Work implement linkage system having automated features for a work vehicle

Abstract

A work vehicle including a boom, a work implement, and a linkage sensor system having automated features to move the boom and the work implement. The work vehicle includes a frame, a boom actuator for the boom, a boom sensor to identify a boom position with respect to the frame, an implement actuator, and an implement sensor to identify a work implement position with respect to the boom. A controller receives boom position signals from the boom sensor and work implement signals from the implement sensor. The controller transmits a boom adjustment signal based on the boom position modified by boom sensor calibration values and transmits an implement adjustment signal based on the implement position modified by implement sensor calibration values. The implement sensor calibration values are determined during a calibration process when moving the boom from a lowest position to a highest position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of moving a work implement and a boom operatively connected a work vehicle supported by a surface, the work vehicle including a work implement sensor to determine a position of the work implement, and a boom sensor to determine a position of the boom, the method comprising:
 calibrating the work implement sensor;   calibrating the boom sensor;   raising the boom from a lowered position to a raised position;   determining, with the boom sensor, a lowered position of the boom at the lowered position;   determining, with the boom sensor, a raised position of the boom at the raised position;   identifying a plurality of work implement positions while moving the boom from the lowered position to the raised position;   identifying a plurality of error values based on the identified plurality of work implement positions; and   moving the boom based on the plurality of error values during a work operation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein raising the boom step includes raising the boom from a fully lowered position to a fully raised position. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the raising the boom step further comprises raising the boom from the lowered position to the fully raised position while leaving the work implement stationary with respect to the boom. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the calibrating the work implement sensor includes:
 moving the work implement to a fully tilted position in a first direction; 
 identifying the position of the work implement in the fully tilted position in the first direction. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the calibrating the work implement sensor includes:
 moving the work implement to a fully tilted position in a second direction; and 
 identifying the position of the work implement in the fully tilted position in the second direction. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the raising the boom step includes fully lowering the boom to the fully lowered position and setting the work implement to a level ground position. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the identifying the plurality of boom positions includes identifying each of the plurality of boom positions at regularly spaced boom positions between the fully lowered position and the fully raised position. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the regularly spaced boom positions are spaced about every ten percent of a distance between the fully lowered position and the fully raised position. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the moving the boom based on the plurality of error values includes moving the boom in response to a return to dig operation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising displaying on a user interface a return to dig actuator accessible by a user. 
     
     
         11 . A work vehicle comprising:
 a frame,   a boom actuator including a boom arm, the boom actuator operatively connected to the frame,   a work implement operatively connected to the boom arm;   a boom sensor located at the boom actuator to identify a boom arm position of the boom arm with respect to the frame;   an implement sensor located at the work implement actuator to identify a work implement position of the work implement with respect to the boom arm;   a boom control device to provide a boom control signal;   an implement control device to provide an implement control signal;   a control module supported by the frame and operatively connected to the boom sensor, the work implement sensor, the boom actuator, the work implement actuator, the boom control device, and the implement control device, wherein the control module receives boom position signals from the boom sensor and work implement signals from the implement sensor, and transmits to the boom actuator a boom adjustment signal based on the boom position modified by a boom sensor calibration value and transmits to the implement actuator an implement adjustment signal based on the implement position modified by an implement sensor calibration value.   
     
     
         12 . The work vehicle of  claim 11  further comprising a user interface including a return to dig actuator, wherein actuation of the return to dig actuator adjusts a position of the work implement with respect to the boom arm based on the boom sensor calibration value and the implement sensor calibration value. 
     
     
         13 . The work vehicle of  claim 12  wherein the control module includes a processer and a memory, wherein the memory has a plurality of program instructions and a storage table to store error values based on a model of boom actuator kinematics and a model of implement actuator kinematics, that in response to execution by the processor causes the control module to determine the error values by:
 identifying a fixed position of the work implement with respect to the boom arm, wherein the fixed position of the work implement is determined by a position of the implement actuator; 
 identifying, with the boom sensor, a position of the boom arm with respect to the frame at a plurality of positions between a fully lowered boom position and a fully raised boom position while maintaining the position of the work implement with respect to the frame; 
 comparing the identified plurality of positions with the model of the boom actuator kinematics to arrive at the plurality of error values. 
 
     
     
         14 . The work vehicle of  claim 13  wherein the user interface includes the boom control, the implement control, and a user input button operatively connected to the control module, wherein the user input button when selected by the user identifies and stores in the memory a lowest position of the boom and a highest position of the boom. 
     
     
         15 . The work implement of  claim 14  wherein the processor causes the control module to display a user prompt to instruct the operator to move the work implement to the fixed position when the boom is fully lowered. 
     
     
         16 . The work implement of  claim 15  wherein the return to dig actuator adjusts the position of the work implement using the plurality of error values. 
     
     
         17 . The work implement of  claim 16  wherein the user interface includes an identify work implement user input to identify the type of work implement attached to the work vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . A method of positioning a work implement and a boom operatively connected a work vehicle, the work vehicle including a work implement sensor to determine a positon of the work implement, and a boom sensor to determine a position of the boom, the method comprising:
 calibrating the work implement sensor and the boom sensor;   identifying an initial work implement position at a lowest boom position with the work implement sensor;   identifying a plurality of boom positions while moving the boom from a lowest position to a highest position with the boom sensor;   identifying a plurality of work implement positions with the work implement sensor at each of the plurality of boom positions while moving the boom from the lowest position to the highest position and while maintaining a position of the work implement with respect to the boom at the initial work implement position;   comparing each of the identified plurality work implement positons with the initial work implement position to arrive at a plurality of work implement error values; and   positioning the work implement with the boom based on the work implement error values during a work operation.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the calibrating the work implement sensor and boom sensor includes: i) identifying a first boom position at the lowest position with the boom sensor; ii) identifying a second boom position at the highest position with the boom sensor; iii) identifying a first work implement position at a first extreme position; and iv) identifying a second work implement position at a second extreme position opposite the first extreme position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the positioning the work implement includes positioning the work implement in a response to a return to dig operation.