Patent Application
20230099523
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to German Patent Application No. 10 2021 125 124.9 filed Sep. 28, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The application is related to US Application No. ______ (attorney docket no. 15191-22022A (P05507/8)) and US Application No. ______ (attorney docket no. 15191-22023A (P05474/8)), both of which incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The invention relates to an agricultural production machine comprising a characteristic diagram control.
This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.
Control of agricultural production machines may be performed based on characteristic diagrams. A characteristic diagram control system is disclosed in US Patent No. 9,002,594, incorporated by reference in its entirety, the characteristic diagram of which may be updated at regular intervals by specifically moving to operating points that lie outside the characteristic diagram range being run through.
The present application is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary implementation, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:
As discussed in the background, control of agricultural production machines may be performed based on characteristic diagrams. Since characteristic diagrams may comprise (or consist of) a large number of characteristic curves and these may follow certain mathematical relationships, these characteristic curves may always describe the dependencies between influencing and evaluation variables relatively well only in the operating range being run through, while the curves outside these ranges may often no longer reflect the real relationships with sufficient accuracy. If a current operating point is reached that does not lie in this currently traversed characteristic diagram range, influencing variables are determined that do not lie in an optimized range. This may lead a process, such as an optimization process, that may only gradually lead to optimal values of the influencing variables, such as grain loss. During this time, the optimization function of the driver assistance system may not work optimally. The method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,002,594 at least partially overcomes these known disadvantages, but may itself have the disadvantage that the targeted approach to certain operating points makes the optimization process more complicated for the operator of the agricultural production machine, since he/she may need to actively trigger and control an update of the stored characteristic diagram.
Characteristic diagram-based control of agricultural harvesters is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,807,926, 10,231,380, 9,220,196, each of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. In particular, characteristic diagram-based control of agricultural harvesters is gaining in importance. As such, there may be a need to simplify and accelerate the updating of the particular characteristic diagrams.
In this context, driver assistance systems may be used that control operation, such as the optimization of the operation, of the process units of the agricultural working machine using so-called automated units, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 11,304,369 (incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) or EP 3 123 711 A1.
Thus, in one or some embodiments, a system is disclosed to avoid the described disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular, a device is disclosed for updating working unit parameter-optimizing characteristic diagrams which may simplify and/or accelerate the updating of characteristic diagrams.
In one or some embodiments, this may be accomplished by an agricultural production machine that comprises a characteristic diagram control (such as a characteristic diagram control device) and the characteristic diagram control (such as a characteristic diagram control device) considering one or more characteristic diagrams. In one or some embodiments, one, some or each of the one or more characteristic diagrams may be configured to control (such as to optimize) operating parameters of the process units of the agricultural production machine. More specifically, a particular or respective characteristic diagram (e.g., of the one or more characteristic diagrams) may be designed as an initial characteristic diagram, and in the initial characteristic diagram, at least the relationship between operating parameters of a process unit and quality parameters may be described by initial operating points and a control characteristic curve is associated with the particular characteristic diagram. The control characteristic curve may be positioned or situated dependent on or relative to one or both of the minimum or maximum of the particular quality parameter (e.g., the control characteristic curve may lie around the minimum or maximum of the particular quality parameter). This may result in the updating of characteristic diagrams to be simplified and accelerated since the optimization process may be guided along the determined control characteristic curve.
The characteristic diagram (e.g., prior to or after updating the initial characteristic diagram) may be used by the agricultural production machine (such as a controller of the agricultural production machine) in order to select one or more parameters (e.g., any parameters described herein, such as one or more operating parameters, such as one or more optimized operating parameters). In turn, the one or more parameters may be used in order to control at least one aspect of the agricultural production machine. By way of example, one or more process units of the agricultural production machine may receive the one or more parameters, and, responsive to receiving the one or more parameters, may automatically control itself (e.g., modify its operation) based on the one or more parameters received. In this way, the updating of the characteristic diagram may be used to control operation of at least a part of the agricultural production machine.
In one or some embodiments, instantaneous operating points may be determined in working mode (e.g., when the agricultural harvesting machine is working as a combine or the like) as a function of measurands, with the instantaneous operating points being converted into quasi-stationary operating points. The determined quasi-stationary operating points may supplement or overwrite the initial operating points or the already updated operating points of the particular characteristic diagram. In turn, the initial characteristic diagram may be converted into an updated characteristic diagram (e.g., based on the determined quasi-stationary operating points), thereby determining an updated control characteristic curve of the updated characteristic diagram. This may be result in the characteristic diagram being updated directly in the harvesting operation using simple calculation methods (e.g., without having to specifically approach special operating points for this purpose).
In one or some embodiments, optimized operating parameters may be determined using the updated control characteristic curve, and the particular optimized operating parameters may be specified to the particular process unit. Given that the characteristic diagrams may describe parameter correlations in a large spatial value range in this case, a simple method may be created using the control characteristic curve, which may lie or be situated around the minimum or maximum of the particular quality parameter. Such a method may quickly lead to optimized operating parameters.
In one or some embodiments, the determined instantaneous operating points may be stored in a first data matrix. Further, the change in the value of the particular instantaneous operating point may be determined within a time interval, and the instantaneous operating point may then be converted into a quasi-stationary operating point if its value remains approximately unchanged (e.g., constant). In this way, it may be ensured that the operating points to be transferred to the particular characteristic diagram are of sufficient quality and therefore have few errors. Furthermore, it may be ensured that quasi-stationary points, which may be obsolete and no longer reflect the current situation, are discarded.
In one or some embodiments, the determined quasi-stationary operating points may be collected in a further data matrix. Further, a certain number of quasi-stationary operating points may be collected in the further data matrix, such as four quasi-stationary operating points (or another predetermined number), and at least the dependencies between a quality parameter and an operating parameter may be determined in the further data matrix for the collected quasi-stationary operating points analogous to the particular initial characteristic diagram. This may especially have the effect that the particular characteristic diagram is not updated permanently or constantly, but at acceptable intervals (e.g., at predetermined intervals or responsive to predetermined triggers), such as when operating parameters change significantly, so that the available computing power may also be used efficiently.
In one or some embodiments, the quasi-stationary operating points collected in the further data matrix may be transferred to an initial data matrix. Further, the initial data matrix may correspond to the initial characteristic diagram with the transferred quasi-stationary operating points so that the updating of the actual characteristic diagram may be calculated in an intermediate database without this having any influence on the characteristic diagram according to which the agricultural production machine is optimized during ongoing operation. In this context, it may therefore also be advantageous if the updated characteristic diagram is then calculated from the initial data matrix in a characteristic diagram update step, wherein the updated characteristic diagram may replace the initial characteristic diagram or a previously updated characteristic diagram, and wherein the control characteristic may be recalculated for each updated characteristic diagram in a “control characteristic update” step. This may have, in particular, the effect that the characteristic diagram and control characteristic update of the characteristic diagram, according to which the agricultural production machine may be controlled, may be updated in one step and in a very short period of time.
In one or some embodiments, a particularly effective driver assistance system may be achieved when the characteristic diagram control is integrated into a driver assistance system associated with the agricultural production machine. The characteristic diagrams may be stored in a memory of the driver assistance system, and a computing device may be configured to operate the characteristic diagram control (such as the characteristic diagram control device) using the characteristic diagrams stored in the memory of the driver assistance system. The driver assistance system may further be configured to perform any one, any combination, or all of: a. determine the measurands; b. derive at least the instantaneous operating points from the determined measurands; c. convert the instantaneous operating point into the quasi-stationary operating point; d. transfer the quasi-stationary operating point to the particular stored initial characteristic diagram or the already-updated characteristic diagram; e. replace an initial operating point or an already-updated operating point in the particular characteristic diagram with a quasi-stationary operating point; f. while take into account the inserted quasi-stationary operating points, calculate an updated characteristic diagram; g. determine the control characteristic of the updated characteristic diagram; h. determine optimized operating parameters using the updated control characteristic curve; i. specify the particular optimized operating parameter to the particular process unit.
In one or some embodiments, the initial characteristic diagram may be stored in a start configuration in the driver assistance system of the agricultural production machine. Alternatively, the initial characteristic diagram may be transferred to the driver assistance system before a working mode. The initial characteristic diagram may be updated cyclically during the working mode and may be stored as a new initial characteristic diagram.
In one or some embodiments, the agricultural production machine may be designed as an agricultural harvesting machine. Further, the working mode may be a harvesting mode (e.g., the combine is currently harvesting). In such an instance, the working quality of a harvesting machine in the harvesting mode may be significantly improved.
In one or some embodiments, the measurand(s) may comprise any one, any combination, or all of: the longitudinal vibration; the transverse vibration of a flow of harvested material passing through the agricultural harvesting machine; the crop height; or the hydraulic pressure or power requirement of a reel drive motor. Further, the measurands may be converted into quality parameters or a harvested material throughput, so that some or all boundary conditions which significantly influence the quality of work of the agricultural production machine may be comprehensively considered.
In one or some embodiments, a particularly efficient optimization process for the mode of operation of the agricultural harvesting machine may result when one or more process units together with the driver assistance system form an automated process unit (with the characteristic diagrams stored in the memory of the driver assistance system). The computing device may be configured to operate the automated process unit as a characteristic diagram control (such as a characteristic diagram control device) using the stored characteristic diagrams. Further, the automated process unit may be configured to optimize operating parameters of the process unit or units, and to specify the optimized operating parameters to the particular process unit. In this context, it may be advantageous if the automated process unit is designed as any one, any combination, or all of: an automated attachment; an automated draper; an automated threshing unit; an automated separating unit; an automated cleaning unit; an automated chopping unit; or an automated distributing unit. In one or some embodiments, each of the automated process units may form automated subunits, wherein each of the automated subunits may be configured to optimize operating parameters of a process unit and to specify the optimized operating parameters to the particular process unit. In this way, a comprehensive optimization of the working quality of the agricultural production machine may be ensured.
In one or some embodiments, the one or more characteristic diagrams assigned to the particular automated process unit or the particular automated subunit may describe the relationship between the operating parameters of a process unit and quality parameters, and may ensure that the influence of each individual process unit on the material flow optimization in the agricultural harvesting machine may be controlled in a targeted manner.
In one or some embodiments, the most significant influence on the movement of a flow of harvested material through an agricultural harvesting machine is the harvested material throughput. As such, very high or very low harvested material throughputs may cause disturbances in the flow of harvested material within the harvesting header and the agricultural harvesting machine. It may therefore be very advantageous if the particular characteristic diagram takes into account a parameter representing the harvested material throughput, such as the layer height.
In one or some embodiments, the quality parameter or parameters of the one or more characteristic diagrams are a vibration coefficient and/or a separation loss. Further, the vibration coefficient may be an indicator of the layer height variations and thus of an inhomogeneous material flow. Alternatively, or in addition, the separation loss may be an essential parameter describing the working quality of a combine. Further, increasing separation losses may also be an indication of a non-optimal material flow of the flow of harvested material through the combine.
In one or some embodiments, since the vibration coefficient may describe a fluctuation of the harvested material throughput, and means may be provided which may determine a harvested material throughput and the vibration coefficient describing the fluctuation of the harvested material throughput in a region lying in front of the threshing elements of the agricultural harvesting machine, it may be ensured that the parameter most clearly describing an inhomogeneous harvested material flow may decisively be taken into account in the optimization of the harvested material flow in the harvesting header. Moreover, since the vibration coefficient may also be determined in a region located upstream from the threshing units, the influence of the threshing units, which may completely alter the harvested material flow structure, may be excluded.
In one or some embodiments, the particular characteristic diagram may therefore describe the particular operating parameter as a function of the vibration coefficient and the layer height representing the harvested material throughput. In this context, it may therefore also be advantageous if the particular characteristic diagram describes the particular operating parameter or parameters to be optimized at least as a function of the separation loss.
In one or some embodiments, the characteristic diagram may describe the relationship between the quality parameter vibration coefficient, the parameter layer height representing the harvested material throughput, and an operating parameter. Further, the control characteristic curve assigned to the characteristic diagram may lie around the minimum vibration coefficient (123).
In one or some embodiments, efficient characteristic diagram control is achieved when the characteristic diagram describes the relationship between the quality parameter “vibration coefficient”, the parameter “layer height” representing the harvested material throughput, and an operating parameter, and the control characteristic curve assigned to the characteristic diagram lies around the minimum vibration coefficient.
In one or some embodiments, efficient characteristic diagram control also results when the automated process unit is designed as an automated draper, and the characteristic diagram takes into account the relationship between the quality parameter “vibration coefficient”, the parameter “layer height” representing the harvested material throughput and the operating parameter “belt speed of the middle belt” or the operating parameter “belt speed of the right side and/or left side transverse conveyor belt” or the operating parameter “reel height”, or the operating parameter “reel horizontal position and/or reel vertical position”, and the control characteristic associated with the characteristic diagram may lie around the minimum of the vibration coefficient.
In one or some embodiments, the one or more characteristic diagrams are such that they describe the relationship between operating parameters of a process unit and quality parameters. In this context, it may be advantageous if one or more characteristic diagrams are assigned to each automated subunit. Further, the one or more characteristic diagrams may describe at least the relationship between operating parameters of the process unit assigned to the particular automated subunit and quality parameters. In this way, it may be possible to control each process unit of the draper very specifically, since experience has shown that the individual process units have a very different influence on the material flow in the draper.
In one or some embodiments, given that a non-optimal flow of harvested material in the harvesting header and the agricultural harvesting machine also may have negative effects on the separation loss, the characteristic diagram may describe the relationship between the quality parameter “separation loss” and one or more operating parameters. Further, the control characteristic associated with the characteristic diagram may lie around the minimum of the separation loss. In this context, it may also be advantageous if the automated process unit is designed as an automated draper if the characteristic diagram describes the relationship between the quality parameter separation loss, the parameter hydraulic pressure or power requirement of a reel drive motor/reel drive cylinder representing the harvested material throughput and the operating parameter reel horizontal position and/or reel vertical position, and the control characteristic curve assigned to the characteristic diagram lies around the minimum of the separation loss.
In one or some embodiments, one or more operating parameters of an agricultural harvester may be improved, such as optimized, based on the characteristic diagram adaptation, thereby improving the working quality of the agricultural harvester. Therefore, in one or some embodiments, the operating parameters to be optimized may include the operating parameters of any one, any combination, or all of: cutting speed; cutter stroke; belt speed; feed roller horizontal position; feed roller speed; reel vertical position; reel horizontal position; threshing drum speed; size of threshing gap; deflection roller speed; rotor speed; vibration frequency and vibration direction of the sieve planes; fan speed; speed of the straw chopper; speed of the distribution device, and discharge point of the distribution device.
In one or some embodiments, the adaptation of the particular characteristic diagram as a function of the vibration coefficient may cause a fast, dynamic adaptation (e.g., faster adaptation) of the particular characteristic diagram, while the adaptation of the particular characteristic diagram as a function of the separation loss may cause a slow, sluggish adaptation (e.g., slower adaptation) of the particular characteristic diagram. Further, it may be ensured that the influence of both short-term and long-term effects is considered when improving or optimizing the operating parameters of the draper.
In one or some embodiments, in order to sufficiently consider the influence of short-term and long-term effects on the optimization of an operating parameter, it is provided that the adaptation of the characteristic diagram comprises a superposition (e.g., superimposition) of a dynamic characteristic diagram adaptation “vibration coefficient,” and an inertial characteristic diagram adaptation “separation loss”.
Referring to the figures, the agricultural production machine 1 shown schematically in
In the separating device 15, the flow of harvested material 10 may be conveyed in such a way that free-moving grains 16 contained in the flow of harvested material 10 are separated in the downstream region of the separating device 15. The grains 16 deposited both on the threshing concave 11 as well as in the separating device 15 may be fed over a returns pan 17 and a feed pan 18 of a cleaning device 22 comprising (or consisting of) a plurality of sieve planes 19, 20 and a blower 21. The cleaned flow of grains 25 may then be transferred using elevators 23 to a grain tank 24.
In the rear region of the separating device 15, a shredding device 28, which may be designed as a straw chopper 27 and surrounded by a funnel-shaped housing 26, is associated with the separating device 15. The straw 30 leaving the separating device 15 in the rear region is fed to the straw chopper 27 at the top. Using a pivotable straw guide flap 29, the straw 30 may also be deflected in such a way that it is deposited directly on the ground 31 in a swath.
In the outlet area of the straw chopper 27, the flow of harvested material comprising (or consisting of) the chopped straw 30 and the non-grain components separated in the cleaning device 22 may be transferred to a crop distribution device 32, which may discharge the residual material stream 33 in such a way that a wide distribution of the residual material stream 33 occurs on the ground 31.
The process units 59 of the agricultural production machine 1 (interchangeably termed an agricultural working machine, an agricultural harvesting machine, or an agricultural harvester) designed as a combine 2 are shown in
According to
The computing device 82 may include any type of computing functionality, such as at least one processor 132 (which may comprise a microprocessor, controller, PLA, or the like) and at least one memory (such as memory 81 or a separate memory). The memory may comprise any type of storage device (e.g., any type of memory). Though the processor 132 and the memory 81 are depicted as separate elements, they may be part of a single machine, which includes a microprocessor (or other type of controller) and a memory. Alternatively, the processor 132 may rely on memory 81 for all of its memory needs.
The processor 132 and memory are merely one example of a computational configuration. Other types of computational configurations are contemplated. For example, all or parts of the implementations may be circuitry that includes a type of controller, including an instruction processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), microcontroller, or a microprocessor; or as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), or Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA); or as circuitry that includes discrete logic or other circuit components, including analog circuit components, digital circuit components or both; or any combination thereof. The circuitry may include discrete interconnected hardware components or may be combined on a single integrated circuit die, distributed among multiple integrated circuit dies, or implemented in a Multiple Chip Module (MCM) of multiple integrated circuit dies in a common package, as examples. Further, the functionality discussed herein, such as the determination of the parameters, using the characteristic diagrams to determine operating parameter(s), or the actuation of the control (e.g., sending commands to control one or more parts of various devices, such as the draper), may be performed by the computing functionality. In practice, the computing device 82 may send the one or more commands via wired or wireless communication.
The data saved in the memory 81 may initially comprise information 83 generated by internal machine sensor systems, information 84 generated by external systems, and information 85 saved directly in the computing device 82. The driver assistance system 80 may be operated via a control and display unit 87 arranged in the cab 86 of the combine 2. In principle, the driver assistance system 80 may be configured to assist a driver 88 of the combine 2 operate the combine 2.
In one or some embodiments, the harvesting header 3, designed for example as a draper 4, may form an automated draper 89 together with the driver assistance system 80. At the same time, the process units 59 may be combined of the agricultural production machine 1 designed as a combine 2, in this case the threshing units 12 including the threshing concave 11 and the deflection roller 13 in an automated threshing unit 90, the separating device 15 in an automated separating unit 91, the cleaning device 22 and in this case the sieve planes 19, 20 and the blower 21 associated with the cleaning device 22 in an automated cleaning unit 92, the shredding device 28, in this case the straw chopper 27 in an automated chopping unit 93, and the crop distribution device 32 in an automated distribution unit 94. In addition, instead of the very specialized automated draper 89, a general automated attachment 95 may be provided. All of the automated units 89-95 enumerated here may be referred to collectively below as an automated process unit 96 for purposes of simplification.
As disclosed, the automated process unit 96 may be implemented in that characteristic diagrams 97 yet to be described in detail are stored in the memory 81 of the driver assistance system 80, and the computing device 82 may be configured to operate the particular automated process unit 96 as a characteristic diagram control 98 (e.g., the computing device 82 configured to operate the particular automatic process unit 96 is an example of a characteristic diagram control device) using the stored characteristic diagrams 97, and the particular automated process unit 96 may be configured to optimize operating parameters 60 of the process units 59 and to specify the optimized operating parameters 60′ to the particular process unit 59. In this way, the particular automated process unit 96 is configured to optimize the operating parameters 60 of one or more of the described process units 59 and to specify the optimized operating parameters 60′ for the particular process unit 11-13, 15, 19-22, 27,28, 32, 41, 43-45, 50, 51.
In addition, the particular automated process unit 96 may be configured to form process unit-specific automated subunits 99 in such a way that each automated subunit 99 controls, such as optimizes, a selection of process units 59. For example, the automated draper 89 (interchangeably termed an automatic draper) may form one or more automatic transverse conveyor belts 99a, 99b, an automatic central belt 99c, an automatic reel 99d, an automatic cutter bar 99e and/or an automatic infeed roller 99f, and the particular automated subunits 99a, 99b, 99c, 99d, 99e, 99f may be configured to optimize the operating parameters 60 of the transverse conveyor belts 43, 44, the central belt 45, the reel 51, the cutter bar 41 and/or the feed roller 50 of the draper 4, and to specify the optimized operating parameters 60′ to the particular process unit 59 of the draper 4. Analogously, one or more characteristic diagrams 97 may also be assigned to one, some or each automated subunit 99a, 99b, 99c, 99d, 99e, 99f.
In one or some embodiments, the particular characteristic diagram 97 may be designed as an initial characteristic diagram 100, wherein in the initial characteristic diagram 100, at least the relationship between operating parameters 60 of a process unit 59 and quality parameters 101 is described by initial operating points 102, and a control characteristic curve 103 is associated with the particular characteristic diagram 97, whereby the control characteristic curve 103 lies around a minimum or maximum of the particular quality parameter 101. In particular, the control characteristic curve 103 may then lie around a minimum of the particular quality parameter 101 if said quality parameter describes a negative working result of the agricultural production machine 1, such as a grain loss. In contrast, the control characteristics (such as the control characteristic curve 103) may then lie around a maximum of the particular quality parameter 101 when this describes a positive work result of the agricultural production machine 1, such as a degree of grain purity. In a start configuration, the initial characteristic diagram 100 may be stored in the driver assistance system 80 of the agricultural production machine 1 or transferred to it prior to a working mode, wherein the initial characteristic diagram 100 may be updated, such as cyclically updated, during the working mode and stored as a new initial characteristic diagram 100. The characteristic diagram 97 associated with the particular process unit 96 may also take into account a parameter representing the harvested material throughput, such as the layer height 9.
The principle of characteristic diagram generation and characteristic diagram control 98 is described in detail in
Consequently, the measurands 106 may be such that the quality parameters 101 and layer height 9 proportional to throughput may be derived therefrom.
The determined instantaneous operating points 104 may be temporarily saved in a data matrix 111, wherein the change in the value of the particular instantaneous operating point 104 may be determined within a time interval 112, and the instantaneous operating point 104 may then be transferred to a quasi-stationary operating point 113 if its value remains approximately unchanged (such as constant). An example time interval 112 may be six seconds in this case. In one or some embodiments, the time interval 112 is at least long enough to compensate for a dead time interval 114 in the measurement chain 115. For example, the crop 42 entering the harvesting header designed as a draper 4 in the harvested material infeed side region 40 does not reach the described layer height roller 8 until a certain time has elapsed. This time offset between input of material and measurement of the layer height 9, which depends to a large extent on the working width of the draper 4 and the material conveying speed, may be taken into account during said dead time interval 114 (see
The determined quasi-stationary operating points 113 may then be collected in a data matrix 116. If a certain number of quasi-stationary operating points 113 has been collected in the data matrix 116, such as four quasi-stationary operating points 113, the dependencies between quality parameter 101, the throughput-proportional layer height 9 and the operating parameter 60 of the particular process unit 59, may be determined in this data matrix 116 for the collected quasi-stationary operating points 113 analogous to the particular initial characteristic diagram 100. In a next step, the quasi-stationary operating points 113 may be transferred to an initial data matrix 117 which corresponds to the initial characteristic diagram 100 with transferred quasi-stationary operating points 113. Then, in a characteristic diagram update step 118, the updated characteristic diagram 119 may be calculated, which may replace at least a part (or all) of the initial characteristic diagram 100. For the updated characteristic diagram 119 to also enable the described characteristic diagram control 98, as a result of which the automated process unit 96 and/or the automated subunits 99 generate optimized operating parameters 60′, the control characteristic curve 103 may be recalculated for each updated characteristic diagram 119 in a step of “updating control characteristic curve” 120, which control characteristic curve 120 extends in each updated characteristic diagram 119 along the minimum or maximum of the particular quality parameter 101 and describes each optimal operating parameter 60′.
Each updated characteristic diagram 119 may then again form the particular initial characteristic diagram 100 for a subsequent characteristic diagram adaptation process in the particular automated process unit 96 and/or the particular automated subunit 99.
In one or some embodiments, instantaneous operating points 104 may be determined in this way in operating mode as a function of the described measurands 106, which may be converted into quasi-stationary operating points 113, and the determined quasi-stationary operating points 113 may overwrite the corresponding operating points 102 of the particular characteristic diagram 97, wherein part (or all) of the initial characteristic diagram 100 may be converted into an updated characteristic diagram 119, and an updated control characteristic curve 103 of the updated characteristic diagram 119 may be determined.
Finally,
By storing characteristic diagrams 97 in the memory 81 of the driver assistance system 80 and by setting up the computing device 82 to operate the automated process unit 96 and/or the automated subunits 99a, 99b, 99c, 99d, 99e, 99f as the characteristic diagram control 98 by means of the stored characteristic diagrams 97, the automated process unit 96 and/or the automated subunits 99a, 99b, 99c, 99d, 99e, 99f may be able to optimize operating parameters 60 of the process units 59 of the harvesting header 3 and of the agricultural production machine 1 designed as a combine 2, and to specify the optimized operating parameters 60′ to the particular process units 59. For this purpose, in a first step, the driver assistance system 80 may determine the described measured variables (such as the measurands 106) of the harvesting header 3 and of the agricultural production machine 1. At least from the determined measurands 106, the driver assistance system 80 according to one aspect of the invention then generates the instantaneous operating points 104 of the automated process units 96 and/or of the automated subunits 99a, 99b, 99c, 99d, 99e, 99f. In a next data processing step, the driver assistance system 80 may convert the instantaneous operating points 104 into quasi-stationary operating points 113 in the manner described above, and then may transmit these quasi-stationary operating points 113 to the automated process unit 96 and/or the automated subunits 99a, 99b, 99c, 99d, 99e, 99f. The characteristic diagram control 98 implemented by the automated process units 96 and/or the automated subunits 99a, 99b, 99c, 99d, 99e, 99f is such that the quasi-stationary operating points 113 may be transferred to the already described particular initial characteristic diagram 100 or already updated the characteristic diagram 119. In the particular characteristic diagram 100, 119, the initial operating point 102 saved therein may then be replaced by the quasi-stationary operating point 113. As described, a number of quasi-stationary operating points 113 may first be transferred to the particular characteristic diagram 100, 119, wherein each of these quasi-stationary operating points 113 may replace an initial operating point 102. Then a characteristic diagram update step 118 may be started, which may result in the particular characteristic diagram 100, 119 being recalculated on the basis of the determined quasi-stationary operating points 113. In the subsequent process step of “updating control characteristic curve” 120, a new control characteristic curve 103 of the particular characteristic diagram 100, 119 may be determined, and ultimately the characteristic diagram 100, 119 and associated control characteristic curve 103 may be redetermined in this way from the particular updated characteristic diagram 119. The driver assistance system 80 may then use the updated characteristic diagram 119 to determine the particular optimized operating parameters 60′, which has already been described, and may specify them to the particular process unit 59.
The characteristic diagram control 98 of the automated process units 96 and/or of the semi-automatic units 99a, 99b, 99c, 99d, 99e, 99f may also be such that it permits a fast, a dynamic characteristic diagram adaptation 121 and a sluggish characteristic diagram adaptation 122. A dynamic characteristic diagram adaptation 121 may be achieved when the quality parameter 101 of the particular characteristic diagram 97 is formed by a vibration coefficient 123, to be described in greater detail. The vibration coefficient 123 known to one of skill in the art is described in detail in US Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0235622 A1, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. According to the disclosure of US Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0235622 A1, the vibration coefficient 123 describes a fluctuation of the harvested material throughput passing through the combine 2. For this purpose, the layer height 9 of the flow of harvested material 10 passing through the combine 2 in the region of the inclined conveyor 5 may be recorded as a function of time. The determined layer height fluctuation may then be converted into the vibration coefficient 123 according to the method disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0235622 A1. The layer height 9 may be determined in a region located upstream of the threshing units 12 since the flow of harvested material 10 may be processed so intensively in the region of the threshing units 12 that layer height fluctuations in the flow of harvested material 10 after leaving the threshing units 12 no longer have a sufficient relationship to the harvested material throughput. The layer height 9 may be determined using the aforementioned layer height roller 8 in the region of the inclined conveyor 5, wherein the layer height roller 8 may be guided so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 127, and the deflection 128 of the layer height roller 8 may be used as a measure for determining the layer height 9. In a manner known to one of skill in the art, the layer height roller 8 may be positioned above the inclined conveyor strips 129, which may affect the entrainment of the material, in such a way that their layer-height-dependent movement is transmitted to the layer height roller 8 and effects the deflection 128 of the layer height roller 8.
The quality parameter “vibration coefficient 123” therefore may permit fast, dynamic characteristic diagram adaptation 121, since this quality parameter 101 depends on the layer height 9 detected in the layer height roller 8 positioned in the inclined conveyor 5 and is determined immediately directly after the flow of harvested material 10 enters the agricultural production machine 1.
In contrast, the sluggish characteristic diagram adaptation 122 may be established by the fact that the quality parameter 101 of the particular characteristic diagram 97 may be formed by a separation loss 124 and this may only be measured when the residual material stream 33 and the loss grains contained therein leave the agricultural production machine 1 in the rear region thereof. The separation loss 124 may describe the grain loss 130, namely the loss grain portion exiting the combine 2 in its rear region. As a rule, the grain loss 130 in the rear region of the combine 2 may be determined in a manner known to one of skill in the art using suitable and sufficiently known grain loss sensors 131, as a rule so-called knock sensors.
Although generated at a late point in time, the sluggish characteristic diagram adaptation 122 has the advantage that it detects a parameter, in this case the separation loss 124, which may decisively determine the working quality of the agricultural production machine 1, and high separation losses 124 may always also be an indicator of a non-optimal flow of harvested material in the agricultural production machine 1, wherein a non-optimal flow of harvested material in the agricultural production machine 1 may be counteracted in particular if the harvesting header 3 produces a homogeneous flow of harvested material 10 which may then be continuously transferred to the agricultural production machine 1.
In addition, the driver assistance system 80 may be such that the characteristic diagram control 98 comprises a test step 125 in which it is tested whether opposing tendencies for the value of the particular optimized operating parameter 60′ occur for the operating parameters 60 to be optimized when the dynamic characteristic diagram adaptation 121 and the sluggish characteristic diagram adaptation 122 are applied. If this is the case, boundary conditions may be used to decide which operating point resulting from the control characteristic curve 103 is approached. In one or some embodiments, the mentioned boundary conditions may be saved in a cost function which may consider the parameters throughput/h, vibration coefficient 123, separation loss 124, cutting unit loss, wherein these parameters may be weighted differently.
Further, the driver assistance system 80 may take expert knowledge 126 into account when generating the particular characteristic diagrams 97, which may be both the initial characteristic diagrams 100 and the updated characteristic diagrams 119.
In
The characteristic diagrams 97 saved in the automated draper 89 and/or its automated subunits 99 may be structured quite differently depending on which type of optimization is to be implemented. According to
For the particular characteristic diagram 97 to enable the described characteristic diagram control 98, as a result of which the automated draper 89 and/or the automated subunits 99 generate optimized operating parameters 60′, each characteristic diagram 97 may be assigned the control characteristic curve 103 which extends here in the particular characteristic diagram 97 along the minimum of the particular vibration coefficient 123 or the separation loss 124 and describes the particular optimal operating parameter 60′.
In one embodiment according to
In one embodiment according to
In an embodiment according to
In an embodiment according to
In an embodiment according to
Since the separation loss 124 is only determined when the corresponding flow of harvested material 10 has completely passed through the combine 2, and the harvested material throughput which depends on the detected layer height 9 may be determined immediately after the flow of harvested material 10 has entered the combine 2, the adaptation of the particular characteristic diagram 97 as a function of the vibration coefficient 123 may result in a rapid adaptation of the particular characteristic diagram 97, whereas the adaptation of the particular characteristic diagram 97 as a function of the separation loss 124 may result in a slower adaptation of the particular characteristic diagram 97. In this regard, responsive to determining certain aspects (e.g., vibration coefficient 123), the adaptation of the particular characteristic diagram 97 may be performed more quickly than responsive to determining other aspects (e.g., separation loss 124).
Further, it is intended that the foregoing detailed description be understood as an illustration of selected forms that the invention may take and not as a definition of the invention. It is only the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to define the scope of the claimed invention. Further, it should be noted that any aspect of any of the preferred embodiments described herein may be used alone or in combination with one another. Finally, persons skilled in the art will readily recognize that in preferred implementation, some, or all of the steps in the disclosed method are performed using a computer so that the methodology is computer implemented. In such cases, the resulting physical properties model may be downloaded or saved to computer storage.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2021 125 124.9 | Sep 2021 | DE | national |
