Method of operating a baler system

Abstract

A method for operating a baler system including a combination of a tractor and a baler implement includes generating an adaptation signal with an input and output unit and sending the adaptation signal to a tractor control unit. The tractor control unit adapts a driving rotational speed of the drive shaft of the baler implement when the tractor control unit receives the adaptation signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating a combination of a tractor and a baler, wherein the combination includes an input and output unit, a tractor control unit, and a baler control unit, wherein the tractor control unit is connected to the input and output unit and to the baler control unit, wherein the tractor includes a drive motor which is connected to a drive shaft of the baler, and wherein the baler includes a pick-up unit for picking up crop and a baling chamber in order to compress the picked-up crop to form a bale, the method comprising:
 generating an adaptation signal with the input and output unit;   communicating the adaptation signal from the input and output unit to the tractor control unit; and   adapting a driving rotation speed of the drive shaft of the baler with the tractor control unit when the tractor control unit receives the adaptation signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the baler includes a bale sensor operable to sense a size of the bale in the baling chamber, wherein the method further comprises sensing a size of the bale with the bale sensor and communicating a bale signal indicating the size of the bale from the bale sensor to the baler control unit, whereby the baler control unit receives the bale signal indicating the size of the bale from the bale sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The method set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising the baler control unit sending the bale signal to the input and output unit, whereby the input and output unit indicates the size of the bale with the received bale signal, wherein the adaptation signal is generated with the input and output unit depending on the indicated size of the bale and sent to the tractor control unit. 
     
     
         4 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising the baler control unit sending a stop signal to one of the tractor control unit and the input and output unit when the bale signal from the bale sensor indicates that the size of the bale is greater than or equal to a first predetermined size, wherein the adaptation signal is generated with the input and output unit depending on the stop signal and sent to the tractor control unit. 
     
     
         5 . The method set forth in  claim 4 , further comprising initiating a braking operation, with the tractor control unit, for stopping the combination in response to the stop signal. 
     
     
         6 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising defining a driving speed of the tractor with the tractor control unit. 
     
     
         7 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising initiating a braking operation for stopping the tractor when the tractor control unit receives the adaptation signal from the input and output unit. 
     
     
         8 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising initiating a braking operation for stopping the tractor and adapting a driving rotational speed of the drive shaft of the baler when the tractor control unit receives the adaptation signal from the input and output unit, and the tractor control unit receive the stop signal from the baler control unit. 
     
     
         9 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tractor control unit adjusts the driving rotational speed of the drive shaft when the tractor control unit receives one of the adaptation signal from the input and output unit or the stop signal from the baler control unit. 
     
     
         10 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising steering the tractor with the tractor control unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method set forth in  claim 10  wherein the combination comprises a swath sensor and the tractor control unit steers the tractor along a swath on the basis of the signals of the swath sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the baler comprises a wrapping device for wrapping the finished bale with wrapping material in the baling chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising driving the tractor with the tractor control unit at a speed which produces a predetermined throughput of the pick-up unit of the baler. 
     
     
         14 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the combination comprises a GPS device, and wherein the method further comprising sending and receiving position data with the GPS device.