Method for replacing agricultural equipment
A method for delivering at least one replacement machine to replace at least one broken-down machine. The method includes providing a delivery system with at least one transport vehicle for transporting the at least one replacement machine and a controller. The method also includes receiving, by the controller, information that includes standby location variables and calculating, by the controller, a standby location for the at least one transport vehicle based upon the standby location variables. The method also includes sending, by the controller, the standby location to the at least one transport vehicle. The method further includes positioning, by the at least one transport vehicle, the at least one replacement machine at the standby location.
1. A method for delivering at least one replacement machine to replace at least one broken-down machine, comprising:
providing a delivery system comprising at least one transport vehicle for transporting the at least one replacement machine and a controller operably coupled to and in communication with the at least one transport vehicle;
receiving, by the controller, information that includes standby location variables;
calculating, by the controller, a standby location for the at least one transport vehicle based upon the standby location variables;
sending, by the controller, the standby location to the at least one transport vehicle;
positioning, by the at least one transport vehicle, the at least one replacement machine at the standby location; and
delivering the at least one replacement machine, by the at least one transport vehicle, from the standby location to a field of a service requester.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transport vehicle comprises an autonomous or semi-autonomous transport vehicle.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delivery system further comprises at least one service indicator operably coupled to the controller, and the method further comprising a step of communicating a service signal, by the at least one service indicator, to the controller indicating a need for replacing the at least one broken-down machine.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising a step of receiving, by the controller, the service signal and subsequently sending a delivery command to the at least one transport vehicle for initiating the step of delivering the at least one replacement machine.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one service indicator comprises at least one sensor connected to a machine for sensing a working status of the machine in the field of the service requester, and upon the machine breaking down, the at least one sensor sends the service signal to the controller indicating that the machine is broken down.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of replacing the at least one broken-down machine with the at least one replacement machine.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising a step of transporting, by the at least one transport vehicle, the at least one broken-down machine to a service center.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one replacement machine comprises at least one replacement forage harvester.
9. A method for delivering at least one replacement machine to replace at least one broken-down machine, comprising:
providing a delivery system comprising at least one transport vehicle for transporting the at least one replacement machine and a controller operably coupled to and in communication with the at least one transport vehicle;
receiving, by the controller, information that includes standby location variables;
calculating, by the controller, a standby location for the at least one transport vehicle based upon the standby location variables, wherein the standby location variables comprise two or more of a maximum-allowed delivery time, a number of service requesters, at least one delivery location, a requested delivery time, location data of the at least one transport vehicle, roadway map data, an estimated delivery time, and an estimated machine reliability;
sending, by the controller, the standby location to the at least one transport vehicle; and
positioning, by the at least one transport vehicle, the at least one replacement machine at the standby location.
10. A delivery system for delivering at least one replacement machine to replace at least one broken-down machine, comprising:
at least one transport vehicle for transporting the at least one replacement machine; and
a controller operably coupled to and in communication with the at least one transport vehicle, and the controller is configured for:
receiving information that includes standby location variables;
calculating a standby location for the at least one transport vehicle based upon the standby location variables; and
sending the standby location to the at least one transport vehicle,
wherein the at least one transport vehicle is configured for:
positioning the at least one replacement machine at the standby location; and
delivering the at least one replacement machine from the standby location to a field of a service requester.
11. The delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one transport vehicle comprises an autonomous or semi-autonomous transport vehicle.
12. The delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the standby location variables comprise two or more of a maximum-allowed delivery time, a number of service requesters, at least one delivery location, a requested delivery time, location data of the at least one transport vehicle, roadway map data, an estimated delivery time, and an estimated machine reliability.
13. The delivery system of claim 10 , further comprising at least one service indicator operably coupled to the controller, and the at least one service indicator is configured for communicating a service signal to the controller indicating a need for replacing the at least one broken-down machine.
14. The delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured for receiving the service signal and subsequently sending a delivery command to the at least one transport vehicle for initiating a delivery of the at least one replacement machine.
15. The delivery system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one service indicator comprises at least one sensor connected to a machine for sensing a working status of the machine in the field of the service requester, and upon the machine breaking down, the at least one sensor sends the service signal to the controller indicating that the machine is broken down.
16. The delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one broken-down machine is configured to be replaced with the at least one replacement machine upon delivery of the at least one replacement machine.
17. The delivery system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one transport vehicle is configured for transporting the at least one broken-down machine to a service center.
18. A delivery system for delivering at least one replacement machine to replace at least one broken-down machine, comprising:
at least one transport vehicle for transporting the at least one replacement machine, wherein the at least one replacement machine comprises at least one replacement forage harvester; and
a controller operably coupled to and in communication with the at least one transport vehicle, and the controller is configured for:
receiving information that includes standby location variables;
calculating a standby location for the at least one transport vehicle based upon the standby location variables; and
sending the standby location to the at least one transport vehicle,
wherein the at least one transport vehicle is configured for positioning the at least one replacement machine at the standby location.