Patents by Inventor Timothy S. Hunt

Timothy S. Hunt 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).

  • Publication number: 20230345857
    Abstract: An agricultural system includes a plurality of components, a plurality of valves configured to control fluid flow to the plurality of components to control actuation of the plurality of components, and a controller having a processor and a memory. The controller is configured to operate the agricultural system in a calibration mode to associate respective valves of the plurality of valves with actuation control of respective components of the plurality of components, determine a calibration based on associating the respective valves with the actuation control of the respective component, receive an indication to actuate a target component of the plurality of components, and output a control signal to a valve associated with the target component based on the calibration in response to receipt of the indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Brett McClelland, Christopher Alan Foster, Timothy S. Hunt
  • Patent number: 11076531
    Abstract: An overall machine operational state (such as a problem state, field state, machine state, other non-problem state, etc.) is identified, and exit and entry conditions are monitored to determine whether the machine transitions into another operational state. When the machine transitions into a problem state, a multiple input, multiple output control system uses a state machine to identify the problem state and a solution is identified. The solution is indicative of machine settings that will return the machine to an acceptable, operational state. Control signals are generated to modify the machine settings based on the identified solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Gilmore, Paul Readel, Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla, Timothy S. Hunt, Douglas J. Bollin, John M. Hageman, Aaron J. Bruns
  • Patent number: 10820513
    Abstract: A rephasing system may include a first hydraulic cylinder, a second hydraulic cylinder, a first rephasing valve, a second rephasing valve and a controller. The first hydraulic cylinder and the second hydraulic cylinder include first and second pistons, respectively. A first hydraulic fluid line connects a hydraulic supply to a first side of the first piston while a second hydraulic fluid line connects a second side of the first piston to a first side of the second piston. The first rephasing valve fluidly couples the first side of the first piston to the first side of the second piston while the second hydraulic fluid line fluidly couples the second side of the second piston to the hydraulic supply. The controller selectively opens and closes the first and second rephasing valves to re-phase the first and second pistons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Timothy S. Hunt, Paul D. Marvin, Madan M. Rajendran
  • Patent number: 10705490
    Abstract: A communication system facilitates a closed loop, two-way communication network between machines at a worksite and a remote processing facility. A management and control system receives operations data and generates recommended adjustments to the worksite operations. A manager system provides manager outputs over the communication network to adjust operations of the machines at the worksite based on the recommended adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Gilmore, Craig E. Wenzel, Kerry J. Morvant, Timothy S. Hunt, Jan Wyckoff, Vickie L. Ellis
  • Patent number: 10595462
    Abstract: A harvester head may include a position adjustable reel having a first segment and a second segment, a hydraulic supply comprising a pump and a reservoir, a first plurality of hydraulic cylinders coupled to the first segment to reposition the first segment, a second plurality of hydraulic cylinders coupled to the second segment to reposition the second segment, a first bidirectional valve operably coupled between the hydraulic supply and the first plurality of hydraulic cylinders, a second bidirectional valve operably coupled between the hydraulic supply and the second plurality of hydraulic cylinders, at least one sensor to sense relative positioning of the first segment and the second segment and a controller. The controller may output control signals to the first bidirectional valve and the second bidirectional valve based upon signals from the at least one sensor to synchronize positioning of the first segment and the second segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Timothy S. Hunt, Paul D. Marvin, Madan M. Rajendran
  • Patent number: 10426087
    Abstract: A machine control system receives sensor signals indicative of sensed variables on a mobile machine and calculates performance metric values for the mobile machine based upon the sensed variables. The machine control system displays information indicative of the performance metric value for the mobile machine on a time continuous user interface display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Aaron J. Bruns, Timothy S. Hunt, Brian J. Gilmore
  • Publication number: 20190223379
    Abstract: An overall machine operational state (such as a problem state, field state, machine state, other non-problem state, etc.) is identified, and exit and entry conditions are monitored to determine whether the machine transitions into another operational state. When the machine transitions into a problem state, a multiple input, multiple output control system uses a state machine to identify the problem state and a solution is identified. The solution is indicative of machine settings that will return the machine to an acceptable, operational state. Control signals are generated to modify the machine settings based on the identified solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Brian J. Gilmore, Paul Readel, Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla, Timothy S. Hunt, Douglas J. Bollin, John M. Hageman, Aaron J. Bruns
  • Publication number: 20190025775
    Abstract: A communication system facilitates a closed loop, two-way communication network between machines at a worksite and a remote processing facility. A management and control system receives operations data and generates recommended adjustments to the worksite operations. A manager system provides manager outputs over the communication network to adjust operations of the machines at the worksite based on the recommended adjustments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Brian J. Gilmore, Craig E. Wenzel, Kerry J. Morvant, Timothy S. Hunt, Jan Wyckoff, Vickie L. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20190003495
    Abstract: A rephasing system may include a first hydraulic cylinder, a second hydraulic cylinder, a first rephasing valve, a second rephasing valve and a controller. The first hydraulic cylinder and the second hydraulic cylinder first and second pistons, respectively. A first hydraulic fluid line connects a hydraulic supply to a first side of the first piston while a second hydraulic fluid line connects a second side of the first piston to a first side of the second piston. The first rephasing valve fluidly couples the first side of the first piston to the first side of the second piston while the second hydraulic fluid line fluidly couples the second side of the second piston to the hydraulic supply. The controller selectively opens and closes the first and second rephasing valves to re-phase the first and second pistons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy S. Hunt, Paul D. Marvin, Madan M. Rajendran
  • Publication number: 20190003496
    Abstract: A harvester head may include a position adjustable reel having a first segment and a second segment, a hydraulic supply comprising a pump and a reservoir, a first plurality of hydraulic cylinders coupled to the first segment to reposition the first segment, a second plurality of hydraulic cylinders coupled to the second segment to reposition the second segment, a first bidirectional valve operably coupled between the hydraulic supply and the first plurality of hydraulic cylinders, a second bidirectional valve operably coupled between the hydraulic supply and the second plurality of hydraulic cylinders, at least one sensor to sense relative positioning of the first segment and the second segment and a controller. The controller may output control signals to the first bidirectional valve and the second bidirectional valve based upon signals from the at least one sensor to synchronize positioning of the first segment and the second segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy S. Hunt, Paul D. Marvin, Madan M. Rajendran
  • Patent number: 10114348
    Abstract: A communication system facilitates a closed loop, two-way communication network between machines at a worksite and a remote processing facility. A management and control system receives operations data and generates recommended adjustments to the worksite operations. A manager system provides manager outputs over the communication network to adjust operations of the machines at the worksite based on the recommended adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Gilmore, Craig E Wenzel, Kerry J. Morvant, Timothy S. Hunt, Jan Wyckoff, Vickie L. Ellis
  • Patent number: 9934538
    Abstract: Machine sensor inputs are received, and a set of performance metrics are calculated based upon the sensor inputs. The set of performance metrics are stored as a performance target along with one or more additional performance targets. One of the performance targets is retrieved and the machine automatically generates an action signal indicative of machine setting adjustments that can be made in order to control operation of the machine to more closely conform to the retrieved performance target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Timothy S. Hunt
  • Patent number: 9901031
    Abstract: A method for automatically tuning an agricultural combine (100), comprises the steps of: receiving (304) a signal from an operator of the agricultural combine (100) indicating that current operation of the agricultural combine (100) operation is acceptable; determining (306) current performance parameters of the agricultural combine after the step of receiving; calculating (310) a performance parameter error limit for each of the current performance parameters in the step of determining; again determining (312) current performance parameters; comparing (314) the again determined current performance parameters with the performance parameter error limits to thereby determine whether one or more of the again determined current performance parameters falls outside its associated performance parameter error limit; and if at least one of the again determined current performance parameters falls outside its associated performance parameter error limit, then calculating (316) changes to machine settings of the agricu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Cameron R. Mott, Timothy S. Hunt, Aaron J. Bruns, Anja Eggerl, Bhanu Kiran Palla
  • Patent number: 9772625
    Abstract: A reference model generates a model output indicative of modeled operations of one or more worksites. The model output is compared against actual operation data indicative of actual worksite operations. A recommendation engine generates recommendations to adjust the worksite operations so that they more closely conform to the model operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Gilmore, Craig E. Wenzel, Kerry J. Morvant, Timothy S. Hunt, Jan M. Wyckoff, Vickie L. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20160086291
    Abstract: Machine sensor inputs are received, and a set of performance metrics are calculated based upon the sensor inputs. The set of performance metrics are stored as a performance target along with one or more additional performance targets. One of the performance targets is retrieved and the machine automatically generates an action signal indicative of machine setting adjustments that can be made in order to control operation of the machine to more closely conform to the retrieved performance target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventor: Timothy S. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20160081271
    Abstract: A method for automatically tuning an agricultural combine (100), comprises the steps of: receiving (304) a signal from an operator of the agricultural combine (100) indicating that current operation of the agricultural combine (100) operation is acceptable; determining (306) current performance parameters of the agricultural combine after the step of receiving; calculating (310) a performance parameter error limit for each of the current performance parameters in the step of determining; again determining (312) current performance parameters; comparing (314) the again determined current performance parameters with the performance parameter error limits to thereby determine whether one or more of the again determined current performance parameters falls outside its associated performance parameter error limit; and if at least one of the again determined current performance parameters falls outside its associated performance parameter error limit, then calculating (316) changes to machine settings of the agricu
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Cameron R. Mott, Timothy S. Hunt, Aaron J. Bruns, Anja Eggerl, Bhanu Kiran Palla
  • Publication number: 20150323913
    Abstract: A communication system facilitates a closed loop, two-way communication network between machines at a worksite and a remote processing facility. A management and control system receives operations data and generates recommended adjustments to the worksite operations. A manager system provides manager outputs over the communication network to adjust operations of the machines at the worksite based on the recommended adjustments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Brian J. Gilmore, Craig E. Wenzel, Kerry J. Morvant, Timothy S. Hunt, Jan Wyckoff, Vickie L. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20150324719
    Abstract: A reference model generates a model output indicative of modeled operations of one or more worksites. The model output is compared against actual operation data indicative of actual worksite operations. A recommendation engine generates recommendations to adjust the worksite operations so that they more closely conform to the model operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Brian J. Gilmore, Craig E. Wenzel, Kerry J. Morvant, Timothy S. Hunt, Jan M. Wyckoff, Vickie L. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20150293507
    Abstract: A machine control system receives sensor signals indicative of sensed variables and calculates performance metrics based upon the sensed variables. The machine control system displays the performance metrics on a time continuous user interface display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Aaron J. Burns, Timothy S. Hunt, Brian J. Gilmore
  • Patent number: 8800253
    Abstract: A control system is provided for an implement such as a mower having a rotary blade driven by a gear box which is driven by a PTO shaft of a vehicle which is coupled to the mower. The vehicle has a drivetrain which drives the PTO shaft. The control system includes an acceleration sensor for sensing vibrations of the blade and generating a blade vibration signal. A PTO speed sensor generates a PTO shaft speed signal. A control unit is connected to the sensors and to the drivetrain. The control unit generates, as a function of the speed signal, an expected acceleration value representing a blade loss condition and an expected acceleration value range. The control unit compares the vibration signal to the range, and the control unit stops the drivetrain from rotating the blade if the vibration signal is within the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Timothy S. Hunt, Andrew K. Rekow