US 7,460,942 B2
Soil cultivation implement control apparatus and method
Robert Lindsay Mailer, West End (Australia)
Assigned to Hemisphere GPS LLC, Calgary, Alberta (Canada)
Filed on Dec. 06, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/634,555.
Application 11/634555 is a continuation of application No. 10/474643, previously published as PCT/AU02/00451, filed on Apr. 09, 2002.
Claims priority of application No. PR4303 (AU), filed on Apr. 09, 2001.
Prior Publication US 2007/0088482 A1, Apr. 19, 2007
Int. Cl. G06F 19/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 701—50  [701/213; 342/357.02; 342/357.08] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control system configured to control a position of a working portion of an agricultural implement, said agricultural implement having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the implement is attached to a vehicle and the working portion is connected to the second portion, the working portion and the second portion of the implement being moveable relative to the first portion, the control system comprising:
a first GNSS system configured to determine a global position of the working portion of the implement and including an antenna mounted thereon and a receiver receiving GNSS positioning signals from the antenna;
a processor configured to compare the global position of the working portion of the implement with a desired global position of the working portion;
the processor configured to determine the desired global position of the working portion of the implement by accessing way line data corresponding to a desired path of travel for the working portion of the implement;
the processor configured to generate a control signal in response to the comparison between the global position of the working portion of the implement and the desired global position of the working portion of the implement, said control signal configured to cause movement of the working portion of the implement relative to the first portion to thereby move the working portion towards the desired path of travel;
a second GNSS system configured to determine a global position of the first portion or the vehicle;
the implement further including an actuator situated between said first and second portions and configured to cause relative movement between the implement first and second portions; and
the control signal configured to cause actuation of the actuator to effect relative movement between the implement first and working portions in response to said control signal.