An accumulator contents detection system for a harvester includes an accumulator, a plurality of metering rollers, and at least one sensor. The accumulator accumulates crop material. The plurality of metering rollers receives crop material from the accumulator. The plurality of metering rollers includes a drive metering roller. The at least one sensor detects a load transmitted to the drive metering roller.

A method for operating a control device of a utility vehicle for carrying out a work process, in particular an agricultural utility vehicle. The utility vehicle includes a large number of sub-systems, each for executing a sub-process of the work process, a control program for controlling the utility vehicle and the work process is divided into a large number of sub-programs; each sub-program is provided for controlling a relevant sub-system of the utility vehicle and for controlling a sub-process of the work process that is to be executed by this relevant sub-system; a large number of virtual machines is executed, the individual virtual machines each executing one of the sub-programs.

An agricultural machine capable of sensing a harvested crop load includes a mower or mower conditioner implement, which may be referred to as a crop cutting implement, and a retractable linear device such as a spring or linear actuator. The crop cutting implement includes a flexible drive assembly with an endless loop, such as a belt, that is driven and supported by rollers. The retractable linear device resists movement of a first roller relative to a second roller. With this arrangement various characteristics of the agricultural machine, all of which are proxies for the position of the first roller relative to the second roller, may be measured by a crop load sensor to determine the quantity or load of harvested crop being processed by the flexible drive assembly of the agricultural machine.

A harvesting header for attachment to a harvesting machine, the header including two or more sub-assemblies each which includes a respective crop gathering mechanism and a respective drive mechanism coupled to operate the crop gathering mechanism. The drive mechanisms for the respective sub-assemblies are operable independently of one another to enable them to run at different speeds when the harvesting machine is performing a turn manoeuver.

In an agricultural combine including a rotor of a threshing system, a concave positioned beneath the rotor, a rotor cage positioned above the rotor, a drive controllably operable for rotating the rotor in opposite first and second rotational directions, a control in operative control of the drive, and a sensor for sensing information representative of load conditions opposing rotation of the rotor, a method for deslugging the threshing system of the agricultural combine includes the steps of (i) sensing information representative of load conditions opposing rotation of the rotor above a pre-determined threshold, which indicates a slugging condition; (ii) activating an actuator, which adjusts one or more components to move from an initial position to a deslugging position; (iii) rotating the rotor; and (iv) sensing information representative of load conditions opposing rotation to determine whether the slugging condition still exists.

In one example, a system for automatic control of the propulsive speed of a harvesting machine is provided. The system comprises a throughput sensor for determining an expected rate of crop harvested by the harvesting machine in dependence on a position of the harvesting machine and a conversion device configured to calculate a sequence of expected positions of the harvesting machine and, with the expected rate of crop harvested at a position of the harvesting machine, determine a predicted rate of crop harvested by the harvesting machine at the sequence of expected positions of the harvesting machine for use in an optimization problem. Further provided is a speed control device, configured to receive the data relating to the predicted rate of crop harvested at the sequence of expected positions in addition to at least one of data relating the operating state of the harvesting machine, cost function data or secondary condition data, to solve the optimization problem and generate at least one timewise successive sequence of speed commands for setting the propulsive speed of the harvesting machine; and an actuator configured to adjust the propulsive speed of the harvesting machine, the actuator receiving the first speed command of each sequence of speed commands and adjusting the propulsive speed of the harvesting machine.

A work machine for harvesting crop includes a controller and an engine. The controller is configured to command operation of the engine in accordance with various power curves based on sensed factors associated with the harvested crop. The work machine stores the harvested crop in a tank to be unloaded by an unloading auger which is powered by the engine. Prior to activation of the unloading auger, the controller commands the engine to operate in accordance with a power curve associated with a reduced power level to reserve power for operation of the unloading auger.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for optimizing harvester yield. In an embodiment, a controller receives a pre-harvest image from a front-facing camera of a harvester. The controller inputs the pre-harvest image into a model, and receives as output from the model a predicted harvest yield. The controller receives, from an interior camera of the harvester, a post-harvest image including the plants as harvested. The controller inputs the post-harvest image into a second model and receives, as output, an actual harvest yield of the plants as-harvested. The controller determines that the predicted harvest yield does not match the actual harvest yield, and outputs a control signal.

A system for controlling a ground speed of an agricultural sprayer includes a speed setting device for commanding a selected ground speed of the sprayer when operating within a speed-range mode associated with a ground speed range. The speed setting device is movable across a plurality of positions, with each position being associated with a different ground speed within the ground speed range. A maximum range speed of the ground speed range is lower than a maximum ground speed of the sprayer. As such, the system includes a speed override input device for commanding that the ground speed of the sprayer be increased to the maximum ground speed. When an override input is received from the speed override input device, the computing system controls the operation of a sprayer drive system to increase the ground speed of the sprayer from the selected ground speed to the maximum ground speed.

An agricultural sprayer includes a purge tank, a nozzle configured to dispense an agricultural fluid onto an underlying field, and a downstream valve configured to selectively permit the air from the main fluid conduit to flow to the nozzle. A computing system is configured to initiate a purging operation to purge the agricultural fluid present within the nozzle and, upon receipt of the input, control an operation of a main valve such that the main valve is moved to an opened position to allow the air to flow through a main fluid conduit. In addition, the computing system is configured to monitor a first air pressure associated with the purge tank and a second air pressure associated with the nozzle. Furthermore, the computing system is configured to control an operation of the downstream valve during the purging operation based on the monitored first and second air pressures.