Patent Application
20250081881
The present invention pertains to an agricultural mowing device having a header and, more specifically, to field anomaly systems and methods for processing data from the header to identify and handle anomalies encountered by such devices.
A farmer may use an agricultural mowing device, such as a mower or mower conditioner, to cut crop material like hay or grass and deposit the cut crop material onto the field in windrows or swaths. For cutting smaller fields, a single pull-type mower or mower conditioner may be attached to the rear of an agricultural driving vehicle. For cutting large fields, the driving vehicle may push a front mounted mower or mower conditioner and optionally tow an additional rear mounted mower or mower conditioner.
A typical agricultural mowing device generally includes a frame, a hitch coupled to the vehicle, and a cutter bar such as a sickle bar or rotary disc cutter bar for severing the crop from the field. The mower may further include other elements such as a reel to assist crop feeding, an auger or belts to convey crop to a central discharge point, and a flail or set of rollers for conditioning crop as it is ejected rearwardly out of the mower. A disc cutter bar generally includes multiple juxtaposed cutterheads for cutting the standing crop. Each cutterhead may consist of a rotating disc with diametrically opposed cutting blades or knives affixed to the body of the disc.
The crops encountered by an agricultural mowing device traversing a field may have varying yield (e.g., an amount of the crop that is produced in a given area of the field). Additionally, the field itself may contain anomalies such as piles of ground (e.g., gopher mounds), rocks, fence posts, tree branches, etc., which may damage the agricultural mowing device, impact yield, or impact yield calculations. Yield and equipment damage affect profitability. Accordingly, it is desirable to identify and handle field anomalies to, for example, take remedial action and adjust yield calculations.
In accordance with some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of processing header data of a windrower configured for use in a field, the windrower having a cutter including a rotatable cutting element configured to cut plant material. The method includes receiving header data indicative of a rotation rate of the rotatable cutting element, comparing the header data indicative of the rotation rate to a threshold, and identifying an anomaly in the field when the header data indicative of the rotation rate reaches the threshold.
In accordance with some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a windrower including: a chassis, a tractive element coupled to the chassis, a drive motor configured to drive the tractive element to propel the windrower, a header coupled to the chassis, the header including a rotatable cutting element configured to cut plant material, a header sensor configured to provide header data indicative of a rotation rate of the rotatable cutting element, and a controller operatively coupled to the header sensor. The controller is configured to receive, from the header sensor, the header data indicative of the rotation rate of the rotatable cutting element, compare the header data indicative of the rotation rate to a threshold, and identify an anomaly in the field when the header data indicative of the rotation rate reaches the threshold.
In accordance with some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for determining a crop yield of a field harvested by a windrower having a cutter including a rotatable cutting element configured to cut plant material. The instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement operations including receiving header data indicative of a rotation rate of the rotatable cutting element, comparing the header data indicative of the rotation rate to a threshold, and identifying an anomaly in the field when the header data indicative of the rotation rate reaches the threshold.
This summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices or processes described herein will become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.
For the purpose of illustration, there are shown in the drawings certain embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements, dimensions, and instruments shown. Like numerals indicate like elements throughout the drawings. In the drawings:
Before turning to the figures, which illustrate certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting. The terms “forward”, “rearward”, “left” and “right”, when used in connection with the agricultural mowing device and/or components thereof are usually determined with reference to the direction of forward operative travel of the towing vehicle, but they should not be construed as limiting. The terms “longitudinal” and “transverse” are determined with reference to the fore-and-aft direction.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
Before turning to the figures, which illustrate some exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
According to an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle system of the present disclosure facilitates determining crop yield. The vehicle system includes a windrower including a header that cuts, collects, and conditions (e.g., pulverizes) plant material. As crop yield increases, the rate at which plant material enters the header increases, loading the header and drive motors of the windrower. The windrower includes sensors that measure the load on the header and the vehicle driveline. Based on this sensor data, a controller calculates a crop yield, and associates that calculated crop yield with the location where the sensor data was captured. The controller my revise the calculated crop yield based on one or more factors, such as the configuration of the header or a characteristic of the crop that is being harvested. In the event that the windrower encounters an anomaly, such as piles of ground (e.g., gopher mounds), rocks, fence posts, tree branches, etc., the rate at which the rotatable cutting elements rotate may drop (e.g., from a normal operation rate of 2000 rpm to 1950 rpm or lower). The decrease in rotation rate indicates the presence of the anomaly, which affects yield measurements. The controller may also revise the calculated crop yield based on the rotation rate (or a value indicative thereof) reaches a threshold (e.g., 1950 rpm).
Using the determined crop yields and the corresponding locations, the controller generates a map illustrating the crop yield at various locations throughout a field. The controller may also use the determined crop yield to provide suggestions for improving crop yield, such as adding fertilizer or water to low yield areas or removing an anomaly. The controller may use the determined crop yield to predict an amount of resources (e.g., seeds, fertilizer, vehicles, manpower, money, etc.) required to farm the crop in a given field, an amount of crop that will be harvested, and a corresponding profitability of the operation.
According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
The chassis of the vehicle 102 may include a structural frame (e.g., the frame 12) formed from one or more frame members coupled to one another (e.g., as a weldment). Additionally, or alternatively, the chassis may include a portion of the driveline 50. By way of example, a component of the driveline 50 (e.g., the transmission 56) may include a housing of sufficient thickness to provide the component with strength to support other components of the vehicle 102.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle 102 is an off-road machine or vehicle. As shown in
According to an exemplary embodiment, the cab 30 is configured to provide seating for an operator (e.g., a driver, etc.) of the vehicle 102. In some embodiments, the cab 30 is configured to provide seating for one or more passengers of the vehicle 102. According to an exemplary embodiment, the operator interface 40 is configured to provide an operator with the ability to control one or more functions of and/or provide commands to the vehicle 102 and the components thereof (e.g., turn on, turn off, drive, turn, brake, engage various operating modes, raise/lower an implement, etc.). The operator interface 40 may include one or more displays and one or more input devices. The one or more displays may be or include a touchscreen, a LCD display, a LED display, a speedometer, gauges, warning lights, etc. The one or more input device may be or include a steering wheel, a joystick, buttons, switches, knobs, levers, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, etc.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the driveline 50 is configured to propel the vehicle 102. As shown in
As shown in
The front tractive assembly 70 includes a pair of hydraulic motors or drive motors, shown as wheel motors 72. Each wheel motor 72 is coupled to a first axle, shown front axle 76, which is in turn coupled to a tractive element, shown as front tractive element 78. Each wheel motor 72 is fluidly coupled to the valves 60, such that the valves 60 provide pressurized fluid to the wheel motors 72. In response, the wheel motors 72 drive rotation of the front tractive elements 78. The valves 60 may drive the wheel motors 72 independently. By way of example, the valves 60 may drive both wheel motors 72 at the same speed and in the same direction to propel the vehicle 102 straight (e.g., forward or backward). By way of another example, the valves 60 may drive the wheel motors 72 differently (e.g., in different directions, at different speeds, etc.) to cause the vehicle 102 to turn.
As shown in
According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
According to an exemplary embodiment, the braking system 94 includes one or more brakes (e.g., disc brakes, drum brakes, in-board brakes, axle brakes, etc.) positioned to facilitate selectively braking (i) one or more components of the driveline 50 and/or (ii) one or more components of a trailed implement. In some embodiments, the one or more brakes include (i) one or more front brakes positioned to facilitate braking one or more components of the front tractive assembly 70 and (ii) one or more rear brakes positioned to facilitate braking one or more components of the rear tractive assembly 80. In some embodiments, the one or more brakes include only the one or more front brakes. In some embodiments, the one or more brakes include only the one or more rear brakes. In some embodiments, the one or more front brakes include two front brakes, one positioned to facilitate braking each of the front tractive elements 78. In some embodiments, the one or more front brakes include at least one front brake positioned to facilitate braking the front axle 76. In some embodiments, the one or more rear brakes include two rear brakes, one positioned to facilitate braking each of the rear tractive elements 88. In some embodiments, the one or more rear brakes include at least one rear brake positioned to facilitate braking the rear axle 86. Accordingly, the braking system 94 may include one or more brakes to facilitate braking the front axle 76, the front tractive elements 78, the rear axle 86, and/or the rear tractive elements 88. In some embodiments, the one or more brakes additionally include one or more trailer brakes of a trailed implement attached to the vehicle 102. The trailer brakes are positioned to facilitate selectively braking one or more axles and/or one more tractive elements (e.g., wheels, etc.) of the trailed implement.
Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
The header 104 includes a header actuator (e.g., a linear actuator, a hydraulic cylinder, etc.), shown as header actuator 106, that is fluidly coupled to the valves 60. The header actuator 106 couples the header 104 to the frame 12 and is configured to selectively raise and lower the header 104 relative to the frame 12 (e.g., to control a cut height of the header 104, to raise the header 104 to facilitate travel on a road, etc.). The valves 60 may control operation of the header actuator 106 by either directing fluid to the header actuator 106 and/or by removing fluid from the header actuator 106. The header actuator 106 may be single acting (e.g., lowered by the force of gravity) or double acting (e.g., powered in the raise and lower directions).
The header 104 further includes one or more drivers, shown as header motors 110 (e.g., hydraulic motors, etc.). The header motors 110 are fluidly coupled to the valves 60, such that the valves control operation of the header motors 110. The valves 60 may control the speed of the header motors 110 by varying flow rate of fluid supplied to the header motors 110. The valves 60 may control the torque of the header motors 110 by varying the pressure of the fluid supplied to the header motors 110. In other embodiments, the header motors 110 are otherwise powered (e.g., as electric motors).
The header 104 includes a first subassembly or cutterbar, shown as cutter 120, a second subassembly or collector, shown as auger 130, and a third subassembly or conditioner, shown as conditioning system 140. The cutter 120, the auger 130, and the conditioning system 140 are all powered by the header motors 110. In some embodiments, the header motors 110 are coupled to a gearbox that distributes rotational mechanical energy from the header motors 110 to the cutter 120, the auger 130, and the conditioning system 140. Such a gearbox may control the relative rotational timings of the cutter 120, the auger 130, and/or the conditioning system 140. In other embodiments, one or more of the cutter 120, the auger 130, and the conditioning system 140 are independently driven by one or more header motors 110.
The cutter 120 is configured to cut through the stems of the plant material, separating the plant material from the roots. The auger 130 collects the separated plant material, moving it laterally inward toward a centerline of the header 104. The conditioning system 140 crushes, presses, squeezes, mashes, pulps, pulverizes, or otherwise conditions the plant material to facilitate drying. The crushed material is dispensed from the header 104 onto the ground, where it may be later collected by another vehicle (e.g., a baler). In other embodiments, the auger 130 is omitted, and the plant material passes directly from the cutter 120 to the conditioning system 140.
Referring to
The housing 150 defines a flow path for plant material to pass through the header 104. The flow path passes from an inlet 152 positioned at the front of the header 104 to an outlet 154 positioned at a rear end of the header 104. The inlet 152 may be wider than the outlet 154, such that the header 104 collects the plant material into a narrow windrow to facilitate subsequent collection.
A flexible barrier, shown as curtain 156, is coupled at front end of the housing 150. The curtain 156 extends downward from the housing 150 and across the inlet 152. The flexible nature of the curtain 156 permits plant material to enter the inlet 152 but resists debris (e.g., rocks, sticks, etc.) and cut plant material from being ejected through the inlet 152.
As shown in
The cutter 120 includes a series of rotatable cutting elements configured to cut plant material, shown as cutting discs 162, that are positioned at regular intervals along a length of the rock guard 160. Each cutting disc 162 is rotatably coupled to the rock guard 160 and configured to rotate about a substantially vertical axis. Each cutting disc 162 includes one or more cutting elements, shown as knives 164, positioned along a circumference of the cutting disc 162. The cutting discs 162 are all coupled to the header motors 110 (e.g., directly, by a power transmission, etc.) and are driven to rotate by the header motors 110. As the cutting discs 162 rotate, the knives 164 move horizontally, striking plant matter that enters the inlet 152 and shearing the stems of the plants. The sheared plant matter then falls over the cutter 120 and engages the auger 130.
The auger 130 is positioned downstream of the cutter 120. The auger 130 is rotatably coupled to the housing 150 and configured to rotate about a laterally-extending, horizontal axis. The auger 130 is coupled to the header motors 110 (e.g., directly, by a power transmission, etc.) and driven to rotate by the header motors 110. The auger 130 includes a pair of helical elements 170 extending radially outward from a central shaft. The helical elements 170 are laterally offset from one another. A series of paddles 172 are positioned between the helical elements 170. The helical elements 170 have opposing helical pitches. Accordingly, as the auger 130 rotates, the helical elements 170 direct plant matter laterally inward, toward the center of the auger 130. Due to the opposing helical pitches of the helical elements 170, plant matter that contacts the first helical element 170 is directed in a first direction, and plant matter that contacts the second helical element 170 is directed in an opposing second direction. Once the plant matter is between the helical elements 170, the paddles 172 engage the plant matter and direct the plant matter rearward. A panel or shield, shown as floor panel 174, extends beneath the auger 130 and between the cutter 120 and the conditioning system 140. The plant material is contained between the housing 150 and the floor panel 174, preventing the plant material from spilling out of the header 104.
The conditioning system 140 is positioned downstream of the auger 130. As shown in
In some embodiments, the distance between the top roller 180 and the bottom roller 182 is variable. By way of example, the bottom roller 182 may have a fixed vertical position, and the top roller 180 may have an adjustable vertical position. The top roller 180 may be biased toward the bottom roller 182 (e.g., by a set of springs), such that the rollers 180, 182 are held against one another by a biasing force. In other embodiments, the vertical positions of one or more of the rollers 180, 182 are manually adjustable by an operator. By adjusting the size of the gap and/or the biasing force between the motors, the extent of the conditioning (e.g., how thoroughly the plant material is pulverized) can be adjusted.
The conditioning system 140 may be configured with a variety of different conditioning elements. In some such embodiments, one conditioning element or set of conditioning elements may be removed and replaced with another conditioning element or set of conditioning elements. In various embodiments, the top roller 180 and the bottom roller 18 may be made from a variety of different materials such as steel or rubber. As shown in
Referring again to
Referring to
The controller 310 is operatively coupled to the operator interface 40, the pump 58, the valves 60, the wheel motors 72, and the header 104 (e.g., the header motors 110). The controller 310 may provide control signals to control operation of the operator interface 40, the pump 58, the valves 60, the wheel motors 72, and/or the header 104. By way of example, the controller 310 may provide electrical signals, control the valves 60 to adjust flows of hydraulic fluid, vary a displacement of the pump 58, and/or otherwise control components of the agricultural mowing assembly 100.
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 includes one or more sensors, such as location sensors 320, that indicate a location of the agricultural mowing assembly 100. The location sensors 320 may indicate an absolute location of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 (e.g., a location of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 relative to the Earth). By way of example, the location sensors 320 may include a global positioning system (GPS) that indicates a global position of the agricultural mowing assembly 100. The location sensors 320 may indicate a relative position of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 (e.g., a position of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 relative to a landmark, relative to other vehicles 102, etc.). By way of example, the location sensors 320 may include gyroscopic sensor, accelerometers, ultrasonic distance sensors, cameras that identify positions of visual identifiers, rotation sensors that measure the distance travelled by one or more of the front tractive elements 78, or other types of sensors. The location sensors 320 may indicate a ground speed of agricultural mowing assembly 100 (e.g., based on a change in measured location over time, based on a rotational speed of a tractive element, etc.).
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 includes a variety of sensors to measure conditions related to the power consumed by various systems of the agricultural mowing assembly 100. The controller 310 may utilize the measured data to determine the load on each component. By way of example, the controller 310 may utilize the measurements provided by each sensor to determine the load on the wheel motors 72 and/or the header 104.
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 includes one or more propulsion sensors or wheel sensors, shown as drive sensors 322. The drive sensors 322 provide measurement data related to or indicative of a power required to propel the agricultural mowing assembly 100. By way of example, the drive sensors 322 may measure rotational speeds of the front tractive elements 78. This may be measured directly (e.g., using an encoder or other rotation sensor) or indirectly (e.g., by measuring a flow rate of fluid delivered to one of the wheel motors 72). By way of another example, the drive sensors 322 may measure a force or torque required to drive the front tractive elements 78. This may be measured directly (e.g., by placing a strain gauge or torque transducer on one of the front axles 76, etc.) or indirectly (e.g., by measuring a pressure of the fluid being supplied to the wheel motors 72, etc.). Based on the speed of the front tractive elements 78 and/or the torque required to drive the front tractive elements 78, the power being delivered to the front tractive elements 78 by the wheel motors 72 may be calculated. Correlations between the conditions measured by the drive sensors 322 and the power supplied by the wheel motors 72 to propel the agricultural mowing assembly 100 may be predetermined and stored in the memory 314.
In some embodiments, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 includes one or more sensors that provide data indicative of a load on the header 104. The sensors may measure the overall load on the header 104 (e.g., by measuring the fluid power supplied to the header 104) or may measure the load on individual components of the header 104 (e.g., the cutter 120, the auger 130, the conditioning system 140, etc.). Generally, the sensors may measure a speed at which the header 104 operates (e.g., the speed of a component, the flow rate of fluid to the header 104, etc.) and/or a force or torque required to drive the header 104 (e.g., the torque on a roller, the pressure of the fluid supplied to the header 104, etc.).
In some embodiments, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 includes one or more header load sensors, shown as header sensors 328. The header sensors 328 provide measurement data related to or indicative of a power required to drive the header 104. The header sensors 328 may indicate the overall load on the header 104 (e.g., the overall power required to drive the header 104). By way of example, the header sensors 328 may measure an operating speed of the header 104 (e.g., by measuring a flow rate of fluid delivered to the header motors 110). By way of another example, the header sensors 328 may measure a force required to drive the header 104 (e.g., by measuring the pressure of the fluid delivered to the header motors 110, etc.). Based on the speed of the speed of the header 104 and/or the force required to drive the header 104, the power being delivered to the header 104 by the agricultural mowing assembly 100 may be calculated. By way of example, the flow rate and pressure of the fluid supplied to the header motors 110 may be multiplied to calculate the power supplied to the header 104. Correlations between the conditions measured by the header sensors 328 and the power supplied to the header 104 may be predetermined and stored in the memory 314.
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 may include one or more cutter sensors, shown as cutter sensors 330. The cutter sensors 330 provide measurement data indicative of a rotation rate of rotatable cutting elements such as cutting discs 162. By way of example, the cutter sensors 330 may measure and generate data indicative of a rotation rate of the cutting discs 162. This may be measured directly (e.g., using an encoder or other rotation sensor) or indirectly (e.g., by measuring a flow rate or pressure of fluid delivered to one or more of the header motors 110, which is correlated with the rotation rate).
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 may include one or more collector load sensors, shown as collector sensors 332. The collector sensors 332 provide measurement data related to or indicative of a power required to drive the auger 130. By way of example, the collector sensors 332 may measure the rotational speed of the auger 130. This may be measured directly (e.g., using an encoder or other rotation sensor) or indirectly (e.g., by measuring a flow rate of fluid delivered to one or more of the header motors 110). By way of another example, the collector sensors 332 may measure a force or torque required to drive the auger 130. This may be measured directly (e.g., by placing a torque transducer on the auger 130, etc.) or indirectly (e.g., by measuring a pressure of the fluid being supplied to the header motors 110, etc.). Based on the speed of the auger 130 and/or the torque required to drive the auger 130, the power being delivered to the auger 130 by the header motors 110 may be calculated. Correlations between the conditions measured by the collector sensors 332 and the power supplied to the auger 130 may be predetermined and stored in the memory 314.
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 may include one or more conditioning system load sensors, shown as conditioner sensors 334. The conditioner sensors 334 provide measurement data related to or indicative of a power required to drive the conditioning system 140 (e.g., the top roller 180, the bottom roller 182, the flail roller 200, etc.). By way of example, the conditioner sensors 334 may measure rotational speeds of one or more rollers. This may be measured directly (e.g., using an encoder or other rotation sensor) or indirectly (e.g., by measuring a flow rate of fluid delivered to one or more of the header motors 110). In some embodiments, a rotational speed of only one of the rollers 180, 182 is measured. By way of example, the top roller 180 may be floating (e.g., free to move vertically) and biased toward the bottom roller 182 (e.g., by gravity and/or springs). In this case, the top roller 180 may be constantly in engagement with plant material when the plant material passes through the conditioning system 140, such that the top roller 180 provides an accurate measurement of the speed at which plant material moves through the conditioning system 140. By way of another example, the top roller 180 may be free spinning, and the bottom roller 182 may be driven by the header motors 110. In such an embodiment, the rotational speed of the top roller 180 may provide a direct indication of the speed at which plant material is flowing through the header 104. By way of another example, the conditioner sensors 334 may measure a force or torque required to drive the conditioning system 140. This may be measured directly (e.g., by placing a torque transducer on the top roller 180, the bottom roller 182, and/or the flail roller 200, etc.) or indirectly (e.g., by measuring a pressure of the fluid being supplied to the header motors 110, etc.). Based on the speed of the conditioning system 140 and/or the torque required to drive the conditioning system 140, the power being delivered to the conditioning system 140 by the header motors 110 may be calculated. Correlations between the conditions measured by the conditioner sensors 334 and the power supplied to the conditioning system 140 may be predetermined and stored in the memory 314.
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 further includes one or more sensors, shown as header position sensors 336, that indicate a position of the header 104 relative to the frame 12. By way of example, the header position sensors 336 may indicate a vertical position of the header 104 (e.g., relative to the ground). By way of another example, the header 104 may be pivotally coupled to the frame 12, and the header position sensors 336 may indicate an angular position of the header 104 (e.g., relative to the frame 12, relative to the direction of gravity, etc.). In one such example, the header 104 pivots about a horizontal axis, such that rotation of the header 104 adjusts a cutting height of the header 104. In some embodiments, the header position sensors 336 indicate a current length of the header actuator 106 (e.g., using a linear potentiometer or encoder).
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 further includes one or more sensors, shown as baffle position sensors 338, that indicate a position of the swathe baffle 190. By way of example, the baffle position sensors 338 may indicate an angular orientation of the swathe baffle 190 relative to the housing 150. In some embodiments, the baffle position sensors 338 include encoders or potentiometers that directly measure the angular position of the swathe baffle 190.
The agricultural mowing assembly 100 further includes one or more image sensors or environment sensors, shown as cameras 340, operatively coupled to the controller 310. The cameras 340 may be configured to provide image data. In other embodiments, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 additionally or alternatively includes a different type of environment sensor, such as an ultrasonic distance sensor or an infrared time of flight sensor, that indicates a distance between the agricultural mowing assembly 100 and an object in the surrounding environment. In some embodiments, the cameras 340 provide image data indicative of an environment surrounding the agricultural mowing assembly 100. In some embodiments, the cameras 340 provide image data relating to the amount of plant material entering or exiting the header 104. By way of example, the cameras 340 may capture image data of an area forward of the header 104. The area may include a section of plant material that is about to enter the header 104. The controller 310 may perform image recognition on the image data (e.g., based on a predetermined relationship between an amount of pixels and a real-world distance) to determine a width of the section of plant material about to enter the header 104.
By way of another example, the cameras 340 may provide image data capturing an area behind the header 104. This area may include a windrow of harvested plant material formed by the header 104 of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 as the agricultural mowing assembly 100 travels through a field. The controller 310 may perform image recognition to determine a size of the windrow (e.g., a width and height of the windrow, a volume of the windrow, etc.). By way of example, the controller 310 may have a predetermined calibration that correlates a number of pixels captured by a camera with a real-world distance. As the size of the windrow increases, the crop yield increases. Accordingly, based on the image data and the ground speed of the vehicle 10, the controller 310 may determine the crop yield in real time.
The communication interface 316 may facilitate communication between the agricultural mowing assembly 100 and other devices of the control system 300. By way of example, the communication interface 316 may communicate over a network 350. The network 350 may facilitate communication (e.g., transfer of data) between one or more vehicles 102, servers 360, and/or user devices 370. The devices of the control system 300 may communicate directly with one another, over the network 350, or indirectly through one another (e.g., forming a mesh network).
In some embodiments, the devices of the control system 300 utilize wireless communication. By way of example, the devices may utilize a cellular network, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), infrared communication, radio, or other types of wireless communication. In other embodiments, the communication interface 316 utilizes wired communication (e.g., a controller area network (CAN), etc.). In some embodiments, the network 350 includes a cellular network, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, and/or other networks.
The server 360 may be positioned remote from the agricultural mowing assembly 100 and positioned to host one or more centralized functions (e.g., for a fleet of the vehicles 102, for a manufacturer of the vehicles 102, etc.). The memory 364 may act as a centralized device for storing and/or processing the data generated by the control system 300. The server 360 includes a processing circuit including a processor 362 and a memory device, shown as memory 364. The memory 364 may store instructions that, when executed by the processor 362, cause the server 360 to perform the various processes described herein. The memory 364 may additionally store data generated by the control system 300.
The user devices 370 facilitate users (e.g., vehicle operators, system managers, customers, etc.) interfacing with the vehicles system. The user devices 370 may include smartphones, tablets, laptop or desktop computers, and/or other devices. The user devices 370 each include a processing circuit including a processor 372 and a memory device, shown as memory 374. The memory 374 may store instructions that, when executed by the processor 372, cause the user device 370 to perform the various processes described herein.
Each user device 370 further includes an input/output device, shown as user interface 376, that facilitates communicating information between the user device 370 and a user. The user interface 376 may include output devices (e.g., displays, lights, speakers, haptic feedback devices, etc.) that facilitate communicating information to a user. The user interface 376 may include input devices (e.g., touchscreens, buttons, switches, microphones, etc.) that facilitate the user communicating information (e.g., commands) to the user device 370.
Any processing described herein may be performed by any of the devices of the control system 300. By way of example, processing described herein as being performed by the controller 310 of an agricultural mowing assembly 100 may additionally or alternatively be performed by the controller 310 of another vehicle 102, a server 360, and/or a user device 370. In some embodiments, the processing is distributed across multiple devices, such that one or more controllers 310, servers 360, and/or user devices 370 cooperate to perform the processing.
The control system 300 may be configured to utilize various data generated by the control system 300 to determine a crop yield of a field harvested by an agricultural mowing assembly 100. The controller 310 may report the determined crop yield to a user (e.g., through a graphical user interface). A crop yield may represent an amount of plant material (e.g., a crop) that is produced and harvested in a given area of a field. The crop yield may be represented as an absolute amount (e.g., mass of plant material harvested per unit area, kg/m2) or a relative amount (e.g., by defining high yield areas and low yield areas, based on a scale from 0% to 100%, etc.). It may be desirable to maximize crop yields in order to increase the amount of plant material that can be harvested from a field, facilitating efficient use of land. Crop yields may vary based on a variety of factors, such as soil conditions (e.g., nutrient content, hydration, etc.). Accordingly, by reporting areas of low and high crop yield to a user, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 facilitates the user identifying areas requiring intervention to increase crop yield. For example, the control system 300 may recommend that a user supply additional fertilizer or water to the areas of low crop yield. Accordingly, the control system 300 beneficially facilitates maximizing an overall crop yield of a field that is harvested by the agricultural mowing assembly 100.
Yield data may also be used to predict the overall amount of crop that will be harvested from a given field for that harvest and for future harvests. Based on this prediction, the control system 300 may predict the amount of resources that will be required for farming the crop (e.g., the amount of seeds, water, fertilizer, etc. required to grow the crop, the amount of vehicles required to transport the harvested crop, the amount of fuel that will be required to harvest and transport the crop, etc.). Based on the predicted overall yield, the control system 300 may also predict the amount of revenue that will result from the harvest, and therefore the profitability of the harvest.
Generally, as the crop yield of an area being harvested by an agricultural mowing assembly 100 increases, the load on the agricultural mowing assembly 100 increases, and the amount of power consumed by the agricultural mowing assembly 100 increases. The control system 300 may receive load measurement data indicative of the load on the agricultural mowing assembly 100 (e.g., from the drive sensors 322, the cutter sensors 330, the collector sensors 332, the conditioner sensors 334, etc.). Based on the load measurement data, the control system 300 (e.g., one or more of the vehicle controllers 310, the servers 360, or the user devices 370) may determine an initial crop yield. In order to improve the accuracy of the determination, the control system 300 may apply one or more correction factors (e.g., based on user inputs or other measured data, etc.) to further refine the determined crop yield. For examples, anomalies such as piles of ground (e.g., gopher mounds), rocks, fence posts, tree branches, etc. encountered within a field may increase load due to interference with cutting elements that would not be correlated with an increase in yield. The corrected crop yield may be associated with a location where the harvesting took place (e.g., as determined by the location sensors 320). This process may be repeated as the agricultural mowing assembly 100 travels throughout a field, and the control system 300 may compile the determined crop yield and associated locations into a map characterizing the field.
The control system 300 may receive power measurement data or load measurement data including at least one parameter indicative of a load on the agricultural mowing assembly 100. The load measurement data may directly indicate an amount of power consumed to drive a portion of the agricultural mowing assembly 100, a parameter that may be used to calculate the amount of power consumed to drive a portion of the agricultural mowing assembly 100, or a parameter that is related to (e.g., is proportionate to, scales with, etc.) the amount of power consumed to drive a portion of the agricultural mowing assembly 100. By way of example, the load measurement data may include the power required to drive a component, a torque on the component, a force on the component, a stress or strain experienced by the component, a pressure of a fluid used to drive the component (e.g., through a hydraulic motor), or another parameter indicative of the load.
The load measurement data (e.g., drive data) may indicate a load on the wheel motors 72 (e.g., the power required to propel the agricultural mowing assembly 100 or a related parameter). By way of example, the load measurement data may be provided by the drive sensors 322. As the agricultural mowing assembly 100 drives forward, plant material contacts the curtain 156 and passes into the header 104 where the plant material is presented for cutting by the cutter 120. The wheel motors 72 supply the force to move the plant material past the curtain 156. As the amount of plant material in a given area increases, the force required to bring the plant material into the header 104 increases. Accordingly, an increase in the torque on the wheel motors 72, the pressure of the fluid supplied to the wheel motors 72, and/or the power consumed to propel the agricultural mowing assembly 100 may indicate a corresponding increase in yield. Such a parameter may be measured by the drive sensors 322. A relationship between the data from the drive sensors 322 and the yield may be predetermined (e.g., experimentally) and stored by the control system 300 (e.g., in the memory 364, in the memory 314, etc.).
The control system 300 may receive load measurement data (e.g., header data) indicating a load on the header 104 (e.g., an amount of power consumed to drive the header 104 or a related parameter). The load measurement data may be provided by one or more of the header sensors 328, the cutter sensors 330, the collector sensors 332, or the conditioner sensors 334. By way of example, the header sensors 328 may indicate the total amount of power required to drive the header 104, an amount of torque on a component of the header 104 (e.g., the header motors 110), a pressure of a fluid supplied to the header motors 110, or another related parameter. By way of another example, the cutter sensors 330 may indicate the amount of power required to drive the cutter 120 or a related parameter (e.g., a rotation rate of the cutting discs 162 or a torque driving one of the cutting discs 162), the collector sensors 332 may indicate the amount of power required to drive the augers 130 or a related parameter (e.g., a torque driving the augers 130), and the conditioner sensors 334 may indicate the amount of power required to drive the conditioning system 140 or a related parameter (e.g., a torque driving the bottom roller 182). In such an example, the total load on the header 104 (e.g., the total power required to drive the header 104) may be a function of (e.g., the sum of) the load on the cutter 120 (e.g., the amount of power required to drive the cutter 120 or a related parameter), the load on the augers 130 (e.g., the amount of power required to drive the augers 130 or a related parameter), and the load on the conditioning system (e.g., the amount of power required to drive the conditioning system 140 or a related parameter).
As the amount of plant material in a given area increases, the load on the header 104 increases. By way of example, the energy and torque required to drive the cutting discs 162 through the plant material, drive the auger 130 to move the plant material toward the center of the header 104, and drive the conditioning system 140 to condition the plant material all increase as the rate at which plant material enters the header 104 increases. Accordingly, an increase in the power consumed to drive the header 104, the torque on the header motors 110, and/or the pressure supplied to the header motors 110 may indicate a corresponding increase in yield. A relationship between (a) the data from the header sensors 328, the cutter sensors 330, the collector sensors 332, and/or the conditioner sensors 334 and (b) the yield may be predetermined (e.g., experimentally) and stored by the control system 300 (e.g., in the memory 364, in the memory 314, etc.).
While the load measurement data provides an indication of yield, the control system 300 may additionally utilize one or more correction factors to further improve the accuracy of the yield determination. The correction factors may account for various conditions that may not be directly identified by the drive sensors 322, the header sensors 328, the cutter sensors 330, the collector sensors 332, and the conditioner sensors 334, but may still affect the yield determination. By way of example, the correction factors may be predetermined, based on user inputs (e.g., through the operator interface 40), and/or based on sensor data. The relationship between each correction factor and the yield may be predetermined (e.g., experimentally) and stored by the control system 300 (e.g., in the memory 364, in the memory 314, etc.).
In some embodiments, the yield is calculated based on information from the location sensors 320. In some such embodiments, yield is calculated based on the ground speed of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 (i.e., the speed at which the agricultural mowing assembly 100 moves relative to the ground). By way of example, as the ground speed of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 increases, the rate at which plant material enters the header 104 may increase. Accordingly, the amount of power required to propel the agricultural mowing assembly 100 may increase (e.g., due to the increased resistance from additional plant material), and the amount of power required to drive the header 104 may increase (e.g., due to the header 104 processing a greater amount of plant material in a given amount of time). Accordingly, the correction factor based on ground speed may reduce the calculated yield as the ground speed increases to account for increased loading of the header motors 110 and the wheel motors 72.
Additionally, or alternatively, the yield may be calculated based on the location of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 (e.g., as provided by the location sensors 320). By way of example, the topography of the field may include changes in elevation. When ascending, the power and force required to propel the agricultural mowing assembly 100 may increase. Similarly, when descending, the power and force required to propel the agricultural mowing assembly 100 may decrease. The location sensors 320 may provide an indication of whether the agricultural mowing assembly 100 is ascending or descending, and the severity of the change in elevation. By way of example, the location sensor 320 may measure the elevation of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 directly. By way of another example, the topography of a field may be predetermined, and the control system 300 may compare data from the location sensor 320 with the predetermined topographical map of the field to determine the current change in elevation. The correction factor based on the location of the vehicle may reduce the calculated yield as the agricultural mowing assembly 100 is ascending to account for the increased loading of the wheel motors 72 due to the ascent.
In some embodiments, the yield is calculated based on an operating speed of the header 104. The operating speed of the header 104 indicates how quickly the cutting discs 162, the auger 130, and the rollers 180, 182 rotate. The operating speed of the header 104 may vary based on, for example, the flow rate of fluid supplied to the header motors 110. The operating speed of the header 104 may be sensed (e.g., by measuring the flow rate of the fluid supplied to the header motors 110). The operating speed of the header 104 may be determined based on a current setting of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 (e.g., a header speed setting provided as an input by the operator to the operator interface 40). The correction factor based on the operating speed of the header 104 may reduce or increase the calculated yield based on the determined operating speed of the header 104.
In some embodiments, the yield is calculated based on a sensed speed of one of the rollers 180, 182. By way of example, the bottom roller 182 may be driven by the header motors 110, and the top roller 180 may be free spinning. In such an embodiments, the speed of the top roller 180 may indicate a speed at which plant material passes through the conditioning system 140. A rotational speed of this top roller 180 may be sensed by one of the conditioner sensors 334. The correction factor based on the rotational speed of the top roller 180 and/or the bottom roller 182 may reduce or increase the calculated yield based on the determined rotational speed.
In some embodiments, the yield is calculated based on a specification of the header 104, such as a width of the header 104. The agricultural mowing assembly 100 may be compatible with multiple different sizes of header 104. As the width of the header 104 increases, a wider row of plant material is permitted to enter the header 104, and amount of plant material that enters the header 104 increases. This increases the power required to propel the agricultural mowing assembly 100 and to drive the header 104, but also increases the amount of plant material that is harvested in a given pass. The width of the header 104 may be selected by a user (e.g., through the operator interface 40). The correction factor based on the width of the header 104 may reduce or increase the calculated yield based on the selected width of the header 104.
In some embodiments, the yield is calculated based on a current setting of the header 104. The header 104 may include one or more features that are adjustable to customize operation of the header 104. The settings may be manually adjusted (e.g., by turning a crank or removing a fastener, etc.) or automatically adjusted by one or more actuators. The current setting may be manually reported by a user (e.g., as an input to the operator interface 40) or sensed (e.g., by a position sensor, by a force sensor, etc.).
In some embodiments, the setting includes a distance between the top roller 180 and the bottom roller 182 (i.e., a roll gap) of the conditioning system 140. Reducing the roll gap may increase the power required to move plant material through the header 104. Accordingly, a correction factor based on the roll gap of the header 104 may reduce the calculated yield as the roll gap decreases to account for the increased difficulty of passing plant material through the conditioning system 140.
In some embodiments, the setting includes a biasing force between the top roller 180 and the bottom roller 182 of the conditioning system 140. By way of example, a spring tension may bias the rollers 180, 182 together, and the spring tension may be adjusted. Increasing the biasing force may increase the power required to move plant material through the header 104.
Accordingly, a correction factor based on the biasing force may reduce the calculated yield as the biasing force increases to account for the increased difficulty of passing plant material through the conditioning system 140.
In some embodiments, the yield is calculated based on a position of a component of the header 104. In some such embodiments, the yield is calculated based on a position of the housing 150 (e.g., relative to the frame 12, relative to the ground, etc.). The position of the housing 150 may represent a position of the header 104. This position may be provided by the header position sensors 336. As the header 104 moves closer to the ground, the plant is severed closer to the ground, and a larger portion of the plant is fed through the header 104.
Accordingly, lowering the header 104 may result in an increase in power required to drive the header 104. Depending upon the crop being harvested, lowering the header 104 may also increase the crop yield. The correction factor based on the position of the housing 150 of the header 104 may reduce or increase the calculated yield based on the determined position.
Additionally, or alternatively, the yield may be calculated based on a position of the swathe baffle 190 (e.g., relative to the housing 150). This position may be provided by the baffle position sensors 338. As the swathe baffle 190 is lowered, the swathe baffle 190 enters the path of the plant material and more severely deflects the plant material toward the ground. Accordingly, lowering the swathe baffle 190 may increase the amount of power required to drive the header 104. The correction factor based on the position of the swathe baffle 190 of the header 104 may reduce the calculated yield in response to lowering the swathe baffle 190.
In some embodiments, the yield is calculated based on an amount of force applied to the swathe baffle 190. As the flow rate of plant material through the header 104 increases, the force of the plant material contacting the swathe baffle 190 increase. In some embodiments, this force is measured (e.g., using a strain gauge, based on a force applied by an actuator that positions the swathe baffle 190 relative to the housing 150, etc.). A correction factor based on the force on the swathe baffle 190 may increase the calculated yield as the force on the swathe baffle 190 increases (e.g., based on an experimentally determined relationship between yield and the force on the swathe baffle 190).
In some embodiments, the yield is calculated based on a characteristic of the crop that is being harvested. By way of example, the yield may be calculated based on the type of crop that is being harvested (e.g., hay, alfalfa, legumes, etc.). Different types of crop may require different amounts of power to cut, collect, and/or condition. The type of crop being harvested may be provided by an operator (e.g., through the operator interface 40). A correction factor based on the type of crop being harvested may reduce or increase the calculated yield (e.g., based on an experimentally determined relationship between yield and the load imparted on the header 104 by various crops).
By way of another example, the yield may be calculated based on a growth stage of a crop that is being harvested. The amount of power required to cut, collect, and/or condition the crop may vary throughout the growing cycle of the plant. A user may decide to harvest a crop earlier or later in the growing cycle (e.g., due to the timing of favorable weather conditions for harvesting, etc.). The growth stage of the crop may be provided by an operator (e.g., through the operator interface 40). A correction factor based on the current growth stage of the crop may reduce or increase the calculated yield (e.g., based on an experimentally determined relationship between yield and the load imparted on the header 104 by the crop at different growth stages).
By way of another example, the yield may be calculated based on a cutting number of a crop that is being harvested. Certain crops can be grown and harvested multiple times throughout a growing season. Different cuttings may have different properties (e.g., densities, fully-grown heights, etc.). By way of example, the first cutting may have unique properties that are different from subsequent cuttings. Accordingly, the cutting number of the crop may vary the amount of power required to drive the header 104. The cutting number of the crop may be provided by an operator (e.g., through the operator interface 40). A correction factor based on the cutting number of the crop may reduce or increase the calculated yield (e.g., based on an experimentally determined relationship between yield and the cutting number).
By way of another example, the yield may be calculated based on a moisture content of the crop that is being harvested. Moisture content may change based on various factors (e.g., growth stage, the amount of precipitation received by the field, etc.). Plant material having a higher moisture content may increase the load on the header 104, such that a larger amount of power is required to drive the header 104. The moisture content of the crop may be provided by an operator (e.g., through the operator interface 40) and/or measured using one or more sensors. A correction factor based on the moisture content of the crop may reduce or increase the calculated yield (e.g., based on an experimentally-determined relationship between yield and the moisture content).
By way of another example, the yield may be calculated based on an effective header width of the header 104. The effective header width may represent a portion of the header 104 that is actively harvesting plant material. By way of example, a header 104 may have a header width (e.g., measured laterally, perpendicular to the direction of movement of the vehicle 102) of 10 feet. If the section of plant material entering the header 104 is at least 10 feet wide, the entire width of the header 104 will be utilized to harvest the plant material, and the effective header width will be 10 feet or 100% of the header width. If the section of plant material entering the header 104 is 8 feet wide, only 8 feet of the header 104 will be utilized to harvest the plant material, and the effective header width will be 8 feet or 80% of the header width. An effective header width of less than 100% of the header width will reduce the load on the header 104. A correction factor based on the effective header width may reduce or increase the calculated yield (e.g., based on an experimentally-determined relationship between yield and the effective header width).
In some embodiments, the effective header width is measured by a sensor (e.g., a crop width sensor provides crop width data). By way of example, the cameras 340 may capture image data of an area forward of the header 104. The area may include a section of plant material that is about to enter the header 104. The controller 310 may perform image recognition on the image data (e.g., based on a predetermined relationship between an amount of pixels and a real-world distance) to determine a width of the section of plant material about to enter the header 104.
In some embodiments, the effective header width is determined based on the location of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 (e.g., as provided by the location sensors 320). By way of example, the controller 310 may record a navigation path of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 as the agricultural mowing assembly 100 moves throughout the field. Based on the navigation path and a predetermined width of the header 104, the controller 310 may determine which areas of the field have been harvested and which areas of the field have not yet been harvested. Using the current location and/or movement direction of the vehicle 102, the controller 310 may determine an area of the field that the header 104 is currently attempting to harvest. The controller 310 may compare the area of the field that the header 104 is currently attempting to harvest with the areas of the field that have or have not been harvested to determine the width of the section of the plant material that is entering the header.
As the agricultural mowing assembly 100 operates, the control system 300 may periodically retrieve data to calculate a crop yield at multiple locations throughout a field. The control system 300 associates each calculated yield with the corresponding location where the plant material is harvested. In order to determine this location, the control system 300 may utilize data from the location sensors 320. The location and calculated yield pairs may be stored by the control system 300 (e.g., in the memory 314, in the memory 364, in the memory 374, etc.). The control system 300 may then use these data pairs to generate a map of the field outlining areas of relatively high and low yields.
At block 902, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 senses header data indicative of rotation rate (and optionally crop yield). In an example, cutter sensor(s) 330 sense the rotation rate of rotatable cutting elements (e.g., cutting discs 162) to generate header data. Cutter sensors 330 may sense the rotation rate directly, e.g., using a mechanical or optical tachometer, or indirectly, e.g., using a pressure sensor in a hydraulic line that drives the rotatable cutting elements. Additionally, the header data may be indicative of crop yield (e.g., header torque driving the cutter, which corresponds to crop yield).
At block 904, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 receives header data indicative of rotation rate (and optionally crop yield). In an example, processor 312 receives header data indicative of rotation rate from cutter sensors 330. Processor 312 may process the header data to determine rotation rate of the rotatable cutting elements.
At block 906, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 identifies field anomalies. In one example, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 identified an anomaly by monitoring and rotation rate of the rotatable elements. In accordance with this example, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 identifies the anomaly when the rotation rate (or a corresponding value) reaches a threshold (e.g., the rotation rate of the rotatable element falling from a normal/set operation rate by more than 50 revolutions per minute (rpms)). direct
At block 908, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 receives location data indicative of windrower location. In an example, processor 312 receives location data indicative of location from location sensors 320.
At block 910, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 determines crop yield at the windrower location based on data indicative of the rotation rate of the cutting elements. In an example, crop yield is determined by processor 312 based on sensor data from cutter sensors and, optionally, other sensors such as location sensors 320, drive sensors 322, collector sensors 332, conditioning sensors 334, etc.
The steps of blocks 904-910 are repeated as the agricultural mowing assembly 100 moves through the field (e.g., using location data from location sensors 320 to associate anomalies and yield information with the corresponding field location). In this manner, anomaly data and yield data for the entire field can be assembled.
In one example, yield data at each location is determined based on one or more sensors. In the event an anomaly is detected (e.g., responsive to the rotation rate of a rotatable element reaching a threshold (e.g., rotation rate falling from a normal/set operation rate by more than 50 revolutions per minute (rpms)), the yield is determined using the yields determined for locations on each adjacent side of the location containing the anomaly (e.g., before and after the anomaly or left and right of the anomaly). For example, the yield may be determined by averaging the yields from the locations on each side of the location containing the anomaly.
At block 912, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 processes the identified anomalies and field crop yields and, at block 914, the agricultural mowing assembly 100 presents the identified anomalies and field crop yields. The anomalies and crop yields may be processed by processor 312 and presented as depicted in and described with respect to map 400 (
Referring to
As shown, the map 400 includes zones 410, 412, 414, each having a different yield. For example, the zone 410 may be a high yield area (e.g., having the highest yield of the three zones). The zone 412 may be a low yield area (e.g., having the lowest yield of the three zones). The zone 414 may be an intermediate yield area (e.g., having a greater yield than the zone 412 but a lesser yield than the zone 410. The map 400 illustrates an anomaly 416 (such as a gopher mound) detected by the agricultural mowing assembly 100. The map 400 illustrates other obstructions, shown as road 420 and pond 430. The road 420 and the pond 430 may represent areas where no plant material is harvested. The locations, shapes, and sizes of obstacles, such as the road 420 and the pond 430, may be predetermined and stored by the control system 300.
In some embodiments, the control system 300 provides recommendations for conditioning the soil based on the map in order to improve crop yields and/or reduce costs. By way of example, crop yield may be increased by supplying fertilizer to a low yield area. By way of another example, some areas may have a relatively high yield even without the application of fertilizer. By way of another example, crop yield may be increased by providing more or less water to a low yield area.
The control system 300 may examine the map and identify areas of relatively low yield. In some embodiments, the control system 300 provides a recommendation to increase the amount of fertilizer and/or water supplied to the low yield areas. Additionally, or alternatively, the control system 300 may examine the map and identify areas of relatively high yield. In some embodiments, the control system 300 provides a recommendation to decrease the amount of water and/or fertilizer supplied to the high yield areas to reduce cost.
The control system 300 may examine the map and recommend routes for the agricultural mowing assembly 100 or other vehicles (e.g., balers) to navigate through the field. By way of example, the locations of the windrows may be recorded when cutting the crop and used to generate target paths for the balers that will collect the plant material. By way of another example, balers may need to make additional passes or spend additional time collecting material in high yield areas relative to low yield areas.
The control system 300 may identify a potential cause of the low or high yield in a given area. By way of example, the control system 300 may utilize a topographical map of a field, as well as a historical record for precipitation in the area of the field (e.g., as retrieved from the Internet) to determine a recommendation for increasing crop yield. The control system 300 may check to see if the area has received a significant amount of precipitation (e.g., above a threshold amount of precipitation in a given time period). If so, the control system 300 may determine if any of the low yield areas correspond to areas of low elevation. If so, the control system 300 may determine that the low yield in those areas is caused in part by excessive hydration of the soil due to pooling of rainwater in low elevation areas. In response to such a determination, the control system 300 may provide a recommendation to (a) reduce the water applied to that area (e.g., to reduce the excessive hydration) and/or (b) reduce the amount of fertilizer applied to that area (e.g., because the reduction in yield is not caused by insufficient nutrients in the soil).
In some embodiments, the control system 300 provides one or more harvesting predictions based on the map. The predictions may apply to the current crop (e.g., the crop being harvested by the agricultural mowing assembly 100 to produce the current data) or future crops. Based on the map, the control system 300 may predict the amount of plant material that will be harvested in a given field. The control system 300 may utilize the predicted amount of harvested plant material to predict the amount of resources required to farm (e.g., plant, spray, harvest, transport, process, and/or store) the plant material. By way of example, the resources may include a predicted amount of seed required to plant the field, a predicted amount of fertilizer, water, and/or pesticide required to maintain the field, a predicted number of vehicles 102 required to harvest the plant material (e.g., within a given span of time), a predicted amount of vehicles required to collect (e.g., bale) the plant material, a predicted amount of vehicles required to transport the plant material, and/or a predicted storage capacity required to store the plant material. The control system 300 may utilize the predicted amount of harvested plant material to predict an amount of revenue that will be gained by selling the plant material (e.g., based on current market prices). Based on the cost of the predicted resources required to farm the plant material and the predicted revenue, the control system 300 may determine a predicted profit for farming the field. The control system 300 may present some or all of this information to a user (e.g., through the operator interface 40 and/or the user interface 376). A farmer may utilize these predictions to plan for the amount of resources they will need for a given growing season. Additionally, or alternatively, a farmer may utilize these predictions to strategize which crops to plant in which fields to maximize profitability.
As utilized herein with respect to numerical ranges, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms generally mean+/−10% of the disclosed values, unless specified otherwise. As utilized herein with respect to structural features (e.g., to describe shape, size, orientation, direction, relative position, etc.), the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are meant to cover minor variations in structure that may result from, for example, the manufacturing or assembly process and are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the figures. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
The hardware and data processing components used to implement the various processes, operations, illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose single- or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor also may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, particular processes and methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function. The memory (e.g., memory, memory unit, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and/or computer code for completing or facilitating the various processes, layers and modules described in the present disclosure. The memory may be or include volatile memory or non-volatile memory, and may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present disclosure. According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory is communicably connected to the processor via a processing circuit and includes computer code for executing (e.g., by the processing circuit or the processor) the one or more processes described herein.
The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems, and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.
Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above. Such variation may depend, for example, on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations of the described methods could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the agricultural mowing assembly 100 and the systems and components thereof (e.g., the driveline 50, the header 104, the control system 300, etc.) as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein. It is to be understood that the steps of the method 900 may be performed by the controller 310 upon loading and executing software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, such as on a magnetic medium, e.g., a computer hard drive, an optical medium, e.g., an optical disc, solid-state memory, e.g., flash memory, or other storage media known in the art. Thus, any of the functionality performed by the controller 310 described herein, such as the method 900, is implemented in software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium. The controller 310 loads the software code or instructions via a direct interface with the computer readable medium or via a wired and/or wireless network. Upon loading and executing such software code or instructions by the controller 310, the controller 310 may perform any of the functionality of the controller 310 described herein, including any steps of the method 900 described herein.
The term “software code” or “code” used herein refers to any instructions or set of instructions that influence the operation of a computer or controller. They may exist in a computer-executable form, such as machine code, which is the set of instructions and data directly executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller, a human-understandable form, such as source code, which may be compiled in order to be executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller, or an intermediate form, such as object code, which is produced by a compiler. As used herein, the term “software code” or “code” also includes any human-understandable computer instructions or set of instructions, e.g., a script, that may be executed on the fly with the aid of an interpreter executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification. Accordingly, it is to be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention.
