METHOD FOR APPLYING A SPRAY ONTO AGRICULTURAL LAND

Abstract

A method for applying a spray onto agricultural land using at least one spray nozzle unit of an agricultural spraying device. The method includes: detecting a field section of the agricultural land using at least one optical detection unit to obtain image information on the field section with a depth in the travel direction of the spraying device; identifying plants in an image evaluation region of the obtained image information using a control unit, the image evaluation region representing a corresponding field evaluation region of the detected field section with a depth in the travel direction of the spraying device; and applying the spray onto the field evaluation region of the detected field section using the spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device depending on the plants identified in the image evaluation region; and selecting a variable depth of the image evaluation region using the control unit.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for applying a spray onto agricultural land using at least one spray nozzle unit of an agricultural spraying device, comprising the following steps: detecting a field section of the agricultural land using at least one optical detection unit to obtain image information on the field section with a depth in a direction of travel of the spraying device; identifying plants in an image evaluation region of the obtained image information using a control unit, wherein the image evaluation region represents a corresponding field evaluation region of the detected field section with a depth in the direction of travel of the spraying device; and applying the spray onto the field evaluation region of the detected field section using the spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device as a function of the plants identified in the image evaluation region; selecting a variable depth of the image evaluation region using the control unit.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the depth of the depth-variable image evaluation region is selected by the control unit as a function of a speed of the agricultural spraying device in the direction of travel.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the depth of the depth-variable image evaluation region is selected by the control unit as a function of a frame rate of detected field sections and/or a variable related to a temperature of the control unit.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein a rear edge of the depth-variable image evaluation region in the direction of travel of the agricultural spraying device is aligned with a rear edge of the image information in the direction of travel of the agricultural spraying device.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein a rear edge of the depth-variable image evaluation region in the direction of travel of the agricultural spraying device is selected by the control unit as a function of a speed of the agricultural spraying device in the direction of travel.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the depth-variable image evaluation region has a minimum depth of 20% of the depth of the image information and/or a maximum depth of 100% of the depth of the image information.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein a width of the depth-variable image evaluation region is less than a width of the image information.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein the field section is detected with an angle of inclination of an optical axis of the optical detection unit of greater than 0° relative to vertical in the direction of travel of the spraying device.

24. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: ascertaining a plant index for the depth-variable image evaluation region using the identified plants in the depth-variable image evaluation region using the control unit, wherein, in the step of applying, the spray is applied onto the field evaluation region as a function of the ascertained plant index, upon reaching and/or falling below and/or exceeding a defined threshold value for the plant index.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the plant index represents a degree of coverage of the field evaluation region of plant material and/or a quantity of plant material in the respective field evaluation region and/or a number of identified plants in the field evaluation region.

26. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: identifying rows of plants in the depth-variable image evaluation region and/or the image information using the identified plants in the image information by the control unit, wherein in the step of applying, the spray is also applied as a function of identified rows of plants.

27. A control unit, configured to: identify plants in an image evaluation region of an obtained item of image information of a detected field section of agricultural land with a depth in a direction of travel of an agricultural spraying device, wherein the image evaluation region represents a corresponding field evaluation region of the detected field section with a depth in the direction of travel of the spraying device; output a control signal to at least one spray nozzle unit of the spraying device as a function of the plants identified in the image evaluation region to apply the spray onto the field evaluation region of the detected field section; and select a variable depth of the image evaluation region as a function of a speed of the spraying device in the direction of travel.

28. An agricultural spraying device for applying a spray onto agricultural land, comprising: at least one spray nozzle unit; at least one optical detection unit, an optical axis of the optical detection unit having an angle of inclination greater than 0° relative to vertical in a direction of travel of the spraying device; and a control unit configured to: identify plants in an image evaluation region of an obtained item of image information of a detected field section of agricultural land with a depth in the direction of travel of the spraying device, wherein the image evaluation region represents a corresponding field evaluation region of the detected field section with a depth in the direction of travel of the spraying device, output a control signal to the at least one spray nozzle unit as a function of the plants identified in the image evaluation region to apply the spray onto the field evaluation region of the detected field section, and select a variable depth of the image evaluation region as a function of a speed of the spraying device in the direction of travel.

29. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for applying a spray onto agricultural land using at least one spray nozzle unit of an agricultural spraying device, the computer program, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform the following steps: detecting a field section of the agricultural land using at least one optical detection unit to obtain image information on the field section with a depth in a direction of travel of the spraying device; identifying plants in an image evaluation region of the obtained image information using a control unit, wherein the image evaluation region represents a corresponding field evaluation region of the detected field section with a depth in the direction of travel of the spraying device; and applying the spray onto the field evaluation region of the detected field section using the spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device as a function of the plants identified in the image evaluation region; selecting a variable depth of the image evaluation region using the control unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The present invention will be explained in more detail in the following as an example with reference to the figures.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an agricultural spraying device according to an example embodiment the present invention.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a basic geometric arrangement of the optical detection unit and the spray nozzle unit with respect to one another, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of an obtained item of image information with a depth-variable image evaluation portion, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method according to an example embodiment of the present invention. In the following description of preferred embodiment examples of the present invention, the same or similar reference signs are used for the elements which are shown in the various figures and have a similar effect, and a repeated description of these elements is omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an agricultural spraying device, which is provided in its entirety with the reference sign 10.

[0059] The agricultural spraying device 10 is configured as a field sprayer 10. The field sprayer 10 is disposed on a mobile land vehicle 12, which is configured as a towing vehicle 12 or tractor 12.

[0060] The agricultural spraying device 10 comprises a spray boom 14. Spray nozzle units 16 and optical detection units 18 are disposed on the spray boom 14. The spray nozzle units 16 are configured to apply a spray 20 onto plants 22 or waste plants 22 on agricultural land 24. The optical detection units 18 are configured as optical cameras 18. The optical cameras 18 each comprise a filter unit to extract a color component, for example the green color component, of an obtained or acquired item of image information or an acquired image in order to detect plants 22 or waste plants 22.

[0061] The agricultural spraying device 10 further comprises a (not depicted) delivery unit, by means of which the application quantity or the active ingredient quantity in the spray 20 to be applied can be adjusted or varied.

[0062] The agricultural spraying device 10 also comprises a control unit 26, which is connected to the optical cameras 18 to receive information from them. The control unit 26 comprises a computing unit 28, which is configured to carry out calculation steps or image processing steps to implement the method according to the present invention. The control unit 26 is further configured to output a control signal in such a way that the spray 20 is applied by means of the spray nozzle units 16 as a function of the ascertained plant index.

[0063] FIG. 2 shows a basic geometric arrangement of a spray nozzle unit 16, which, in the case of a positive spray decision, applies the spray 20 to a spray region 29, and an inclined optical detection unit 18 or a camera 18 on the agricultural spraying device 10. The angle of inclination a here is the angle in the direction of travel 30of the spraying device 10 between an optical axis 32 of the camera 18 and a vertical 34.

[0064] As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, a field section 36 of agricultural land 24 is detected by means of optical detection unit 18 in order to obtain image information 38 from the field section 36 with a depth T(image) 39 in the direction of travel 30. The plants 22 are then identified in an image evaluation region 40 of the obtained item of image information 38, wherein the image evaluation region 40 represents a corresponding field evaluation region 42 of the detected field section 36 with a depth T (evaluation) 43 in the direction of travel 30 of the spraying device 10. According to the present invention, the depth T(evaluation) 43 of the image evaluation region 40 is variable and is selected or adjusted by means of the control unit 26 as a function of a driving speed of the spraying device 10. A rear edge 44 of the depth-variable image evaluation region 40 in the direction of travel 30 is aligned with a rear edge 46 of the image information 38. The spray 20 is then applied extensively over the field evaluation region 42 of the detected field section 38 by means of the spray nozzle unit 16 as a function of the plants 22 identified in the image evaluation region 40.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method 100 for applying a spray 20 onto agricultural land 24 using at least one spray nozzle unit 16 of an agricultural spraying device 10. The method comprises a step of detecting 102 a field section 36 of the agricultural land 24 by means of at least one optical detection unit 18 in order to obtain image information 38 on the field section 36 with a depth T(image) 39 in the direction of travel 30 of the spraying device 10. The method 100 further comprises a step of selecting 104 a variable depth T(evaluation) 43 of the image evaluation region 40 by means of the control unit 26. The method 100 further comprises a step of identifying 106 plants 22 in the image evaluation region 40 of the obtained item of image information 38 by means of the control unit 26, wherein the image evaluation region 40 represents a corresponding field evaluation region 42 of the detected field section 36 with a depth T (evaluation) 43 in the direction of travel 30 of the spraying device 10. The method 100 further comprises a step of applying 112 the spray 20 to the field evaluation region 42 of the detected field section 36 by means of the spray nozzle unit 16 of the agricultural spraying device 10 as a function of the plants 22 identified in the image evaluation region 40.

[0066] The method 100 further comprises an optional step of ascertaining 108 a plant index for the depth-variable image evaluation region 40 using the identified plants 22 in the depth-variable image evaluation region 40 by means of the control unit, wherein, in the step of applying 112, the spray 20 is applied onto the field evaluation region 42 as a function of the ascertained plant index, in particular upon reaching and/or falling below and/or exceeding a defined threshold value for the plant index. Alternatively or additionally, the method 100 comprises an optional step of identifying 110 rows of plants in the depth-variable image evaluation region 40 and/or image information 38 using the identified plants 22 by means of the control unit 26, wherein, in the step of applying 112, the spray 20 is also applied as a function of identified rows of plants.

[0067] If an embodiment example comprises an “and/or” conjunction between a first feature and a second feature, this is to be read to mean that the embodiment example comprises both the first feature and the second feature according to one embodiment, and either only the first feature or only the second feature according to another embodiment.