One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.

Disclosed herein are various devices, systems, and methods for use in agricultural, particularly for use in harvesting agricultural crop such as corn. Various implementations relate to methods and devices for measuring plant stalk cross-sectional area during harvest and providing additional methods of predicting and displaying yield on a row-by-row level in real time.

A drop pan system for collecting discharge samples from combine harvesters or other conveyed machines or implements features a support housing attachable to the machine, a drop pan receivable in a nested position within said housing, and a magnetic hold/release mechanism with electro-permanent magnets responsive to selective energization to switch from a holding state emitting an external magnetic field for holding the drop pan in the nested position, to a release state cancelling said external magnetic field to thereby release the drop pan from the housing. A power supply is positioned on the housing at an area that resides within a footprint of the drop pan's nested position. Differently sized drop pans are included, and the housing features alignment guides for self-aligning the selected pan during magnetically aided placement thereof. Electrical components of the housing are contained in an enclosure that doubles as a support for the electro-permanent magnets.

A drop pan system for collecting discharge samples from combine harvesters or other conveyed machines or implements features a support housing attachable to the machine, a drop pan receivable in a nested position within said housing, and a magnetic hold/release mechanism with electro-permanent magnets responsive to selective energization to switch from a holding state emitting an external magnetic field for holding the drop pan in the nested position, to a release state cancelling said external magnetic field to thereby release the drop pan from the housing. A power supply is positioned on the housing at an area that resides within a footprint of the drop pan's nested position. Differently sized drop pans are included, and the housing features alignment guides for self-aligning the selected pan during magnetically aided placement thereof. Electrical components of the housing are contained in an enclosure that doubles as a support for the electro-permanent magnets.

A process for weighing a harvested crop stored in a tank of a harvesting machine, a frame supporting the tank is mounted on a wheel set by a lifting device which is operable to move the frame upwardly and downwardly upon control of a hydraulic system. The process controlling the hydraulic system and includes the steps of: determining at least one height position of the frame on the displacement course; measuring a lowering pressure and a raising pressure in the hydraulic system at the position; calculating, from the measured pressures, a balancing pressure for the frame. The process is performed before unloading the stored crop in order to calculate a loaded balancing pressure and after the unloading in order to calculate an empty balancing pressure. The weight of the stored crop is calculated from a pressure variation between the loaded balancing pressure and the empty balancing pressure.

A grain loss sensing system for a combine harvester. The grain loss sensing system employs at least one emitter and receiver on the combine harvester and uses what is received by the receiver to calculate grain loss. The system can be configured to use, for example, microwave, ultraviolet, x-ray and/or photographic technology. The results are used to differentiate between grain and MOG. The results are relayed to the operator so that the operator can make adjustments and/or the combine harvester host controller receives this information and responds by making adjustments automatically.

Disclosed are various embodiments for using artificial intelligence to monitor harvest losses of combine harvesters. Images can be periodically captured from a ground-facing camera mounted to a combine harvester. An amount of gleanings can be counted in the image. An estimated amount of harvest loss is then calculated based at least in part on the amount of gleanings. The estimated amount of the harvest loss can then be displayed to a user or can be used as the basis for automatically adjusting the operation of the combine harvester.

A header for an agricultural system includes a plurality of row units distributed across a width of the header, one or more sensors coupled to the header and configured to generate respective signals indicative of a plurality of objects in an area proximate the header, and a controller comprising a memory and a processor. The one or more sensors are oriented such that a field of view of the one or more sensors comprises an area forward of the header relative to a direction of travel of the header and above the header relative to a soil surface, and the controller is configured to receive the respective signals from the one or more sensors coupled to the header and process the respective signals to determine an amount of butt-shelling occurring on the header.

A material processing system having a barrel also referred to hereinafter having a milling or impact surface and a central axis. The impact surface is impervious, in that material cannot pass through the surface, but rather is contained by the surface. An impact mechanism is located within barrel and is rotates about the central axis. The system has inlet openings and formed in the barrel at axially spaced locations along the axis. At least one outlet opening is formed in the barrel at a location intermediate of the inlets. The impact mechanism includes a plurality of hammers mounted on shaft which rotates about the axis.

A prescribed feedrate of material through the mobile harvesting machine and an actual feedrate of material through the mobile harvesting machine are detected, and a feedrate difference between the prescribed feedrate and the actual feedrate is identified. Wheel slippage of the mobile harvesting machine is also detected. Based on the feedrate difference between the prescribed feedrate and the actual feedrate and based on the detected wheel slippage, a speed control signal that controls speed of the mobile harvesting machine is generated.