Guidance aid for towing vehicle

This invention relates to a video guidance aid for assisting the operator to steer or guide a vehicle towing a wide implement, such as a planter.

With conventional planter guidance systems, a marker on the end of a lengthy boom, which is attached to an end of the planter, creates a mark in the ground. The operator then steers the tractor on the next pass so as to straddle the mark made on the previous pass. This requires that the length of the boom be one-half the total width of the planter. This long boom adds undesirable weight to the planter. This boom must be retractably or pivotally mounted on the planter to provide clearance for the planter during transportation. Various automatic guidance systems have been proposed such as a system using a mechanical sensor on the twoed implement (US PS 4 180 133) or a system using an optical sensor on the tractor (US PS 4 211 921). However it is commonly desirable to leave the driver exclusively in control of steering and to use a guidance aid which provides him with assistance in following the correct course. To solve this problem, guidance aiding systems are available in which a TV camera is rigidly mounted on one end of a planter so that an image of a mark, created in the soil during the previous pass of the planter, can be viewed by the tractor operator from a TV monitor mounted in the cab of the tractor. This enables the driver to see the mark even though it is offset a long way laterally because of the width of the implement. Nevertheless, it has been found that such guidance aiding systems suffer from the natural tendency of the driver to over-steer when relying on the image displayed on the TV monitor. Part of this over-steering problem is caused by time delays between steering changes of the tractor and the resulting pivoting or turning of the planter.

With a view to overcoming these various problems, the present invention provides a guidance aid as defined in claim 1 below. The guidance according to the invention combines various advantages. The camera is at one end of the implement so that it is correctly located to view the previously made mark and only a short and lightweight marker boom is required to make the mark. Furthermore the present invention reduces the tendency of the vehicle operator to over-steer when depending upon the guidance aid to steer a tractor towing an implement. This is because it eliminates error-causing time delays between steering changes of the tractor and direction changes of the video camera mounted on the implement and ensures that the video camera is aiming in a direction parallel to the direction in which the tractor is travelling. The display seen by the driver is therefore what he would see if he were still stiffing on the vehicle which he is steering but at a laterally displaced position in line with the mark which he is folllowing

In the preferred embodiment, a first angle sensor, connected between the hitch and the implement, generates a signal corresponding to the angle between the tractor and the implement. A feedback angle sensor, connected between the video camera and the implement, generates a feedback signal corresponding to the angle between the camera and the implement. These signals are compared and a servo amplifier generates an error signal corresponding to the difference therebetween. A servo motor, connected to the video camera, adjusts the angle of the camera in response to the error signal so that the camera is always aiming in a direction parallel to the direction in which the tractor is travelling.

The invention will be described in more detail, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Fig 1 is a simplified schematic view of a tractor and implement combination with the guidance aid system;
• Fig 2 is a side view of the tractor drawbar and hitch with an angle sensor;
• Fig 3 is a view in the direction of arrows 3-3 of Fig 2;
• Fig 4 is a view of the camera mount portion of the system; and
• Fig 5 is a circuit diagram of a control circuit of the system.

A tractor 10 pulls an agricultural implement, such as a planter 12 with a hitch 14, via a drawbar 16. A conventional marker 18 is mounted via a short boom on one end of the planter frame 20. A hitch angle sensing assembly 22 (Fig 2) is coupled between the hitch 14 and the drawbar 16.

Referring now to Figs 2 and 3, the planter hitch 14 includes a clevis 24 on the end thereof for receiving an end of the drawbar 16. A hitch pin 26 piuvotally coupels the drawbar to the clevis 24 so that the planter hitch 14 can pivot with respect to the tractor 10 about the axis of the pin 27. The hitch angle sensing assembly 22 includes a C-shaped bracket 28 with a lower arm 30 fixed to the drawbar 16 by bolts 32. An upper bracket 34 is attached to the upper arm of the bracket 29 and supports a potentiometer type transducer 36. The potentiometer housing 38 is supported on the upper surface of the bracket 34 while the potentiometer shaft 40 extends through an aperture in this bracket. The shaft 40 is colinear with the pin 26. A protective cover 42, also attached to the upper bracket 34, extends over and around the potentiometer 36 and protects it from the environment. A radially extending arm 44 is fixed to the shaft 40 so that the shaft 40 and arm 44 rotate together. A rigid arm 46 is fixed to the lanter hitch 14 by a bracket 48. The arm 46 extends above the hitch 14 and terminates at an end 50 spaced from an end 52 of the radial arm 44. A spring 54 interconnects the ends 50 and 52 of the arms 46 and 44 respectively, and is biased to urge the two ends together and to maintain the arm 44 aligned with the longitudinal axis of the hitch 14.

A TV camera 56 is pivotally mounted via camera mount assembly 58 on the end of planter frame 20 opposite the end of the planter frame 20 which supports the marker 18. Referring now to Fig 4, the camera mount assembly 58 includes a frame 60 bolts to the planter frame 20 and extending upwardly therefrom. The frame 60 includes upper, middle and lower cross-members 62, 64 and 66. Upper member 62 supportrs a pair of bearings 68 and 70 on either side thereof. The bearings 68 and 70 rotatably receive a shaft 72 extending from a camera platform 74. A torque limiting slip coupling 76 couples the lower end of the shaft 72 to the upper end of a shaft 78. Shaft 78 is connected by a set screw to the drive shaft 80 which extends from a D.C. gear motor or servo motor 82. The housing of the motor 82 is bolted on to the lower surface of the middle cross-member 64. A bracket 84 is bolted to the cross-member 64 and to the gear motor housing. The lower end of bracket 84 carries a potentiometer transducer 86 identical to the transducer 36 previously described. The shaft 88 of potentiometer 86 is connected to the drive shaft 80 of gear motor 82 via a bushing 90 and a pair of set screws. The lower cross-member 66 rests upon the upper surface of the planter frame 20.

A circuit 100, for controlling the aim of the camera 56, is shown in Fig 5. The fixed resistances of potentiometers 36 and 86 are connected between the ground and a +12 volt nominal D.C. voltage supply (+V). The tap terminal of potentiometer 36 is connected to the (+) input of a differential amplifier 102 via unity gain buffer amplifier 103 and lk ohm resistor Rl. The gap terminal of potentiometer 86 is coupled to the (-) terminal of the differential amplifier 102 via an identical buffer amplifier 104 and another lk ohm resistor R2. The output of the amplifier 104 and other lk ohm resistor R2. The output of the amplifier 102 is coupled to its (-) input via a 10k ohm feedback resistor R3. The output of amplifier 102 is also coupled to terminal 81 of servo motor 82 and to the (-) terminal of another differential amplifier 106 via 10k ohm resistor R4. The output of the differential amplifier 106 is coupled to terminal 83 of servo motor 82 and to its (-) input via 10k ohm resistor R5. A 10k ohm resistor R6 is coupled between the (+) inputs of both differential amplifiers 102 and 106. Finally, the (+) inputs of both differential amplifiers 102 and 106. Finally, the (+) input of amplifier 106 is coupled to a voltage source of half the supply voltage +V. The component values are given merely for illustration. With this circuit, the voltage Vo at the output of amplifier 102 and at terminal 81 is defined by the equation:where V+ and V- are the voltages on the (+) and (-) inputs.

Similarly, the voltage Vo' at the output of amplifier 106 and at terminal 83 is proportional to:

A steady state condition may be defined wherein the camera 56 is aimed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tractor 10 and wherein no steering changes are made. In this condition, potentiometers 36 and 86 are adjusted so that the voltages at their tap terminals are equalized, as are voltages V+ and V- on the (+) and (-) inputs respectively of the differential amplifier 102. Also, in this case, no current flows through the resistors of circuit 100 and thus, since there is no voltage drop across these resistances, the voltage at the (-) input of amplifier 106 is also +V/2. The (+) input of amplifier 106 is coupled directly to +V/2, as described previously. As a result, Vo' (at terminal 83 and at the output of amplifier 106) is also +V/2, as indicated by equation (2). Since the voltages at both terminals 81 and 83 of servo motor 82 are equalized, no current flows through the motor 82 and no change is made in the aim of camera 56 connected to potentiometer 86. As a result, this steady state condition is maitnained until a steering change is made which changes the angle between the tractor 10 and the planter 12.

Now, if a steering change is made, then the tractor 10 turns relative to the planter 12 and the angle between the drawbar 16 and the planter hitch 14 changes accordingly. This causes the shaft 40 of potentiometer 36 to rotate relative to its housing 38, thus changing the voltage at its tap terminal. For example, the potentiometer 36 can be connected so that for a right-hand turn of the tractor, (viewing Fig 1), the voltage increases at the tap terminal of potentiometer 36, thus increasing the voltage at the (+) terminal of amplifier 102. The increased voltage at the (+) terminal of amplifier 102 causes a voltage differential between its (+) and (-) inputs and thus raises the voltage Vo at terminal 81. The increase in voltage Vo is communicated to the (-) input of amplifier 106 via resistor R4, thus lowering the voltage Vo' at terminal 83. Since the voltage Vo at terminal 81 is higher than voltage Vo' at terminal 83, a large current flows through the servo motor 82. The current through the servo motor 82 rotates the servo motor 82 and the camera 56 to the right, viewing Fig 1. The shaft 88 of the potentiometer 86 rotates along the camera 56 and causes the voltage V- at the (-) input of amplifier 102 to increase, thereby decreasing the voltage differential between the (+) and (-) inputs of amplifier 102.

When parallel alignment between the aiming direction of the camera 56 and the longitudinal axis of the tractor has been reattained, the angular positions of the shaft 88 of potentiometer 86 and of the shaft 40 of potentiometer 36 will again be adjusted so that the voltages at their tap terminals will be once again equalized. The equalization of the tap voltages eliminates the voltage differential between the (+) and (-) terminals of amplifier 102, and returns voltage Vo to its original +V/2 level at terminal 81. This causes the voltage V- at the (-) input of amp 106 to return to its original +V/2 level and eliminates the voltage differential at the inputs of amplifier 106. Amplifier 106 responds by returning voltage Vo' back to +V/2 at terminal 83. At this point, the voltage at terminals 81 and 83 is again equalized, and current ceases to flow through servo motor 82. With no current flowing through servo motor 82, further rotation of the camera 56 is prevented and the camera 56 is maintained in parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of the tractor 10, as desired.

The abrupt reduction of current through the inductance L of motor 82 tends to cause a voltage surge at terminals 81 and 83, due to the well-known effect. The circuit may be protected from these voltage surges by providing a current path from the motor 82 to ground via zener diodes (not shown) which have breakdown characteristic at the maximum voltage to which the circuit is to be subjected. The circuit 100 operates in a similar manner in response to a left-hand turn, except that the current flows through the servo motor 82 in the opposite direction and rotates camera 56 to the left.

It should be noted that the differential operational amplifier 102 is sensitive to the difference between the voltage V+ and V- at its (+) and (-) inputs respectively. In a steady state situation, where no steering changes occur, voltages V+ and V- are equal and the difference therebetween is zero. If the magnitude of the supply voltage +V varies during this steady state condition, then both voltage V+ and V- will change by an equivalent amount due to the identical nature of potentiometers 36 and 86. The difference between V+ and V- remains zero despite changes in the supply voltage +V, and thus, the circuit 100 is immune from supply voltage variations.