Agricultural vehicle

Abstract

An electronic control system for use in an agricultural vehicle having a hitch for towing an implement. The control system controls any one or more of a plurality of sub-systems relating to the vehicle operation. The electronic control system includes a memory, a recording mode, and a playback mode. In one aspect of the invention, the driver is enabled during the recording mode to record a break signal in addition to, and without interruption of, the recording of the sequence of control steps being executed by the driver and in that during the playback mode automatic execution of the recorded control steps is interrupted upon detection of a break signal, execution of the remaining recorded control steps in the sequence being resumed only in response to an instruction from the vehicle driver.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An electronic control system for use by an operator in an agricultural vehicle having a hitch for towing an implement, the control system being operative to control any one or more of a plurality of sub-systems serving to set the vehicle engine speed, the selected transmission ratio, the hitch position to raise and lower the implement, the estimated flow in electro-hydraulic remote (EHR) lines connectable to actuators of the towed implement, and the engagement state of the power take off shaft, the electronic control system comprising: 
 a memory;    a recording mode during which a sequence of control steps is stored in the memory while such steps are being executed under instruction from the operator, said control system being operable during the recording mode to record a break signal in addition to, and without interruption of, the storing of the sequence of control steps being executed by the operator; and    a playback mode during which a previously recorded sequence of steps is read from the memory to produce control signals to enable the correct sequence of steps to be executed automatically by the control system, said control system being operable to interrupt the automatic execution of the recorded control steps during the playback mode upon detection of a break signal, execution of the remaining recorded control steps in the sequence being resumed only in response to an instruction from the operator.    
     
     
         2 . The control system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control system is able to record and replay several sub-sequences separated by pauses.  
     
     
         3 . The control system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the recording of each sub-sequence includes a time of commencement of an event, a length of duration of the event, and selected values of any variable changed by the event at the commencement and termination of the event.  
     
     
         4 . An electronic control system for use by an operator in an agricultural vehicle having a hitch for towing an implement, the control system being operative to control any one or more of a plurality of sub-systems serving to set the vehicle engine speed, the selected transmission ratio, the hitch position to raise and lower the implement, the estimated flow in electro-hydraulic remote lines connectable to actuators of the towed implement, and the engagement state of the power take off shaft, the electronic control system comprising: 
 a memory;    a recording mode during which a sequence of control steps is stored in the memory while such steps are being executed under instruction from the operator; said control system incorporating a display panel; and    a playback mode during which a previously recorded sequence of steps is read from the memory to produce control signals to enable the correct sequence of steps to be executed automatically by the control system, said control system being operable to display icons on the display panel during the playback mode to indicate to the operator graphically a plurality or all of the steps of a sequence recorded in the memory in their correct order of execution together with a visual indication of the step in the recorded sequence currently being executed.    
     
     
         5 . The control system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the sequence of recorded steps is displayed on a panel serving additionally to provide an indication of the selected gear ratio.  
     
     
         6 . The control system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a dedicated area of the display of gears is allocated to a headland turn system.  
     
     
         7 . The control system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein eight square LCD matrix regions arranged vertically on the left hand side of the display of gears is used to show icons related to headland turn systme state, current subsystem involved and subsequent subsystems in the sequence.