Automatic tracking system detection and control

1 . A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving a commanded steering value indicative of a steering command for a guidance line through a work site from an automatic tracking system on a work machine;

detecting, during runtime based on a time-to-achieve the commanded steering value, a performance characteristic indicative of responsiveness of the automatic tracking system in following the guidance line through the work site; and

generating, during runtime, a control signal based on the performance characteristic.

2 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein detecting the performance characteristic comprises:

detecting a first steering value indicative of a steering angle on a work machine at a first sample time;

detecting a second steering value indicative of a steering angle on the work machine at a second sample time; and

computing a steering angle rate-of-change (ROC) value based on the first steering value, the second steering value, and a time between the first and second sample times.

3 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein detecting the performance characteristic comprises:

detecting an acquisition value indicative of a distance that the work machine travels between the automatic tracking system beginning to control the work machine to follow the guidance line and the automatic tracking system controlling the work machine to follow the guidance line within a threshold lateral offset from the guidance line.

4 . The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein generating the control signal comprises:

generating an interface system control signal to control an operator interface system to generate a display element based on the steering angle ROC.

5 . The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein detecting the performance characteristic comprises:

computing the time-to-achieve the commanded steering value based on the steering angle ROC.

6 . The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein computing the steering angle ROC comprises:

aggregating a plurality of steering angle ROC values to obtain an aggregated steering angle ROC value, wherein computing the time-to-achieve the commanded steering value comprises computing the time-to-achieve the commanded steering value based on the aggregated steering angle ROC.

7 . The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein detecting the first steering value comprises:

detecting an angle of a steerable wheel relative to a reference point on the work machine.

8 . The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein detecting the first steering value comprises:

detecting an actuator position of a steering actuator that drives steering of a steerable ground engaging element of the work machine.

9 . The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein generating the control signal comprises:

generating the control signal to display an operator interface display element based on the distance.

10 . The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein detecting the acquisition value comprises:

aggregating a plurality of acquisition values corresponding to a plurality of different guidance lines to obtain an aggregated acquisition value, wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal based on the aggregated acquisition value.

11 . A computer implemented method, comprising:

performing runtime rate-of-change (ROC) detection detecting a steering angle ROC value indicative of a rate-of-change of a steering angle of a work machine in response to a steering command signal during runtime; and

generating a ROC runtime control signal based on the steering angle ROC value.

12 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 and further comprising:

performing runtime track acquisition detection detecting a track acquisition value indicative of performance of the work machine in automatically acquiring a guidance line; and

generating a track acquisition runtime control signal based on the detected track acquisition value.

13 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 and further comprising:

receiving the steering command signal from an automatic tracking system on the work machine.

14 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein performing runtime ROC detection comprises:

detecting a first steering value indicative of a steering angle on the work machine at a first sample time;

detecting a second steering value indicative of a steering angle on the work machine at a second sample time; and

computing the steering angle ROC value based on the first steering value, the second steering value, and a time between the first and second sample times.

15 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 and further comprising:

receiving a commanded steering value indicative of a steering command from an automatic tracking system on the work machine; and

computing a time-to-achieve the commanded steering value based on the steering angle ROC value.

16 . The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein detecting a track acquisition value comprises:

receiving a target guidance line from an automatic tracking system on the work machine; and

detecting a distance that the work machine travels between when the automatic tracking system begins to control the work machine to follow the target guidance line and when the automatic tracking system controls the work machine to follow the target guidance line within a threshold lateral offset from the target guidance line.

17 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein generating a control signal comprises:

generating an interface system control signal to control an operator interface system to generate a display element based on the steering angle ROC.

18 . A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving a target guidance line;

performing runtime track acquisition detection detecting a track acquisition value indicative of performance of a work machine guidance system in automatically acquiring the target guidance line, wherein the track acquisition value represents at least one of an acquisition time or an acquisition distance that a work machine travels between

the work machine guidance system beginning to control the work machine to follow the target guidance line, and

the work machine guidance system controlling the work machine to follow the target guidance line within a threshold lateral offset from the target guidance line; and

generating a track acquisition runtime control signal based on the detected track acquisition value.

19 . The computer implemented method of claim 18 wherein generating the track acquisition runtime control signal comprises:

controlling a user interface system based on the track acquisition value.

20 . The computer implemented method of claim 18 and further comprising:

performing runtime rate-of-change (ROC) detection detecting a steering angle ROC value indicative of a rate-of-change of a steering angle of the work machine in response to a steering command from the work machine guidance system during runtime; and

generating an ROC runtime control signal based on the steering angle ROC value.