Work-tool guidance system for a work vehicle

Abstract

A guidance system for a work vehicle is provided. In one example, the guidance system includes indicator lights positioned on control levers of the work vehicle and a position sensor for detecting various positions of a work tool coupled to the work vehicle. The guidance system can receive sensor signals from the position sensor and responsively activate (i) one indicator light when the work tool is positioned adjacent to a target horizontal position and (ii) another indicator light when the work tool is positioned at the target horizontal position.

1 . A guidance system comprising:
 a position sensor configured to detect a position of a work tool coupled to a work vehicle;   a plurality of indicator lights positionable on a plurality of control levers in a cab of the work vehicle, wherein the plurality of indicator lights include:
 a first indicator light on a left control handle of the plurality of control levers; 
 a third indicator light on a right control handle among the plurality of control levers; and 
 a second indicator light positioned horizontally on the control levers between the first indicator light and the third indicator light; 
   a processing device communicatively coupled to the position sensor and the plurality of indicator lights; and   a memory device that includes instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to receive sensor signals from the position sensor indicating that the work tool is at various positions in a horizontal plane and responsively activate (i) the first indicator light based on determining that the work tool is positioned left of a target horizontal position in the horizontal plane, (ii) the second indicator light based on determining that the work tool is positioned at the target horizontal position, and (iii) the third indicator light based on determining that the work tool is positioned right of the target horizontal position.   
     
     
         2 . The guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the work vehicle is an excavator, the work tool is a bucket, and the control levers are for operating movement devices to move the work vehicle in one or more directions. 
     
     
         3 . The guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the first indicator light and the third indicator light are configured to illuminate in a first color, and the second indicator light is configured to illuminate in a second color that is different from the first color. 
     
     
         4 . The guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of indicator lights is a first plurality of indicator lights, and further comprising a second plurality of indicator lights positionable on one or more vertical arms of the plurality of control levers for indicating a vertical depth of the work tool, wherein the first plurality of indicator lights and the second plurality of indicator lights are configured to collectively indicate a three-dimensional position of the work tool in real space relative to a predefined reference point defined by the target horizontal position and a target depth. 
     
     
         5 . The guidance system of  claim 4 , wherein the memory device further includes instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to activate (i) a fourth indicator light among the second plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is positioned above the target depth, (ii) a fifth indicator light among the second plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is positioned at the target depth, and (iii) a sixth indicator light among the second plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is positioned below the target depth. 
     
     
         6 . The guidance system of  claim 5 , wherein the fourth indicator light is positioned vertically above the fifth indicator light on the one or more vertical arms of the plurality of control levers, and the fifth indicator light is positioned vertically above the sixth indicator light on the one or more vertical arms. 
     
     
         7 . The guidance system of  claim 5 , wherein the target horizontal position is range spanning a horizontal distance and the target depth is another range spanning a vertical distance. 
     
     
         8 . The guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory device further includes instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to activate an indicator light among the plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is extended beyond a predefined amount. 
     
     
         9 . The guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory device further includes instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to activate an indicator light among the plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is within a predefined distance of an object. 
     
     
         10 . The guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory device further includes instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to activate an indicator light among the plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is outside of a predefined swing range. 
     
     
         11 . A work vehicle comprising:
 a work tool;   movement devices configured to move the work vehicle in one or more directions;   a cab including:
 input devices for operating the work tool; 
 control levers for operating the movement devices, the control levers being separate from the input devices; 
 a plurality of indicator lights positioned on the control levers; 
   a processing device communicatively coupled to a position sensor and the plurality of indicator lights; and   a memory device that includes instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to:
 receive sensor signals from the position sensor, the sensor signals indicating that the work tool is at various positions; and 
 in response to the sensor signals:
 activate an indicator light among the plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is positioned adjacent to a target horizontal position; and 
 activate another indicator light among the plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is positioned at the target horizontal position. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The work vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the work vehicle is an excavator, the work tool is a bucket, and the position sensor is positioned on the work tool. 
     
     
         13 . The work vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of indicator lights is a first plurality of indicator lights, and further comprising a second plurality of indicator lights positioned on one or more vertical arms of the control levers for indicating a vertical depth of the work tool, wherein the first plurality of indicator lights and the second plurality of indicator lights are configured to collectively indicate a three-dimensional position of the work tool in real space. 
     
     
         14 . The work vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the memory device further includes instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device activate (i) a fourth indicator light among the second plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is positioned above a target vertical position, and (ii) a fifth indicator light among the second plurality of indicator lights based on determining that the work tool is positioned at the target vertical position. 
     
     
         15 . The work vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the fourth indicator light is positioned vertically above the fifth indicator light on the one or more vertical arms. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processing device, a first sensor signal from a position sensor configured to detect a position of a work tool coupled to a work vehicle;   determining, by the processing device, that the work tool is positioned adjacent to a target horizontal position based on the first sensor signal and responsively activating an indicator light among a plurality of indicator lights positioned on control levers in a cab of the work vehicle;   receiving, by the processing device, a second sensor signal from the position sensor; and   determining, by the processing device, that the work tool is positioned at the target horizontal position based on the second sensor signal and responsively activating another indicator light among the plurality of indicator lights positioned on the control levers.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the work vehicle is an excavator and the work tool is a bucket. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the plurality of indicator lights are positioned on handles of the control levers, and the control levers are configured to operate movement devices for moving the work vehicle forward and backward;   the indicator light is configured to illuminate in a first color; and   the other indicator light is configured to illuminate in a second color that is different from the first color.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising activating at least one indicator light positioned on one or more vertical arms of the control levers to indicate a vertical position of the work tool relative to a target vertical position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein activating the at least one indicator light comprises:
 activating a first indicator light based on determining that the work tool is positioned above the target vertical position; and   activating a second indicator light based on determining that the work tool is positioned at the target vertical position, wherein the second indicator light is positioned below the first indicator light on the one or more vertical arms of the control levers.