, a system according to the present invention is a system for controlling a harvester including a machine body having a traveling device, the system including: a body position calculation unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position acquiring unit that sets the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation during a harvesting operation as a first body position; a second body position acquiring unit that sets, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a location away from the first body position during the harvesting operation; a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
As a means for solving the second problem, an agricultural machine of the present invention includes: a machine body having a travel device and performing forward travel and non-forward travel; a body position calculating unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position acquiring unit that sets the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position; a second body position acquiring unit configured to set the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel as a second body position; a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
In this configuration, during teaching travel for acquiring the first body position and the second body position necessary for calculating the reference azimuth, not only forward travel but also a travel state of emergency evacuation such as both non-forward travel other than forward travel is permitted. Therefore, even if non-forward travel occurs, if teaching travel by manual driving is performed only while the first body position and the second body position are acquired, the reference azimuth can be obtained, and then automatic travel can be performed.
Automatic steering using the reference azimuth can be realized in a plurality of control modes. One of them is to use the reference azimuth as the target azimuth for automatic travel, and to perform steering so as to maintain the target azimuth from the time when the start command for automatic travel is issued. The other is to set a travel route extending from the body position at the time of issuing the start command of the automatic travel to the reference azimuth as a target route for automatic steering, and to perform steering so as to follow the target route. In the former control mode, when a positional deviation occurs in the middle of a steering operation due to a slip or the like, the positional deviation cannot be corrected. In the latter control mode, there are a method of steering to eliminate a positional deviation (lateral deviation) of the body with respect to the travel path calculated using the body position by satellite positioning and a method of steering to combine the positional deviation and the azimuth deviation, but in either method, the problem of the former control mode can be eliminated. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the travel route is set based on the reference azimuth at the start of automatic travel, and the travel control unit controls automatic travel of the machine body so as to follow the travel route.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-forward travel includes a reverse travel state, a travel stop state, or both of them, and the travel stop state includes an engine stop state or an engine drive state. In this configuration, even if a protruding region, a water outlet, or the like protruding from the ridge exists in front of the body that advances for teaching travel, teaching travel is not suspended, and avoidance travel using backward travel can be performed to avoid these. Further, in the avoidance travel, the teaching travel is not suspended even when the engine is stopped in association with the stop of the vehicle, and therefore the teaching travel can be completed without waste, and the reference azimuth required for the automatic travel can be obtained.
In an agricultural machine such as a harvester, when a blockage of a harvested material occurs, a traveling state of emergency evacuation such as temporary stop of a machine body or stop of an engine occurs in order to remove the blockage. However, even if such a traveling state of emergency evacuation occurs, if the taught travel is not stopped, the taught travel can be used as the travel while the agricultural work such as the harvesting work is performed. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first body position acquiring unit can acquire the first body position and the second body position acquiring unit can acquire the second body position regardless of whether the forward travel is the working travel or the forward travel is the non-working travel.
In the case where the reference azimuth is calculated using a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position calculated by satellite positioning, the accuracy of azimuth calculation increases as the distance between the first body position and the second body position increases, taking into account the error in satellite positioning. The distance between the first body position and the second body position is estimated as minimally required based on the error between the desired reference azimuth calculation accuracy and the satellite positioning. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the condition for generating the second signal is set to travel a predetermined distance or more or travel a predetermined time or more from the first body position. The predetermined distance is determined based on the error between the desired reference azimuth calculation accuracy and the satellite positioning. Further, since the vehicle speed suitable for the cutting work is substantially fixed, the time for traveling a predetermined distance can be similarly determined.
When the minimum distance between the first body position and the second body position acquired during teaching travel is set and the distance is obtained from the travel distance of the body, the travel distance to be set back is not included in the travel distance for proper determination. Similarly, when the minimum time required for traveling between the first body position and the second body position acquired during teaching traveling is set, the parking time cannot be included in the calculation of the minimum time for appropriate determination. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the backward distance is ignored as the predetermined distance, and the parking time is ignored as the predetermined time.
If the operation for setting the first body position is performed at the start of the agricultural work or after a short time has elapsed from the start of the agricultural work, the operation for setting the second body position can be performed at an earlier time from the start of the agricultural work, and as a result, the start of the automatic travel can be advanced. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the manual operation for generating the first signal is an operation of a work start operation implement for starting a work operation of the work implement. With this configuration, even at the start time of agricultural work, the operation for setting the position of the first body can be smoothly performed.
The present invention is directed to not only agricultural machines but also automatic traveling methods for agricultural machines. The automatic travel method for a harvester including a machine body having a travel device and performing forward travel and non-forward travel includes: a body position calculation step of positioning a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position acquisition step of taking the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position; a second body position acquisition step of setting, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel; a reference azimuth calculation step of calculating, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a travel control step of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth. The operation and effect of the agricultural machine and the embodiment described above can be applied to the automatic traveling method of the present invention.
As means for solving the second problem described above, a program according to the present invention is a program for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a traveling device and performing forward traveling and non-forward traveling, the program causing a computer to realize: a body position calculation function of positioning a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position acquisition function of taking the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position; a second body position acquisition function of setting, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel; a reference orientation calculation function of calculating an orientation of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference orientation; and a travel control function of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth.
As a means for solving the second problem, a recording medium of the present invention records a program for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a traveling device and performing forward traveling and non-forward traveling, the program causing a computer to realize: a body position calculation function of positioning a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position obtaining function of taking the body position obtained in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position; a second body position acquisition function of setting, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel; a reference azimuth calculation function of calculating an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference azimuth; and a travel control function of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth.
As a means for solving the second problem, a system according to the present invention is a system for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a traveling device and performing forward traveling and non-forward traveling, the system including: a body position calculation unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite; a first body position acquiring unit that sets the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position; a second body position acquiring unit configured to set the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel as a second body position; a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
As a means for solving the third problem, an agricultural machine according to the present invention includes: a body having a steerable travel device; a body position calculation unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite; a storage unit capable of storing a plurality of reference directions for work travel; a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of reference orientations; and a steering control unit that automatically controls steering of the travel device so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth, based on the body position.
According to the present invention, the storage unit stores a plurality of reference orientations, and the selection unit can select one of the plurality of reference orientations. Therefore, the steering control unit can be configured to use the plurality of reference positions at random in a different manner according to the traveling state of the vehicle body, and can perform steering control on the traveling device according to the selected reference position among the plurality of reference positions. That is, the selection unit selects a necessary reference azimuth from the plurality of reference azimuths, and the steering control unit can perform steering control based on the selected reference azimuth. This makes it possible to realize an agricultural machine capable of performing automatic steering control in a plurality of directions in accordance with the shape of a field or the like.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the navigation device further includes a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates the reference azimuth based on a plurality of the body positions calculated during travel of the field, wherein the reference azimuth calculation unit calculates a first reference azimuth as one of the plurality of reference azimuths based on the body positions calculated at the first point and the second point respectively during travel between two points spanning between the first point and the second point in an outer peripheral region of the field, and calculates a second reference azimuth as one of the plurality of reference azimuths based on the body positions calculated at the third point and the fourth point respectively during travel between two points spanning between a third point and a fourth point different from both the first point and the second point in the outer peripheral region after travel spanning between the first point and the second point.
According to this configuration, the first reference azimuth and the second reference azimuth are calculated by repeating the two-point travel for each different region in the outer peripheral region of the field. Therefore, for example, a plurality of reference azimuths can be calculated while traveling in the peripheral region of the field.
In the present invention, it is preferable that a reference azimuth calculation unit be provided that calculates the reference azimuth based on a plurality of the body positions calculated during travel of a field, and that the reference azimuth calculation unit be configured to be able to calculate the reference azimuth offset by a predetermined azimuth from the calculated reference azimuth.
According to the present configuration, a new reference azimuth having a different azimuth can be calculated based on the calculated reference azimuth. Therefore, the trouble of running the machine body to calculate the reference azimuth can be eliminated, and the calculation of the plurality of reference azimuths becomes easy.
In the present invention, the predetermined orientation is preferably 90 degrees.
Since the field is often rectangular in shape, the reference azimuth along the rectangular shape of the field can be easily calculated according to this configuration.
In the present invention, it is preferable that an azimuth offset setting unit capable of setting an azimuth offset amount based on a human operation be provided, and the predetermined azimuth be the azimuth offset amount set by the human operation.
According to this configuration, for example, the operator of the agricultural machine or the manager can calculate the reference azimuth offset from the calculated reference azimuth by operating the azimuth offset setting unit to set the desired azimuth offset amount.
In the present invention, it is preferable that a reference azimuth calculation unit be provided that calculates the reference azimuth based on a plurality of the body positions calculated during travel of a field, and that calculates the plurality of reference azimuths of an azimuth extending along at least one of the outer peripheries of the field based on the body positions calculated during circle travel by a human operation in the outer peripheral region of the field.
According to this configuration, since the plurality of reference azimuths are calculated while traveling around the outer peripheral region of the field, the reference azimuths can be easily calculated without imposing a burden on the occupants of the agricultural machine. Further, since the reference azimuth extends along at least one of the outer peripheries of the field, the travel target line can be configured to extend along the one side. Therefore, the steering control by the steering control unit is performed along this side, and appropriate work traveling can be realized.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the mobile device further includes a mobile device orientation calculation unit that calculates an orientation of the mobile device, the storage unit stores the plurality of reference orientations having different orientations, and the selection unit selects one of the plurality of reference orientations based on the calculated orientation of the mobile device.
According to this configuration, the body orientation calculating unit calculates the orientation of the body, and automatically selects a reference orientation suitable for the orientation of the body. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the reference azimuth based on the azimuth of the body is not selected, there is no need to specially select the reference azimuth by a passenger or the like, and the selection of the reference azimuth is smooth.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the steering control unit is configured to be able to automatically perform steering control on the travel device when it is determined that a predetermined condition is satisfied and the machine body has traveled straight for a predetermined distance or a predetermined time along the reference azimuth selected by the selection unit.
When the steering control unit starts the steering control in a state where the rider of the agricultural machine is steering the machine body straight by a manual steering, the steering control unit can stably perform the steering control only by finely adjusting the steering amount of the traveling device. According to this configuration, since the steering control by the steering control unit is started after the machine body has traveled straight for a predetermined distance or a predetermined time in the reference azimuth, stable straight travel can be performed. In addition, according to the present configuration, since the steering control by the steering control unit is started in a state where the predetermined condition is satisfied, the steering control is performed in an appropriate condition.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the predetermined condition includes that a clutch for transmitting power to the working device is brought into an engaged state. In the present invention, it is preferable that the predetermined condition includes that the working device is located at a working position.
With this configuration, the work travel by the automatic steering control is performed under appropriate conditions.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the navigation device further includes a direction display unit capable of displaying a direction index indicating the reference direction selected by the selection unit.
According to this configuration, the operator of the agricultural machine or the manager can easily grasp the reference azimuth selected by the selection unit from among the plurality of reference azimuths by the azimuth display unit.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the direction display unit changes a display mode of the direction index between a case where the travel device is manually steered and a case where the travel device is automatically steered.
According to this configuration, the operator or manager of the agricultural machine can easily grasp whether or not the steering control of the steering control unit is being performed based on the display mode of the direction indicator.
As a means for solving the third problem, a system according to the present invention controls an agricultural machine including a machine body having a steerable traveling device, the system including: a body position calculation unit that calculates a body position of the agricultural machine using satellite positioning; a storage unit capable of storing a plurality of reference directions for work travel; a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of reference orientations; and a steering control unit that automatically controls steering of the travel device based on the body position so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth.
As means for solving the third problem, a program according to the present invention is a program for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a steerable traveling device, the program causing a computer to realize: a body position calculation function of calculating a body position of the agricultural machine using satellite positioning; a storage function for storing a plurality of reference directions for work travel in a memory; a selection function of selecting one of the plurality of reference orientations; and a steering control function for automatically steering the travel device so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth, based on the body position.
As means for solving the third problem, a recording medium of the present invention records a program for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a steerable traveling device, the program causing a computer to realize a machine body position calculating function for calculating a machine body position of the agricultural machine by satellite positioning; a storage function of storing a plurality of reference directions for work travel in a memory; a selection function of selecting one of the plurality of reference orientations; and a steering control function that automatically controls steering of the travel device based on the body position so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth.
As a means for solving the third problem, a method of the present invention is a method for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a steerable traveling device, the method including: calculating the body position, namely calculating the body position of the agricultural operator by using satellite positioning; a storage step of storing a plurality of reference azimuths for work travel in a memory; a selection step of selecting one of the plurality of reference orientations; and a steering control step of automatically steering the travel device so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth, based on the body position.
As means for solving the fourth problem, an automatic steering management system for agricultural vehicles according to the present invention includes: a reference information management unit that manages, as reference information, at least one of a combination of a first body position obtained by using satellite positioning as a body position of the agricultural vehicle and a second body position obtained by using satellite positioning at a position away from the first body position, and a reference azimuth that is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a reference information transmitting unit that transmits the reference information read from the reference information managing unit to a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or a travel route calculated from the reference azimuth.
In this automatic steering management system, a combination of the first body position and the second body position obtained by teaching travel in the field, or a reference azimuth, which is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position, is managed as reference information by a reference information management section. Since the reference azimuth can be calculated from the first body position and the second body position, the reference information management unit may manage only the combination of the first body position and the second body position, or only the reference azimuth calculated from the combination. Such reference information is managed by the reference information management unit and transmitted to the travel control unit of the farm vehicle. The travel control unit performs automatic steering control based on the reference information. For example, in the field, when a plurality of agricultural vehicles automatically travel substantially simultaneously or at time intervals (seasonally), the same reference information managed by the reference information management unit is used for automatic steering.
Automatic steering using the reference azimuth can be realized in a plurality of control modes. One of them is to use the reference azimuth as the target azimuth for automatic travel and to perform steering so as to maintain the target azimuth from the time point when the start instruction for automatic travel is issued. The other is to set a travel route extending from the machine body position at the time when the start command of the automatic travel is issued to the reference azimuth as a target route for automatic steering, and to perform steering so as to follow the target route. In the former control mode, when a positional deviation occurs due to a slip or the like in the middle, there is a problem that the positional deviation cannot be corrected, but there is an advantage that an algorithm of the steering control is simple. In the latter control mode, there are a method of steering in order to eliminate a positional deviation (lateral deviation) of the body with respect to a travel path calculated using the body position based on satellite positioning, and a method of steering in combination of the positional deviation and the azimuth deviation. In either method, the problem of the former control mode can be solved. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the travel route is set based on the reference azimuth at the start of automatic steering, and the travel control unit controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle so as to follow the travel route.
When the reference information management unit manages a combination of the first body position and the second body position as the reference information, there is an advantage that the positions on the map, in other words, the positions on the field of the first body position and the second body position can be grasped from the combination. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference information management unit receives and manages the first body position and the second body position as the reference information.
When only the combination of the first body position and the second body position is managed by the reference information management unit, it is necessary to calculate the orientation (reference orientation) of a line connecting the first body position and the second body position in order to start the automatic steering. Since it is wasteful to calculate the reference azimuth every time the automatic steering is started, it is preferable that the calculated reference azimuth be managed by the reference information managing unit. In one aspect of the management of the reference bearing by the reference information management unit, the reference information management unit calculates and manages the reference bearing based on the first body position and the second body position. In another aspect, the reference information management unit receives and manages the reference azimuth calculated from the first body position and the second body position as the reference information. That is, the reference azimuth is calculated and given to the reference information management unit at the stage of acquiring the second body position.
In busy season, the farm vehicle can be used for farm work in multiple fields. In addition, a plurality of agricultural vehicles may be thrown into one field. Since each field has a different shape, the content of the reference information is also different. Therefore, when the agricultural vehicle automatically travels in each field, it is preferable to reuse the reference information obtained for each field. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference information management unit manages the reference information for each field in which the agricultural vehicle is operating. With this configuration, the agricultural vehicle can perform automatic steering using the reference information without performing teaching travel during automatic travel in the field in which the reference information is managed by the reference information management unit.
In each field distributed over the area, a plurality of agricultural vehicles perform agricultural operations simultaneously or at temporally (seasonally) spaced intervals. In order to perform the agricultural work efficiently and with a reduced burden on the driver, automatic travel using automatic steering is required. In this case, it is preferable that the reference information obtained in each field is commonly used by a plurality of agricultural vehicles. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference information management unit and the reference information transmission unit are provided in a management computer connectable to the agricultural vehicle via a data communication line. Thus, the reference information obtained in a plurality of fields is shared by a plurality of agricultural vehicles.
Of course, the automatic steering management system according to the present invention may be constructed not as a large-scale system using a management computer, but as a small-scale system using data exchange communication between a plurality of agricultural vehicles. In this case, the automatic steering management system may be constructed in the farm work vehicle as the center, or the automatic steering management system may be constructed in all the farm work vehicles, and a specific automatic steering management system may be selected and used. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the agricultural vehicle includes at least a first agricultural vehicle and a second agricultural vehicle, and at least one of the first agricultural vehicle and the second agricultural vehicle includes the reference information management unit and the reference information transmission unit. The second agricultural vehicle is a general term for a plurality of agricultural vehicles which are thrown into the same field in cooperation with the first agricultural vehicle, and the second agricultural vehicle means at least 1 agricultural vehicle.
When a plurality of agricultural vehicles perform agricultural work in a field in cooperation, a leading agricultural vehicle performs teaching travel first to obtain reference information and performs automatic travel, and thereafter, the remaining agricultural vehicles can perform automatic travel using the reference information received from the leading agricultural vehicle as a secondary succeeding agricultural vehicle. In this case, since the subsequent agricultural vehicle does not need to perform teaching travel, and also does not need to manage reference information obtained by teaching travel, the control system becomes simple. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the agricultural vehicle includes a preceding agricultural vehicle which operates first in the same field and a succeeding agricultural vehicle which operates later than the preceding agricultural vehicle, and the reference information management unit notifies the succeeding agricultural vehicle of the fact that the reference information of the preceding agricultural vehicle is managed.
In order to calculate the reference azimuth, it is necessary to acquire the first body position during traveling and acquire the second body position after further traveling by a predetermined distance. The first body position may be automatically acquired by sensing the straight traveling of the vehicle body, and the second body position may be automatically acquired after a predetermined distance. However, since the reference azimuth is calculated from the acquired first body position and second body position and used as a control target for the subsequent automatic steering, it is important to obtain an appropriate reference azimuth for the automatic traveling. Therefore, it is preferable that the driver manually acquire the first body position and the second body position while confirming the body position and the state of the body. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first body position is acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation of a driver of the agricultural vehicle, and the second body position is acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of the driver of the agricultural vehicle at a location away from the first body position.
As means for solving the fourth problem, a program according to the present invention is a program for controlling an automatic steering management system for an agricultural vehicle, the program causing a computer to realize: a reference information management function that manages, as reference information, at least one of a combination of a first body position obtained by using satellite positioning as a body position of the agricultural vehicle and a second body position obtained by using satellite positioning at a position away from the first body position, and a reference azimuth that is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a reference information transmission function of transmitting the reference information managed by the reference information management function to a control unit that controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or a travel path calculated from the reference azimuth.
As means for solving the fourth problem, a recording medium of the present invention records a program for controlling an automatic steering management system for an agricultural vehicle, the program causing a computer to realize: a reference information management function that manages, as reference information, at least one of a combination of a first body position obtained by using satellite positioning as a body position of the agricultural vehicle and a second body position obtained by using satellite positioning at a position away from the first body position, and a reference azimuth that is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a reference information transmission function of transmitting the reference information managed by the reference information management function to a control unit that controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or a travel path calculated from the reference azimuth.
As means for solving the fourth problem, a method of the present invention is a method for controlling an automatic steering management system for an agricultural vehicle, the method including: a reference information management step of managing, as reference information, at least one of a combination of a first body position obtained by using satellite positioning as a body position of the agricultural vehicle and a second body position obtained by using satellite positioning at a position away from the first body position, and a reference azimuth that is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and a reference information transmission step of transmitting the reference information managed by the reference information management step to a control unit that controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or a travel path calculated from the reference azimuth.
Drawings
Fig. 1 (first embodiment) is a side view of a combine harvester.
Fig. 2 (first embodiment) is a functional block diagram of a control system relating to automatic travel.
Fig. 3 (first embodiment) is a schematic diagram showing a travel pattern in harvesting work.
Fig. 4 (first embodiment) is a schematic diagram showing another travel pattern in the harvesting operation.
Fig. 5 (first embodiment) is a schematic diagram showing teaching travel.
Fig. 6 (first embodiment) is a schematic diagram showing a transition from the manual steering running to the automatic steering running.
Fig. 7 (first embodiment) is a basic schematic diagram for explaining automatic operation control.
Fig. 8 (first embodiment) is a flowchart showing an example of the harvesting work travel.
Fig. 9 (second embodiment) is a functional block diagram of a control system relating to automatic travel. (Note 421)
Fig. 10 (second embodiment) is a schematic diagram showing teaching travel.
Fig. 11 (second embodiment) is a schematic diagram showing teaching travel.
Fig. 12 (second embodiment) is a schematic diagram showing teaching travel.
Fig. 13 (third embodiment) is a functional block diagram showing a control system of the agricultural machine.
Fig. 14 (third embodiment) is a flowchart relating to calculation of the reference azimuth.
Fig. 15 (third embodiment) is a plan view of a field showing a reference azimuth calculated by 1-round wrap-around harvesting travel of a machine body.
Fig. 16 (third embodiment) is a flowchart relating to automatic steering control.
Fig. 17 (third embodiment) is a plan view showing a field in which automatic steering control of the machine body is performed based on the reference azimuth.
Fig. 18 (third embodiment) is a plan view of a field showing automatic steering control of a machine body based on a reference azimuth.
Fig. 19 (third embodiment) is a plan view showing a field in which automatic steering control of the machine body is performed based on the reference azimuth.
Fig. 20 (third embodiment) is a plan view of a field showing automatic steering control of a machine body based on a reference azimuth.
Fig. 21 (third embodiment) is a plan view of a field showing automatic steering control of a machine body based on a reference azimuth.
Fig. 22 (third embodiment) is a plan view of a field showing automatic steering control of a machine body based on a reference azimuth.
Fig. 23 (third embodiment) is a plan view of a field showing automatic steering control of a machine body based on a reference azimuth.
Fig. 24 (third embodiment) is a plan view showing a field in which automatic steering control of the machine body is performed based on the reference azimuth.
Fig. 25 (third embodiment) is a flowchart showing a start determination routine of automatic steering control.
Fig. 26 (third embodiment) is a diagram showing an orientation index.
Fig. 27 (third embodiment) is a diagram showing an orientation index.
Fig. 28 (third embodiment) is a diagram showing an orientation index.
Fig. 29 (third embodiment) is a diagram showing an orientation index.
Fig. 30 (fourth embodiment) is a schematic view showing a harvesting operation cooperatively performed by 2 combine harvesters.
Fig. 31 (fourth embodiment) is a schematic view showing a harvesting operation using a circle travel and a reciprocating straight travel in 2 combine harvesters.
Fig. 32 (fourth embodiment) is a functional block diagram of a control system for automatic travel mounted on a combine harvester.
Fig. 33 (fourth embodiment) is a flowchart showing an example of the cooperative harvest operation travel.
Fig. 34 (fourth embodiment) is a schematic view showing a travel path of a rice transplanter that performs a seedling planting operation by automatic steering based on a reference orientation obtained by teaching travel, and a travel path of a combine harvester that performs a harvesting operation by automatic steering based on a reference orientation used by the rice transplanter.
Fig. 35 (fourth embodiment) is a schematic diagram showing an automatic steering management system incorporated in a remote management computer.
Detailed Description
An embodiment of a general type combine harvester as an example of the harvester of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.
[ basic constitution of harvester ]
As shown in fig. 1, the combine harvester includes a body 1, a pair of steerable left and right crawler-type traveling devices 11, a boarding portion 12, a threshing device 13, a grain tank 14, a harvesting device 15, a conveying device 16, and a grain discharge device 18.
The traveling device 11 is provided at a lower portion of the combine harvester. The traveling device 11 has a pair of right and left crawler travel mechanisms, and the combine can travel through the traveling device 11 in a field as a harvesting work place.
Although not shown, the running device 11 includes a main transmission of a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission and a sub-transmission of a gear shift type. The sub-transmission is configured to be capable of shifting to a shift stage number for traveling (non-operation) and a shift stage number for operation traveling at a lower speed than the traveling.
The boarding unit 12, the threshing device 13, and the grain tank 14 are disposed above the traveling device 11, and constitute an upper part of the machine body 1. The driver of the combine is riding on the riding part 12.
Generally, the rider and the monitor both work. In addition, when the boarding person and the monitoring person are different persons, the monitoring person may monitor the work of the combine from the outside of the combine.
An engine (not shown) for driving is provided below the boarding portion 12. The grain discharging device 18 is connected to the lower rear portion of the grain tank 14.
The combine harvester harvesters the crops in the field through the harvesting device 15 and travels through the traveling device 11.
In other words, the harvesting device 15 harvests crops of a field. The combine harvester can travel by the traveling device 11 while harvesting the crop in the field by the harvesting device 15.
The conveying device 16 is arranged adjacently on the rear side of the harvesting device 15. The harvesting unit 15 and the transport unit 16 are supported by the front portion of the machine body 1 so as to be vertically movable by the telescopic operation of the harvesting unit cylinder 15 a.
The crop harvested by the harvesting unit 15 is transported to the threshing unit 13 by the transport unit 16, and is threshed by the threshing unit 13. Grains as a harvest obtained by the threshing process are stored in the grain tank 14. The grains stored in the grain tank 14 are discharged outside the grain machine by the grain discharging device 18 as needed.
The grain discharging device 18 is configured to be swingable around a longitudinal axis of the rear part of the body. That is, the grain discharging device 18 is configured to be switchable between a discharging state in which the free end of the grain discharging device 18 is extended outward in the lateral direction of the machine body than the machine body 1 to discharge the crop, and a storing state in which the free end of the grain discharging device 18 is located within the range of the lateral width of the machine body 1.
A satellite positioning module 80 is provided on the ceiling portion of the boarding portion 12. The Satellite positioning module 80 receives a signal from a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) of the Satellite System GS and outputs Satellite positioning data indicating the body position of the combine. The GNSS signals include GPS, QZSS, galileo, GLONASS, beiDou, and the like.
Although the orientation (direction) of the body 1 can be calculated from the body position between 2 points calculated based on the satellite positioning data, it is difficult to accurately calculate the instantaneous orientation of the body 1 at a short distance. Therefore, in order to detect the orientation (direction) of the machine body 1, an Inertial Measurement module 81 called IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) is further provided on the machine body 1.
The inertial measurement module 81 has a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor. The inertial measurement module 81 can detect the angular velocity of the turning angle of the machine body 1, and can calculate the azimuth change angle of the machine body 1 by integrating the angular velocity. Therefore, the measurement data measured by the inertial measurement unit 81 includes data indicating the orientation (direction) of the machine body 1.
Although not described in detail, the inertial measurement module 81 can measure the angular velocity of the turning angle of the machine body 1, and can also measure the angular velocity of the left-right inclination angle of the machine body 1, the front-back inclination angle of the machine body 1, and the like.
The satellite positioning module 80 and the inertial measurement module 81 may be integrally formed.
[ constitution of control Unit ]
Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of a travel control system showing functions related to automatic travel control of the combine harvester. The travel control system includes a general-purpose terminal VT as a tablet computer capable of data communication and a control unit 4.
The control unit 4 is a core element of the travel control system, and is an assembly of a plurality of ECUs connected via an in-vehicle LAN or the like. The control unit 4 has an automatic travel mode in which automatic travel control is executed and a manual travel mode in which travel control is performed with a manual operation.
The general-purpose terminal VT includes a touch panel 3 as a display device and a graphical user interface for managing input and output of information through the touch panel 3. The screen area of the touch panel 3 includes an auxiliary image display area 3a for displaying a driving auxiliary image and an operation image display area 3b for displaying software buttons, lamps, and the like.
In this embodiment, a first button 31 and a second button 32, which will be described in detail later, are arranged as software buttons in the operation image display area 3b. Further, various applications that process information related to the harvesting operation of the combine harvester are installed in the general-purpose terminal VT. One of the application programs is a display information generating unit 30 that generates information to be displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3 a.
The control unit 4 includes a body position calculating unit 40, a first body position acquiring unit 41, a second body position acquiring unit 42, a reference heading calculating unit 43, a travel route creating unit 44, a travel track creating unit 45, a body heading calculating unit 46, and a travel control unit 50. Hereinafter, these may be collectively referred to as "functional units".
The control unit 4 receives signals from the satellite positioning module 80, the inertial measurement module 81, and the universal terminal VT. Although not shown, signals from a vehicle speed sensor, an engine torque sensor, an obstacle sensor, and the like are also input to the control unit 4.
Specifically, the control unit 4 includes a computer device having a CPU, a communication function, and a storage function (an internal recording medium, or an external recording medium and an input/output interface), and a predetermined computer program. The computer program causes the computer device to function as the functional unit. The computer program is recorded on the above-mentioned recording medium that can be read by a computer. By executing the computer program, a method including steps corresponding to the functional units described above is executed in the combine harvester.
The body position calculating unit 40 calculates a body position as a map position coordinate of the body 1 at a predetermined repetition frequency based on the satellite positioning data output from the satellite positioning module 80.
The travel track creation unit 45 creates a travel track of the machine body 1 based on the machine body position obtained from the machine body position calculation unit 40 over time. The created travel locus is sent to the display information generating unit 30, subjected to image processing, and displayed as a linear line or a strip line BL having a width corresponding to the harvesting width together with an icon of the combine in the auxiliary image display area 3a of the touch panel 3.
The body orientation calculating section 46 calculates the orientation of the body 1 based on the measurement data output by the inertial measurement module 81. When the inertia measurement module 81 is not mounted, the body orientation calculation unit 46 may be configured to calculate the orientation of the body 1 based on an electronic compass or the like, for example.
The combine harvester performs teaching travel for automatic travel while performing harvesting operation. For example, when the combine enters a field, teaching travel can be performed immediately or after a necessary posture change.
The first body position acquiring unit 41 receives a first signal generated by a driver clicking (touching) the first button 31 during the harvesting operation from the general-purpose terminal VT. The click operation of the first button 31 means the start of teaching travel. The first body position obtaining unit 41 obtains the body position at the timing when the first signal is received from the body position calculating unit 40, and stores the body position as the first body position.
The second body position acquiring unit 42 receives a second signal generated by the driver clicking (touching) the second button 32 when the teaching travel is continued and the body 1 travels to a place away from the first body position while performing the work.
The second body position obtaining unit 42 obtains the body position at the timing when the second signal is received from the general-purpose terminal VT from the body position calculating unit 40, and stores the body position as the second body position. The click operation of the second button 32 means teaching of the end of travel. In addition, the combine harvester can also perform teaching travel in a working area where the harvesting work is finished or a mixed area including the working area and the non-working area.
The reference azimuth calculation unit 43 calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position read out from the first body position acquisition unit 41 and the second body position read out from the second body position acquisition unit 42. The reference azimuth is stored and used for the automatic steering control.
The travel route creation unit 44 has a function of calculating, as a target line, a straight line extending in a reference azimuth through a vehicle body position (a position of a vehicle body reference point such as a center of cutting of the harvesting device 15). As will be described in detail later, the target line is determined as a target path in the automatic steering control and fixed at the time when the automatic steering start command is output based on the operation of the automatic steering start device 71.
As a modification, the travel route creation unit 44 may be configured to calculate a straight line extending from the reference azimuth through the vehicle body position as a target line at the time of outputting the automatic steering start command, determine the target line as a target route, and fix the target route.
The travel control unit 50 includes an automatic steering module 51, a manual steering module 52, and a vehicle speed control module 53. The automatic steering module 51 controls automatic travel of the machine body 1 during automatic travel by a method described later. The manual steering module 52 controls travel of the machine body 1 based on an operation of the driver at the time of manual travel. The vehicle speed control module 53 controls the vehicle speed of the machine body 1 during forward and backward movement and the stop of the machine body 1.
The travel device 11 of the combine includes a crawler-type left travel mechanism 11a and a crawler-type right travel mechanism 11b. Therefore, the travel control unit 50 applies a shift control signal to the left transmission mechanism 10a to adjust the speed of the left travel mechanism 11a, and applies a shift control signal to the right transmission mechanism 10b to adjust the speed of the right travel mechanism 11b. The machine body 1 is steered by driving the left travel mechanism 11a and the right transmission mechanism 10b at different speeds.
[ relating to harvesting work paths ]
The combine harvester is driven in a field in a harvesting width without omission in order to harvest straws planted in wheat, rice and the like. In this case, the harvesting travel pattern frequently used is schematically shown in fig. 3 and 4. In the mode shown in fig. 3, the combine that has entered the field travels while performing harvesting work on a boundary line (a side of the field) such as a ridge that delimits the field at one edge of the combine.
When one side of the travel is finished, the machine body 1 makes a direction change (in fig. 3, makes a 90-degree turn) so as to follow the next side. This direction change is simplified in the figure, but actually is accompanied by a backward turning operation called alpha turning (turning back). In this way, the travel around the field is performed by combining the linear travel and the turning travel.
When the machine body 1 reaches the starting point, the next round of travel is performed on a path that has entered the harvesting width inward. In this way, by repeating the travel in the spiral inward turn, the harvesting operation travel of the entire field is completed.
The mode shown in fig. 4 includes a round-trip travel of about 2 to 3 rounds of the combine harvester entering the field, and a reciprocating travel of repeating a direction change between a linear path and a U-turn (180 ° U-turn in fig. 4) for an inner non-working area (inner area) remaining by the round-trip travel.
The 180 ° U-turn is performed at the worked site (peripheral area). In addition, in the case of using only the forward 180 ° U-turn curve, the distance from the straight path in which the travel is ended to the next straight path is increased, but in the case of using the return turn curve, the distance is short, and a travel mode may be adopted in which the straight path in which the travel is ended is adjacent to the next straight path.
In the two harvesting travel modes described above, there is a long straight path in addition to the turning path for direction change. The automatic travel control of the present invention is a control for traveling on the straight route with automatic steering as much as possible. The linear path here includes not only a strict linear path but also a linear path formed by a broken line and further a path drawing a large curve.
[ concerning automatic steering control ]
As shown in fig. 5, the first body position (indicated by point a in fig. 5) and the second body position (indicated by point B in fig. 5) are obtained by teaching travel of the combine harvester entering the field during the harvesting operation travel. Then, a reference azimuth is calculated as an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position.
The automatic travel of the present invention is performed based on the reference azimuth or the travel route as the target route calculated based on the reference azimuth. The first body position and the second body position may be acquired when the body 1 travels and performs a harvesting operation, or may be acquired when the body 1 stops and performs a harvesting operation.
In consideration of the deterioration of the calculation accuracy of the body position based on the satellite positioning data in the state where the body 1 is stationary, it is preferable to acquire the first body position and the second body position when the harvesting work is performed while the body 1 is traveling.
Fig. 6 shows a method for determining a travel route as a target route for automatic steering.
The driver performs manual steering and travels while assuming a positioning route that finally reaches a desired route (a virtual route before determining the travel route) for the machine body 1 to travel straight next. When the machine body 1 reaches a position suitable for starting the automatic traveling, the driver operates the automatic steering starting device 71.
In this embodiment, the following configuration is adopted: a target line of the direction of the reference azimuth passing through the center of cutting of the harvester 15 (one of the reference points of the machine body 1 set in advance) is always calculated, and when the automatic steering is started (when the automatic steering starting device 71 is operated), the target line is determined as the travel path and fixed.
Therefore, the travel route is determined and fixed in response to the driver's operation of the automatic steering starting device 71. Thereby, the automatic travel can be started.
In a harvesting travel mode such as that shown in fig. 4, travel toward the next straight path through a 180 ° U-turn in the surrounding area is an aligned travel. In the 180 ° U-turn, the non-harvesting travel for raising the harvesting device 15 is performed, and when the vehicle enters the next straight path, the harvesting travel for lowering the harvesting device 15 is started, and preferably, the automatic steering is started at this timing.
Since the harvesting work operation is started by the harvesting work operation implement following the lowering of the harvesting device 15, if the harvesting work operation implement is used as the automatic steering starting implement 71, the harvesting work and the starting of the automatic steering can be performed by the operation of one operation implement, which is convenient.
Further, instead of calculating the target line all the time and determining and fixing the target line as the travel route at the time of starting the automatic steering, a configuration may be adopted in which a target line of the direction of the reference azimuth passing through the reference point at that time is generated at the time of starting the automatic steering and fixed as the travel route.
The automatic steering control for automatic running can be performed in three steering modes, at least one of which is incorporated in the automatic steering module 51. When a plurality of modes are assembled, the mode is selected and used.
(first steering mode)
In this mode, as shown in fig. 7, the travel route determined and fixed by the travel route creation unit 44, the body orientation calculated by the body orientation calculation unit 46, and the body position calculated by the body position calculation unit 40 are used.
An angle formed by a travel path (target path) extending in the reference azimuth and a line of the body azimuth (a line indicating the direction of the body 1 passing through the reference point of the body 1) is an azimuth offset: θ, the deviation of the machine body 1 from the travel path (the distance from the reference point of the machine body 1 to the travel path) is a positional deviation: d.
in the steering control, the azimuth offset and the position offset are used as control inputs, the steering control signal is output so that the azimuth offset falls within the azimuth allowable range, and when the position offset exceeds the position allowable range, the steering control signal is preferentially output so that the position offset falls within the position allowable range.
In addition, control of steering control signals can also be directly output by using sensing fusion (japanese: 12475125011251255112540\\\ 12540721712517).
In this mode, a travel route is set at the start of automatic travel.
(second steering mode)
In this mode, the azimuth offset is not used as an input of the steering control, and only the position offset is used as an input of the steering control. That is, a steering control signal is output to cancel the positional deviation, and steering is performed so that the reference point of the machine body 1 comes on the travel path.
In this mode, a travel route is set at the start of automatic travel.
(third steering mode)
In this mode, the position deviation is not used as an input value for the steering control, and only an offset of the body orientation from the reference orientation, that is, an orientation deviation, is used as an input for the steering control. Therefore, it is not necessary to create a travel route at the start of automatic travel. A steering control signal is output from the start time of automatic steering so that the body orientation becomes the reference orientation.
If a positional shift occurs during the automatic steering control due to a slip or accumulation of measurement errors, the correction is not performed. The mode is mainly used for fields with less slippage and running with shorter straight distance.
[ procedure for harvesting work ]
Next, an example of the harvesting work travel will be described with reference to the flowchart of fig. 8. In the harvest operation travel, a part of travel on the first side of the circle operation travel is taken as teaching travel, a first body position (point a) and a second body position (point B) are acquired, and a reference azimuth is calculated (see fig. 5).
The subsequent straight path is automatically driven by the automatic steering in the first steering mode. When the vehicle travels on two sides orthogonal to one side in the travel pattern shown in fig. 4, the azimuth obtained by rotating the reference azimuth by 90 degrees is used as the reference azimuth.
When the combine enters the field through the doorway (# 01), harvesting travel under manual steering is started (# 02).
Next, teaching travel for obtaining a reference azimuth necessary for automatic steering is performed. To start teaching travel, the driver clicks a first button 31 (see fig. 2) displayed in the operation image display area 3b of the touch panel 3 (# 11).
In response to the click operation, a first body position as a body position at that time is acquired (# 12). At the same time, the point a indicating the first body position is displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3a of the touch panel 3 (# 13).
As the harvesting work travels, as shown in fig. 2, a strip line BL indicating a travel locus of the combine from point a is displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3a with an icon of the combine in a harvesting width (# 14).
Further, in the auxiliary image display area 3a, a marking line GL indicating a line parallel to a ridge or a field boundary of a field is displayed for accurate teaching travel.
If the orientation of the planting ridges where the crops are harvested is known, the lines parallel to the planting ridges can also be displayed as the marking lines GL.
The termination condition of the teaching travel is whether the combine is traveling a predetermined distance (for example, 5 m) or more from the first body position or whether a predetermined time required for traveling the predetermined distance has elapsed. Here, it is determined whether or not sufficient teaching travel has been performed, using a travel distance equal to or greater than the predetermined distance as a condition (# 15).
When the condition indicating sufficient teaching travel is satisfied (# 15Yes branch), the second button 32 is displayed in the operation image display area 3b of the touch panel 3 (# 16).
When the driver clicks the second button 32 (# 17Yes branch), the second body position as the body position at that time is acquired in response to the clicking operation (# 18), and a point B indicating the second body position is displayed on the travel path displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3a (# 19).
The driver can confirm the teaching travel by the travel locus between the points a and B displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3 a.
Further, the direction of the straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position is calculated as a reference direction and stored (# 20).
If the teaching travel is finished, i.e., the harvest operation travel under the manual steering, the combine can be shifted from the manual steering to the automatic steering. The automatic steering starting device 71 is used for starting the automatic running under the automatic steering. It is checked whether or not the automatic steering starting device 71 is operated (# 30).
When the driver determines that the machine body 1 is located at the position where the automatic steering should be started and operates the automatic steering start device 71 (# 30Yes branch), the travel route is determined and fixed based on the machine body position at that time and the reference azimuth as described with reference to fig. 6 (# 31). Then, in this example, the automatic steering in the first steering mode is started (# 32).
When the automatic steering is started, a check is made to see whether or not the automatic steering is stopped for reasons such as a direction change (# 33).
There are various conditions for the transition from the automatic steering to the manual steering, but the operation of a steering lever (not shown) for performing a direction change is also one of them. When the automatic steering is stopped (# 33Yes branch), the combine is turned into a manual steering state (# 34). The driver manually steers the machine body 1 to change the direction thereof and to align the machine body for the next harvesting operation on the ridge.
Next, in order to switch from manual steering to automatic steering again, it is checked whether or not starting of automatic steering by operation of the automatic steering starting device 71 is requested (# 35).
When the start of the automatic steering is requested by the operation of the automatic steering start device 71 (# 35Yes branch), the process proceeds to step #31, and the travel route is determined and fixed based on the body position at that time and the reference azimuth, and the automatic steering is started.
In addition, when a reference azimuth different from the azimuth stored as the reference azimuth is used, the reference azimuth having the azimuth close to the azimuth of the machine body 1 at the time of the request for the start of the automatic steering is used to determine the travel route. Of course, the driver may select the reference azimuth for determining the travel route.
The resumption of the automatic steering is usually performed from the harvest operation travel for lowering the harvesting device 15, which is performed next to the direction change travel (non-harvest operation travel) by the manual steering for raising the harvesting device 15.
Therefore, a harvesting start operation implement for starting the harvesting operation by harvesting equipment such as the harvesting device 15 may be used in combination with the automatic steering start implement 71 or in place of the automatic steering start implement 71.
[ modification of the first embodiment ]
The present invention is not limited to the configurations exemplified in the above embodiments, and other typical embodiments of the present invention are exemplified below.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the body orientation calculating unit 46 that calculates the orientation of the body 1 based on the measurement data of the inertial measurement module 81 is provided, but a configuration may be adopted in which the orientation of the body 1 is calculated based on the body position calculated over time by the body position calculating unit 40.
(2) Each functional unit shown in the functional block diagram of fig. 2 may be combined with another functional unit, or one functional unit may be separated into a plurality of functional units.
(3) In the above-described embodiment, the first body position and the second body position are body positions at the operation timings of the first button 31 and the second button 32, respectively, but instead, representative values (average values or the like) of a plurality of body positions before and after the operation timings of the first button 31 and the second button 32 may be included.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the traveling device 11 is configured by the crawler-type left traveling mechanism 11a and the crawler-type right traveling mechanism 11b, and the machine body 1 is steered by the speed difference between the left traveling mechanism 11a and the right traveling mechanism 11b, but the traveling device 11 that steers the machine body 1 by changing the steering angle of the steered wheels may be employed.
(5) In the above-described embodiment, the teaching travel is performed while the harvest work is performed, but the teaching travel may be performed without performing the harvest work, and the reference azimuth may be calculated.
(6) The system for controlling the combine harvester (harvester) may be constituted by the functional parts of the control unit 4 described above.
[ second embodiment ]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described based on fig. 9 to 12. The same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof may be omitted.
The combine harvester of the present embodiment is different from the combine harvester of the above-described embodiment in the following points. The second body position acquisition unit 42 includes a teaching travel management unit 42a. The following description will be made in detail.
In the present embodiment, during teaching travel started by acquiring the first body position, temporary stop of the body 1, engine stop, and backward movement are also permitted. The permission conditions for permitting the second body position become various compared to the teaching travel allowing only the forward movement.
For example, when the travel distance between the first body position and the second body position is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the permission condition is satisfied, the retreat distance is ignored. That is, the travel distance during backward traveling and the forward travel distance that supplements the travel distance returned to the first body position side by backward traveling need to be excluded from the travel distances used for condition determination.
In addition, when the travel time between the first body position and the second body position is equal to or longer than a predetermined value, and the permission condition is satisfied, the total time of the temporary stop time and the travel time during backward traveling of the body 1 and the travel time for forward traveling that supplements the travel distance for returning to the first body position side by backward traveling must be excluded from the travel time for condition determination.
In order to solve such a problem, as shown in fig. 9, a teaching travel management section 42a is included in the second body position acquisition section 42. The teaching travel management section 42a determines whether or not a condition for specifying the second body position is satisfied regardless of "temporary stop of the body 1", "engine stop", "reverse", and the like, which are special travel modes during teaching travel.
When the storage location of the first body position is retracted to another storage location due to an engine stop or the like, the first body position needs to be transferred from the retracted storage location to a normal storage location after the engine is restarted. This processing is also performed by the teaching travel management unit 42a.
Specifically, the first body position acquired by the first body position acquiring unit 41 is stored in the memory address allocated to the RAM, but when the power supply is turned off by a power-off operation or the like, the first body position is previously stored in the evacuation area of the nonvolatile memory. After that, when the power is restored by a coupling operation or the like, the first body position is read out from the escape area of the nonvolatile memory and stored in the previous memory address.
In addition to this processing, the function of the RAM by the spare battery is maintained when the first body position is held at the time of power cut by a power cut operation or the like. In short, the recovery processing is effective for teaching travel even if the engine stop and the power supply interruption due to the interruption operation occur during teaching travel.
[ concerning automatic steering control ]
As shown in fig. 10, the first body position (indicated by point a in fig. 10) and the second body position (indicated by point B in fig. 10) are obtained by teaching travel of the combine harvester entering the field during the harvesting operation travel. The teaching travel includes various modes such as a mode configured by forward travel only and a mode including non-forward travel.
The non-forward travel includes a reverse travel state, a travel stop state, or both. The running stop state includes an engine stop state or an engine drive state.
The driving pattern shown in fig. 10 is a standard driving pattern using only forward driving.
The travel pattern shown in fig. 11 is one of the non-forward travel patterns, and is a special travel pattern in which reverse travel (indicated by a broken-line arrow) is performed halfway and then forward travel is performed again.
The travel pattern shown in fig. 12 is also one of the non-forward travel patterns, and is a special travel pattern in which the machine body 1 stops (stops) in the middle of the travel and then performs forward travel again. The engine is in a driving state in which the engine is driven as it is and in a stopped state in which the engine is stopped when the vehicle is stopped. Both are considered to be effective teaching runs.
In both the normal traveling state and the special traveling state, if the second body position is effectively acquired, a reference azimuth is calculated as an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position.
The automatic travel of the present invention is performed based on the reference azimuth or the travel route as the target route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
Further, the teaching travel may be configured not to consider all of the above-described special traveling states as effective teaching travel, but to consider only an arbitrary special traveling state as effective teaching travel.
The first body position and the second body position may be acquired when the harvesting operation is performed while the body 1 is traveling, or may be acquired when the harvesting operation is not performed. Further, either the first body position or the second body position may be obtained when the body 1 is stopped and harvesting work is performed.
In consideration of the deterioration of the calculation accuracy of the body position based on the satellite positioning data in the state where the body 1 is stationary, it is preferable to acquire the first body position and the second body position when the harvesting work is performed while the body 1 is traveling.
In the present embodiment, during the harvest operation travel, it is determined whether or not sufficient teaching travel is performed, on the condition that the travel distance is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance (fig. 8 # 15). In this case, not only the standard travel pattern described above but also a particular travel pattern is regarded as effective teaching travel, and the teaching travel management section 42a checks whether or not an end condition of teaching travel is satisfied based on each travel pattern.
[ third embodiment ]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 13 to 29. The same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof may be omitted.
The combine harvester of the present embodiment has the same configuration as the conventional combine harvester of the first embodiment shown in fig. 1. The combine harvester according to the present embodiment includes a control system shown in fig. 13.
[ constitution of control unit ]
The control unit 230 shown in fig. 13 is a core element of a control system of a combine harvester, and is shown as an aggregate of a plurality of ECUs.
That is, the control unit 230 includes a computer device having a CPU, a communication function, and a storage function (an internal recording medium, or an external recording medium, and an input/output interface), and a predetermined computer program, as in the control unit 4 according to the first embodiment. The computer program causes the computer device to function as the functional unit. The computer program is recorded on the above-mentioned recording medium that can be read by a computer. By executing the computer program, a method including steps corresponding to the functional units is executed in the combine harvester.
The control unit 230 is configured to be switchable between an automatic steering mode in which automatic steering control is executed and a manual steering mode in which automatic steering control is not executed. The "automatic steering control" is a control for setting a straight travel target line C, which will be described later, based on a predetermined direction and controlling the travel device 11 so that the machine body 1 travels along the travel target line C.
The control unit 230 calculates the reference azimuth B as the predetermined azimuth. The control unit 230 is configured to be able to communicate with a general-purpose terminal VT (touch panel screen terminal).
The reference azimuth B is an azimuth in which the body 1 should travel straight on the ground during the automatic steering control, and is managed by an angle value based on, for example, one of east, west, south, and north. In the present embodiment, the machine body 1 can travel in both the one direction and the direction 180 ° opposite to the one direction along the reference azimuth B.
In this case, the reference azimuth B is sufficient to be managed by an angle value in a range of 180 ° with reference to either east, west, south or north, but may be managed by an angle value in a range of 360 °. Alternatively, the reference azimuth B may be managed by a vector value.
The "reference azimuth" in the present invention is an azimuth in which the machine body 1 should travel straight on the ground in the automatic steering control. In the present invention, the machine body 1 can travel in two directions, one direction and the opposite direction of 180 ° from the one direction, along the reference azimuth B, but a configuration in which the machine body 1 travels in one direction only along the reference azimuth B is also included in the present invention.
The control unit 230 includes a body position calculating unit 231, a body orientation calculating unit 232, a reference orientation calculating unit 233, a storage unit 234, a selecting unit 235, a line setting unit 236, a steering control unit 237, and a condition determining unit 238. As in the first embodiment, these may be collectively referred to as "functional portions" hereinafter.
The control unit 230 receives signals from the satellite positioning module 80, the inertia measurement module 81, the start point setting switch 221a, and the end point setting switch 221b. Although not shown, signals of a vehicle speed sensor, an engine torque sensor, an obstacle sensor, and the like are also input to the control unit 230.
The body position calculating unit 231 calculates the position coordinates of the body 1 over time based on the positioning data output by the satellite positioning module 80. That is, the body position calculating unit 231 positions the body position using the satellites. The calculated position coordinates of the machine body 1 with time are sent to the machine body direction calculation unit 232 and the steering control unit 237.
The body orientation calculation unit 232 can calculate the travel orientation change angle of the body 1 by integrating the angular velocity detected by the inertia measurement module 81. Further, the body orientation calculation unit 232 can calculate the travel speed and the travel orientation of the body 1 by time-differentiating the position coordinates of the body 1 calculated over time.
That is, the body orientation calculating unit 232 calculates the travel orientation of the body 1 based on at least one of the position coordinates of the body 1 calculated over time by the body position calculating unit 231 and the angular velocity output by the inertia measurement module 81.
The travel direction of the machine body 1 calculated by the machine body direction calculating unit 232 is sent to the selecting unit 235 and the steering control unit 237. The body orientation calculating unit 232 may calculate the traveling orientation of the body 1 based on, for example, an electronic compass or the like.
A setting switch 221 for setting the reference azimuth B is provided. The setting switch 221 is, for example, an icon button displayed on a general-purpose terminal VT (e.g., a screen of a liquid crystal, a screen of an OLED, or the like) provided in the boarding unit 12, and includes a start point setting switch 221a for setting a start point position and an end point setting switch 221b for setting an end point position.
When the starting point setting switch 221a is operated while the body 1 is traveling in the manual steering mode, and the starting point setting switch 221a is operated while the body 1 is traveling in this state, the position Aa of the body 1 at that timing is sent to the reference azimuth calculation unit 233. The position Aa is calculated by the body position calculating unit 231 at the timing when the start point setting switch 221a is operated. When the start point setting switch 221a is operated, the end point setting switch 221b cannot be operated.
When the rider operates the start point setting switch 221a and the body 1 continues traveling and is separated from the position Aa by a predetermined distance or more, the end point setting switch 221b is operated.
Further, while the body 1 travels after the rider operates the start point setting switch 221a, the start point setting switch 221a may be operable, and the start point setting switch 221a may not be operable.
When the start point setting switch 221a can be operated, if the rider re-operates the start point setting switch 221a, the position Aa of the machine body 1 at that timing may be sent to the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 again.
When the starting point setting switch 221a cannot be operated, a button may be displayed instead of the starting point setting switch 221a to cancel the storage of the position Aa and stop the setting of the reference azimuth B.
When the end point setting switch 221b is operated, the position Ab of the body 1 at the timing is sent to the reference azimuth calculating unit 233. The position Ab is calculated by the body position calculating unit 231 at the timing when the end point setting switch 221b is operated.
Then, based on the positions Aa and Ab, the reference azimuth B for work travel is calculated by the reference azimuth calculation unit 233, and the calculated reference azimuth B is stored in the storage unit 234.
That is, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates the reference azimuth B based on the plurality of body positions calculated during the travel of the field.
The storage unit 234 is configured to be able to store a plurality of reference azimuths B for work travel. The storage unit 234 is not limited to storing the reference azimuth B, and may store the positions Aa and Ab, for example.
The control unit 230 is connected to the azimuth offset setting unit 239. The azimuth offset setting unit 239 is configured to be able to set the azimuth offset amount Δ B based on a human operation.
The bearing shift setting unit 239 is, for example, an icon button displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT provided in the boarding unit 12, but may be a dial switch or a lever.
The reference azimuth calculation unit 233 is configured to be able to calculate, from the calculated reference azimuth B, another reference azimuth B that is offset from the "predetermined azimuth". The "predetermined azimuth" is an azimuth offset amount Δ B set by a human operation.
The selection unit 235 selects one of the plurality of reference orientations B.
First, the selection unit 235 acquires the travel direction of the machine body 1 from the machine direction calculation unit 232.
Then, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B closest to the travel azimuth of the machine body 1 among the plurality of reference azimuths B stored in the storage unit 234.
The condition determining unit 238 is configured to receive signals from the main shift lever 222, the sub-shift switch 223, the cut-off and threshing lever 224, the elevation sensing unit 225, the threshing clutch 226, and the cut-off clutch 227, and determine "predetermined conditions" for the automatic steering control based on the signals.
The determination result of the condition determining unit 238 is sent to the line setting unit 236. The details of the processing of the condition determination unit 238 will be described later in [ regarding the start determination routine ].
The main shift lever 222, the sub-shift switch 223, the threshing lever 224, the elevation sensor 225, the threshing clutch 226, and the threshing clutch 227 are also described in summary in [ about the start determination routine ] below.
The line setting unit 236 always acquires the latest position coordinates of the machine body 1 calculated by the machine body position calculation unit 231.
The line setting unit 236 obtains the determination result from the condition determining unit 238. Then, if the determination result is that the automatic steering control is permitted, the line setting unit 236 constantly calculates the travel target line C extending forward from the left and right center portions of the harvesting device 15 along the reference heading B selected by the storage unit 234, based on the latest position coordinates.
When the control unit 230 is switched to the automatic steering mode, the line setting unit 236 fixes (sets) the travel target line C calculated at that time as the travel target line C on which the machine body 1 is to travel.
The set travel target line C is fixed until the automatic steering mode is released. The travel target line C extends forward from the machine body 1 and is parallel to the reference azimuth B selected by the storage unit 234.
That is, the line setting unit 236 sets the travel target line C based on the selected reference azimuth B.
In the automatic steering mode, when the rider operates a steering lever (not shown) or operates the main shift lever 222 to a stop position, the control unit 230 switches from the automatic steering mode to the manual steering mode.
When the control unit 230 switches from the automatic steering mode to the manual steering mode, the line setting unit 236 releases the setting of the travel target line C.
The line setting unit 236 may calculate and set the travel target line C when the control unit 230 is switched to the automatic steering mode.
The steering control unit 237 can calculate the amount of positional displacement of the machine body 1 in the machine body lateral direction with respect to the travel target line C.
The steering control unit 237 can calculate the azimuth offset, which is the angular deviation between the travel azimuth of the machine body 1 and the reference azimuth B selected by the storage unit 234.
When the control unit 230 is set to the automatic steering mode, the steering control unit 237 controls the travel device 11 so that the machine body 1 travels along the travel target line C based on the machine body position information from the machine body position calculation unit 231 and the direction information from the machine body direction calculation unit 232.
[ calculation with reference to the orientation of the reference ]
In the case of performing a harvesting operation of a field, first, a rider (also may be a monitor, the same applies hereinafter) manually operates the combine harvester to perform harvesting while performing a round-trip harvesting (an example of an operation travel) along the ridge side, which is the outer periphery of the field, in the outer peripheral region in the field.
The area around which the combine travels serves as a turning space of the machine body 1 when the combine harvester travels back and forth in the subsequent steps to harvest crops in the area inside the field (for example, the work target area CA in fig. 23 and 24). Therefore, it is desirable to ensure that the turning space is wide.
Therefore, the rider can travel the combine harvester 2 to 3 weeks in the peripheral region of the field, and a region of the combine harvester that travels around the harvesting region 2 to 3 times as wide as the harvesting width is secured as a turning space.
The reference azimuth B is calculated together with the wrap-around harvesting travel in the peripheral region within the field. The sequence of calculation of the reference azimuth B is shown in a flowchart in fig. 14.
First, the end point setting switch 221b is automatically switched to the inoperable state (step # 101).
In the present embodiment, the start point setting switch 221a and the end point setting switch 221b are icon buttons of the common terminal VT.
The inoperable state of the end point setting switch 221b is, for example, a state in which the icon button of the end point setting switch 221b is not displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT (including graying of the icon button), or a state in which the operation of the occupant or the like is not reflected even when the icon button of the end point setting switch 221b is displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT.
When the rider moves the combine at the ridge edge of the field and starts to go straight (or substantially straight) along the ridge edge of the field, the rider operates the start point setting switch 221a (step # 102).
In the present embodiment, the "operation" also includes icon operations of the start point setting switch 221a and the end point setting switch 221b as icon buttons.
When the start point setting switch 221a is operated (step # 102. The position Aa is a position coordinate of the body 1 calculated by the body position calculation unit 231 at the timing when the start point setting switch 221a is operated.
Then, the rider moves the combine straight (or substantially straight) along one side of the ridge side of the field and performs work travel. During this time, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 determines whether or not the machine body 1 is separated from the position Aa by a predetermined distance or more (step # 104).
The "predetermined distance" is, for example, 5 meters from the position Aa.
If the machine body 1 is not away from the position Aa by the predetermined distance or more (no in step # 104), the process of step #109 is performed.
Step #109 is a process of switching the end point setting switch 221b to the inoperable state when the end point setting switch 221b is in the operable state. That is, if the machine body 1 is not separated from the position Aa by the predetermined distance or more (step #104 no), the terminal setting switch 221b is kept in the inoperable state, and the rider cannot operate the terminal setting switch 221b.
If the machine body 1 is separated from the position Aa by a predetermined distance or more (step #104 yes), the end point setting switch 221b is switched to the operable state (step # 105), and at this time, if the end point setting switch 221b is already in the operable state, the operable state of the end point setting switch 221b is maintained.
Then, it is determined whether or not the end point setting switch 221b is operated (step # 106).
If the end point setting switch 221b is not operated (step #106 no), the processing of steps #104 to #105 is repeated.
At this time, if the machine body 1 is not separated from the position Aa by a predetermined distance or more (step #104 no), for example, by the combine traveling backward or the like, the end point setting switch 221b is again switched to the inoperable state (step # 109).
When the end point setting switch 221b is operated (step # 106. The position Ab is a position coordinate of the body 1 calculated by the body position calculating unit 231 at the timing when the end point setting switch 221b is operated.
In this way, the rider travels the combine straight (or substantially straight) along one side of the ridge side of the field and performs work travel, and by operating the start point setting switch 221a and the end point setting switch 221b, the positions Aa and Ab are obtained.
When the positions Aa and Ab are acquired, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates the reference azimuth B as the azimuth of a straight line connecting two points of the positions Aa and Ab (step # 108).
That is, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates the azimuth of a straight line connecting the two body positions calculated by the body position calculation unit 231 as the reference azimuth B. In step #108, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 stores the calculated reference azimuth B in the storage unit 234. This completes the calculation process of the reference azimuth B.
By repeating the above-described processing from step #101 to step #108, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 is configured to be able to acquire a plurality of reference azimuths B.
For example, the rider moves the combine along the other ridge of the field, operates the start point setting switch 221a to cause the combine to travel straight (or substantially straight) along one side of the other ridge and perform work, and then operates the end point setting switch 221b. At this time, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 performs the processing of step #101 to step #108 again, and calculates another reference azimuth B.
In the example shown in fig. 15, the round-trip harvesting travel of 1 round is performed along the ridge side of the field, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates a plurality of reference azimuths B1, B2, B3, and B4, and the storage unit 234 stores a plurality of reference azimuths B1, B2, B3, and B4 having different azimuths. The reference azimuth B1 is calculated based on the positions A1 and A2, the reference azimuth B2 is calculated based on the positions A3 and A4, the reference azimuth B3 is calculated based on the positions A5 and A6, and the reference azimuth B4 is calculated based on the positions A7 and A8.
Positions A1, A3, A5, and A7 are positions Aa (see fig. 13 and 14) at which the start point setting switch 221a is operated, and positions A2, A4, A6, and A8 are positions Ab (see fig. 13 and 14) at which the end point setting switch 221b is operated.
That is, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates the reference azimuth B based on the body position calculated during the circle traveling in the outer peripheral region of the field. At this time, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates a plurality of reference azimuths B of azimuths extending along the outer periphery of the field.
In other words, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates a plurality of reference azimuths B of azimuths extending along the outer periphery of the field based on the body positions calculated in the circle traveling by the human operation in the outer periphery region of the field.
The position A1 is the "first position" of the present invention, and the position A2 is the "second position" of the present invention. The reference azimuth B1 is the "first reference azimuth" of the present invention. That is, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates the reference azimuth B1 as one of the plurality of reference azimuths B based on the body positions calculated at the positions A1 and A2 respectively during traveling between the two points of the position A1 and the position A2 in the outer peripheral region across the field.
Position A3 is the "third location" of the present invention, and position A4 is the "fourth location" of the present invention. The reference azimuth B2 is the "second reference azimuth" of the present invention. That is, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates the reference azimuth B2 as one of the plurality of reference azimuths B based on the body positions calculated at the positions A3 and A4 during travel between two points that cross over the positions A3 and A4 different from both the positions A1 and A2 in the outer peripheral area after travel across the positions A1 and A2.
In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 15, the reference azimuth B1 is calculated based on the positions A1 and A2, and the reference azimuth B2 is calculated based on the positions A3 and A4, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the azimuth offset amount Δ B of 90 degrees may be set by manual operation of the azimuth offset setting unit 239, and the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 may calculate the reference azimuth B2 of an azimuth offset by 90 degrees from the calculated reference azimuth B1. That is, the following configuration is possible: when the reference azimuth B1 is calculated based on the positions A1 and A2, the reference azimuth B2 of the azimuth shifted by 90 degrees from the reference azimuth B1 is automatically calculated even if the vehicle does not travel between two points over the positions A3 and A4.
[ relating to automatic steering control ]
After the reference azimuth B is stored in the storage unit 234, the determination process as shown in fig. 16 is performed by a human operation before the automatic steering control.
First, the position of the body 1 calculated by the body position calculating unit 231 is stored as the position Pa (step # 111).
Next, it is determined whether or not a predetermined condition for the automatic steering control is satisfied (step # 112).
Whether or not a predetermined condition for the automatic steering control is satisfied is determined by a start determination routine shown in fig. 25.
This start judgment routine is a subroutine called in the processing of step #112, and is processed by the condition judgment unit 238.
The start determination routine returns a return value of Yes to step #112 if a prescribed condition for automatic steering control is satisfied.
Further, if the start judgment routine does not satisfy the predetermined condition for the automatic steering control, the return value of No is returned to step #112.
The start determination routine shown in fig. 25 will be described later in [ about start determination routine ].
When the return value of No is returned from the start judgment routine to step #112 (step #112 No), the processing of steps #111 to #112 is repeated, and the update position Pa is continued.
When the return value of Yes is returned from the start determination routine to step #112 (step #112.
Then, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B closest to the travel azimuth of the machine body 1 from the plurality of reference azimuths B (step # 114).
In the example shown in fig. 17, since the travel azimuth of the machine body 1 is along the reference azimuth B1, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B1 from the plurality of reference azimuths B.
Then, the line setting unit 236 (or the selection unit 235) calculates the difference Δ θ between the travel azimuth of the machine body 1 and the reference azimuth B (step # 115), and determines whether or not the difference Δ θ is within a predetermined threshold value (for example, within 5 °) (step # 116).
If the difference Δ θ is larger than the preset threshold value (no in step # 116), the processing in steps #111 to #115 is repeated, and the update of the position Pa is continued.
At this time, although a case where the same reference azimuth B is repeatedly selected in step #114 is considered, the selection of the selection unit 235 is maintained in this case.
Further, if the machine body 1 turns during this period and the reference azimuth B closest to the travel azimuth of the machine body 1 becomes the other reference azimuth B, the selection unit 235 selects the other reference azimuth B.
If the difference Δ θ is within the preset threshold value (yes in step # 116), the line setting unit 236 determines whether or not the body position is separated from the position Pa stored in step #111 by a preset distance or more (step # 117).
If the determination of step #117 is No, the processes of steps #112 to #117 are repeated. At this time, the process of step #111 is not performed, and the position Pa is not updated. In this state, when the machine body 1 moves forward, the separation distance between the machine body position and the position Pa stored in step #111 becomes large.
When the determination of step #117 is Yes, the control unit 230 shifts to the automatic steering mode and performs automatic steering control by the steering control unit 237 (step # 118).
As can be understood from the above description, the steering control unit 237 is in a state in which the steering control of the travel device 11 can be automatically performed when it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied and the machine body 1 has traveled the predetermined distance in the straight direction along the reference azimuth B selected by the selection unit 235.
When the control unit 230 shifts to the automatic steering mode, the line setting unit 236 sets the straight travel target line C parallel to the reference azimuth B in front of the machine body 1.
After shifting to the automatic steering mode, the positional information of the body 1 is calculated over time by the body position calculating section 231, and the relative orientation change angle is calculated over time by the body orientation calculating section 232.
Then, the steering control unit 237 calculates a position offset amount of the machine body 1 in the machine body lateral direction with respect to the travel target line C and an azimuth offset angle of the reference azimuth B and the travel azimuth of the machine body 1, and controls the travel device 11 so that the machine body 1 travels along the travel target line C.
As described above, the area of the round harvesting travel is used as a turning space of the combine harvester in the subsequent process, so the round harvesting travel of the combine harvester is performed for 2 to 3 weeks.
In the present embodiment, a round-trip harvesting travel of 1 round is performed along the outer periphery of the field, and a plurality of reference orientations B (see fig. 15) are calculated, and the reference orientations B are stored in the storage unit 234. Therefore, these reference positions B can be used for the round-trip harvesting travel after the 2 nd week.
In fig. 17, the round-cut travel is performed adjacent to the cuts at the positions A1 and A2. At this time, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B1 closest to the travel azimuth of the machine body 1, and the line setting unit 236 generates the straight travel target line C1 parallel to the reference azimuth B1 in front of the travel azimuth of the machine body 1. Then, in the region D1 over the harvesting width of the combine harvester, automatic steering control along the travel target line C1 is performed.
In fig. 18, the wrap-around harvesting travel is performed adjacent to the cuts at positions A3 and A4. At this time, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B2 closest to the travel azimuth of the machine body 1, and the line setting unit 236 generates the straight travel target line C2 parallel to the reference azimuth B2 in front of the travel azimuth of the machine body 1. Then, in the region D2 over the harvesting width of the combine harvester, automatic steering control along the travel target line C2 is performed.
In fig. 19, the wrap-around harvesting travel is performed adjacent to the cuts at positions A5 and A6. At this time, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B3 closest to the travel azimuth of the machine body 1, and the line setting unit 236 generates the straight travel target line C3 parallel to the reference azimuth B3 in front of the travel azimuth of the machine body 1. Then, in the region D3 over the harvesting width of the combine harvester, automatic steering control along the travel target line C3 is performed.
In fig. 20, the wrap-around reaping travel is performed adjacent to the cuts at the positions A6 and A7, and the travel direction of the machine body 1 is the same as or similar to the reference direction B1. Therefore, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B1, and the line setting unit 236 generates the straight travel target line C4 parallel to the reference azimuth B1 in front of the travel azimuth of the machine body 1. Then, in the region D4 over the harvesting width of the combine harvester, automatic steering control along the travel target line C4 is performed.
In fig. 21, the wrap-around reaping travel is performed adjacent to the cuts at the positions A6 and A7, and the travel direction of the machine body 1 is the same as or similar to the reference direction B2. Therefore, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B2, and the line setting unit 236 generates the straight travel target line C5 parallel to the reference azimuth B2 in front of the travel azimuth of the machine body 1. Then, in the region D5 over the harvesting width of the combine harvester, automatic steering control along the travel target line C5 is performed.
In fig. 22, the wrap-around harvesting travel is performed adjacent to the cuts at positions A7 and A8. At this time, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B4 closest to the travel azimuth of the machine body 1, and the line setting unit 236 generates the straight travel target line C6 parallel to the reference azimuth B4 in front of the travel azimuth of the machine body 1. Then, in the region D6 over the harvesting width of the combine harvester, automatic steering control along the travel target line C6 is performed.
When the round-trip harvesting travel of the combine harvester is completed, as shown in fig. 23 and 24, the combine harvester cuts crop while reciprocating in the work target area CA remaining inside the already-worked area of the round-trip harvesting travel.
In the work target area CA, a cutting travel for cutting a crop while advancing along the travel target line C and a direction change of 180 ° (or substantially 180 °) in an outer peripheral area outside the work target area CA are repeated. Thus, the combine harvesters harvest crops so as to cover the entire work target area CA.
At this time, the travel azimuth of the machine body 1 is the same as or similar to the reference azimuth B1. Therefore, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B1, and the line setting unit 236 generates the straight travel target lines C7 and C8, etc. parallel to the reference azimuth B1 in front of the travel azimuth of the machine body 1. Thus, for example, in the reciprocating travel shown in fig. 23, the automatic steering control along the travel target line C7 is performed in the region D7 over the harvesting width of the combine harvester. Further, for example, in the middle-split travel shown in fig. 24, the automatic steering control along the travel target line C8 is performed over the area D8 of the harvesting width of the combine harvester.
That is, the line setting unit 236 sets the travel target line C in the work target area CA based on the reference azimuth B calculated during the circle travel in the outer peripheral area.
In the example shown in fig. 23 and 24, the round-cutting travel is performed so that the work area CA forms a polygon having unequal sides along the field shape, but the round-cutting travel may be performed so that the work area CA forms a quadrangle. The burden on a rider is reduced by performing automatic steering control in reciprocating travel or the like after the round-trip travel of the combine harvester.
In this way, the selection unit 235 selects one of the plurality of reference azimuths B based on the calculated travel azimuth of the machine body 1, and the line setting unit 236 sets the travel target line C based on the selected reference azimuth B.
[ regarding the start decision routine ]
A start determination routine to be processed by the condition determination unit 238 will be described below with reference to fig. 13 and 25.
When the start determination routine is called at step #112 in fig. 25, the process at step #121 is first executed.
In step #121, the condition determining unit 238 acquires information indicating the operation position of the main shift lever 222 shown in fig. 13.
The main shift lever 222 is configured to be swingable operated in the front-rear direction. The movable range of the main shift lever 222 is divided into three regions, i.e., a forward operation position FP, a neutral position NP, and a reverse operation position RP.
Then, by operating the main shift lever 222, the shift state of the main shift device of the traveling device 11 is changed.
When the main shift lever 222 is located at the neutral position NP, the main shift device is in a neutral state, and the traveling device 11 is not driven for traveling.
The traveling device 11 travels forward at a higher speed as the main shift lever 222 is tilted from the neutral position NP to the forward operation position FP.
The more the main shift lever 222 is reversed from the neutral position NP to the reverse operation position RP, the higher the speed of the traveling device 11 is.
A signal from a sensor that detects the swing angle of the main shift lever 222 is input to the condition determining unit 238, and the condition determining unit 238 determines whether or not the main shift lever 222 is located at the forward operation position FP.
When the main shift lever 222 is not located at the forward operation position FP, no is determined in step #121, and the return value of No is returned to step #112.
When the main shift lever 222 is located at the forward operation position FP, the determination is Yes in step #121, and the process proceeds to step #122.
The condition determining unit 238 is configured to receive an operation signal of the sub-shift switch 223 shown in fig. 13.
The range switch 223 is provided on the main shift lever 222. Each time the sub-transmission switch 223 is operated, the shift state of the sub-transmission device (not shown) is alternately switched between the working travel state (low speed state) and the non-working travel state (high speed state).
A signal from a sensor that detects the state of the subtransmission switch 223 is input to the condition determination unit 238. The condition determination unit 238 is configured to be able to determine whether the shift state of the sub-shift switch 223 is for work traveling or non-work traveling.
In step #122, it is determined whether or not the state of the sub-transmission switch 223 is for work traveling. More specifically, it is determined whether the subtransmission device is in a low speed state.
When the subtransmission device is not in the low speed state, no is determined in step #122, and the No return value is returned to step #112.
When the subtransmission device is in the low speed state, the determination is made as Yes in step #122, and the process proceeds to step #123.
In step #123, the condition determination unit 238 acquires information indicating whether or not the FIX solution (known technique) required for the RTK-GPS positioning is obtained from the body position calculation unit 231 shown in fig. 13. Then, based on the acquired information, it is determined whether or not the positioning state of the body position is equal to or more than a predetermined accuracy.
More specifically, the condition determination unit 238 determines whether or not the FIX solution is obtained in the RTK-GPS positioning by the satellite positioning module 80 and the body position calculation unit 231.
If the FIX solution is not obtained in the RTK-GPS positioning by the satellite positioning module 80 and the body position calculation unit 231, the determination is No in step #123, and the No return value is returned to step #112.
If the FIX solution is obtained in the RTK-GPS positioning by the satellite positioning module 80 and the body position calculation unit 231, the determination is Yes in step #123, and the process proceeds to step #124.
In step #124, the condition determining unit 238 acquires information indicating the operation position of the threshing bar 224 shown in fig. 13.
The harvesting threshing rod 224 is provided in the boarding portion 12. The threshing and harvesting lever 224 is configured to be swingably operated in the forward and backward directions.
The threshing bar 224 is configured to be capable of switching the operation position among the first operation position M1, the second operation position M2, and the third operation position M3. By operating the threshing lever 224, the on/off state of the threshing clutch 226 and the threshing clutch 227 is changed.
A signal from a sensor that detects the swing angle of the threshing rod 224 is input to the condition determining unit 238. The condition determining unit 238 is configured to be able to determine which of the first operating position M1, the second operating position M2, and the third operating position M3 the operating position of the threshing bar 224 is to be cut.
When the operating position of the threshing cylinder 224 is the first operating position M1, both the threshing clutch 226 and the threshing clutch 227 are engaged. In this state, the power from the engine is transmitted to the thresher 13 and to the harvester 15 via the cutting clutch 227. Thereby, the threshing device 13 and the harvesting device 15 are operated.
When the operating position of the mowing threshing lever 224 is the second operating position M2, the threshing clutch 226 is in an engaged state, and the mowing clutch 227 is in an open state. In this state, the power from the engine is transmitted to the thresher 13 and not transmitted to the cutting clutch 227. This causes the threshing device 13 to operate and the harvesting device 15 to not operate.
When the operating position of the threshing cylinder 224 is the third operating position M3, both the threshing clutch 226 and the threshing clutch 227 are in the off state. In this state, the power from the engine is not transmitted to any of the threshing device 13 and the cut-off clutch 227. At this time, the threshing device 13 and the harvesting device 15 are not operated.
Then, the condition determination unit 238 determines whether or not the threshing clutch 226 is in the engaged state based on the acquired information.
When the operating position of the mowing threshing rod 224 is the third operating position M3, no is determined in step #124, and the return value of No is returned to step #112.
When the operating position of the threshing lever 224 is the first operating position M1 or the second operating position M2, the determination is Yes at step #124, and the process proceeds to step #125.
Further, the condition determining unit 238 determines whether or not the disconnect clutch 227 is in the engaged state based on the acquired information (step # 125).
When the operating position of the mowing threshing rod 224 is the second operating position M2 or the third operating position M3, no is determined in step #125, and the return value of No is returned to step #112.
When the operating position of the threshing lever 224 is the first operating position M1, the determination is Yes at step #125, and the process proceeds to step #126.
In step #126, it is determined whether the harvesting device 15 is in the working position. In the present embodiment, the fact that the amount of lowering of the harvesting device 15 from the highest raised position is equal to or greater than a predetermined value corresponds to the fact that the harvesting device 15 is located at the working position.
Here, the combine body 1 includes a lift sensor 225. The elevation sensing unit 225 senses the extension/contraction state of the harvesting device cylinder 15 a. The sensing result condition of the elevation sensing unit 225 is sent to the determination unit 238.
Then, the condition determining unit 238 determines whether or not the harvesting device 15 is located at the working position based on the sensing result of the elevation sensing unit 225.
If the harvesting device 15 is not located at the working position, no is determined in step #126, and the return value of No is returned to step #112.
When the harvesting device 15 is located at the working position, it is determined as Yes in step #126. If Yes is determined in step #126, it is determined that the predetermined condition for the automatic steering control is satisfied, and the return value of Yes is returned to step #112.
As is understood from the above description, in the present embodiment, the "predetermined condition" for the automatic steering control described above is included in all of step #121 to step #126 and is determined as Yes. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and some of step #121 to step #126 may not be provided.
That is, the "predetermined condition" for the automatic steering control includes at least one of the main shift lever 222 being located at the forward operation position FP, the sub-transmission being in the gear shift state for work, the positioning state of the body position being greater than or equal to a predetermined accuracy, the clutch for power transmission to the threshing device 13 being in the engaged state, the clutch for power transmission to the harvesting device 15 being in the engaged state, and the harvesting device 15 being located at the work position.
[ display of a screen concerning a reference azimuth and a travel target line ]
While the processes of steps #111 to #117 in fig. 16 are being performed, the selected reference azimuth B and the combine (agricultural machine) are displayed on the common terminal VT provided in the boarding unit 12 (see fig. 27 and 28).
The orientation indexes RL1 and RL2 of the reference orientation B and the combine are displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT so that the combine is tilted in accordance with the difference Δ θ (see fig. 16, 27, and 28).
The azimuth indexes RL1 and RL2 are lines indicating the reference azimuth B selected by the selection unit 235. Therefore, the rider can easily confirm the general-purpose terminal VT before starting the automatic steering control and match the traveling direction of the machine body 1 with the reference direction B.
In the example shown in fig. 26 to 29, the round-cut travel is performed in the reference azimuth B1, and then the round-cut travel is performed in the reference azimuth B2.
The direction indicators GL1 and GL2 shown in fig. 26 and 29 are lines indicating the travel target line C set by the line setting unit 236. In the present embodiment, the general-purpose terminal VT is an "orientation display unit" capable of displaying the orientation indexes GL1, GL2, RL1, RL2.
In the examples shown in fig. 26 to 29, on the screen of the general-purpose terminal VT, the position indicators GL1, GL2, RL1, RL2 are displayed so as to rotate the combine without rotating, but the position indicators GL1, GL2, RL1, RL2 may rotate without rotating the combine.
That is, the direction indexes GL1, GL2, RL1, RL2 of the reference direction B and the combine may be displayed on the universal terminal VT so that one of the direction indexes GL1, GL2, RL1, RL2 of the reference direction B and the combine may be inclined by the difference Δ θ.
In the examples shown in fig. 26 to 29, the reference azimuth B1 and the reference azimuth B2 that is offset by 90 degrees from the reference azimuth B1 are set.
Therefore, if the difference Δ θ between the reference azimuth B1 and the azimuth of the body 1 is within 45 degrees (an angle of half 90 degrees), the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B1.
Further, if the difference Δ θ between the reference azimuth B1 and the azimuth of the body 1 is larger than 45 degrees, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B2.
That is, the selection unit 235 selects the reference azimuth B closest to the azimuth of the body 1 from the plurality of reference azimuths B based on the azimuth of the body 1 calculated by the body azimuth calculation unit 232.
Fig. 26 shows a state in which the harvesting device 15 harvests a crop in an unharvested area (an area where the crop in the field is not harvested) while performing automatic steering control along the reference orientation B1.
The direction indicator GL1 of the travel target line C is displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT, and the automatic steering control is performed so that the machine body 1 follows the travel target line C.
As an area where crops are harvested along with the automatic steering control, the working area D is displayed on the common terminal VT in a width that extends over the working width of the combine harvester. The working area D is displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT as a travel locus of the combine under automatic steering control.
In fig. 27, a state is shown in which the control unit 230 moves from the automatic steering mode to the manual steering mode, making a 90-degree turn in the machine-left direction in the harvested region after the combine harvests and passes through the non-harvested region. In fig. 27, the difference Δ θ between the reference azimuth B1 and the azimuth of the body 1 is within 45 degrees.
In other words, the difference Δ θ between the reference azimuth B1 and the azimuth of the body 1 is smaller than the difference (90 degrees — Δ θ) between the reference azimuth B2 and the azimuth of the body 1. Therefore, the reference azimuth B1 is selected in the processing of step #113 and step #114 in fig. 16, and the azimuth indicator RL1 of the reference azimuth B1 is displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT as shown in fig. 27.
Fig. 28 shows a state in which the machine body 1 turns in the machine body left direction more than the case shown in fig. 27. In fig. 28, the difference Δ θ between the reference azimuth B1 and the azimuth of the body 1 is larger than 45 degrees.
In other words, the difference Δ θ between the reference azimuth B1 and the azimuth of the body 1 is larger than the difference (90- Δ θ) between the reference azimuth B2 and the azimuth of the body 1. Therefore, the reference azimuth B2 is selected in the processing of step #113 and step #114 in fig. 16, and the azimuth indicator RL2 of the reference azimuth B2 is displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT as shown in fig. 28.
In addition, a plurality of direction lines parallel to the reference direction B, that is, the direction index RL1 or the direction index RL2 may be displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT at intervals of the working width of the combine, or the positional relationship between the plurality of direction lines and the combine may be displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT. In this case, the rider can easily adjust the lateral position of the machine body, for example, as a reference when performing the center-split traveling.
Further, when the travel direction of the machine body 1 does not match the reference direction B, the travel direction of the machine body 1 may be automatically corrected so that the travel direction of the machine body 1 is along the reference direction B.
Fig. 29 shows a state where the harvester 15 cuts the crop in the non-harvested region while performing automatic steering control along the reference azimuth B2 after the body 1 makes a 90-degree turn. When the control unit 230 shifts to the automatic steering mode in step #118 in fig. 16, the heading index GL2 of the travel target line C is displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT provided in the boarding unit 12, and the heading index GL2 is displayed so as to extend forward of the combine. When the work travel along the travel target line C is performed in accordance with the automatic steering control, the work area D is displayed on the general-purpose terminal VT in a width extending over the work width of the combine.
In the examples shown in fig. 26 to 29, the direction indexes GL1 and GL2 are displayed when the control unit 230 is in the automatic steering mode, and the direction indexes RL1 and RL2 are displayed when the control unit 230 is in the manual steering mode. In the examples shown in fig. 26 to 29, the azimuth indicators GL1 and GL2 are shown by solid lines, and the azimuth indicators RL1 and RL2 are shown by broken lines. The orientation indicators GL1, GL2 and the orientation indicators RL1, RL2 may be displayed in different colors, respectively. That is, the general-purpose terminal VT as the "heading display unit" changes the display modes of the heading indexes GL1, GL2, RL1, and RL2 when the travel device 11 is manually steered and when the travel device 11 is automatically steered.
The working area D is displayed as a width across the working width of the combine harvester at the universal terminal VT. The work width may be input by the passenger or acquired via an external network.
In addition, an extra width overlapping with a harvested region or an unharvested region adjacent in the lateral direction, that is, a so-called overlap margin may be considered for the working width. In this case, the overlap margin may be input by the passenger or may be acquired via an external network.
The working area D along the travel target line C is displayed on the common terminal VT in a width extending over the working width of the combine harvester, and the lateral offset and the azimuth offset of the combine harvester with respect to the travel target line C are displayed on the common terminal VT.
In the reciprocating travel shown in fig. 23 and 24, for example, the regions D7 and D8 may be displayed on the common terminal VT as the working region D having a width extending over the working width of the combine.
[ modification of the third embodiment ]
The present invention is not limited to the configurations exemplified in the above-described embodiments, and representative modifications of the present invention are shown below.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the steering control unit 237 controls the traveling device 11 based on the body position information from the body position calculation unit 231 and the direction information from the body direction calculation unit 232, but is not limited to this embodiment.
The steering control unit 237 may control the traveling device 11 based on the body position information from the body position calculation unit 231, or may control the traveling device 11 based on the heading information from the body heading calculation unit 232.
The steering control unit 237 may automatically control the steering of the travel device 11 based on the body position so as to be along the reference azimuth B.
The steering control unit 237 may automatically control the steering of the travel device 11 based on the body position so as to follow the travel target line C set based on the reference azimuth B.
When the steering control unit 237 automatically controls the steering of the travel device 11 so as to be along the reference azimuth B, the configuration may be such that the line setting unit 236 is not provided. Alternatively, the line setting unit 236 and the steering control unit 237 may be integrally configured.
(2) In the above-described embodiment, as shown in fig. 15, the reference azimuth B1 is calculated based on the positions A1 and A2, and the reference azimuth B2 is calculated based on the positions A3 and A4, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
In the example shown in fig. 15, when the reference azimuth B1 is calculated based on the positions A1 and A2, the reference azimuths B2 and B3 whose azimuths are shifted by predetermined azimuths may be automatically calculated. In this case, the amount of the azimuth offset may be manually set or may be automatically set.
(3) In the above-described embodiment, the position Aa is stored when the start point setting switch 221a is operated, the position Ab is stored when the end point setting switch 221B is operated, and the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 calculates the reference azimuth B based on the positions Aa and Ab, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, when the machine body 1 moves straight (or substantially straight, the same applies hereinafter) along the outer periphery of the field, the reference azimuth B may be automatically calculated based on the straight section.
For example, in fig. 15, the reference azimuth B1 may be automatically calculated by the body 1 moving straight across the positions A1 and A2, and the reference azimuth B2 may be calculated by the body 1 moving straight across the positions A3 and A4.
The reference azimuth B3 may be automatically calculated by the body 1 moving straight across the positions A5 and A6, and the reference azimuth B4 may be calculated by the body 1 moving straight across the positions A7 and A8.
Further, the reference azimuth B may be automatically calculated based on the straight section along at least one side of the outer periphery of the field without automatically calculating the reference azimuth B based on all the straight sections along the outer periphery of the field.
That is, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 may calculate a plurality of reference azimuths B of azimuths extending along at least one side of the outer periphery of the field based on the body position calculated in the circle travel by the human operation in the outer periphery region of the field.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, in fig. 15, the position A1 is the "first point" of the present invention, the position A2 is the "second point" of the present invention, and the reference azimuth B1 is the "first reference azimuth" of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
The position A3 is the "third location" of the present invention, the position A4 is the "fourth location" of the present invention, and the reference azimuth B2 is the "second reference azimuth" of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
For example, the position A3 may be the "first location" of the present invention, and the position A4 may be the "second location" of the present invention. In this case, the reference azimuth B2 is the "first reference azimuth" of the present invention.
In addition, the position A5 may be the "third position" of the present invention, and the position A6 may be the "fourth position" of the present invention. In this case, the reference azimuth B3 is the "second reference azimuth" of the present invention.
Further, the position A7 may be the "third position" of the present invention, and the position A8 may be the "fourth position" of the present invention. In this case, the reference azimuth B4 is the "second reference azimuth" of the present invention.
(5) In the above-described embodiment, the body orientation calculating unit 232 that calculates the travel orientation of the body 1 is provided, and the selecting unit 235 selects one of the plurality of reference orientations B based on the calculated travel orientation of the body 1, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
If necessary, the selection unit 235 may select the reference azimuth B by a human operation or may select the reference azimuth B by reception from an external network.
(6) In the above embodiment, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 is provided to calculate the reference azimuth B based on the plurality of body positions calculated during the travel of the field, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
For example, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 may not be provided. In this case, the plurality of reference azimuths B may be received from an external network and stored in the storage unit 234.
(7) The "body position calculating unit" according to the present invention may be configured by integrating the body position calculating unit 231 with the satellite positioning module 80. Further, the body orientation calculation unit 232 may be configured to calculate the travel orientation of the body 1 based on the position information of at least one of the body position calculation unit 231 and the satellite positioning module 80.
(8) In the above-described embodiment, the machine body 1 is capable of traveling in both the one direction and the direction opposite to the one direction by 180 ° along the reference azimuth B, but may be configured in a unidirectional manner such that the machine body 1 can travel only in the one direction along the reference azimuth B.
In this case, when the automatic travel control is performed in the direction opposite to the one direction, another reference heading B having information on the direction 180 ° opposite to the one direction may be stored in the storage unit 234. Further, the selection unit 235 may be configured to select the other reference azimuth B when performing the automatic steering control for traveling straight in the direction 180 ° opposite to the one direction.
(9) In the above-described embodiment, as shown in fig. 16, the steering control unit 237 starts the automatic steering control when the machine body 1 is separated from the position Pa by a predetermined distance or more, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
For example, the steering control unit 237 may start the automatic steering control when the state where the difference Δ θ is within a preset threshold value continues for a predetermined time.
That is, the steering control unit 237 may be configured to be able to automatically perform steering control on the travel device 11 when it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied and the machine body 1 travels straight for a predetermined distance or a predetermined time along the reference azimuth B selected by the selection unit 235.
(10) The "working device" of the present invention may be one of the threshing device 13 and the harvesting device 15.
(11) In the above embodiment, the line setting unit 236 obtains the determination result from the condition determination unit 238, but is not limited to this embodiment.
For example, the condition determination unit 238 may not be provided, and the line setting unit 236 may not obtain the determination result from the condition determination unit 238. The line setting unit 236 and the condition determining unit 238 may be integrally configured.
(12) The azimuth offset setting unit 239 described in the above embodiments may not be provided.
In this case, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 may be configured to calculate the reference azimuth B of the azimuth that is shifted by 90 degrees (a fixed value to which a change cannot be set) from the calculated reference azimuth B.
That is, the reference azimuth calculation unit 233 may be configured to calculate the reference azimuth B of the azimuth that is shifted from the calculated reference azimuth B by a preset value.
(13) Although not shown in the start determination routine shown in fig. 25, the determination as to whether or not the predetermined condition for the automatic steering control is satisfied may include, for example, a manual operation of a push switch.
Further, the determination process as to whether or not the manual operation of the push switch is performed may be performed before the shift to the automatic steering mode in step #118 in fig. 16, and the shift to the automatic steering mode may be performed in step #118 when the manual operation of the push switch is performed.
(14) At step #112 in fig. 16, it is determined whether or not a predetermined condition for the automatic steering control is satisfied based on the start determination routine shown in fig. 25, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
After the position of the machine body 1 is stored as the position Pa in step #111 in fig. 16, the travel direction of the machine body 1 may be acquired in step #113 without performing the process of step #112.
(15) The control unit 230 may be a hardware circuit including, for example, an ASIC or an FPGA, or may be a software program executed by a computer. The control unit 230 may be formed by combining such hardware and software.
[ fourth embodiment ]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described based on fig. 30 to 35. The same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof may be omitted.
In fig. 30, in one field, 2 combine harvesters H, i.e., a first combine H1 as a preceding combine (main combine) and a second combine H2 as a succeeding combine (slave combine), are thrown as agricultural vehicles, and harvest work is performed in cooperation with each other. Of course, multiple subsequent combine harvesters may be added.
Although schematically shown in fig. 30, the combine harvester H has the same configuration as that of the general type combine harvester of the first embodiment shown in fig. 1.
These combine harvesters H are equipped with a general-purpose terminal VT as a tablet personal computer capable of data communication. The first combine H1 and the second combine H2 can exchange information related to traveling and harvesting work via the common terminal VT.
In the cooperative work of the first combine H1 and the second combine H2 shown in fig. 30, the first combine H1 starts harvesting work from the vicinity of the top left vertex of the deformed quadrangle showing the field, and performs a left-hand turning vortex travel (circle travel). The whirlpool travel of the combine H is composed of a straight travel along each side (ridge) of the field and a direction-change travel at each corner of the field.
In the straight traveling, the automatic traveling using the reference information can be performed. Specifically, the following description will be made, but the combine H is automatically driven by using the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or the automatic steering of the driving route calculated from the reference azimuth.
The reference azimuth is obtained by setting a section of the straight travel by the manual steering during the first round travel of the first combine H1 as the teaching travel. The reference azimuth may be acquired on each side of the field, or an azimuth obtained by rotating the reference azimuth acquired on side 1 may be used as the reference azimuth on the other side 3.
The first combine harvester H1 having acquired the reference orientation can automatically travel. The second combine H2 receives the reference orientation acquired by the first combine H1 through data communication, and can perform automatic steering without teaching travel.
Fig. 31 shows a case where the first combine H1 and the second combine H2 perform harvesting work on each area formed by dividing a quadrangular field into two.
The first combine harvester H1 obtains a reference azimuth extending along the longitudinal side and a reference azimuth extending along the lateral side when traveling in the outermost turn. The azimuth obtained by rotating the reference azimuth acquired at the vertical side may be used as the reference azimuth during traveling at the lateral side.
The first combine H1 having obtained the reference azimuth can perform the straight travel among the 2-turn travel by the automatic steering according to the reference azimuth or the travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth. Then, the first combine harvester H1 performs harvesting work by repeated travel (straight reciprocating travel) of the straight travel by the automatic steering and the direction change travel (180 ° turn) by the manual steering.
The second combine H2 receives the reference orientation acquired by the first combine H1 through data communication, and performs harvesting work by repeating the straight travel under automatic steering and the direction change travel (180 ° turn) under manual steering.
As data exchanged by data communication between the first combine H1 and the second combine H2, travel data such as a vehicle speed, work data such as a harvesting speed, harvesting data such as a harvesting amount of travel per unit division, and the like may be processed in addition to the reference orientation.
Fig. 31 is a functional block diagram of a travel control system showing functions related to automatic travel control of the combine harvester H. The combine harvester H includes a control system similar to that of the general combine harvester according to the first embodiment shown in fig. 2. Hereinafter, a configuration different from the control system of the general-type combine harvester according to the first embodiment will be described.
In this embodiment, a first button 31 and a second button 32, which will be described in detail later, are arranged as software buttons on the operation image display area 3b of the touch panel 3 of the general-purpose terminal VT. Various applications for processing information related to the harvesting operation of the combine harvester H are installed in the general-purpose terminal VT. One of the application programs is a display information generating unit 30 that generates information to be displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3 a.
In the present embodiment, the control unit 4 includes a reference information management unit 47 in addition to the above-described functional units (the body position calculation unit 40, the first body position acquisition unit 41, the second body position acquisition unit 42, the reference direction calculation unit 43, the travel route creation unit 44, the travel track creation unit 45, the body direction calculation unit 46, and the travel control unit 50).
When the combine harvester H is thrown into a field as a first combine harvester H1 (main combine harvester), the first combine harvester H1 performs teaching travel for obtaining a reference azimuth used for automatic travel. For example, when the first combine harvester H1 enters the field, teaching travel is performed immediately or after a necessary posture change.
The first body position acquiring unit 41 receives a first signal generated by a driver clicking (touching) the first button 31 during the harvesting operation from the general-purpose terminal VT. The click operation of the first button 31 means the start of teaching travel. The first body position acquiring unit 41 acquires the body position at the timing when the first signal is received from the body position calculating unit 40, and stores the body position as the first body position.
The second body position acquiring unit 42 receives a second signal generated by the driver clicking (touching) the second button 32 when the teaching travel is continued and the body 1 travels to a place away from the first body position while performing the work.
The second body position acquiring unit 42 acquires the body position at the timing when the second signal is received from the universal terminal VT from the body position calculating unit 40, and stores the body position as the second body position. The click operation of the second button 32 means the end of teaching travel. The combine harvester H can also perform teaching travel in a working area where the harvesting work is completed or in a mixed area including the working area and an inoperative area.
The reference azimuth calculation unit 43 calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position read out from the first body position acquisition unit 41 and the second body position read out from the second body position acquisition unit 42. The calculated reference azimuth is sent to the travel route creation unit 44, and if necessary, to the travel control unit 50. The reference azimuth is sent to the reference information management unit 47 using a combination of the first body position and the second body position as reference information.
The reference information management unit 47 manages, as reference information, at least one of a combination of the first body position and the second body position and a reference azimuth which is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position.
In the case where the combine harvester H is used as the first combine harvester H1, the reference information management part 47 transmits the reference information to the combine harvester H used as the second combine harvester H2 via the reference information transmitting part 83a of the communication unit 83.
The reference information management unit 47 of the second combine H2 that receives the reference information via the reference information receiving unit 83b of the communication unit 83 gives the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information to the travel route creation unit 44 or the travel control unit 50.
That is, the combine harvester H is used as the first combine harvester H1 or the second combine harvester H2.
The combine harvester H is put into a plurality of fields, and reference information including different reference orientations is created for each of the fields. The reference information management unit 47 has a function of managing reference information for each field to be loaded.
The travel control unit 50 controls the automatic travel of the combine H based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or the travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
Next, an example of the harvesting work travel will be described with reference to the flowchart of fig. 33. The harvesting work travel is performed in the travel pattern shown in fig. 31.
At this time, the first combine H1 acquires the first body position (point a) and the second body position (point B) by setting a part of travel along the longitudinal sides (longitudinal ridges, short sides of the field shown in fig. 31) as the teaching travel during the first round operation travel, and calculates the reference azimuth.
In traveling along the lateral side (the horizontal ridge, the long side of the field shown in fig. 31), the reference azimuth is not calculated, but the azimuth obtained by rotating the reference azimuth acquired in the teaching traveling along the longitudinal side is used as the reference azimuth for automatic traveling along the lateral side.
When the reference azimuth is acquired, the automatic travel is performed by the automatic steering in the first steering mode for the straight path that is the straight travel. The second combine H2 following the preceding first combine H1 performs automatic travel by automatic steering using the reference orientation fed from the first combine H1.
First, the first combine H1 enters the field through the entrance/exit (# 201), and harvesting travel under manual steering is started (# 202).
Next, teaching travel for obtaining a reference azimuth necessary for automatic steering is performed. To start teaching travel, the driver clicks the first button 31 (see fig. 31) displayed in the operation image display area 3b of the touch panel 3 (# 211).
In response to the click operation, the first body position is acquired as the body position at that time (# 12). At the same time, point a indicating the first body position is displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3a of the touch panel 3 (# 213).
As the harvesting work travels, as shown in fig. 31, on the auxiliary image display area 3a, a strip line BL indicating a travel locus from the point a is displayed with the harvesting width together with an icon of the combine H (# 214).
Further, in the auxiliary image display area 3a, a sign line GL indicating a line parallel to the ridge or the boundary of the field is displayed for accurate teaching travel.
If the orientation of the planting ridges where the crops are harvested is known, the line parallel to the planting ridges may be displayed as the marking line GL.
The end condition of the teaching travel is whether or not the combine H travels a predetermined distance (for example, 5 m) or more from the first body position, or whether or not a predetermined time required for traveling of the predetermined distance has elapsed. Here, it is determined whether or not sufficient teaching travel has been performed on the condition that the travel distance is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance (# 215).
When the condition indicating sufficient teaching travel is satisfied (# 215Yes branch), the second button 32 is displayed in the operation image display area 3b of the touch panel 3 (# 216).
When the driver clicks the second button 32 (# 217Yes branch), a second body position as the body position at that time is acquired in response to the click operation (# 218), and a point B indicating the second body position is displayed on the travel path displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3a (# 219).
The driver can confirm the teaching travel by the travel locus between the points a and B displayed in the auxiliary image display area 3 a.
Further, the direction of the straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position is calculated as a reference direction and stored (# 220).
The calculated reference azimuth is then transmitted to the second combine H2 (# 221).
The first combine H1 can shift from the manual steering to the automatic steering if the teaching travel, which is the harvest operation travel under the manual steering, is finished. The automatic steering starting device 71 is used for starting the automatic running under the automatic steering. It is checked whether or not the automatic steering start device 71 is operated (# 230).
When the driver determines that the machine body 1 is located at the position where the automatic steering should be started and operates the automatic steering start device 71 (# 230Yes branch), the travel route is determined and fixed based on the machine body position at that time and the reference azimuth as described with reference to fig. 6 of the first embodiment (# 231). Then, in this example, automatic steering in the first steering mode is started (# 232).
When the automatic steering is started, a check is made to see whether or not the automatic steering is stopped for a reason such as a direction change (# 233).
There are various conditions for the transition from the automatic steering to the manual steering, but the operation of a steering lever (not shown) for performing a direction change is also one of them. When the automatic steering is stopped (# 233Yes branch), the first combine H1 enters a manual steering state (# 234). The driver manually steers the machine body 1 to change the direction thereof and to align the machine body for the next harvesting operation on the ridge.
Next, in order to switch from manual steering to automatic steering again, it is checked whether or not starting of automatic steering by operation of the automatic steering starting device 71 is requested (# 235).
When the start of the automatic steering is requested by the operation of the automatic steering start device 71 (# 235Yes branch), the process proceeds to step #231, and a travel path is formed based on the body position and the reference azimuth at that time, and the automatic steering is started.
In addition, when a reference azimuth different from the reference azimuth is stored, the reference azimuth having an azimuth close to the azimuth of the machine body 1 at the time of the request for the start of the automatic steering is used to form the travel route. Of course, the driver may select the reference azimuth for forming the travel path.
The restart of the automatic steering is normally performed from the harvest operation travel for lowering the harvest device 15, which is performed following the direction change travel (non-harvest operation travel) by the manual steering for raising the harvest device 15.
Therefore, a harvesting start operation implement for starting the harvesting operation by the harvesting machine may be used in combination with the automatic steering start implement 71 or in place of the automatic steering start implement 71.
The second combine H2 waits outside the field, for example, at a position where the loop travel by the first combine H1 is not obstructed (# 250). The second combine H2 waits while checking whether or not the reference orientation sent from the first combine H1 is received (# 251).
Upon receiving the reference orientation (# 251Yes branch), the second combine H2 is moved from the standby position to a position suitable for manually starting the harvesting work (# 252).
When the position reaches the harvest operation start position, the harvest travel under manual steering is started (# 253).
When the second combine harvester H2 starts harvesting travel under manual steering, the driver determines the timing of transition from manual steering to automatic steering. Therefore, it is checked whether or not the automatic steering start device 71 is operated (# 260).
When the driver determines that the machine body 1 is located at the position where automatic steering should be started and operates the automatic steering starting device 71 (# 260Yes branch), as described with reference to fig. 6 of the first embodiment, the travel route is determined based on the machine body position at that time and the reference azimuth and fixed (# 261). Then, in this example, the automatic steering in the first steering mode is started also in the second combine harvester H2 as in the first combine harvester H1 (# 262).
When the automatic steering is started, a check is made to see whether or not the automatic steering is stopped for reasons such as a direction change (# 263).
There are various conditions for the transition from the automatic steering to the manual steering, but the operation of a steering lever (not shown) for performing a direction change is also one of them. When the automatic steering is stopped (# 233Yes branch), the second combine H2 enters a manual steering state (# 264). The driver performs manual steering, changes the direction of the machine body 1, and positions the machine body for the next harvesting operation on the ridge.
Next, in order to switch from manual steering to automatic steering again, it is checked whether or not starting of automatic steering by operation of the automatic steering starting device 71 is requested (# 265).
The harvesting operation of the combine harvester H and the seedling planting operation of the seedling planting machine PM in the same field across the season are shown in fig. 34. In the illustrated example, the seedling planting work of the rice transplanter PM is performed by the round traveling composed of the straight traveling and the 90 ° turn traveling and the straight reciprocating traveling composed of the straight traveling and the 180 ° turn traveling.
The rice transplanter PM acquires a reference azimuth during the first approximately half-cycle of non-operation travel. The straight travel after the reference azimuth is acquired can be performed by automatic steering according to the reference azimuth or the travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
The reference azimuth acquired by the rice transplanter PM is temporarily recorded in the memory medium. The seedlings planted in a certain row and column by the PM transplanter are harvested by the combine harvester H when the seedlings grow as planting straws due to seasonal changes.
The combine H harvesters the planted straw while travelling along the seedling planting rows, in other words, the straw planting rows. During the straight travel at this time, the automatic steering can be performed based on the reference azimuth read from the memory medium or the travel route calculated from the reference azimuth.
Fig. 35 shows an example of an automatic steering management system in which the management computer 100 having a server function is provided with a reference information receiving unit 83b that receives reference information including a reference azimuth, a reference information managing unit 47 that manages the received reference information, and a reference information transmitting unit 83a that transmits the reference information read from the reference information managing unit 47.
The management computer 100 can be connected to the agricultural vehicle via a data communication line such as the internet. The agricultural vehicle includes all agricultural vehicles that perform field work, such as a combine harvester H, a rice transplanter PM, and a tractor TR.
The management computer 100 includes an input/output data processing unit 101, a farm work management unit 102, and a database 103.
The input/output data processing unit 101 has a function of processing data received from the agricultural vehicle, transmitting the data to the agricultural operation management unit 102, processing the data from the agricultural operation management unit 102, and distributing the data to the agricultural vehicle.
The reference information transmitting unit 83a and the reference information receiving unit 83b are included in the input/output data processing unit 101.
The agricultural work management unit 102 has a function of processing the work travel result information for each field sent from each agricultural vehicle and evaluating the work travel result, and a function of creating planned field work schedule information for each field sent to each agricultural vehicle.
The reference information management unit 47 is included in the agricultural work management unit 102.
The database 103 stores data recorded and extracted by the agricultural work management unit 102.
The data stored in the database 103 includes field information, field work information, field evaluation information, and the like, in units of fields and in the type of machine of the farm vehicle.
This kind of data is stored with the layer structure, contains among the layer structure field map A layer, day mu and forms map layer, benchmark position layer, ranks and forms map layer, driving track map layer, output map layer etc..
The reference azimuth layer records reference azimuths acquired by the farm vehicle, such as a first reference azimuth, a second reference azimuth, ·. Specifically, the reference azimuth acquired by the rice transplanter PM is applied to the combine harvester H that performs the harvesting operation in the same field in the same crop cycle, both inside and outside the field. Alternatively, the reference orientation acquired by the first combine harvester H1 is given to the second combine harvester H2 that performs harvesting work in cooperation with the same field, both inside and outside the field.
[ modification of the fourth embodiment ]
The present invention is not limited to the configurations illustrated in the above-described embodiments, and representative modifications of the present invention are illustrated below.
(1) The term straight or linear path used in the above-described embodiments does not mean strict straight travel, and includes a straight path formed by a broken line and travel that draws a large curve.
(2) Each functional unit shown in the functional block diagram of fig. 32 may be combined with another functional unit, or one functional unit may be separated into a plurality of functional units. For example, the reference azimuth calculation unit 43 may be integrated with the reference information management unit 47, and the reference azimuth calculation unit 43 may create and manage the reference information, or the reference information management unit 47 may calculate and manage the reference azimuth as the reference information.
(3) In the above-described embodiment, the second combine harvester H2 receives the reference azimuth obtained by the first combine harvester H1 via communication, and transmits the reference azimuth to the travel route creation unit 44 or the automatic steering module 51 for automatic steering. Instead, the reference azimuth may be manually input to the control unit 4 by the driver.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the travel device 11 is configured by the crawler-type left travel mechanism 11a and the crawler-type right travel mechanism 11b, and the machine body 1 is steered by the speed difference between the left travel mechanism 11a and the right travel mechanism 11b, but the travel device 11 may be configured to steer the machine body 1 by changing the steering angle of the steered wheels.
(5) In the above embodiment, the reference azimuth is obtained by teaching travel of the combine H and the rice transplanter PM. Instead, an unmanned aerial vehicle that assists various agricultural operations in recent years may be used to acquire a captured image from above the field and determine the reference azimuth from the acquired captured image. For example, the accurate reference azimuth in the map coordinate system or the field coordinate system is obtained by fixing the imaging camera to the drone so that the imaging axis of the imaging camera is in a predetermined direction and flying the drone in the predetermined direction.
Industrial applicability of the invention
The first embodiment can be applied to other harvesters such as a half-feed combine harvester and a corn harvester, in addition to a general combine harvester.
The second embodiment can be applied to agricultural machines such as a semi-feeding combine harvester, a rice transplanter, a direct seeder, a tractor, and a management machine, in addition to a general combine harvester.
The third embodiment can be applied to agricultural machines such as a semi-feeding combine harvester, a rice transplanter, a direct seeder, a tractor, and a management machine, in addition to the general combine harvester.
The fourth embodiment can be applied to an automatic steering management system that manages information necessary for automatic steering of agricultural vehicles.
Description of the reference numerals
[ first embodiment ]
1: machine body
3: touch panel
3a: auxiliary image display area
3b: operating an image display area
4: control unit
13: threshing device (working device)
15: harvesting device (working device)
30: display information generating unit
31: first button
32: second push button
40: body position calculating section
41: first body position acquiring unit
42: second body position acquiring part
43: reference azimuth calculating unit
44: travel route creation unit
45: travel track creation unit
46: body orientation calculating unit
50: running control unit
51: automatic steering module
52: manual steering module
53: vehicle speed control module
71: automatic steering starting device
80: satellite positioning module
81: inertial measurement module
BL: strip line (track)
GL: sign line
GS: artificial satellite
VT: universal terminal
[ second embodiment ]
42a: teaching travel management section
[ third embodiment ]
226: threshing clutch (Clutch)
227: cutting clutch (Clutch)
231: body position calculating section
232: body orientation calculating unit
233: reference azimuth calculating unit
234: storage unit
235: selection part
237: steering control unit
Aa: position (first place, third place)
Ab: position (second, fourth)
A1: position (first place)
A2: position (second place)
A3: position (third place)
A4: position (fourth place)
A5: position of
A6: position of
A7: position of
A8: position of
B: reference azimuth
B1: reference orientation (first reference orientation)
B2: reference orientation (second reference orientation)
B3: reference azimuth
B4: reference azimuth
Δ B: orientation offset (prescribed orientation)
C: target line of travel
C1: target line of travel
C2: target line of travel
C3: target line of travel
C4: target line of travel
C5: target line of travel
C6: target line of travel
C7: target line of travel
C8: target line of travel
GL1: orientation indicator
GL2: orientation indicator
RL1: orientation indicator
RL2: orientation indicator
VT: touch panel type picture (position display part)
[ fourth embodiment ]
47: reference information management unit
83: communication unit
83a: reference information transmitting unit
83b: reference information receiving unit
100: managing computer
101: input/output data processing unit
102: department of agricultural work management
103: a database.

Claims (52)

1. A harvester is characterized by comprising:
a machine body having a travel device;
a body position calculation unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquiring unit that sets the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation during a harvesting operation as a first body position;
a second body position acquiring unit that sets, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a location away from the first body position during the harvesting operation;
a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
and a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
2. The harvester of claim 1,
the travel path is set based on the reference azimuth at the start of automatic travel, and the travel control unit controls automatic travel of the machine body so as to follow the travel path.
3. The harvester of claim 1 or 2,
a display information generating section that generates a travel locus of the body from the first body position toward the second body position and a display device that displays the travel locus are provided.
4. The harvester of claim 3,
the display device is a touch panel, the manual operation for generating the first signal is a touch operation for a first button displayed on the touch panel, and the manual operation for generating the second signal is a touch operation for a second button displayed on the touch panel.
5. The harvester of claim 4,
the condition for generating the second signal is set to be a condition for traveling a predetermined distance or more or a predetermined time or more from the first body position.
6. The harvester of claim 5,
the second button is displayed on the touch panel if the condition is satisfied.
7. The harvester of any one of claims 3 to 6,
the display information generation unit generates a marking line parallel to a boundary of a harvest work area or a planting ridge of a harvested crop, and the boundary or the marking line is displayed on the display device together with the travel locus.
8. The harvester of any one of claims 1 to 7,
the manual operation that generates the first signal is an operation of a harvest initiation operation implement that causes a harvesting device to initiate a harvesting action.
9. An automatic travel method for a harvester including a machine body having a travel device, the method comprising:
a body position calculation step of positioning a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquisition step of taking, as a first body position, the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation in a harvesting job based on manual steering;
a second body position acquisition step of taking, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a place away from the first body position in the harvesting work;
a reference azimuth calculation step of calculating, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
and a travel control step of controlling automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth.
10. A program for controlling a harvester including a body having a travel device, the program causing a computer to implement:
a body position calculation function of positioning a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquisition function of taking, as a first body position, the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation in a harvesting operation based on manual steering;
a second body position obtaining function of taking the body position obtained in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a place away from the first body position in the harvesting work as a second body position;
a reference azimuth calculation function of calculating an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference azimuth; and
and a travel control function of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth.
11. A recording medium having recorded thereon a program for controlling a harvester including a machine body having a travel device, characterized in that the program causes a computer to realize:
a body position calculation function of positioning a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquisition function of taking, as a first body position, the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation in a harvesting operation based on manual steering;
a second body position acquisition function of taking, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a place away from the first body position in the harvesting work;
a reference azimuth calculation function of calculating an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference azimuth; and
and a travel control function of controlling automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
12. A system for controlling a harvester including a body having a travel device, the system comprising:
a body position calculation unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquiring unit that sets the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation during a harvesting operation as a first body position;
a second body position acquiring unit that sets, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a location away from the first body position during the harvesting operation;
a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
and a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
13. An agricultural machine comprising:
a machine body having a travel device and performing forward travel and non-forward travel;
a body position calculating unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquiring unit that sets the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position;
a second body position acquiring unit configured to set the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel as a second body position;
a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
and a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
14. An agricultural implement according to claim 13,
the travel path is set based on the reference azimuth at the start of automatic travel, and the travel control unit controls automatic travel of the machine body so as to follow the travel path.
15. An agricultural implement according to claim 13 or 14, wherein,
the non-forward running includes a reverse running state, a running stop state, or both, and the running stop state includes an engine stop state or an engine drive state.
16. An agricultural machine as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15,
the first body position obtaining unit may obtain the first body position and the second body position obtaining unit may obtain the second body position, regardless of whether the forward travel is a work travel or the forward travel is a non-work travel.
17. An agricultural implement according to any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein,
the condition for generating the second signal is set to be a condition for traveling a predetermined distance or more or a predetermined time or more from the first body position.
18. An agricultural implement according to claim 17,
the backward distance is ignored as the predetermined distance, and the parking time is ignored as the predetermined time.
19. An agricultural implement according to any one of claims 13 to 18 wherein,
the manual operation for generating the first signal is an operation of a work start operation implement for starting a work operation of the work implement.
20. An automatic traveling method for an agricultural machine having a machine body that has a traveling device and performs forward traveling and non-forward traveling, the method comprising:
a body position calculation step of positioning a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquisition step of taking the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position;
a second body position acquisition step of setting, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel;
a reference azimuth calculation step of calculating an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference azimuth; and
and a travel control step of controlling automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth.
21. A program for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a travel device and performing forward travel and non-forward travel, the program causing a computer to realize:
a body position calculation function of positioning a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquisition function of taking the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position;
a second body position acquisition function of setting, as a second body position, the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel;
a reference azimuth calculation function of calculating an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference azimuth; and
and a travel control function of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth.
22. A recording medium on which a program for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a travel device and performing forward travel and non-forward travel is recorded, the program causing a computer to realize:
a body position calculation function of positioning a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquisition function of taking the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position;
a second body position acquiring function of setting the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation at a position moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel as a second body position;
a reference azimuth calculation function of calculating an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position as a reference azimuth; and
and a travel control function of controlling automatic travel of the machine body in accordance with the reference azimuth or a travel path calculated based on the reference azimuth.
23. A system for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a traveling device and performing forward traveling and non-forward traveling, the system comprising:
a body position calculation unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite;
a first body position acquiring unit that sets the body position acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation as a first body position;
a second body position acquiring unit configured to set the body position acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of a place moved from the first body position by the forward travel or both the forward travel and the non-forward travel as a second body position;
a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates, as a reference azimuth, an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
and a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the machine body based on the reference azimuth or a travel route calculated based on the reference azimuth.
24. An agricultural machine comprising:
a body having a steerable traveling device;
a body position calculating unit that positions a computer body position using a satellite;
a storage unit capable of storing a plurality of reference azimuths for work travel;
a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of reference orientations; and
and a steering control unit that automatically controls steering of the travel device so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth, based on the body position.
25. An agricultural implement according to claim 24,
a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates the reference azimuth based on a plurality of the body positions calculated during travel of a field,
the reference azimuth calculation unit calculates a first reference azimuth as one of the plurality of reference azimuths based on the body position calculated at each of a first point and a second point during inter-point travel spanning the first point and the second point in an outer peripheral region of a field, and calculates a second reference azimuth as one of the plurality of reference azimuths based on the body position calculated at each of a third point and a fourth point during inter-point travel spanning a third point and a fourth point different from both the first point and the second point in the outer peripheral region after travel spanning the first point and the second point.
26. An agricultural implement according to claim 24 or 25, wherein,
a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates the reference azimuth based on a plurality of the body positions calculated during travel of a field,
the reference azimuth calculation unit is configured to be capable of calculating the reference azimuth offset from the calculated reference azimuth by a predetermined azimuth.
27. An agricultural machine according to claim 26,
the prescribed orientation is 90 degrees.
28. An agricultural implement according to claim 26,
an azimuth offset setting unit capable of setting an azimuth offset amount based on a manual operation,
the predetermined azimuth is the azimuth offset amount set by the manual operation.
29. An agricultural implement according to any one of claims 24 to 28 wherein,
a reference azimuth calculation unit that calculates the reference azimuth based on a plurality of the machine body positions calculated during travel of a field,
the reference azimuth calculation unit calculates the plurality of reference azimuths of azimuths extending along at least one side of the outer periphery of the field, based on the body position calculated in circle traveling by a human operation in the outer periphery region of the field.
30. An agricultural implement according to any one of claims 24 to 29 wherein,
a body orientation calculating unit for calculating the orientation of the body,
the plurality of reference orientations having different orientations are stored in the storage unit,
the selection unit selects one of the plurality of reference orientations based on the calculated orientation of the body.
31. An agricultural implement according to claim 30,
the steering control unit is configured to be able to automatically perform steering control on the travel device when it is determined that a predetermined condition is satisfied and the machine body travels straight for a predetermined distance or a predetermined time along the reference azimuth selected by the selection unit.
32. An agricultural implement according to claim 31,
the predetermined condition includes that a clutch for transmitting power to the working device is in an engaged state.
33. An agricultural implement according to claim 31 or 32, wherein,
the predetermined condition includes that the working device is located at the working position.
34. An agricultural machine as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 33,
the navigation device is provided with an azimuth display unit capable of displaying an azimuth index indicating the reference azimuth selected by the selection unit.
35. An agricultural implement according to claim 34,
the direction display unit changes a display mode of the direction indicator between a case where the travel device is manually steered and a case where the travel device is automatically steered.
36. A system for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a steerable traveling device, the system comprising:
a machine body position calculating unit that calculates a machine body position of the agricultural machine using satellite positioning;
a storage unit capable of storing a plurality of reference directions for work travel;
a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of reference orientations; and
and a steering control unit that automatically controls steering of the travel device so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth, based on the body position.
37. A program for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a steerable travel device, the program causing a computer to implement:
a body position calculation function of calculating a body position of the agricultural operator using satellite positioning;
a storage function of storing a plurality of reference directions for work travel in a memory;
a selection function of selecting one of the plurality of reference orientations; and
and a steering control function that automatically controls steering of the travel device based on the body position so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth.
38. A recording medium on which a program for controlling an agricultural machine including a machine body having a steerable travel device is recorded, the program causing a computer to realize:
a body position calculation function of calculating a body position of the agricultural machine using satellite positioning;
a storage function of storing a plurality of reference directions for work travel in a memory;
a selection function that selects one of the plurality of reference orientations; and
and a steering control function that automatically controls steering of the travel device so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth, based on the body position.
39. A method for controlling an agricultural machine including a body having a steerable travel arrangement, the method comprising:
calculating the body position, namely calculating the body position of the agricultural operator by using satellite positioning;
a storage step of storing a plurality of reference directions for work travel in a memory;
a selection step of selecting one of the plurality of reference orientations; and
and a steering control step of automatically steering the travel device so as to follow the selected reference azimuth or a travel target line set based on the selected reference azimuth, based on the body position.
40. An automatic steering management system for an agricultural vehicle, comprising:
a reference information management unit that manages, as reference information, at least one of a combination of a first body position obtained by using satellite positioning as a body position of the agricultural vehicle and a second body position obtained by using satellite positioning at a position away from the first body position, and a reference azimuth that is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
and a reference information transmitting unit that transmits the reference information read from the reference information managing unit to a travel control unit that controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or a travel route calculated from the reference azimuth.
41. The automatic steering management system according to claim 40,
the travel path is set based on the reference azimuth at the start of automatic steering, and the travel control unit controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle so as to follow the travel path.
42. The automatic steering management system according to claim 40 or 41,
the reference information management unit receives and manages the first body position and the second body position as the reference information.
43. The automatic steering management system according to claim 42,
the reference information management unit calculates and manages the reference azimuth from the first body position and the second body position.
44. The automatic steering management system according to claim 40 or 41,
the reference information management unit receives and manages the reference azimuth calculated from the first body position and the second body position as the reference information.
45. The automatic steering management system according to any one of claims 40 to 44,
the reference information management unit manages the reference information for each field in which the agricultural vehicle is operating.
46. The automatic steering management system according to any one of claims 40 to 45,
the reference information management unit and the reference information transmission unit are provided in a management computer connectable to the agricultural vehicle via a data communication line.
47. The automatic steering management system according to any one of claims 40 to 45,
the agricultural vehicle includes at least a first agricultural vehicle and a second agricultural vehicle, and the reference information management unit and the reference information transmission unit are provided in at least one of the first agricultural vehicle and the second agricultural vehicle.
48. The automatic steering management system according to any one of claims 40 to 47,
the agricultural vehicle includes a preceding agricultural vehicle that operates first in the same field and a succeeding agricultural vehicle that operates later than the preceding agricultural vehicle, and the reference information management unit manages the reference information of the preceding agricultural vehicle and notifies the succeeding agricultural vehicle of the fact.
49. The automatic steering management system according to any one of claims 40 to 48,
the first body position is acquired in response to a first signal generated by a manual operation of a driver of the agricultural vehicle, and the second body position is acquired in response to a second signal generated by a manual operation of the driver of the agricultural vehicle at a place away from the first body position.
50. A program for controlling an automatic steering management system for an agricultural vehicle, characterized in that the program causes a computer to realize:
a reference information management function that manages, as reference information, at least one of a combination of a first body position obtained by using satellite positioning as a body position of the agricultural vehicle and a second body position obtained by using satellite positioning at a position away from the first body position, and a reference azimuth that is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
and a reference information transmission function of transmitting the reference information managed by the reference information management function to a control unit that controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or a travel path calculated from the reference azimuth.
51. A recording medium having a program recorded thereon for controlling an automatic steering management system for an agricultural vehicle, the program causing a computer to implement:
a reference information management function that manages, as reference information, at least one of a combination of a first body position obtained by using satellite positioning as a body position of the agricultural vehicle and a second body position obtained by using satellite positioning at a position away from the first body position, and a reference azimuth that is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
and a reference information transmission function of transmitting the reference information managed by the reference information management function to a control unit that controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or a travel path calculated from the reference azimuth.
52. A method for controlling an automatic steering management system for an agricultural vehicle, the method comprising:
a reference information management step of managing, as reference information, at least one of a combination of a first body position obtained by using satellite positioning as a body position of the agricultural vehicle and a second body position obtained by using the satellite positioning at a position away from the first body position, and a reference azimuth that is an azimuth of a straight line connecting the first body position and the second body position; and
a reference information transmission step of transmitting the reference information managed by the reference information management step to a control unit that controls automatic travel of the agricultural vehicle based on the reference azimuth obtained from the reference information or a travel path calculated from the reference azimuth.
CN202180024559.6A 2020-06-30 2021-06-22 Harvester, automatic travel method of harvester, program, recording medium, system, agricultural machine, automatic travel method of agricultural machine, method, and automatic steering management system Pending CN115361861A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (11)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2020113235A JP2022011847A (en) 2020-06-30 2020-06-30 Agricultural implement and automatic travel method of agricultural implement
JP2020-113235 2020-06-30
JP2020113237 2020-06-30
JP2020-113237 2020-06-30
JP2020113234A JP2022011846A (en) 2020-06-30 2020-06-30 Harvester and automatic travel method of harvester
JP2020113236A JP7387544B2 (en) 2020-06-30 2020-06-30 Automatic steering management system for agricultural vehicles
JP2020-113236 2020-06-30
JP2020-113234 2020-06-30
JP2020167985A JP7387572B2 (en) 2020-06-30 2020-10-02 agricultural machinery
JP2020-167985 2020-10-02
PCT/JP2021/023511 WO2022004474A1 (en) 2020-06-30 2021-06-22 Harvester, automatic traveling method of harvester, program, recording medium, system, agricultural machine, automatic traveling method of agricultural machine, method, and automatic steering management system

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN115361861A true CN115361861A (en) 2022-11-18

Family

ID=79316247

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CN202180024559.6A Pending CN115361861A (en) 2020-06-30 2021-06-22 Harvester, automatic travel method of harvester, program, recording medium, system, agricultural machine, automatic travel method of agricultural machine, method, and automatic steering management system

Country Status (3)

Country Link
KR (1) KR20230029589A (en)
CN (1) CN115361861A (en)
WO (1) WO2022004474A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN115088463A (en) * 2022-07-06 2022-09-23 松灵机器人(深圳)有限公司 Mowing method, mowing device, mowing robot and storage medium

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2017055673A (en) * 2015-09-14 2017-03-23 株式会社クボタ Work vehicle supporting system
WO2017110116A1 (en) * 2015-12-25 2017-06-29 株式会社クボタ Work vehicle
JP2017153438A (en) * 2016-03-03 2017-09-07 株式会社クボタ Field work vehicle
CN109310042A (en) * 2016-09-05 2019-02-05 株式会社久保田 Operation Van's automatic running system, driving path managing device, driving path generating means, driving path determination device
JP2019141103A (en) * 2019-05-22 2019-08-29 株式会社クボタ Working vehicle cooperation system
JP2020058387A (en) * 2016-01-25 2020-04-16 株式会社クボタ Work vehicle
CN111343853A (en) * 2017-12-18 2020-06-26 株式会社久保田 Agricultural operation vehicle, operation vehicle collision warning system and operation vehicle
CN111343854A (en) * 2017-12-20 2020-06-26 株式会社久保田 Work vehicle, travel route selection system for work vehicle, and travel route calculation system

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP6552420B2 (en) 2016-01-13 2019-07-31 株式会社クボタ Work vehicle
JP6689738B2 (en) 2016-12-19 2020-04-28 株式会社クボタ Work vehicle automatic traveling system
JP6991050B2 (en) 2017-12-05 2022-01-12 株式会社クボタ Traveling work machine
JP7014687B2 (en) 2018-08-07 2022-02-01 株式会社クボタ Harvester

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2017055673A (en) * 2015-09-14 2017-03-23 株式会社クボタ Work vehicle supporting system
CN107613751A (en) * 2015-09-14 2018-01-19 株式会社久保田 Working truck support system
WO2017110116A1 (en) * 2015-12-25 2017-06-29 株式会社クボタ Work vehicle
CN108289408A (en) * 2015-12-25 2018-07-17 株式会社久保田 Operation Van
JP2020058387A (en) * 2016-01-25 2020-04-16 株式会社クボタ Work vehicle
JP2017153438A (en) * 2016-03-03 2017-09-07 株式会社クボタ Field work vehicle
CN109310042A (en) * 2016-09-05 2019-02-05 株式会社久保田 Operation Van's automatic running system, driving path managing device, driving path generating means, driving path determination device
CN111343853A (en) * 2017-12-18 2020-06-26 株式会社久保田 Agricultural operation vehicle, operation vehicle collision warning system and operation vehicle
CN111343854A (en) * 2017-12-20 2020-06-26 株式会社久保田 Work vehicle, travel route selection system for work vehicle, and travel route calculation system
JP2019141103A (en) * 2019-05-22 2019-08-29 株式会社クボタ Working vehicle cooperation system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR20230029589A (en) 2023-03-03
WO2022004474A1 (en) 2022-01-06

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP3351075B1 (en) Work vehicle support system
JP7357444B2 (en) harvester
CN112533473B (en) Harvester, harvesting system, harvesting method, harvesting program, and recording medium
JP6749448B2 (en) Work vehicle support system
CN115361861A (en) Harvester, automatic travel method of harvester, program, recording medium, system, agricultural machine, automatic travel method of agricultural machine, method, and automatic steering management system
WO2022004698A1 (en) Agricultural work machine, agricultural work machine control program, recording medium on which agricultural work machine control program is recorded, and agricultural work machine control method
WO2022071382A1 (en) Agricultural work machine, agricultural work machine control program, recording medium on which agricultural work machine control program is recorded, and agricultural work machine control method
JP7117414B2 (en) work vehicle
JP7030662B2 (en) Harvester
JP7466276B2 (en) Work vehicle coordination system
JP7387544B2 (en) Automatic steering management system for agricultural vehicles
JP7387572B2 (en) agricultural machinery
JP7334281B2 (en) harvester
JP7403397B2 (en) agricultural machinery
JP2022011847A (en) Agricultural implement and automatic travel method of agricultural implement
JP2022013553A (en) Agricultural work machine
WO2023127640A1 (en) Work vehicle, and control system for work vehicle
JP7458918B2 (en) agricultural machinery
WO2023127650A1 (en) Work vehicle and system for controlling work vehicle
JP7179891B2 (en) Driving area identification system, driving area identification method
JP2022011846A (en) Harvester and automatic travel method of harvester
WO2022071493A1 (en) Farm machine, system, method, program, and recording medium
WO2023127651A1 (en) Work vehicle and control system for work vehicle
WO2023127684A1 (en) Work vehicle
JP2023098042A (en) Working vehicle

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PB01 Publication
PB01 Publication
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination