A01B69/04

AGRICULTURAL MACHINE CONTROL USING WORK QUALITY BASED ON IN SITU OPERATION SENSING
20230101136 · 2023-03-30 ·

A method of controlling a mobile agricultural machine that includes performing an agricultural operation during a given pass in a field using a first set of machine settings, obtaining in situ data representing the agricultural operation during the given pass, generating a performance metric based on the in situ data, identifying a second set of machine settings based on the performance metric, and outputting a control instruction that controls the mobile agricultural machine during a subsequent pass in the field based on the second set of machine settings.

Automatic Travel System For Work Vehicle

Provided is an automatic travel system for a work vehicle, wherein: a control unit that causes the work vehicle to automatically travel according to a target path includes a target position setting unit that sets a target travel position to a predetermined position separated by a predetermined distance in an advancing direction from a current position of the work vehicle, and an automatic steering controller that controls operations of a steering unit so that that work vehicle follows the target travel position; and the target position setting unit determines whether the target travel position has reached an end position of a turning path connected to a straight path and, if a determination is made that the target travel position has reached the end position of the turning path, then changes the setting of the target travel position from the position on the turning path to a position on the straight path.

Accommodation Device

Provided is an accommodation device capable of transporting a work vehicle(s) smoothly. The accommodation device is configured to accommodate a plurality of work vehicles that carry out a work while traveling autonomously, including a plurality of accommodation cases mounted on a load carrying bed of a transporter vehicle being capable of accommodating the plurality of work vehicles individually, a supporting section for supporting the plurality of accommodation cases respectively with allowing movement thereof along a preset path, an actuator for driving the supporting section for causing the accommodation cases to move along the path, and an electric generator for supplying electric power to the actuator.

METHOD FOR ASSISTING A COUPLING PROCEDURE TO BE PERFORMED AT AN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT INTERFACE
20230036723 · 2023-02-02 ·

A method for assisting a coupling procedure at an agricultural implement interface includes determining via a control unit whether a set-down procedure associated with unhitching the implement is being executed, determining cartographically via the control unit in communication with a position detection unit a set-down location of the implement and a driving trajectory travelled by the agricultural tractor from the set-down location along a defined route, storing via the control unit the set-down location and the driving trajectory as an associated dataset in a memory unit together with type information about the implement provided by an information unit, retrieving via the control unit the associated dataset to re-hitch the implement, and guiding via the control unit the agricultural tractor back from a defined start position along the driving trajectory to the set-down location by issuing associated control commands.

ORCHARD VEHICLE AND SYSTEM

A method and system provide the ability to autonomously navigate an orchard cart in an orchard. Data is received from a sensor suite of the orchard cart into a computer. The sensor suite includes two or more sensors with at least one positional sensor and at least one perception sensor. Based on the data, the computer detects objects in the orchard. A row in the orchard consists of the objects. The orchard cart is autonomously navigated, via the computer, through the orchard. The navigation includes autonomously positioning the orchard cart a defined distance from the detected objects with respect to the row, and autonomously maintaining a defined speed of the orchard cart as the orchard cart is navigated down the row, such that the orchard cart avoids the detected object.

Agricultural system having actuatable work tool assemblies

An agricultural system comprising includes a support assembly having one or more support structures and one or more propulsion units coupled to the one or more support structures. The agricultural system includes one or more actuatable work tool assemblies having one or more measurement attachments configured to perform one or more measurements of at least one of one or more objects or one or more regions within an environment. The one or more actuatable work tool assemblies may be actuated by one or more actuation systems. The agricultural system may include a controller configured to cause one or more processors to direct the one or more actuation systems to actuate the one or more actuatable work tool assemblies position to perform one or more measurements of at least one of one or more objects or one or more regions within the environment.

Intelligent crop maintenance device with independently controlled blades

System that automates crop maintenance activities, such as cultivating and weeding, with a device that intelligently and independently controls two blades that drag along either side of a crop row using sensors to repeatedly track the position of the blades and of the plants in the row. Blades may be moved in and out independently using an actuator for each blade to contour closely around the individual plants, even if plants or rows vary in their positions, and even if plant sizes and shapes differ. An illustrative system may use a single camera and a processor per crop row; the processor may analyze camera images to locate plant positions and shapes, to plan blade trajectories, and to control blade actuators. The processor may be able to control blade movement precisely to respond quickly to sensor input on changes in plant positions, shapes, and sizes along the row.

VISION GUIDANCE SYSTEM USING DYNAMIC EDGE DETECTION

A row vision system modifies automated operation of a vehicle based on edges detected between surfaces in the environment in which the vehicle travels. The vehicle may be a farming vehicle (e.g., a tractor) that operates using automated steering to perform farming operations that track an edge formed by a row of field work completed next to the unworked field area. A row vision system may access images of the field ahead of the tractor and apply models that identify surface types and detect edges between the identified surfaces (e.g., between worked and unworked ground). Using the detected edges, the system determines navigation instructions that modify the automated steering (e.g., direction) to minimize the error between current and desired headings of the vehicle, enabling the tractor to track the row of crops, edge of field, or edge of field work completed.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FULL COVERAGE PATH PLANNING OVER THREE-DIMENSIONAL TERRAIN

A method for path planning for a machine to traverse an area includes calculating a spline trajectory based on a plurality of control points of a first path. A subset of the plurality of control points having an equal step is selected. A direction of the normal to the spline trajectory for each of the selected points is determined. Control points within the subset that are a solution to a second order cone programming class optimization problem along each normal to the spline trajectory are searched for and the spline trajectory is extended to a border of the area to create a second path adjacent to the first path based on the control points. The optimization problem can minimize the weighted sum of the average curvature at junction points of elementary sections of the spline trajectory and/or the average width overlap of adjacent paths.

Automatic steering of an agricultural machine on an agricultural surface

A method for automatically steering an agricultural machine on an agricultural area that is to be worked. The method includes optically detecting a first region of the area that is to be worked lying in a direction of travel of the agricultural machine in a first recording via a first optical sensor in a first position with a first viewing direction. The method further includes optically detecting a second region of the area that is to be worked lying in the direction of travel of the agricultural machine in a second recording via a second optical sensor in a second position with a second viewing direction. The method additionally includes detecting a tramline in the first recording and detecting a tramline in the second recording, determining a first trajectory and a second trajectory, and determining a steering signal based on the first trajectory and/or the second trajectory.