Construction Or Agricultural-type Vehicle (e.g., Crane, Forklift) Patents (Class 701/50)
  • Patent number: 11111646
    Abstract: An arm control system for a work vehicle includes a controller having a memory and a processor. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a type of implement coupled to an arm of the work vehicle. The controller is also configured to enable movement of the arm between a lowered position and a raised position while the type of implement is an unrestricted-height implement. In addition, the controller is configured to enable movement of the arm between the lowered position and an intermediate position and to block upward movement of the arm beyond the intermediate position while the type of implement is a restricted-height implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventor: Brady Dorr Lewis
  • Patent number: 11105351
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for an agricultural baler includes: a hydraulic motor; a hydraulically driven component fluidly coupled to the hydraulic motor such that fluid flow between the hydraulic motor and the hydraulically driven component causes the hydraulically driven component to move between a first position and a second position; a flow sensor associated with the hydraulically driven component; and a controller operatively coupled to the flow sensor and the hydraulic motor. The controller is configured to: enter a learning mode to learn a driven movement of the hydraulically driven component from the first position to the second position; determine fluid flow between the hydraulic motor and the hydraulically driven component during the driven movement while in the learning mode; associate the determined fluid flow with the driven movement; and output control signals to the hydraulic motor to reproduce the associated fluid flow and reproduce the driven movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Carl M. Brewer
  • Patent number: 11105069
    Abstract: A vehicle including an engine, the engine being selectably operably couplable to ground engaging motive means, the vehicle including a foot throttle for selectively controlling power delivery from the engine, a hand throttle for selectively controlling power delivery from the engine and an operator seat being moveable between a front facing position and a rear facing position, the vehicle including a static operating mode in which: the operator seat faces forwards, the engine is decoupled from the ground engaging motive means and/or a park brake is on, and, the foot throttle is the default throttle the vehicle further including an excavation mode in which: the operator seat faces rearwards, the engine is decoupled from the ground engaging motive means and the hand throttle is the default throttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: JC Bamford Excavators Limited
    Inventors: Michael McKee, Matt Cook
  • Patent number: 11091898
    Abstract: A work vehicle control system includes an actual topography acquisition device and a controller. The actual topography acquisition device acquires actual topography information, which indicates an actual topography of a work target. The controller acquires the actual topography information from the actual topography acquisition device. The controller generates a command signal to move the work implement along a locus positioned above the target topography by a predetermined distance when the actual topography is positioned below the target topography of the work target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Ishibashi, Akifumi Inamaru, Seiji Nagano, Yosuke Kogawa
  • Patent number: 11090672
    Abstract: A device (100) such as a mobile robot for printing an image on a floor surface (1) is described. According to an exemplary embodiment, the mobile robot comprises a control system (117) and a printing system. The printing system has at least one colorant tank (110, 111, 112) with colorant and at least one spraying arm (201, 202, 203) having multiple nozzle assemblies (211) situated next to one another. The nozzle assemblies (211) each have a valve (212) that can be controlled by the control system and a colorant nozzle (210, 220, 230) by means of which colorant can be applied to the floor surface (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: PIXELRUNNER GMBH
    Inventor: Ronald Schaumberger
  • Patent number: 11084478
    Abstract: A method for operating a hydraulic brake system of a motor vehicle includes generating a force for displacing a brake piston of a wheel brake of the brake system for the actuation thereof via a pressure generator and an electromechanical actuator of the brake system. The method further includes actuating one or more of the pressure generator and the actuator to set a parking brake function and monitoring the operability of the brake system. The method further includes monitoring the actuator for a change of the operating state thereof, and suspending the monitoring for a specifiable period of time depending on a detected change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Schneider, Dieter Blattert, Frank Baehrle-Miller
  • Patent number: 11085168
    Abstract: A hydraulic excavator (1) including a controller (21) having a load computing section (52) configured to compute a load of a work target material on the basis of thrust information about a boom cylinder (16) during the period when a front work implement (12) is performing a transporting operation of a work target material, the controller (21) further including: a velocity limiting value computing section (55) configured to compute a limiting value (Vlim) of a velocity of a boom cylinder (16) on the basis of posture information about the work implement (12) at a time of starting the transporting operation; a velocity command correction section (50) configured to correct a velocity command in such a manner that the velocity of the boom cylinder is equal to the limiting value (Vlim) when the velocity of the boom cylinder exceeds the limiting value and output the corrected velocity command; and a drive signal generation section (51) configured to generate and output a drive signal for the boom cylinder on the bas
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakamura, Kunitsugu Tomita, Kazunori Hoshino, Yousuke Yamanobe, Youhei Toriyama
  • Patent number: 11083130
    Abstract: An agricultural machine system for performing agricultural tasks in a in a field on which plants are planted or will be planted in a pattern, the system comprising: a prime mover; a tool bar connected to the prime mover; a plurality of units attached to the tool bar, the units configured to perform at least one agricultural tasks and wherein at least two of the units are disposed in an offset relationship from each other with respect to a forward direction of travel of the agricultural machine about the tool bar; and a control unit in communication with the prime mover and the plurality of units, the control unit configured to determine a selective location corresponding to the pattern in which plants are planted or will be planted and activate the units at the selective location to perform the at least one agricultural task as the agricultural machine system travels along a plurality of rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Kilian Wolff, Roland Werner, Richard A. Humpal, Wolfram Haiges
  • Patent number: 11085170
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of operating a machine comprising an implement and a machine for performing such a method. The implement is configured for motion in at least three degrees of freedom. In response to an input, movement of the implement from first to second positions is constrained to a first motion in a first plane or a second motion in a second plane. Sensor data received from an IMU attached to the implement is indicative of the movement of the implement. A first or second estimation mode is selected based upon a determination that the movement is the first or second motion. The first or second estimation mode is implemented to estimate the trajectory of the implement and the second position based upon the sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: RodRadar Ltd.
    Inventors: John F. Roulston, Shai Segal, Ronen Globinsky, Simon Conway
  • Patent number: 11082801
    Abstract: A method and system of position determination of an implement on a work vehicle. The method includes determining a position of a first radio frequency (RF) device relative to a local reference frame using ultra-wideband ranging between the first RF device and at least one additional RF device. The first RF device is coupled to a fixed location on the implement, and the additional RF device is mounted at a fixed location relative to the local reference frame. The implement is controllably movable relative to the local reference frame. A position and orientated of the implement is determined relative to the local reference frame based at least in part on the determined position of the first RF device relative to the local reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael G. Kean, Mark J. Cherney
  • Patent number: 11079725
    Abstract: A priori geo-referenced vegetative index data is obtained for a worksite, along with field data that is collected by a sensor on a work machine that is performing an operation at the worksite. A predictive model is generated, while the machine is performing the operation, based on the geo-referenced vegetative index data and the field data. A model quality metric is generated for the predictive model and is used to determine whether the predictive model is a qualified predicative model. If so, a control system controls a subsystem of the work machine, using the qualified predictive model, and a position of the work machine, to perform the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla, Nathan R. Vandike, Federico Pardina-Malbran, Michael A. Waldo, Noel W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11066808
    Abstract: A work machine includes: control valves that control flows of a hydraulic operating oil supplied to actuators; operation lever devices that generate hydraulic signals to be output to the corresponding control valves according to an operation; solenoid proportional valves that reduce pressure of the hydraulic signals generated by the corresponding operation lever devices; and a front implement control section that controls the solenoid proportional valves. The work machine further includes: operation signal lines connected to the operation lever devices; signal input lines connected to the control valves; pressure reducing lines provided with the solenoid proportional valves; and selector valves that have a first position that interrupts connection of the operation signal lines and the pressure reducing lines and directly connects the operation signal lines to the signal input lines, and a second position that connects the operation signal lines to the signal input lines via the pressure reducing lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Takeuchi, Kouji Ishikawa, Shiho Izumi, Shuuichi Meguriya, Tarou Akita
  • Patent number: 11064652
    Abstract: A ground working system having at least one self-driving ground working device, wherein the ground working device has a drive, a control unit and an in-device battery for supplying energy to the ground working device. An operating region (A) determined by an edge boundary is provided for the ground working device, wherein the ground working device travels over an operating path (W) determined by the control unit within the operating region (A). In order to meet requirements for a differing working intensity of specific regions of an area, it is provided to predetermine at least one intensive limit, an intensive limit in each case demarcating an intensive region (B). The ground working device in an intensive mode works the intensive region (B) with preference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Sebastian Matt, Samuel Zoettl
  • Patent number: 11058044
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a monitor, a memory, and circuitry. The memory is to store a travel route and work action information based on which the work vehicle is to execute at least one work action while the work vehicle travels based on the travel route. The circuitry is configured to receive an additional travel route and additional work action information based on which another work vehicle is to execute at least one additional work action while the another work vehicle travels based on the additional travel route. The circuitry is configured to generate additional screen data to chronologically display the at least one additional work action in the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yushi Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 11061409
    Abstract: A machine routing and planning system for mobile machines at a work site includes a plurality of haul trucks, a loading machine, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an initial effective capacity based on an initial amount of carryback material, and generate an initial material movement plan based upon the number of machines, the capacity of the loading machine and the initial effective capacity of each haul truck. The controller is further configured to determine a modified effective capacity for each haul truck based on a current amount of carryback material, and generate a modified material movement plan based upon the number of machines, the capacity of each loading machine, and the modified effective capacity for each haul truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Carl F. B. Hendricks
  • Patent number: 11053667
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a work implement. A control system for the work vehicle includes a controller. The controller acquires actual topography data indicating an actual surface of a work target. The controller vertically displaces a target design surface using the actual surface as a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Harada, Eiji Ishibashi, Takahiro Shimojo
  • Patent number: 11052769
    Abstract: A traction control system and a method of controlling at least one traction motor of a trailer coupled to a work vehicle are provided. The method includes determining a work vehicle traction force, determining an output force command for at least one traction motor based at least partially on the work vehicle traction force, and controlling at least one traction motor according to the output force command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Vande Haar, Steven A. Duppong, Zachary Kail, Chase A. Freidig
  • Patent number: 11052943
    Abstract: A control system is configured to receive a first signal indicative of a current position of a vehicle and a second signal indicative of a desired path for the vehicle. The control system is configured to calculate a virtual path between the current position and a target position on the desired path and to output a third signal indicative of curvature command corresponding to an initial curvature of the virtual path to cause a steering control system of the vehicle to adjust a steering angle of the vehicle. The control is also configured to iteratively receive an updated current position, receive any updates to the desired path, calculate an updated target position, calculate an updated virtual path based on the updated current position and updated desired path, and output an updated curvature command corresponding to a respective initial curvature of the updated virtual path as the vehicle travels across a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Eric Bunderson, John Arthur Mitsuru Petersen, Brian Robert Ray
  • Patent number: 11044842
    Abstract: A method for planning and optimizing a path of a machinery moving in an area, comprises the steps of: taking coordinates of an area-contour, an operating width of the moving machinery, a distance between the area-contour and a perimetric path within the area-contour as parameters, eroding (mathematical morphological operation) the area by the distance to an interior of the area, thereby obtaining a smaller area delineated by a contour, selecting a lane orientation within the eroded area contour, and partitioning the eroded area into adjacent interior lanes, intersecting the interior lanes with the eroded area contour, thereby generating a lane grid and a corresponding connected undirected transition graph, performing a mathematical algorithm for determining an optimized sequence of position coordinates on the lane grid, wherein a complete area covering path is generated. This method enables a cost-efficient optimized path of machinery through agricultural fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Inventor: Mogens Max Sophus Edzard Graf Plessen
  • Patent number: 11047111
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a frame; an implement; a linkage assembly mounting the implement to the frame; a linkage actuator coupled to the linkage assembly and the frame and configured to reposition the linkage assembly relative to the frame; a sensor configured to generate sensor position data associated with at least one of the linkage assembly and the linkage actuator representing a linkage position; an operator interface configured to receive operator input from an operator associated with the linkage actuator representing a velocity request; and an electronic control system having processing and memory architecture operatively coupled to the sensor, operator interface, and linkage actuator. The electronic control system is configured to generate an actuator command for the linkage actuator based on the velocity request and the linkage position that, upon execution, results in a constant velocity of the implement for the operator input regardless of the linkage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Sean A. Mairet, Bryan Rausch
  • Patent number: 11040719
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a first program, a second program, and a third program. The first program is configured to recognize an object present around a vehicle, the second program is configured to store information related to the recognized object as time-series map data, and the third program is configured to predict a future position of the object based on the stored time-series map data. The first program and the third program are configured to be (i) first, individually optimized based on first training data corresponding to output of the first program and second training data corresponding to output of the third program, and (ii) then, collectively optimized based on the second training data corresponding to the output of the third program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11035099
    Abstract: A wheel loader includes a working device, a lift cylinder 152 which is a hydraulic actuator that drives the working device, a hydraulic pump 220 that supplies hydraulic oil to the lift cylinder 152, a lift cylinder bottom pressure detector 252 that detects a pressure of the lift cylinder 152, a control valve 221 that controls the amount of hydraulic oil to be supplied from the hydraulic pump 220 to the lift cylinder 152, a vehicle acceleration detector 254 that detects a vehicle acceleration in a longitudinal direction, and a control device 240. The control device 240 determines whether the working device has started excavation, or not, based on the lift cylinder bottom pressure detected by the lift cylinder bottom pressure detector 252 and the vehicle acceleration detected by the vehicle acceleration detector 254.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shota Kimura, Tadashi Osaka, Hidekazu Moriki, Kazuo Ishida, Noritaka Itou
  • Patent number: 11035838
    Abstract: The invention relates to the analysis of field characteristics to help determine prescriptions for crop input levels. A non-conductive enclosure houses a mapping system. The enclosure has a rectangular base and four walls extending from the base. A removable cover is received by the four walls. A foam interior receives at least one conductivity sensor. A port receives at least one electrical connection from an agricultural equipment in order to interface with the mapping system. A mounting assembly may mount the non-conductive enclosure to the agricultural equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Croptimistic Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Corwyn Willness
  • Patent number: 11034554
    Abstract: A method for securing a luffing jib crane includes: acquiring a lifting/lowering setpoint; piloting a lifting motor by a converter that applies a motor command speed as a function of the setpoint; driving, in lifting or in lowering, the jib by a lifting cable under the action of the lifting motor; calculating, by a control/command system, a lifting/lowering theoretical angular speed from the motor command speed or from the setpoint; calculating, by the control/command system, a lifting/lowering actual angular speed from a jib angle measured by an angle sensor; comparing the actual angular speed and the theoretical angular speed; and commanding the stopping of the lifting motor according to the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: MANITOWOC CRANE GROUP FRANCE
    Inventor: Nicolas Larmonier
  • Patent number: 11028560
    Abstract: A system and method for various levels of automation of a swing-to-hopper motion for a rope shovel. An operator controls a rope shovel during a dig operation to load a dipper with materials. A controller receives position data, either via operator input or sensor data, for the dipper and a hopper where the materials are to be dumped. The controller then calculates an ideal path for the dipper to travel to be positioned above the hopper to dump the contents of the dipper. In some embodiments, the controller outputs operator feedback to assist the operator in traveling along the ideal path to the hopper. In some embodiments, the controller restricts the dipper motion such that the operator is not able to deviate beyond certain limits of the ideal path. In some embodiments, the controller automatically controls the movement of the dipper to reach the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Joy Global Surface Mining Inc
    Inventors: Wesley P. Taylor, Michael J. Linstroth
  • Patent number: 11024139
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a vehicle cargo bed capacitive sensor system configured to determine when a cargo bed cap installed on the cargo bed (e.g., the bed of a pickup truck) changes position or is being manipulated in some way. The system may include one or more capacitive sensors disposed on one or more cargo bed walls, between the cargo cap and the cargo bed. The system detects when the cargo bed cap is removed, and detects when particular cargo bed doors are opened using the sensors. The system may also provide a control system that allows users to authorize individuals to access particular areas, group individual bins together for access control, and can provide information when the system detects unauthorized access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Stuart C. Salter, Pietro Buttolo
  • Patent number: 11006577
    Abstract: In one aspect, a system for adjusting operating parameters of an agricultural harvester based on estimated crop volume values may include an image capture device configured to capture one or more images of the crop materials standing within the field prior to the crop materials being harvested by a harvester. The system may also include a controller communicatively coupled to the image capture device. The controller may be configured to estimate a crop volume value associated with a quantity of the crop materials transferred through the harvester based on the one or more images captured by the image capture device. Additionally, the controller may be further configured to initiate a control action associated with adjusting an operating parameter of the harvester based on a magnitude of the estimated crop volume value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Bojan Jelenkovic
  • Patent number: 11008732
    Abstract: A work assist system for a self-propelled hydraulic excavator includes a controller (18) configured to determine a region in which an assumed excavation amount is obtained from an object to be excavated by one excavation operation of the hydraulic excavator (1) as a region to be excavated S on the basis of the assumed excavation amount in the one excavation operation of the hydraulic excavator (1), and to calculate a work position Pw of the hydraulic excavator (1) at which the hydraulic excavator (1) performs a next excavation operation on the basis of the region to be excavated S. A distance Lw from the hydraulic excavator to the work position Pw is calculated by the controller (18) and this distance Lw is displayed on the monitor (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakamura, Akinori Ishii, Kunitsugu Tomita, Takahiro Inada, Saku Egawa
  • Patent number: 11001989
    Abstract: A hydraulic system controller is disclosed. The hydraulic system controller may determine a maximum active circuit pressure of a set of active hydraulic circuits of the hydraulic system, wherein the hydraulic system includes a hydraulic pump to cause fluid to flow throughout the set of active hydraulic circuits; determine a circuit pressure of a hydraulic circuit of the hydraulic system; determine, based on a hydraulic flow command for the hydraulic circuit and the circuit pressure, a desired circuit delta-pressure for the hydraulic circuit; determine, based on the desired circuit delta-pressure and a pressure difference between the maximum active circuit pressure and the circuit pressure, a circuit valve setting for a circuit valve of the hydraulic circuit; and cause a control device to set a position of the circuit valve according to the circuit valve setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Rustin Glenn Metzger, Corey Lee Gorman, Adam Martin Nackers
  • Patent number: 11004279
    Abstract: A machine output detection and control system includes machine metric logic that detects a plurality of quantity metrics, each quantity metric corresponding to sensor information associated with at least one mobile machine in a plurality of different mobile machines. The system also includes normalization logic that aggregates the plurality of different quantity metrics to generate, for each mobile machine, a normalized production unit that is normalized across the plurality of different mobile machines. Dependency logic correlates the normalized production unit, for each mobile machine, to a machine dependency that identifies an order in which the plurality of different mobile machines operate at a jobsite. Further, action signal logic generates an action signal, based on the correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Matthew J. Flood, Alek D. Jerauld, Robert A. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 11002536
    Abstract: A method for estimation of relative coordinates between two parts of a linked vehicle system. The system includes a towing vehicle and a towed implement or trailer. A first sensor is configured to measure the movement rate of the towing vehicle while a second sensor is configured to measure the movement rate of the towed implement. Both sensors interact with each other to measure the absolute distance between sensors. Using the known linkage geometry, relative distance between the sensors and relative rotation rates, the relative coordinates between the towing vehicle and towed implement can be estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: AGJUNCTION LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Dumble, Tri M. Dang
  • Patent number: 10993365
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for receiving a first set of historical agricultural data and a second set of historical agricultural data; generating a plurality of projected target yield ranges using the first set and the second set of historical agricultural data by generating a historic yield distribution; generating one or more yield ranking scores for one or more fields of a grower using the first set of historical agricultural data, and assigning a projected target yield range of the plurality of projected target yield ranges to each of the one or more fields based on the one or more yield ranking scores to generate assigned projected target yield ranges; receiving a third set of historical agricultural data comprising seed optimization data, and generating a recommended change in seed population or a recommended change in seed density; causing displaying the yield improvement recommendation for each of the one or more fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason Bull, David Rock, Joo Yoon Han, Dongming Jiang, Timothy Reich, Morrison Jacobs, Yao Xie, Xiao Yang, Tonya Ehlmann, Allan Trapp
  • Patent number: 10996686
    Abstract: A spatially positioned assembly comprising, in preferred embodiments, a fluid inlet in fluid flow communication with a fluid connection adapter. A plurality of boom sections are concatenated in articulated fashion. The plurality is rotatably connected to a turret at a proximal thereof, and is rotatably connected with the fluid connection adapter at a distal end thereof. The fluid connection adapter is disposed for connection to a mating fluid connection housing assembly provided on a wellhead. Independent control of rotation at multiple axes on the spatially positioned assembly allows an operator to establish measured directional bearings at axes, such that sets of measured directional bearings values contribute to defining corresponding spatial positions for the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: FHE USA LLC
    Inventors: Matthew E. Kibler, Kyle Scholl, Nicolas G. Snoke
  • Patent number: 10987794
    Abstract: An assembly including an accumulator-operated hand-held working apparatus and a functional module, and method of operating same is provided. The apparatus includes a drive, an accumulator, and a control device, which has a data storage element and a microprocessor. In response to a trigger impulse, the control device can automatically control a performance of a work process. A radio module of the functional module, which can optionally be connected to the apparatus. A connection can be established in the functional module in terms of conduction only for the power supply upon a connection to the apparatus, or can inductively be supplied with power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: GUSTAV KLAUKE GMBH
    Inventor: Egbert Frenken
  • Patent number: 10981762
    Abstract: The industrial vehicle includes a body, an axle, a lateral acceleration sensor determining lateral acceleration, an actuator temporally restricting pivoting of the axle, a vehicle speed limiter limiting vehicle traveling speed, and a controller driving the actuator based on the lateral acceleration determined by the lateral acceleration sensor to temporally restrict pivoting of the axle while the industrial vehicle is being turned and to limit traveling speed of the industrial vehicle based on lateral acceleration determined by the lateral acceleration sensor when the industrial vehicle is turned. A first lateral acceleration threshold value which is used in judging whether traveling speed of the industrial vehicle should be limited is set smaller than a second lateral acceleration threshold value which is used in judging whether pivoting of the axle should be temporally restricted. An upper limit deceleration rate is set for limiting the traveling speed of the industrial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Takehiro Kubotani, Norihiko Kato, Hitoshi Fukuoka
  • Patent number: 10973166
    Abstract: By using various feedback data on a sprayer system, such as engine speed, wheel speed, sensed temperatures and/or sensed pressures, an onboard logic controller can be used to fine tune parameters of the driveline system in an automatic calibration process. In one aspect, a controller can drive up engine speed and manipulate electrical current being sent to coils of propel pumps and/or wheel motors as current reaches a point where there is no more change in wheel speed as detected by the system, thereby achieving a. calibration setpoint. Additionally, during the automatic calibration process, the machine as a whole can be monitored with respect to several sensors, such as pressures, temperatures, and the like, so that if any parameter being monitored is out of a predetermined range, the calibration can be stopped and not set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Brooks, Steven Winkel
  • Patent number: 10975545
    Abstract: A control device includes a bucket position-determining unit, a target working line-determining unit, a distance-determining unit, and a bucket control unit. The bucket position-determining unit determines a position of a bucket. The target working line-determining unit determines a target working line indicating a target shape of an object to be excavated by work equipment. The distance-determining unit determines a distance between the bucket and a reference position which is an end of the target working line. The bucket control unit controls the bucket such that an angle of the bucket becomes a uniform angle, when the distance between the bucket and the reference position is equal to or greater than a bucket control-limiting threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 10968607
    Abstract: When correcting an error caused by deviation of an attitude detection device with respect to a work machine including a swing body which swings, a working implement being attached to the swing body, the attitude detection device outputting an attitude of the work machine, the error is corrected by using a first position which is a position of a part of the work machine when the work machine is in a first attitude and a second position which is a position of the part when the work machine is in a second attitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Iwamura, Masanobu Seki, Masashi Ichihara, Kenjiro Shimada, Satoru Shintani, Yuki Shimano, Eiji Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 10968082
    Abstract: A crane, a construction machine or an industrial truck, with a control station including at least one input means for inputting control commands, a graphical simulation module for calculating a virtual representation of the machine surroundings and/or machine components visible from the control station, such as a boom or a load hook, and a display device for displaying the calculated virtual representation, wherein a movement simulation module is provided for determining movements and/or deformations of the machine components according to the inputted control commands, depending on which the graphical simulation module calculates the virtual representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Liebherr-Components Biberach GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Palberg, Jürgen Resch, Sven Brandt, Thomas Steib
  • Patent number: 10965803
    Abstract: A vibration alerting mobile terminal configured to adjust an amplitude parameter and a frequency parameter of a vibration alerting mode, to implement diverse vibration alerting modes to meet vibration requirements of the mobile terminal in different environments. The terminal provides for: displaying a first interface, wherein the first interface includes an amplitude adjustment control, a frequency adjustment control, and a vibration mode adjustment control; responding to an adjustment operation for at least one of the amplitude adjustment control, the frequency adjustment control, and the vibration mode adjustment control; generating a first vibration alerting mode; and alerting a user according to the first vibration alerting mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhan Li, Changwei Tang, Guangyuan Gao, Xiaoxiao Chen
  • Patent number: 10960545
    Abstract: A mobile robot and method for interactively providing waypoints to a mobile robot for use in the marking of a geometric figure on a ground surface including the steps of: i) Selecting a control function accepting manual positioning of a mobile robot at two or more target locations on a ground surface; ii) Positioning the mobile robot in proximity to a first target location to be marked on a surface, and directing a position determining device of the mobile device to said first target location to be marked; iii) Instructing the mobile robot to store the first target location as a first waypoint; iv) Repeating steps ii)-iii) to obtain at least a second waypoint; v) Selecting a control function accepting manual selection of a geometric figure for being marked on said ground surface; vi) Instructing the mobile robot to compute the best fit for the selected geometric figure on the surface based on the two or more waypoints; vii) Instructing the mobile robot to compute waypoint coordinates of the geometric figure f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: TINYMOBILEROBOTS APS
    Inventors: Jens Peder Kristensen, Christoffer Praest Mose, Rudi Hansen
  • Patent number: 10959418
    Abstract: A system, an apparatus and a method for automatically controlling application of an agricultural product utilize an in-cab controller and touchscreen, and a GPS receiver to generate an application prescription and related commands on-the-fly from GPS coordinated data gathered at the time of planting, in accordance with application rate parameters stored in the controller. The application parameters may be provided and modified on-the fly using the touchscreen and may include parameters relating to adjusting application rates to accommodate planting arrangements including more than one variety of seed, and/or variable population rates of planted seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Bojan Jelenkovic, Matthew K Payne, Steven Sobieszek
  • Patent number: 10959377
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system for scanning crops. A line scan distance sensor measures a distance of the crops from the sensor and generates distance data indicative of the distance of the crops from the sensor at a measurement angle. A mover system moves the line scan distance sensor or the crops perpendicular to the distance of the crops from the sensor. A rotary encoder associated with the mover system generates movement data indicative of a movement of the distance sensor or the crops perpendicular to the distance of the crops from the sensor. A data collector associates the distance data from the distance sensor with relative positioning data based on the movement data from the rotary encoder and stores the distance data associated with the relative positioning data on a data store. The system allows accurate relative spatial alignment of sequential line scans. As a result, an extremely high resolution in the direction of movement can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventors: Michael Salim, Peter Kuffner, Jose Antonio Jimenez Berni, Xavier Raymond Richard Sirault
  • Patent number: 10949317
    Abstract: A sensor system for outputting sensor data, including at least one sensor element, a provision device for providing sensor data of the at least one sensor element, a control device for controlling the at least one sensor element, and an output device for outputting sensor data of the at least one sensor element; a data processing device being set up, with the aid of which the control device is configurable to provide a time interval between the time of providing the sensor data and the time of outputting sensor data via the output device, and the sensor data provided may be fetched out of the provision device and/or modified and/or written back to the provision device within the time interval provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Hayek, Dorde Cvejanovic
  • Patent number: 10952021
    Abstract: A method and system of position determination of an implement on a work vehicle. The method includes determining a position of a first radio frequency (RF) device relative to a local reference frame using ultra-wideband ranging between the first RF device and at least one additional RF device. The first RF device is coupled to a fixed location on the implement, and the additional RF device is mounted at a fixed location relative to the local reference frame. The implement is controllably movable relative to the local reference frame. A position and orientated of the implement is determined relative to the local reference frame based at least in part on the determined position of the first RF device relative to the local reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael G. Kean, Mark J. Cherney
  • Patent number: 10943360
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide novel tools and techniques for photogrammetric machine measure-up, including without limitation solutions that can be used for excavation and similar applications. A system includes a machine, a user device may further comprise an image sensor, an accelerometer, a processor, and a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium having encoded thereon a set of instructions executable by the processor to photogrammetrically measure-up the machine. Photogrammetric measure-up includes capturing, via the image sensor, two or more target images of each of the two or more targets, the two or more target images including a first target image and a second target image, and determining a measurement between two of the two or more reference features of the machine based on a first target image and second target image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Crozier, John Boss, Jon McKendry, Adam Clare
  • Patent number: 10933814
    Abstract: Disclosed are front entry cabs, and power machines with front entry cabs, having a door that is moveable between opened and closed positions and a display oriented in the cab to provide information to the operator both while the door is in the opened and closed positions. In the opened position, the door is positioned within an operator compartment of the cab above the operator seat and below a top of the cab. The display is positioned to not interfere with the door, door linkages, or operator joystick control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: CLARK EQUIPMENT COMPANY
    Inventors: Cody Erhardt, Jonathan J. Roehrl
  • Patent number: 10925208
    Abstract: A sensor system for monitoring vapor concentrations associated with an agricultural implement is disclosed. The sensor system comprises a first sensor coupled to a support structure that is configured to sense a concentration of at least one component of a vapor sample associated with dispensed ammonia that is emitted from the soil. A controller is communicatively coupled to the first sensor, and is configured to receive and process output signals generated by the first sensor to determine an amount of the concentration of the at least one component that is loss during emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Noel W. Anderson, Ramanathan Sugumaran
  • Patent number: 10912249
    Abstract: A method for managing agricultural operations by predicting amount of crop or product remaining for a field includes performing agricultural operations on at least a portion of a field using an agricultural machine, sensing data associated with the agricultural operations using sensors associated with the agricultural machine, communicating the data associated with the agricultural operations to a computing device, analyzing the data associated with the agricultural operations performed using the computing device to determine an area prediction for a remaining portion of the field upon which the agricultural operations are to be performed, and using the area prediction for the remaining portion of the field by the computing device to determine a time associated with completing the agricultural operations for the field or an amount of material or other resources associated with completing the agricultural operations for the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ag Leader Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David Wilson
  • Patent number: 10915600
    Abstract: A utility vehicle comprises a plurality of ground engaging members and a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members. The frame includes a front frame portion, a mid-frame portion, and a rear frame portion. The utility vehicle further comprises an attachment supported at the front frame portion. Additionally, the utility vehicle includes an operator area supported by the frame and including an operator seat and an adjacent passenger seat spaced apart from the operator seat. The operator seat and the passenger seat are in a side-by-side arrangement. The utility vehicle also comprises an auxiliary power assembly having an attachment shaft configured to be operably coupled to the attachment. The attachment shaft extends in a generally longitudinal direction of the utility vehicle and projects outwardly from the front frame portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy C. Smith, Marcus A. Wetterlund