Patent classifications
A01D41/1277
ARRANGEMENT FOR DATA RECORDING AND SAMPLING FOR AN AGRICULTURAL MACHINE
An arrangement for data recording and sampling for an agricultural machine includes a sensor set-up arrangement to detect properties contained in a material stream, means of taking a sample of the material from the material stream, and an electronic control unit. The control unit is configured to perform the following steps in response to a tripping signal: (a) instruct an actuator to bring the means into a position for sampling; (b) starting a recording of raw sensor arrangement data in a memory; (c) after depositing the sample at a desired sampling location, stop recording the raw data and instruct the actuator to return the means from the sampling position to an inactive position; and (d) store identification data to identify the sample together with the raw data in memory.
CLEANING FAN AIRFLOW CONTROL SYSTEM
A cleaning fan on an agricultural harvester generates airflow along an airflow path through a fan duct. A movable flap is mounted relative to the fan duct and controlled to divert the airflow path in a side-to-side transverse direction relative to a front-to-back longitudinal axis of the agricultural harvester.
WINDROWER WITH CONTROLLER TO AUTOMATICALLY DEFINE CONDITIONER SETTINGS
A windrower system includes: a windrower including: a chassis; a cutter carried by the chassis and configured to cut crop material; and an adjustable conditioner carried by the chassis behind the cutter and configured to condition crop material cut by the cutter; and a controller operably coupled to the conditioner and including a memory. The controller is configured to: receive a crop type signal corresponding to a crop type; recall at least one conditioner operating parameter from the memory based at least partially on the received crop type signal; and output a conditioner adjustment signal to the conditioner to adjust the conditioner to the recalled at least one conditioner operating parameter.
AGRICULTURAL METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING THE METHOD
A method, using an autonomous, unmanned device and a control device, includes the steps of automatically harvesting feed crop in a part of a crop field by means of the autonomous, unmanned device; automatically loading the harvested feed crop directly into a storage space provided on the autonomous, unmanned device without said harvested feed crop contacting the soil; choosing a destination location from a feeding location and a stationary crop processing location; automatically transporting the harvested feed crop from the crop field to the chosen destination location by means of the autonomous, unmanned device; and automatically unloading harvested feed from the storage space of the autonomous, unmanned device at the chosen destination location.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PREDICTING MATERIAL DYNAMICS
A first in-situ sensor detects a characteristic value as a mobile machine operates at a worksite. A second in-situ sensor detects a material dynamics characteristic value as the mobile machine operates at the worksite. A predictive model generator generates a predictive model that models a relationship between the characteristic and the materials dynamics characteristic based on the characteristic value detected by the first in-situ sensor and the material dynamics characteristic value detected by the second in-situ sensor. The predictive model can be output and used in automated machine control.
Controlling a machine based on cracked kernel detection
An image capture device captures an image of crop after it has been processed by a kernel processing unit on a forage harvester. A size distribution indicative of the distribution of kernel fragment sizes in the harvested crop is identified from the image captured by the image capture device. A control system generates control signals to control a speed differential in the speed of rotation of kernel processing rollers based on the size distribution. Control signals can also be generated to control a size of a gap between the kernel processing rollers.
Combine, Grain Separation Method, Grain Separation System, Grain Separation Program, Recording Medium on Which Grain Separation Program Is Recorded, Grain Inspection Method, Grain Inspection System, Grain Inspection Program, and Recording Medium on Which Grain Inspection Program Is Recorded
A combine includes: a reaper to reap planted grain culms in a field; a threshing apparatus to thresh the reaped grain culms and separate the reaped grain culms into separated material containing normal grain and material to be discharged other than the separated material; a grain tank in which the separated material is storable; a conveying apparatus to convey the separated material from a separation section to the grain tank; a temporary storage section to take out and store some of the separated material that is being conveyed by the conveying apparatus; an image capture unit to capture an image of the separated material stored in the temporary storage section; and an image analysis module to analyze the image captured by the image capture unit, and perform distinguishing processing for distinguishing the normal grain in the separated material stored in the temporary storage section from foreign matter.
Radio frequency grain mass and constituent measurement systems for combine harvesters
A radio frequency (RF) grain mass and constituent measurement system utilized onboard a combine harvester includes an RF sensor subsystem for capturing RF sensor readings of a harvested grain within an area of the combine harvester. A memory stores an RF characteristic database, which contains RF characteristic testing data collected for tested grain samples over one or more tested frequency ranges. A controller, operably coupled to the RF sensor subsystem and to the memory, is configured to: (i) receive the RF sensor readings from the RF sensor subsystem; (ii) determine grain mass and a first constituent content of the currently-harvested grain based, at least in part, on an analytical comparison between the RF sensor readings and the RF characteristic testing data; and (iii) perform at least one action in response to determining the grain mass and the first constituent content of the harvested grain.
Controlling Harvesting Parameters on a Header of a Combine
A method for automatically controlling a harvesting parameter on a header of a combine harvester. The combine harvester includes the header, a feeder, and a downstream processing device. Crop is cut by the header, transferred to the feeder, and then transported to the processing device. The method includes steps of detecting at least one crop property in the feeder by at least one sensor and outputting at least one corresponding crop property signal; receiving the at least one crop property signal by a control unit; processing the at least one crop property signal in the control unit; transmitting at least one control signal by the control unit to at least one actuator on the header; and executing the at least one control signal in the at least one actuator so as to automatically control the harvesting parameter on the header
METHOD OF GRADIENT HARVESTING PLANT PRODUCT AND COMBINE HARVESTER FOR THE SAME
A method of harvesting plant product from a plant in a single pass using a combine harvester is disclosed. In the method, the plant has a protein content gradient that varies along a height of the plant. The method includes identifying, along a longitudinally-extending stalk of the plant, an upper protein gradient of the plant including high protein plant product and a lower protein gradient of the plant including lower protein plant product, wherein the high protein plant product from the upper protein gradient of the plant meets a threshold protein content that is higher than that of the lower protein plant product. The method also includes separately and substantially simultaneously harvesting the high protein plant product from the upper protein gradient and the lower protein plant product from the lower protein gradient in the single pass, and isolating the high protein plant product from the lower protein plant product.