A01B71/02

MODULAR SMART IMPLEMENT FOR PRECISION AGRICULTURE
20210243937 · 2021-08-12 ·

An illustrative modular smart implement for precision agriculture includes a chassis having a hydraulic system, a control system, and articulating tool arms that are adapted to releasably receive one of a tool attachment for working a crop and/or field, including precision planting, cultivating, thinning, spraying, harvesting, and/or data collection. A toolbar fixed to the chassis receives and supports the articulating tools arms. An alignment member and side shift actuator provide movement of a portion of the tool arms along an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the toolbar, and a lift actuator provide movement along a vertical axis.

MACHINE VISION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR PRECISION AGRICULTURE
20210243940 · 2021-08-12 ·

An illustrative control system for an precision agricultural implement includes a controller having a convolutional neural network, a machine vision module, a plurality of sensors, and a plurality of actuators in communication with the controller, the plurality of actuators including a plurality of agricultural tool actuators.

METHOD FOR AUTOMATING AN AGRICULTURAL WORK TASK
20210259148 · 2021-08-26 ·

A method for automating an agricultural work task includes specifying one or more site-specific target values or weighting factors with respect to process-related or agronomic quality criteria via an interface module according to which the work task is to be executed by the soil cultivation implement. The method includes converting the target values or weighting factors in an optimization module into process control variables representing working or operating parameters of the soil cultivation implement, and adjusting the process control variables in a stabilization module by activating positioning or operating units of the soil cultivation implement or the agricultural tractor. In the converting step, feedback data is included with respect to a status of a field surface before or after the cultivation by the implement and with respect to an operating status of the implement or the tractor in order to modify the process control variables.

Autonomous Integrated Farming System

A farming system includes a field engagement unit. The field engagement unit includes a support assembly. The support assembly includes one or more work tool rail assemblies. The field engagement unit additionally includes one or more propulsion units which provide omnidirectional control of the field engagement unit. The field engagement unit additionally includes one or more work tool assemblies. The one or more work tool assemblies are actuatable along the one or more work tool rail assemblies. The farming system additionally includes a local controller. The local controller includes one or more processors configured to execute a set of program instructions stored in memory. The program instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to control one or more components of the field engagement unit.

Autonomous Integrated Farming System

A farming system includes a field engagement unit. The field engagement unit includes a support assembly. The support assembly includes one or more work tool rail assemblies. The field engagement unit additionally includes one or more propulsion units which provide omnidirectional control of the field engagement unit. The field engagement unit additionally includes one or more work tool assemblies. The one or more work tool assemblies are actuatable along the one or more work tool rail assemblies. The farming system additionally includes a local controller. The local controller includes one or more processors configured to execute a set of program instructions stored in memory. The program instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to control one or more components of the field engagement unit.

System to influence the position of a vehicle
11027581 · 2021-06-08 · ·

A system for influencing a vehicle position when travelling along a subsurface includes a vehicle structure including left and right wheels, a tire inflation system for the supply of the corresponding tires of each individual wheel with a specified tire inflation pressure, and a sensor device for determining a transverse tilt of the vehicle structure with respect to the travelled subsurface. The sensor device is configured to provide a transverse tilt magnitude that reflects the determined transverse tilt and operably communicates it to a control unit. The control unit operably adapts the tire inflation pressure specified for the left and right wheels by controlling the tire inflation system in accordance with the transverse tilt magnitude in such a way that the vehicle structure is tilted in the sense of a reduction of the determined transverse tilt with respect to the travelled subsurface.

System to influence the position of a vehicle
11027581 · 2021-06-08 · ·

A system for influencing a vehicle position when travelling along a subsurface includes a vehicle structure including left and right wheels, a tire inflation system for the supply of the corresponding tires of each individual wheel with a specified tire inflation pressure, and a sensor device for determining a transverse tilt of the vehicle structure with respect to the travelled subsurface. The sensor device is configured to provide a transverse tilt magnitude that reflects the determined transverse tilt and operably communicates it to a control unit. The control unit operably adapts the tire inflation pressure specified for the left and right wheels by controlling the tire inflation system in accordance with the transverse tilt magnitude in such a way that the vehicle structure is tilted in the sense of a reduction of the determined transverse tilt with respect to the travelled subsurface.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEQUENTIALLY CONTROLLING AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT GROUND-ENGAGING TOOLS

In one aspect, a system for controlling ground-engaging tools of an agricultural implement may include first and second ground-engaging tools configured to perform first and second operations, respectively, on a field as the agricultural implement is moved across the field. Furthermore, a controller of the disclosed system may be configured to determine a first value of a field characteristic based on the received sensor data and adjust an operating parameter of the first ground-engaging tool based on the determined first value. After adjusting the operating parameter of the first ground-engaging tool, the controller may be configured to determine a second value of the field characteristic based on the sensor data and adjust an operating parameter of the second ground-engaging tool based on the determined second value.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEQUENTIALLY CONTROLLING AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT GROUND-ENGAGING TOOLS

In one aspect, a system for controlling ground-engaging tools of an agricultural implement may include first and second ground-engaging tools configured to perform first and second operations, respectively, on a field as the agricultural implement is moved across the field. Furthermore, a controller of the disclosed system may be configured to determine a first value of a field characteristic based on the received sensor data and adjust an operating parameter of the first ground-engaging tool based on the determined first value. After adjusting the operating parameter of the first ground-engaging tool, the controller may be configured to determine a second value of the field characteristic based on the sensor data and adjust an operating parameter of the second ground-engaging tool based on the determined second value.

PRIME MOVER AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A PRIME MOVER

A prime mover and a method for operating a prime mover are disclosed. The prime mover, which may be a tractor, includes a drivetrain and is configured to attach to an attachment. The drivetrain includes at least one drive motor, a gearbox, at least one power take-off, and at least one ancillary unit. The prime mover has a driver assistance system that controls the drivetrain and that includes a computing unit, a memory unit, and an input/output unit. The driver assistance system comprises an engine droop governor that works based on a characteristic curve, wherein the engine droop governor is configured for optimized control of the drivetrain depending on selectable control strategies saved in the memory unit and/or optimization target variables.