Work implement side shift control and method

Abstract

A system for automatically moving a work implement of a work machine includes a position monitoring system configured to track a position of the work implement relative to a mapped landscape and programmable to incorporate an electronic representation of at least one entity designated to be avoided into the mapped landscape. The system also includes a controller configured to initiate movement of the work implement in response to information from the position monitoring system, including movement of the work implement to avoid the at least one entity. The work machine has a longitudinal axis aligned with a direction of travel of the work machine and the movement of the work implement includes movement of an edge of the work implement, nearest to the at least one entity, relative to a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis.

1 - 18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . A method of controlling a work implement for a work machine, comprising: 
 determining an actual position of a work implement relative to a mapped landscape;    determining a first distance between at least one predetermined entity in the mapped landscape and an edge of the work implement nearest to the at least one predetermined entity;    automatically controlling movement of the work implement to avoid the at least one predetermined entity based on a comparison of the first distance to a predetermined distance;    wherein the work machine has a longitudinal axis aligned with a direction of travel of the work machine and the movement of the work implement includes movement of the edge of the work implement relative to a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further including: 
 controlling the work implement to maintain the predetermined distance between the at least one entity and the edge of the work implement.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the predetermined distance is maintained within a predefined range of accuracy.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the work implement includes a blade.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the blade is attached to a drawbar/moldboard/circle assembly (DMC).  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein moving the edge is achieved by at least one of swiveling the blade and laterally translating the blade.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19 , further including: 
 tracking the position of the work implement with a position monitoring system.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19 , further including: 
 generating a map of the work site; and    storing the map in a memory.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the position monitoring system includes one or more global positioning system (GPS) receivers.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the position monitoring system is configured to receive data from a local positioning unit for supplementing information provided by the one or more GPS receivers.