Ag Leader Technology

The disclosure is related to an assisted steering unit. In various implementations the assisted steering unit includes a motor drive unit and a ring assembly constructed and arranged to couple to and rotate a steering wheel. The assisted steering unit may include a ring assembly where the ring assembly includes a housing, a ring gear disposed within the housing, an anti-rotation pin operatively engaged with the housing. The assisted steering unit may also include a motor drive unit (MDU) including a motor and a drive gear rotatably engaged with the motor. The ring assembly and motor drive unit are constructed and arranged to be releasably engaged to each other.

An agricultural steering and navigation system comprising a tactile steering system comprising at least one crop sensor configured to command steering of an agricultural vehicle based upon the location of stalks, a GPS guidance system comprising at least one GPS receiver configured to command steering of the agricultural vehicle along guidance paths, and a processor configured for selectively using either the tactile steering system and the GPS guidance system based on one or more triggers.

An automatic steering system for an agricultural vehicle includes a controller operably coupled to a steering sensor configured to provide a feedback signal that includes vehicle steering information for automatically controlling the steering device. The controller is configured to receive the feedback signal and current steering information from the steering sensor and determine desired steering rate information based on the current steering information and a desired steering position. The controller is also configured to compare a current steering rate to the desired steering rate information and disengage automatic steering control based on comparing the current steering rate to the desired steering rate information. Automatic steering systems including assisted steering devices and methods for steering an agricultural vehicle are also provided.

The assisted steering unit includes a motor drive unit and a ring assembly constructed and arranged to couple to and rotate a steering wheel. The assisted steering unit may include a ring assembly where the ring assembly includes a housing, a ring gear disposed within the housing, an anti-rotation pin operatively engaged with the housing. The assisted steering unit may also include a motor drive unit (MDU) including a motor and a drive gear rotatably engaged with the motor. The ring assembly and motor drive unit are constructed and arranged to be releasably engaged to each other.

A system for automatic or assisted steering of an agricultural harvester, comprising one or more snoot sensors configured to sense alignment of the harvester with a harvest row, at least one processor in communication with the one or more snoot sensors, a control system in communication with the at least one processor and an automatic steering system, wherein the control system is configured to command the automatic steering system to drive the harvester along the row in response to feedback from the one or more snoot sensors.

Devices, systems, and method for generating agricultural guidance comprising defining a first non-straight path, mapping a second path adjacent to the first path, the second path having less than a threshold amount of crowding of the first non-straight path and less than a threshold amount of gap between the first non-straight path and second path, iteratively mapping subsequent paths path having less than a threshold amount of crowding of an adjacent pass and less than a threshold amount of gap between adjacent paths until a straight path is mapped, and commanding a steering system for traversal of the first non-straight path, second path, and subsequent paths.

An automatic steering system for an agricultural vehicle includes an assisted steering device and a controller or estimator operatively coupled to the assisted steering device and configured to adjust a calibration range. Adjusting the calibration range includes generating an estimated curvature for the vehicle based on a pose of the agricultural vehicle; generating an estimated encoder position of the encoder based on the estimated curvature; determining a current encoder position of the encoder; and adjusting the calibrated encoder range based on the estimated encoder position and the current encoder position.

An automatic steering system for an agricultural vehicle includes a controller operably coupled to a steering sensor configured to provide a feedback signal that includes vehicle steering information for automatically controlling the steering device. The controller is configured to receive the feedback signal and current steering information from the steering sensor and determine desired steering rate information based on the current steering information and a desired steering position. The controller is also configured to compare a current steering rate to the desired steering rate information and disengage automatic steering control based on comparing the current steering rate to the desired steering rate information. Automatic steering systems including assisted steering devices and methods for steering an agricultural vehicle are also provided.