Patents by Inventor Jerry Dean Littke
Jerry Dean Littke has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6951514Abstract: An agricultural combine having a supporting structure that is driven by ground engaging wheels at a harvesting speed by a propulsion assembly. The combine is also provided with crop processing assemblies for processing a harvested crop. A feederhouse directs the harvested crop material to the crop processing assemblies. A feederhouse force sensor senses the force exerted by the harvested crop material as it passes through the feederhouse. The feederhouse force signal is directly related to crop throughput. An operator control in the operator's cab of the combine provides a loss rate signal that is also directed to the electronic controller. The electronic controller converts the loss rate signal into a desired feederhouse force signal. The electronic controller regulates the forward speed or harvesting speed of the combine so that the desired feederhouse force signal is equal to the actual feederhouse force signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2001Date of Patent: October 4, 2005Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Coers, Daniel James Burke, William F. Cooper, Jerry Dean Littke, Karl-Heinz Mertins
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Patent number: 6592453Abstract: A combine with a throughput dependent speed control includes an angle sensor responsive to uphill, downhill and sidehill slopes. When the combine is angled from a level position, harvest speed is lowered to prevent grain losses from increasing above a target level. The control continuously learns tilt angle, loss and throughput correlation, and the speed reduction is selected based upon the learned correlation. In the preferred embodiment, throughput is estimated utilizing rotor variable drive actuator pressure (RVDAP), and a target RVDAP is modified for short periods of time in accordance with the learned correlation.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Coers, Daniel James Burke, William F. Cooper, Jerry Dean Littke, Karl-Heinz O. Mertins
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Patent number: 6591591Abstract: A system for harvester speed control includes a header position sensor connected to a processor. If the header is lowered during crop cutting, harvester speed is immediately decreased to prevent a sudden increase in material downstream of the feeder house input. The percentage speed reduction preferably is approximately equal to the estimated percentage increase in material for the given height change as set manually by the operator, calculated during a brief calibration process, or derived utilizing an adaptive learning technique. Signals from a throughput transducer and from harvesting quality transducers such as grain loss transducers are communicated to the processor to determine desired harvester speed.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Coers, Jerry Dean Littke
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Patent number: 6583754Abstract: A vehicle speed sensing system includes an RF transceiver coupled to an antenna for transmitting an RF signal towards the terrain over which the vehicle moves and for receiving a reflected Doppler signal therefrom. The transceiver generates a time-domain in-phase reference signal I and a time-domain quadrature signal Q which is offset in phase by 90 degrees from the reference signal I. A digital signal processor which receives the I and Q signals, and uses a complex fast Fourier transform routine to convert the time domain I and Q signals to frequency domain values I(f) and Q(f). The digital signal processor further processes the I(f) and Q(f) values and generates a speed a direction signal which is unaffected by vehicle vibrations.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2001Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Karl-Heinz O. Mertins, Jerry Dean Littke, William Flavis Cooper, Rick Allen Worrel
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Publication number: 20030080895Abstract: A vehicle speed sensing system includes an RF transceiver coupled to an antenna for transmitting an RF signal towards the terrain over which the vehicle moves and for receiving a reflected Doppler signal therefrom. The transceiver generates a time-domain in-phase reference signal I and a time-domain quadrature signal Q which is offset in phase by 90 degrees from the reference signal I. A digital signal processor which receives the I and Q signals, and uses a complex fast Fourier transform routine to convert the time domain I and Q signals to frequency domain values I(f) and Q(f). The digital signal processor further processes the I(f) and Q(f) values and generates a speed a direction signal which is unaffected by vehicle vibrations.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2001Publication date: May 1, 2003Inventors: Karl-Heinz O. Mertins, Jerry Dean Littke, William Flavis Cooper, Rick Allen Worrel
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Publication number: 20030060245Abstract: A combine with a throughput dependent speed control includes an angle sensor responsive to uphill, downhill and sidehill slopes. When the combine is angled from a level position, harvest speed is lowered to prevent grain losses from increasing above a target level. The control continuously learns tilt angle, loss and throughput correlation, and the speed reduction is selected based upon the learned correlation. In the preferred embodiment, throughput is estimated utilizing rotor variable drive actuator pressure (RVDAP), and a target RVDAP is modified for short periods of time in accordance with the learned correlation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2001Publication date: March 27, 2003Inventors: Bruce Alan Coers, Daniel James Burke, William F. Cooper, Jerry Dean Littke, Karl-Heinz O. Mertins
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Publication number: 20030019196Abstract: A system for harvester speed control includes a header position sensor connected to a processor. If the header is lowered during crop cutting, harvester speed is immediately decreased to prevent a sudden increase in material downstream of the feeder house input. The percentage speed reduction preferably is approximately equal to the estimated percentage increase in material for the given height change as set manually by the operator, calculated during a brief calibration process, or derived utilizing an adaptive learning technique. Signals from a throughput transducer and from harvesting quality transducers such as grain loss transducers are communicated to the processor to determine desired harvester speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2001Publication date: January 30, 2003Inventors: Bruce Alan Coers, Jerry Dean Littke
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Patent number: 6475081Abstract: An agricultural combine having a supporting structure that is driven by ground engaging wheels at a harvesting speed by a propulsion assembly. The combine is also provided with a threshing assembly that is driven by a variable torque sensing drive. The variable torque sensing drive is manipulated by pressurized hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic sensor in hydraulic communication with the variable torque sensing drive provides an actual hydraulic pressure signal that is directed to an electronic controller. An operator control in the operator's cab of the combine provides a loss rate signal that is also directed to the electronic controller. The electronic controller converts the loss rate signal into a desired hydraulic pressure signal. The electronic controller regulates the forward speed (harvesting speed) of the combine so that the desired hydraulic pressure signal is equal to the actual pressure signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Bruce Alan Coers, Joseph Albert Teijido, Daniel James Burke, Travis Shuji Tsunemori, John Victor Peterson, William F. Cooper, Jerry Dean Littke, Janos Kis
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Publication number: 20020137556Abstract: An agricultural combine having a supporting structure that is driven by ground engaging wheels at a harvesting speed by a propulsion assembly. The combine is also provided with a threshing assembly that is driven by a variable torque sensing drive. The variable torque sensing drive is manipulated by pressurized hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic sensor in hydraulic communication with the variable torque sensing drive provides an actual hydraulic pressure signal that is directed to an electronic controller. An operator control in the operator's cab of the combine provides a loss rate signal that is also directed to the electronic controller. The electronic controller converts the loss rate signal into a desired hydraulic pressure signal. The electronic controller regulates the forward speed (harvesting speed) of the combine so that the desired hydraulic pressure signal is equal to the actual pressure signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2001Publication date: September 26, 2002Applicant: Deere & Company, a Delaware CorporationInventors: Bruce Alan Coers, Joseph Albert Teijido, Daniel James Burke, Travis Shuji Tsunemori, John Victor Peterson, William F. Cooper, Jerry Dean Littke, Janos Kis