Programs and Systems

Abstract

To provide a work machine operation program that allows a work condition suitable for a work machine to be acquired easily.SOLUTION: A program for causing a computer to perform display of a harrowing state or a soil levelling state of a farm field for displaying, for each work section, a result of block determination for determining a state of a farm field for each work section for which work is performed by a work machine travelling in the farm field displays a result of real time determination for determining a harrowing state or a soil levelling state of the farm field in a section shorter than the work section in a region different from a farm field map in which the result of the block determination is displayed; displays the result of the block determination in a display mode by a pattern or a color visually identifiable at a plurality of stages; displays the result of the real time determination in a display mode by a pattern or a color visually identifiable at a plurality of stages; and displays a display mode at each stage indicating the result of the block determination in a display mode common to the display mode of any one of the plurality of stages indicating the result of the real time determination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a display method. In particular, it relates to a display method for a field state determined based on changes in the vertical movement of a grounding member provided on a working machine attached to the rear of a tractor.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, in order to reduce the labor time of agricultural work, the automation of working machines is being promoted, and various working machines are being developed. In particular, working machines (cultivators and harrows) that are attached to the rear of a traveling body such as a tractor and can be exchanged according to the type of work, such as cultivation and harrowing, can be exchanged like an attachment to the traveling body of a tractor or the like, and can thus handle various agricultural works, greatly contributing to cost reduction in agricultural work.

[0003] Moreover, conventional agricultural work relied on the experience and intuition of each farmer. Therefore, there were variations in the efficiency of agricultural work among farmers, resulting in variations in the yield and quality of agricultural products. Furthermore, when a new generation of farmers took over as each farmer's generation changed, it was difficult for the new generation of farmers to inherit all of the experience and intuition, and the accumulation of agricultural work experience could not be utilized.

[0004] When performing cultivation or harrowing work on a field using a cultivator or harrow, it is necessary to grasp the leveling state and the size of soil clods after cultivation or harrowing. However, since it is impossible to check the leveling state and the size of soil clods across the entire field, only information on a limited area of the field can be obtained. Therefore, the operator has been inferring the leveling state and the size of soil clods based on the vibration transmitted to the working machine during work and visual inspection of the field state after work. As a method for evaluating the field state of the field after cultivation or harrowing, a technique has been used in which an angle sensor 22 is arranged at the rotation base of the rear cover 21, and the tillage depth is detected by the rotation of the rear cover 21 (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-28109 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot evaluate the detailed leveling of the field or the size of the soil clumps. Furthermore, the implement with the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot manage the field conditions of the entire field, and the field conditions at each location in the field relied on the worker's memory. The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and aims to display the field conditions obtained as a result of the work in the field so that the worker can easily see them while working in the field. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention provides a display method that displays the work path of a work machine traveling through a field and the determination result of determining the state of the field after work performed by the work machine on the same screen.

[0008] The determination result may be displayed along the work path.

[0009] The determination result may be determined based on the change in vertical movement of the grounding member attached to the work machine that is in contact with the field, relative to the field.

[0010] The aforementioned work path may be determined based on past judgment results.

[0011] One embodiment of the present invention provides a display method that displays the results of block determination, which determines the state of the field in each work section, as performed by a work machine traveling through the field, for each work section.

[0012] The results of a real-time determination of the field conditions for a shorter section than the work section may be displayed in a different area from the field map where the block determination results are displayed.

[0013] The result of the block determination may be a determination result based on statistically processed information obtained from the information used in the real-time determination.

[0014] The block determination and the real-time determination may be performed based on changes in the vertical movement of the grounding member in contact with the field, which is provided on the work machine, relative to the field.

[0015] Depending on the results of the real-time determination, the operator may be notified of guidance to change the working conditions of at least one of the work machine and the towing machine.

[0016] The results of the real-time determination include a first determination result, a second determination result, and a third determination result corresponding to the field conditions, wherein the first determination result is defined as a result indicating relatively good field conditions, the third determination result is defined as a result indicating relatively poor field conditions, and the second determination result is defined as a result indicating field conditions between the first determination result and the third determination result, and the guidance is not notified to the worker if the real-time determination result is the first determination result or the third determination result, and the guidance may be notified to the worker if the real-time determination result is the second determination result.

[0017] The field evaluation result for the field may be displayed, which is derived based on the percentage of the block evaluation results for the field that were judged as unsatisfactory according to the pass / fail criteria. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, the working machine can display the field conditions obtained as a result of the work while working in the field, making it easy for the worker to see. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1]It is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a traveling body and a working machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a traveling body and a working machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a top view showing the overall configuration of a working machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a side view showing the overall configuration of a leveling angle detection mechanism of a working machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an operation flow of a method for determining a field condition using a working machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of an interface displayed on a field registration screen in a method for determining a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing a method for determining a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing a method for determining a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing a method for determining a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an interface related to a look-up table (LUT) used for determining a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of data obtained by a method for determining a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing an example of displaying a determination result of a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention on a monitor. [Figure 13] It is a diagram showing an example of displaying a determination result of a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention on a monitor. [Figure 14] It is a diagram showing an example of a method for notifying an operator of work guidance for changing work conditions in a method for displaying a determination result of a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing an example of displaying an appropriate work route using a determination result of a field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] This figure shows an example of a method for changing the criteria for determining field conditions according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a side view showing details of the leveler angle detection mechanism of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is a top view showing details of the leveler angle detection mechanism of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] This is a side view of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the state in which the telescopic rod is fully extended. [Figure 20] This is a side view of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the telescopic rod in its most retracted state. [Figure 21] This figure shows an example of a method for managing data obtained by the field condition determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] This figure shows an example of a field condition determination method (A) and yield mapping data (B) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] This diagram shows yield mapping data according to an embodiment of the present invention, divided by the boundaries of blocks for the field condition determination method. [Figure 24] This figure shows an example of displaying the field condition determination result on a monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] This figure shows an example of real-time determination results of field conditions according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] This figure shows an example of an interface displayed on the field registration screen in a field condition determination method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] This figure shows an example of displaying the field condition determination results for the entire field on a monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The implement according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the implement of the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the descriptions of the embodiments shown below. In the drawings referenced in this embodiment, the same number is used for the same part or a part having a similar function, or an alphabet letter is added after the same number, and repeated explanations are omitted. Also, for the sake of explanation, the terms "upper" or "lower" will be used, where "upper" or "lower" refers to the vertical direction when the implement is working on the field (see Figure 1). Similarly, when the terms "front" or "rear" are used, "front" refers to the direction of the towing vehicle relative to the implement, and "rear" refers to the direction of the implement relative to the vehicle (see Figure 1).

[0021] <First Embodiment> In this embodiment, a configuration in which a puddling machine is used as a work machine for determining the field condition is illustrated, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, a work machine for determining the field condition In addition to a puddling machine, other implements equipped with ground contact members that can come into contact with the field during operation can be used. For example, tillers, soil crushers, plows, etc., may be used as such implements. In this embodiment, since a puddling machine is used as the implement, the ground contact members correspond to leveling members (levelers).

[0022] [Overall structure] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a mobile body and implement according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, an implement 20 is mounted on the rear of a mobile body 10 that travels across a field. However, if the implement 20 is equipped with a self-propelled mechanism, the mobile body 10 can be omitted. In this case, the functions of the mobile body 10 for realizing the embodiments of the present invention described below are provided in the implement 20.

[0023] The mobile unit 10 comprises a vehicle body 100, a monitor 110, and a three-point linkage mechanism 120. The monitor 110 is located in front of the vehicle body 100. The three-point linkage mechanism 120 is located behind the vehicle body 100. As will be described later, the monitor 110 displays information such as various condition setting screens, the rotation angle of the leveling member in contact with the field, and the field condition determination results. Preferably, the monitor 110 is a display with a touch sensor. In this embodiment, the monitor 110 is provided on the mobile unit 10, but the monitor 110 can be replaced with a communication terminal held by the operator (e.g., a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet PC, PDA, notebook PC, and PHS). The implement 20 is connected to the three-point linkage mechanism 120. The mobile unit 10 can change the height of the implement 20 relative to the mobile unit 10 by controlling the three-point linkage mechanism 120. The mobile unit 10 may also be equipped with a height adjustment function for the implement 20. This adjustment function may, for example, automatically adjust the height of the work implement 20 so as to maintain a constant angle between the apron 220 and the shield cover 210, which will be described later. Since the structure of the three-point linkage mechanism 120 is well known, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0024] In this embodiment, the implement 20 is a puddling machine. The implement 20 comprises a frame 200, a rotor 207, a shield cover 210, an apron 220 (cover member), and a leveler 230 (leveling member). The rotor 207 is rotatably mounted to the frame 200. The rotor 207 has a plurality of working tines, and by rotating these working tines and applying them to the field, it cultivates or agitates the field. The apron 220 is provided behind the rotor 207 so as to be rotatable relative to the frame 200 and the shield cover 210. Note that the positional relationship between the shield cover 210 and the frame 200 is fixed, so the shield cover 210 can also be considered as part of the frame 200, and the above configuration can also be described as the apron 220 being rotatably connected to the frame 200. The leveler 230 is rotatably mounted relative to the apron 220. The apron 220 and leveler 230 make contact with the field, leveling the field that has been roughened by the work of the rotor 207.

[0025] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a mobile body and work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the mobile body 10 has a control unit 191, a display unit 193, and a position detection unit 195. The work machine 20 has a control unit 291 and a detection unit 293. The control unit 191 and the control unit 291 are connected by a communication unit 121. The control unit 291 transmits or receives various information to and from the control unit 191 via the communication unit 121. For example, as will be described later, the control unit 291 can transmit information regarding changes in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 to the control unit 191. The control unit 291 can also receive information set by the height adjustment function from the control unit 191. The communication unit 121 may be wired or wireless. As a communication method for the communication unit 121, for example, CAN (Controller Area Network), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used. Note that the monitor 110 can be replaced with a communication terminal held by the worker. In this case, at least the control unit 191 and the display unit 193 are implemented by the central processing unit (CPU) of the communication terminal. Of course, the position detection unit 195 may also be provided in the communication terminal.

[0026] The display unit 193 is controlled by the control unit 191 and displays an image on the monitor 110 so that the operator can see it. However, as described above, instead of displaying the image on the monitor 110 provided on the mobile machine 10, the display unit 193 may display the image on a communication terminal held by the operator. The position detection unit 195 detects the current position of the mobile machine 10. The position information detected by the position detection unit 195 is transmitted to the control unit 191. For example, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) can be used as the position detection unit 195. As the GNSS, satellite positioning systems such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) can be used. However, the position detection unit 195 is not limited to GNSS, and other devices that detect the position information of the mobile machine 10 can be used. The position detection unit 195 may be provided on the work machine 20 instead of the mobile machine 10, or it may be provided on both the mobile machine 10 and the work machine 20. The control unit 191, the display unit 193, and the position detection unit 195 are connected by wire or wireless connection in the same manner as described above.

[0027] The detection unit 293 detects the rotation angle of the leveler 230 relative to the apron 220. In other words, the detection unit 293 detects changes in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 relative to the field. The changes in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 detected by the detection unit 293 are transmitted to the control unit 291. As for the detection unit 293, although details will be described later, for example, a potentiometer can be used. However, the detection unit 293 is not limited to a potentiometer, and other devices that detect changes in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 can be used. The control unit 291 and the detection unit 293 are connected by wire or wireless, as described above.

[0028] Information regarding the change in the vertical movement of the leveler 230, transmitted to the control unit 291, is transmitted to the control unit 191 via the communication unit 121. The control unit 191 then analyzes the information regarding the change in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 to determine the field condition. Details of the method for determining the field condition will be described later. However, the control unit 291 may analyze the information regarding the change in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 and determine the field condition. The control unit 191 and the control unit 291 may communicate with a server via a network. In other words, information regarding the change in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 detected by the detection unit 293 may be transmitted from the control unit 191 or the control unit 291 to the server, and the server may analyze that information to determine the field condition.

[0029] As will be explained in more detail later, the position information detected by the position detection unit 195 is used not only to display the current position of the mobile unit 10, but is also displayed on the monitor 110 together with the field condition determination result obtained based on the change in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 detected by the detection unit 293.

[0030] [Configuration of the work machine 20] Figure 3 is a top view showing the overall configuration of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the work machine 20 has a frame 200, a central work section 300, an extension work section 400, a leveler extension section 490, a leveler angle detection mechanism 500, and a leveler control unit 600. The work machine 20 is mounted on the rear of the traveling machine body 10. As will be explained in detail in Figure 4, a rotor 207 having multiple working claws is provided below the central work section 300 and the extension work section 400, respectively.

[0031] The frame 200 has a main frame 201, a transmission frame (the frame on the side where the chain case 203 is provided), and a side frame 205. The main frame 201 is The main frame 201 extends in the longitudinal direction of the work implement 20 (perpendicular to or simply intersecting with the direction of travel of the traveling machine). Chain cases 203 and side frames 205 are positioned at both the left and right ends of the main frame 201. Between the chain cases 203 and the side frames 205, the rotor 207 is rotatably supported relative to the frame 200. Specifically, the rotor 207 is mounted below the central shield cover 310 and the extension shield cover 410, which will be described later. In other words, the multiple working claws provided on the rotor 207 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the work implement 20.

[0032] The central work section 300 includes a central shield cover 310, a central apron 320, and a central leveler 330. The central shield cover 310 and the central apron 320 are connected by a first connecting section (not shown) which serves as a pivot axis. The central apron 320 and the central leveler 330 are connected by a second connecting section 332 which serves as a pivot axis. The first connecting section and the second connecting section 332 have hinge-like mechanisms. That is, each of the first connecting section and the second connecting section 332 has a cylindrical section and a columnar section. Here, the cylindrical section of the connecting section is fixed to one of the two members connected by the connecting section, and the columnar section penetrates the interior of the cylindrical section, with both ends of the columnar section fixed to the other of these members.

[0033] The central shield cover 310 and the central apron 320 prevent debris scattered by the operation of the rotor 207 from being released to the outside. In other words, the central shield cover 310 and the central apron 320 can be called cover members. The central leveler 330 levels the field by coming into contact with the field that has been tilled or agitated by the operation of the rotor 207. In other words, the central leveler 330 can be called a leveling member or a grounding member.

[0034] The extension work sections 400 are provided at both the left and right ends of the central work section 300 and are connected to the central work section 300 in a way that allows switching between a stored state (not shown) where the extension is folded above the central work section 300 and a working state where it is extended as shown in Figure 3.

[0035] The extension work section 400, like the central work section 300, has an extension shield cover 410, an extension apron 420, and an extension leveler 430. The extension shield cover 410 and the extension apron 420 are connected using a connecting section 422 as a pivot axis. The extension apron 420 and the extension leveler 430 are also connected using a connecting section 432 as a pivot axis. The connecting sections 422 and 432 have the same structure as the first connecting section and the second connecting section 332 described above.

[0036] The extension shield cover 410 and extension apron 420, like the central shield cover 310 and central apron 320, suppress the release of debris scattered by the operation of the rotor 207 located on the extension work section 400 to the outside. In other words, the extension shield cover 410 and extension apron 420 can be called cover members. The extension leveler 430, like the central apron 320, levels the field by coming into contact with the field tilled or agitated by the operation of the rotor 207 located on the extension work section 400. In other words, the extension leveler 430 can be called a leveling member or grounding member. Although not shown in the figures, an apron pressurizing mechanism is provided between the extension shield cover 410 and the extension apron 420. This apron pressurizing mechanism pressurizes the extension apron 420 so that it rotates downward relative to the extension shield cover 410.

[0037] When the central shield cover 310 and the extension shield cover 410 are not specifically distinguished, they are simply referred to as the shield cover 210. When the central apron 320 and the extension apron 420 are not specifically distinguished, they are simply referred to as the apron 220. When the central leveler 330 and the extension leveler 430 are not specifically distinguished, they are simply referred to as the leveler 230.

[0038] The end of the extended leveler 430 has a leveler extension section that can further widen the width that can be leveled. A leveler extension 490 is provided. The leveler extension 490 is rotatably connected to the extended leveler 430. The leveler extension 490 also has a guide surface 491 that is inclined toward the traveling machine body with respect to the longitudinal direction of the work machine 20.

[0039] The leveler angle detection mechanism 500 is connected to the control box 501. The control box 501 is located above the central shield cover 310. The control box 501 has the functions of the control unit 291 shown in Figure 2 and transmits the rotation angle of the central leveler 330 relative to the central apron 320, as detected by the leveler angle detection mechanism 500, to the control unit 191 located on the traveling machine 10.

[0040] The leveling control unit 600 controls the angle of the central leveler 330 relative to the central apron 320. The extension leveler 430 is controlled in conjunction with the central leveler 330 to the same angle as the central leveler 330. For example, in the working state, the leveling control unit 600 pushes the central leveler 330 downward, thereby achieving a state in which the central leveler 330 and the extension leveler 430 are rotated downward relative to the central apron 320 and the extension apron 420 (earth-piling state).

[0041] The detailed configuration of the leveler angle detection mechanism 500 will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the leveler angle detection mechanism of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the detection member (leveler angle detection mechanism 500) has an angle detector (potentiometer 510), a first arm portion 520, a second arm portion 530, a first elastic portion 540, and a second elastic portion 550. The first arm portion 520, the second arm portion 530, the first elastic portion 540, and the second elastic portion 550 are sometimes collectively referred to as the telescopic rod 590. The potentiometer 510 is fixed to a base 314 provided on the central shield cover 310. The potentiometer 510 and the first arm portion 520 are rotatably connected. The second arm portion 530 is fixed to a base 334 provided on the central leveler 330. The second arm portion 530 and the base 334 are rotatably connected. To rephrase the above configuration, the telescopic rod 590 connects the potentiometer 510 and the central leveler 330.

[0042] The first arm section 520 and the second arm section 530 are connected so as to be slidable relative to each other. The first elastic section 540 applies elastic force to the first arm section 520 and the second arm section 530 in the direction in which the telescopic rod 590 is retracted. On the other hand, the second elastic section 550 applies elastic force to the first arm section 520 and the second arm section 530 in the direction in which the telescopic rod 590 is extended. A more detailed structure of the leveler angle detection mechanism 500 will be described later.

[0043] Furthermore, if the potentiometer 510 is provided with an elastic section for returning to its origin, the elastic moduli of the first elastic section 540 and the second elastic section 550 are greater than the elastic moduli of the elastic section for returning to its origin. Therefore, when the central leveler 330 rotates relative to the central apron 320 due to the influence of unevenness in the field, the potentiometer 510 operates via the first arm section 520 and the second arm section 530 in conjunction with the rotation of the central leveler 330. In this way, the rotation angle of the central leveler 330 relative to the central apron 320 can be detected by the potentiometer 510.

[0044] The extension leveler 430 is connected to the central leveler 330 and rotates together with the central leveler 330, so the rotation angle of the central leveler 330 and the extension leveler 430 (leveler 230) can be detected by the potentiometer 510. In other words, the change in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 can be detected using the leveler angle detection mechanism 500.

[0045] In Figure 4, the central leveler 330 rotates relative to the central apron 320, and the central apron 320 rotates relative to the central shield cover 310, so the potentiometer 510 rotates relative to the central apron 320. This will detect the rotation of both the apron 320 and the central leveler 330. However, by performing calculations on the data obtained by the potentiometer 510 to eliminate the influence of the rotation of the central apron 320, it is possible to detect only the rotation of the central leveler 330.

[0046] In this embodiment, the leveler angle detection mechanism 500 is shown as detecting the rotation angle of the leveler 230 (central leveler 330) relative to the apron 220 (central apron 320), but the system is not limited to this configuration. For example, in a configuration where a grounding member in contact with the field is rotatably connected to the frame 200 or shield cover 210 (for example, a central shield cover 310), the rotation angle of the grounding member may be detected. The grounding member does not have to rotate relative to the frame 200 or shield cover 210. However, in that case, a detector capable of detecting changes in the vertical movement of the grounding member is provided instead of the potentiometer 510.

[0047] [Method for determining field conditions] Using Figures 5 to 10, a method for determining field conditions using the implement 20 of this embodiment will be explained. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the operation flow of a method for determining field conditions using an implement according to one embodiment of the present invention. The program operation starts when the operator operates the monitor 110 and starts the field condition determination program.

[0048] When the program starts, a menu screen is displayed on the monitor 110 (S601). Select "Field Registration" from the menu screen and register the location and size of the field (S603). By registering the field information in advance, the judgment results for each location in the field can be displayed. When "Field Registration" is selected, the screen shown in Figure 6 is displayed on the monitor 110. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the interface displayed on the screen in a field condition determination method according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 6, the monitor 110 displays an input area 611 and a location selection area 613.

[0049] The input area 611 is provided with input boxes 615 on which the name of the field, the length of the long side, and the length of the short side can be entered. The name of the field, the length of the long side, and the length of the short side are stored in association with each other, and for example, by selecting the name of the field in a pull-down format, the previously registered length of the long side and the length of the short side may be automatically entered.

[0050] The location selection area 613 displays a schematic diagram of a rectangular field and an icon of the mobile unit 10. The operator moves the mobile unit 10 to a corner of the field and selects an image corresponding to the positional relationship between the mobile unit 10 and the field. Once an image is selected, the GNSS installed in the mobile unit 10 detects the position information of the mobile unit 10, and the position information of the outer edge of the field is registered based on this position information and the field size entered in the input frame 615. The field position information may be stored in the memory installed in the mobile unit 10, or it may be registered in the external storage of a server related to this program via the internet. In this way, the field position information is registered.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, when the implement 20 starts moving through the field registered in S603 (S605), the leveler 230 moves up and down (rotates relative to the apron 220) due to the unevenness of the field. The change in this up and down movement (change in the rotation angle of the leveler 230 relative to the apron 220) is detected using the potentiometer 510 (S607), and by analyzing the change in this up and down movement, the field condition after the work can be determined (S609).

[0052] Here, using Figures 7 to 10, a method for determining the field condition based on the vertical movement of the leveler 230 in S609 will be described in detail. Figures 7 to 9 show embodiments of the present invention. This figure shows a method for determining the field condition. Figure 10 shows an interface related to a lookup table (LUT) used for determining the field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, as shown in Figure 7, the change in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 relative to the position of the traveling machine 10 is plotted based on the position information detected by the GNSS provided on the traveling machine 10 and the change in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 detected by the leveler angle detection mechanism 500 provided on the implement 20. In Figure 7, the field is divided into working sections L1, L2 and L3. The plotted data shown in Figure 7 is analyzed for each working section L1, L2 and L3 of the field, and a determination result is derived for each section. In the example shown in Figure 7, an example is shown in which the plotted data is analyzed for each fixed working section. However, the interval between the working sections to be analyzed does not have to be fixed.

[0053] Using Figure 8, we will explain how to analyze plot data in which the vertical movement of the Leveler 230 has been detected. The determination of the field condition is based on the magnitude of the change in unevenness. Specifically, the determination of the field condition is based on the difference between adjacent peaks and valleys detected in the plot data. This difference between adjacent peaks and valleys is called the adjacent PV (Peak to Valley) value. Each adjacent PV value in one work section is calculated, and the field condition is determined based on the statistical values ​​of these adjacent PV values. To explain in detail, the difference between the first peak p1 and the first valley v1 (the magnitude of the change in the vertical movement of the Leveler 230) is PV1, the difference between the first valley v1 and the second peak p2 is PV2, and the difference between the second peak p2 and the second valley v2 is PV3. Then, for example, the determination is made based on the average value of PV1 to PV3. Details of this determination method based on adjacent PV values ​​will be described later.

[0054] In the above analysis, when detecting peaks and troughs, filtering is performed to ignore, for example, micro-vibration regions r1 and r2. For this filtering, a low-pass filter may be used. Alternatively, as another filtering method, if adjacent PV values ​​are smaller than a predetermined value, the peaks and troughs associated with those adjacent PV values ​​may be ignored.

[0055] A method for detecting work stoppage will be explained using Figure 9. While the implement 20 is working in the field, the leveler 230 moves up and down within a certain range. However, when work stops and the implement 20 is lifted upward, the leveler 230 rotates downward to the limit of its range of motion and hardly moves up and down anymore. For example, as shown in Figure 9, when the implement 20 is lifted upward, the plotted data drops to near the lower limit and hardly moves up and down anymore (symbol z1 in Figure 9). When the plotted data shows such unusual behavior, it may be determined that work has stopped. When work stoppage is determined, the acquisition of plotted data may be interrupted. Alternatively, only information prior to the point where the work stoppage was determined to have started (symbol z2 in Figure 9) may be included in the analysis.

[0056] Using Figure 10, we will explain a method for determining the field condition based on the adjacent PV value statistics shown in Figure 8 (hereinafter referred to as adjacent PV statistics). As shown in Figure 10, the interface related to the lookup table (interface based on LUT630) has items for determination result 631, selection 633, and adjacent PV statistics determination range 635.

[0057] Judgment Result 631 includes three categories: "Insufficient," "Optimal," and "Excessive," as well as "Good 1" and "Good 2." "Insufficient" refers to a state where the surface soil clods are still large, resulting in poor soil pulverization or unevenness of the field surface. Specifically, a state where the mean and standard deviation of adjacent PV statistics are relatively large is judged as "Insufficient." "Excessive" refers to a state where the surface soil clods are small, resulting in good soil pulverization or unevenness of the field surface, but specifically, a state where the soil clods are smaller or the unevenness is better than necessary. Reaching this "Excessive" state requires longer working time on the field and is inefficient. Therefore, the "Excessive" category is included to indicate that it is not necessary to work until the field reaches the "Excessive" state. Specifically, the mean and standard deviation of adjacent PV statistics are... A state where the quasi-deviation is relatively small is judged as "excess." "Optimal" is the region between "deficiency" and "excess."

[0058] Here, "Good 1" may refer to a state between "Optimal" and "Excessive" (a state where the range of "Good 1" does not overlap with the range of "Excessive"), or it may refer to a state close to "Optimal" within the range of "Excessive" (a state where the range of "Good 1" overlaps with the range of "Excessive"). Similarly, "Good 2" may refer to a state between "Optimal" and "Insufficient" (a state where the range of "Good 2" does not overlap with the range of "Insufficient"), or it may refer to a state close to "Optimal" within the range of "Insufficient" (a state where the range of "Good 2" overlaps with the range of "Insufficient"). Note that the "Good 1" and "Good 2" items refer to states where the field condition can be made "Optimal" by slightly changing the working conditions, for example, by slowing down or speeding up the speed of the mobile machine 10. As will be described later, if the judgment result is "Good 1" or "Good 2", work guidance such as "Increase vehicle speed" or "Slow down vehicle speed" may be displayed to the worker via the monitor 110. Alternatively, if the judgment result is "Good 1" or "Good 2", the monitor 110 may display work guidance such as "Please lower the rotor rotation speed" or "Please increase the rotor rotation speed."

[0059] Selection 633 enables or disables the judgment results for each item in judgment result 631. For example, in the interface based on LUT 630 shown in Figure 10, since the items "excess," "insufficient," and "optimal" are checked, only these three judgment results are enabled, and the judgment results will never be "Good 1" or "Good 2."

[0060] The adjacent PV statistics judgment range 635 defines the range of adjacent PV statistics for each judgment result. In other words, the adjacent PV statistics judgment range 635 is the judgment criterion. For the items "Optimal," "Good 1," and "Good 2," both an upper and lower limit are set for the adjacent PV statistics judgment range 635. For the item "Excessive," at least an upper limit is set for the adjacent PV statistics judgment range 635. For the item "Insufficient," at least a lower limit is set for the adjacent PV statistics judgment range 635. The adjacent PV statistics judgment range 635 may be changed by numerical input, or its value may be changed using the + and - buttons. When the + or - button is selected, both the upper and lower limits of the adjacent PV statistics judgment range 635 change. In other words, when the + or - button is selected, both the upper and lower limits change so that the difference between the upper and lower limits (i.e., the width of the range) does not change. However, when the + or - button is selected, the width of the range may change while the upper and lower limits change, or only the upper or lower limit may change.

[0061] For example, when adjacent PV statistics are calculated from plot data as shown in Figure 8, a judgment result is derived based on those adjacent PV statistics and the criteria displayed on the interface based on LUT630 in Figure 10. In this way, judgment results are derived for each of the work sections L1, L2, and L3 shown in Figure 7. Then, as shown in Figure 5, the derived judgment results are displayed on the monitor 110 provided on the mobile machine 10 (S611). Details on how the judgment results are displayed on the monitor 110 will be described later.

[0062] [Judgment results and related data] The determination results derived for each work section as described above are stored in the storage device as a data table 640, associated with the plot data (measurement data) in Figure 8 and the adjacent PV statistics calculated from the plot data (see Figure 11). Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of data obtained by the field condition determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The above-mentioned plot data and adjacent PV statistics together can be said to be "information regarding changes in the vertical movement of the leveler 230 in relation to the field." In other words, the determination results of the field condition for each work section are stored in association with information regarding changes in the vertical movement of the leveler for each work section. It can be done.

[0063] As shown in Figure 11, the data table 640 has the following items: section 641, plot data 643, adjacent PV statistics 645, and judgment result 647. Section 641 corresponds to the work sections L1, L2, and L3 shown in Figure 7. The information in section 641 includes information that identifies the field. In other words, based on section 641, it is possible to recognize which field and which location it represents. The plot data 643 is measurement data showing the vertical movement of the leveler 230 in relation to the travel distance of the mobile machine 10. The adjacent PV statistics 645 are statistics calculated based on the plot data 643. In Figure 11, the mean and standard deviation are shown as statistics, but other statistics may be used. The judgment result 647 is derived based on the LUT 630 in Figure 10.

[0064] Figure 11 illustrates a configuration in which the data table 640 stores information for the four items mentioned above, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, additional information other than these items may be stored. Or, only some of the information for these items may be stored. The storage device may be a storage device connected to the control unit 191 of the traveling machine 10, a storage device connected to the control unit 291 of the work machine 20, a storage device of a server connected to the communication unit of the traveling machine 10 or work machine 20 via a network, or a storage device connected to the server via a network (for example, external storage provided outside the server).

[0065] [How to display the judgment results] The method for displaying the field condition determination results derived as described above will be explained using Figures 12 to 16.

[0066] Figures 12 and 13 show an example of displaying the field condition determination results on a monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 12, the monitor 110 displays a field map 650, real-time determination results 660, various information display unit 670, and work route 677. The field map 650 is divided into work section units based on the field location information registered by "Field Registration" shown in Figure 6, and separately set information such as the width of the work machine. A mobile machine icon 657 is displayed on the field map 650, allowing the current position of the mobile machine 10 in the field where work is being performed to be recognized. Furthermore, the field map 650 displays a work route 677 that proposes a route for the worker to take. In other words, the work route 677 is the route that the work machine 20 will travel. The field map 650 also displays the determination results, which determine the field condition after work has been performed by the work machine 20, along with the work route 677.

[0067] In this embodiment, block determination is performed to determine the field condition for each work section. As shown in Figure 12, the field map 650 displays the field condition determination results along the work route 677. For each work section where work and field condition determination have been completed, the determination result is displayed with a pattern or color that can be visually identified. The pattern or color assigned to each work section reflects the determination results shown in Figure 11. For example, block 651 is a work section with a determination result of "excess." Block 653 is a work section with a determination result of "insufficient." Block 655 is a work section with a determination result of "optimal." Since these determination results are derived for each block, they can be called block determination results. The determination results displayed in the field map 650 in Figure 12 are the determination results 631 checked in selection 633 in Figure 10. In other words, since the three items "excessive," "insufficient," and "optimal" are checked in selection 633 in Figure 10, these three determination results are displayed in Figure 12.

[0068] In the upper left corner of field map 650, the real-time judgment result 660 is displayed. The time judgment result 660 is the result of a real-time judgment of a field in a section shorter than the work section in which block judgment is performed. In the real-time judgment result 660, the judgment result is displayed in a gradient. In other words, while the field map 650 only displays three types of judgment results: "optimal," "excessive," and "insufficient," the real-time judgment result 660 displays more levels of judgment results. For example, in the example in Figure 12, the real-time judgment result 660 displays judgment results of "excessive" 661, "good 1" 663, "optimal" 665 (first judgment result), "good 2" 667 (second judgment result), and "insufficient" 669 (third judgment result) according to the state of the field. "Optimal" 665 is defined as a result indicating a relatively good field state. "Insufficient" 669 is defined as a result indicating a relatively unfavorable field state. "Good 2" 667 is defined as a result indicating a field state between these judgment results. Below the real-time judgment result 660, cursor 666 is displayed. Cursor 666 points to the position corresponding to the real-time judgment result.

[0069] In this embodiment, the real-time judgment result 660 is displayed based on the adjacent PV values ​​(PV1, PV2, PV3) described in Figure 8. For example, for each of the values ​​of PV1, PV2, and PV3 in Figure 8, the judgment result is derived based on the criteria shown in Figure 10, and the derived judgment result is displayed as the real-time judgment result 660. However, the real-time judgment result 660 may also display the judgment result based on the adjacent PV statistics of an interval shorter than each block (651, 653, 655). In other words, the real-time judgment result 660 may display the judgment result based on the statistics of multiple adjacent PV values ​​(PV1, PV2, PV3) of an interval shorter than each block. Here, since the block judgment result displayed on the field map 650 is the judgment result based on the adjacent PV statistics 645 of each block, it can be said that the block judgment result is the judgment result based on statistically processed information (adjacent PV statistics 645) of the information (plot data 643) used for the real-time judgment.

[0070] In the example above, cursor 666 points to one of the five levels: "Excessive" 661, "Good 1" 663, "Optimal" 665, "Good 2" 667, and "Insufficient" 669. However, cursor 666 may point to more than the above five levels depending on the adjacent PV value. In other words, cursor 666 may display the adjacent PV value in analog form. In this case, the above five-level gauge may be displayed with a width corresponding to the width of each range of the adjacent PV statistical value judgment range 635 shown in Figure 10. The above configuration will be explained in detail later.

[0071] In the upper right corner of the field map 650, an information display unit 670 is displayed. In Figure 12, the work area is displayed in the information display unit 670. The work area corresponds to the area worked on by the implement 20, and is determined by the width of the implement 20, the amount of overlap with the work trace, and the distance traveled. The information display unit 670 is provided with a pull-down button 671. When the pull-down button 671 is selected, a pull-down menu 673 is displayed, as shown in Figure 13. In this example, in addition to the currently displayed "work area," the pull-down menu 673 also displays "work progress rate" and "work completion time." However, the pull-down menu 673 shown in Figure 13 is just one example, and other information may be displayed.

[0072] The currently displayed item ("Worked Area") is shown in a different format from the other items ("Work Progress Rate" and "Work Completion Time") for easier viewing by the worker. When "Work Progress Rate" is selected from the pull-down menu 673, the percentage of the worked area in the planned work area is displayed. When "Work Completion Time" is selected, the estimated work completion time is displayed, calculated based on the remaining work area (planned work area minus the worked area) and the current speed of the mobile unit 10. Note that when the pull-up button 672 is selected while the pull-down menu 673 is displayed, the pull-down menu 673 is hidden, as shown in Figure 12. Return to the normal state.

[0073] Figure 14 shows an example of a method for notifying an operator of guidance to change working conditions in a method for displaying field condition determination results according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 14, in the real-time determination result 660, for example, if the field condition can be made "optimal" 665 (first determination result) by slightly changing the working conditions, such as "Good 1" 663 and "Good 2" 667 (second determination result), the operator is notified of work guidance 675 to change the working conditions of at least one of the traveling machine 10 and the implement 20. In Figure 14, the work guidance 675 is notified by displaying a ticker on the screen, but the work guidance may be notified by voice instead of a ticker.

[0074] Furthermore, if the real-time judgment result 660 is "insufficient" 669 (third judgment result), this work guidance 675 does not need to be notified. The reason is that in the case of "insufficient" 669, even if the work conditions are slightly changed, it will not become "optimal" 665, so changing the work conditions may have no effect. In such cases, work may be allowed to continue without notifying work guidance 675, and a work path may be proposed to prioritize working on the "insufficient" 669 block, as described later. The above work guidance 675 is also not notified when the real-time judgment result 660 is "optimal" 665. However, the above work guidance 675 may be notified in the case of "insufficient" 669. The same applies in the case of "excess" 661.

[0075] Figure 14(A) shows the method of notifying work guidance when the real-time judgment result 660 is "Good 2" 667. "Good 2" 667 is a judgment result in which the soil pulverization performance of the field surface is slightly worse than "Optimal" 665. In other words, by changing the work conditions to conditions in which the amount of work on the field is increased and the soil pulverization performance of the field surface is improved compared to the current work conditions, "Good 2" 667 may change to "Optimal" 665. In such cases, the work guidance 675 displays "Please slow down the vehicle speed" to prompt the worker to change the work conditions. By slowing down the vehicle speed of the traveling machine 10, the effect of the rotor 207 on the field is increased, and the soil pulverization performance of the field surface can be improved. As a result, the field condition can be brought closer to "Optimal" 665 from "Good 2" 667.

[0076] In addition, instead of displaying "Slow down the vehicle speed" in the work guidance 675, it may be displayed as "Increase the rotor rotation speed," or "Press the apron," or "Increase the pressure on the apron." Furthermore, if the field does not become "Excessive" 661, "Good 1" 663, or "Optimal" 665 even after changing the working conditions or performing the work multiple times, or if the value of the potentiometer 510 is extremely small, it is possible that the height of the implement 20 relative to the traveling machine 10 is set higher than the appropriate position, in which case it may be displayed as "Lower the implement." By increasing the rotation speed of the rotor 207, the soil crushing ability of the field surface can be improved in the same way as when the vehicle speed of the traveling machine 10 is slowed. Pressurization of the apron is performed by an apron pressurization mechanism provided between the extension shield cover 410 and the extension apron 420. When the apron 220 is pressurized (or the pressure applied to the apron 220 is increased), the apron 220 rotates downward relative to the shield cover 210, causing soil and other materials from the field to accumulate on the apron 220. This improves the soil-breaking ability of the field surface, similar to when the speed of the traveling machine 10 is reduced.

[0077] Figure 14(B) shows the method of notifying work guidance when the real-time judgment result 660 is "Good 1" 663. "Good 1" 663 is a judgment result where the soil pulverization of the field surface is slightly excessively good compared to "Optimal" 665. In other words, by changing the work conditions to conditions where the amount of work done on the field is less than the current work conditions and the soil pulverization of the field surface is reduced, "Good 1" 663 The condition may change to "Optimal" 665. In such cases, the work guidance 675 displays "Increase vehicle speed" to prompt the worker to change the work conditions. By increasing the speed of the traveling machine 10, the effect of the rotor 207 on the field is reduced, and the soil crushing ability of the field surface can be decreased. As a result, the field condition can be brought closer to "Optimal" 665 from "Good 1" 663. If the judgment result is "Good 1" 663, the speed of the traveling machine 10 can be increased, thus improving work efficiency.

[0078] Alternatively, instead of displaying "Increase vehicle speed" in the work guidance 675, it may be displayed as "Decrease rotor rotation speed," "Release apron pressure," or "Reduce apron pressure." By decreasing the rotation speed of the rotor 207, the soil-crushing properties of the field surface can be reduced in the same way as when the vehicle speed of the traveling machine 10 is increased. By releasing the pressure on the apron 220 (or reducing the pressure on the apron 220), soil and other materials in the field are less likely to accumulate, thus reducing the soil-crushing properties of the field surface in the same way as when the vehicle speed of the traveling machine 10 is increased.

[0079] Figure 15 shows an example of displaying an appropriate work route using the field condition determination result according to an embodiment of the present invention. The example shown in Figure 15 is one in which the second work route 679 is determined based on the determination result from the first work performed on the field. In particular, this example shows a work route 679 that preferentially passes through blocks that were determined to be "insufficient" in the first work. In the example in Figure 15, the work route 679 does not pass through rows where there are no blocks determined to be "insufficient" (blocks arranged north-south), but only through rows where there are blocks determined to be "insufficient". For the sake of explanation, we will use the terms "first work route" and "second work route" here, but this only refers to the order of work. In other words, the "first work route" is not limited to the route used to perform work on the field for the first time.

[0080] In Figure 15, the second work path 679 is a straight path in the row direction (north-south direction) for the mobile machine 10, similar to the first work path 677 (see Figure 12). However, the second work path 679 may also be a straight path in the row direction (east-west direction) for the mobile machine 10. Also, in Figure 15, the straight path in the row direction for the second work path 679 passes through all the blocks arranged in the row direction, but it may turn or reverse in the middle of the blocks arranged in the row direction. Although not shown in the figure, when displaying the field condition judgment result from the second operation, it is possible to display it in a way that overwrites the field condition judgment result from the first operation. However, in order to distinguish between the judgment results from the first and second operations, for example, the judgment result from the first operation may be displayed faintly or semi-transparently. Alternatively, the judgment results from the first and second operations may be displayed in separate windows.

[0081] Furthermore, when determining the first work path 677 and the second work path 679, the work path can be determined including the deployment or folding of the extension work section 400 of the work machine 20. For example, the first work path 677 may be a work path with the extension work section 400 deployed, and the second work path 679 may be a work path with the extension work section 400 folded. Of course, conversely, the first work path 677 may be a work path with the extension work section 400 folded, and the second work path 679 may be a work path with the extension work section 400 deployed.

[0082] Additionally, if there are multiple judgment results from past operations, the results of the two most recent operations will be displayed. However, the operator can also choose to retrieve judgment results from any past operation.

[0083] In this way, workers can evaluate the field conditions obtained as a result of their work while working in the field. Furthermore, the evaluation results are displayed on the field map 650, which allows workers to assess the field conditions. The worker can easily see at a glance areas where work is insufficient and areas where no further work is needed. Furthermore, since the work route for subsequent runs is determined based on the field map 650 which includes the assessment results, the system can display a work route that prioritizes areas requiring additional work, thus suggesting an efficient work route to the worker.

[0084] In this embodiment, a configuration is illustrated in which the quality of the field condition is determined based on changes in the vertical movement of the leveler 230, but the system is not limited to this configuration. For example, the system may determine whether the field condition falls under certain specific conditions based on changes in the vertical movement of the leveler 230. Also, in this embodiment, a configuration is illustrated in which the field condition is determined based on changes in the vertical movement of a grounding member such as the leveler 230, that is, based on the magnitude of the unevenness of the field surface, but the system is not limited to this configuration. For example, the field condition may be determined by evaluating the difference in the field condition before and after work by the implement 20 using a non-contact method and determining the evaluation result. As a non-contact method, for example, image analysis of images captured by a camera, distance measuring devices using ultrasound or infrared, and distance measuring devices using light (LiDAR; Light imaging Detection and Ranging) can be used. Another method is that if the soil mass is large, the resistance to the work of the implement 20 is large, so the torque of the PTO shaft becomes large. Therefore, the field condition can be determined based on the fluctuation of the torque of the PTO shaft. Alternatively, the field conditions may be determined by measuring the vibration of a rake (or hand-held rake) attached to the lower part of the apron 220.

[0085] Figure 16 shows an example of a method for changing the criteria for determining the field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16(A) shows the display screen before changing the criteria, and (B) shows the display screen after changing the criteria. The display screen shown in Figure 16(A) is similar to the display screen in Figure 12, but differs from the display screen in Figure 12 in that the criteria change 680A is displayed in the lower left of the field map 650A. Other than that, it is the same as the display screen in Figure 12, so the explanation is omitted.

[0086] The criteria for determining field conditions are defined by LUT630 shown in Figure 10, and the determination results are displayed as shown in Figure 16 (A). However, some operators may prefer a determination result different from that defined by LUT630. For example, even if a field condition is judged as "excessive" according to the predetermined criteria, an operator may prefer that field condition. In such cases, the determination criteria can be automatically changed using the method shown below.

[0087] When an operator selects criterion change 680A, the range of the adjacent PV statistics determination range 635 of LUT630 is changed so that the field condition currently being worked on is included in the "optimal" judgment result. In this change, the difference between the upper and lower limits of the adjacent PV statistics determination range 635 associated with the "optimal" judgment result, i.e., the width of the adjacent PV statistics determination range 635 judged as "optimal," is maintained, while both the upper and lower limits are changed. Following this change, the adjacent PV statistics 645 in the data table 640 shown in Figure 11 are re-evaluated, and the re-evaluation result is reflected in the judgment result 647. Based on this re-evaluation result of judgment result 647, the field map 650B shown in Figure 16(B) is updated. The reflection of the re-evaluation result in the field map 650B described above is limited to the field currently being worked on. However, the reflection of the judgment result may be applied to fields other than the field currently being worked on. The above-mentioned criteria are changed by the control unit 191 or control unit 291 shown in Figure 2. As described above, when criterion change 680A is selected, the adjacent PV statistics 645 may be re-evaluated, and the result may be overwritten in the data table 640. Alternatively, the information after criterion change 680A is selected may be stored in the data table 640 together with the information before criterion change 680A was selected.

[0088] In Figure 16 (A), a portion of the work area that was judged as "excessive" in field map 650A has been changed to a "optimal" judgment in field map 650B in Figure 16 (B). Some work sections that were judged as "optimal" in map 650A are now judged as "insufficient" in field map 650B. After selecting criterion change 680A, the judgment results will be displayed based on the changed judgment criteria as described above. In this way, even during work, you can change the judgment criteria simply by selecting criterion change 680A, without having to manually change the settings of LUT630.

[0089] In this embodiment, when criterion change 680A is selected, the judgment results of the areas determined up to that point are updated based on the judgment criteria changed by the selection of criterion change 680A. However, it is not necessary to update the judgment results determined before the selection of criterion change 680A. Also, in this embodiment, when criterion change 680A is selected, the LUT 630 is modified so that the field conditions currently being worked on are included in the "optimal" judgment result. However, the modification of LUT 630 may also be performed by selecting a block of field conditions to be included in the "optimal" judgment result after selecting criterion change 680A.

[0090] [Configuration of Level Angle Detection Mechanism 500] The detailed configuration of the leveler angle detection mechanism 500 will be described using Figures 17 and 18. Figure 17 is a side view showing details of the leveler angle detection mechanism of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 is a top view showing details of the leveler angle detection mechanism of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. For the purposes of the following explanation, the potentiometer 510 and the connecting rotating member 560 are drawn with thicker lines than the other members.

[0091] First, the connection structure between the first arm portion 520 and the second arm portion 530 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 18, the first arm portion 520 is connected to a first arm connecting portion 521 that extends from the first arm portion 520 to the second arm portion 530. The tip of the first arm connecting portion 521 is connected to a second arm connecting portion 523. The second arm connecting portion 523 is cylindrical, and the second arm portion 530 is inserted into the hollow part of the cylinder. With this configuration, the first arm portion 520 and the second arm portion 530 are connected so that they can slide apart.

[0092] The second arm portion 530 is provided with a first stopper 531 and a second stopper 533. The first elastic portion 540 is provided between the first stopper 531 and the second arm connecting portion 523. The second elastic portion 550 is provided between the second stopper 533 and the second arm connecting portion 523. Since both the first elastic portion 540 and the second elastic portion 550 are positioned in a retracted state, the first elastic portion 540 applies elastic force to the first arm portion 520 and the second arm portion 530 in the direction in which the telescopic rod 590 is retracted, and the second elastic portion 550 applies elastic force to the first arm portion 520 and the second arm portion 530 in the direction in which the telescopic rod 590 is extended. Furthermore, when the first elastic section 540 and the second elastic section 550 are collectively referred to as the elastic section, it can be said that the elastic section imparts elastic force to the first arm section 520 and the second arm section 530 in both the direction of extension and the direction of contraction of the telescopic rod 590.

[0093] Although omitted in the explanation of Figure 4, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the leveler angle detection mechanism 500 further includes a connecting rotating member 560, a bracket 570, and a pivot shaft 580. The connecting rotating member 560 is rotatably connected to the first arm portion 520 via the pivot shaft 580. The connecting rotating member 560 is also rotatably connected to the bracket 570. The potentiometer 510 is mounted on the bracket 570. The bracket 570 is mounted on the base 314 by a fixing portion 575. Note that the potentiometer 510, connecting rotating member 560, bracket 570, and pivot shaft 580 are sometimes collectively referred to as the angle detector.

[0094] The connecting rotating member 560 has a third arm portion 561 and a pivot shaft 563. An opening 565 is provided in the third arm portion 561. The pivot shaft 580 passes through the opening 565, The third arm portion 561 is rotatably connected to the first arm portion 520. The bracket 570 has a first stopper 571 and a second stopper 573. The bracket 570 is also provided with an opening 577. The connecting rotating member 560 is rotatably connected to the bracket 570 by the pivot shaft 563 passing through the opening 577. The first stopper 571 restricts the rotation of the connecting rotating member 560 by contacting the pivot shaft 580 when the connecting rotating member 560 rotates in the R1 direction. This state in which the rotation of the connecting rotating member 560 is restricted by the pivot shaft 580 engaging with the first stopper 571 is called the first rotation limit. The second stopper 573 restricts the rotation of the connecting rotating member 560 by contacting the third arm portion 561 when the connecting rotating member 560 rotates in the R2 direction. The state in which the rotation of the connecting rotating member 560 is restricted by the locking of the third arm portion 561 with the second stopper 573 is called the second rotation limit.

[0095] As described above, the elastic moduli of the first elastic section 540 and the second elastic section 550 are greater than the elastic moduli of the elastic section for returning the potentiometer 510 to its home position. Therefore, within the rotation range of the connecting rotating member 560 between the first rotation limit and the second rotation limit, the connecting rotating member 560 rotates in accordance with the vertical movement of the central leveler 330. On the other hand, when the central leveler 330 moves up and down so that the connecting rotating member 560 rotates beyond the first or second rotation limit, the first elastic section 540 or the second elastic section 550 expands and contracts, causing the telescopic rod 590 to expand and contract, as shown below, and preventing damage to the leveler angle detection mechanism 500.

[0096] Figure 19 is a side view of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the state in which the telescopic rod is fully extended. The state shown in Figure 19 corresponds to the soil-piling state of the leveler. When the central leveler 330 rotates downward so that the connecting rotating member 560 rotates beyond the first rotation limit, the first elastic part 540 contracts and the second elastic part 550 extends, causing the telescopic rod 590 to extend.

[0097] Figure 20 is a side view showing the state in which the telescopic rod is most retracted in a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. The state shown in Figure 20 corresponds to the state in which the leveler is riding up on a ridge or the like. When the central leveler 330 rotates upward so that the connecting rotating member 560 rotates beyond the second rotation limit, the first elastic part 540 extends and the second elastic part 550 contracts, causing the telescopic rod 590 to retract.

[0098] As described above, even if the leveler moves up and down so that the connecting rotating member 560 rotates beyond the first or second rotation limit, damage to the leveler angle detection mechanism 500 can be suppressed without restricting the rotation of the leveler.

[0099] In this embodiment, the field condition determination result may be recorded together with the registered field location information. In other words, the field condition determination result may be recorded as mapping data. In this case, the mapping data of the determination result is recorded in association with other mapping data.

[0100] The mapping data of the field condition determination results obtained as described above can be associated with other mapping data to manage how the field condition affects the crops produced in that field. Figure 21 is a diagram showing an example of a data management method obtained by the field condition determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 21, in addition to the various data shown in Figure 11, tillage depth 691C, yield 693C, and fertilizer application amount 695C are associated with each other and stored in data table 640C. Note that tillage depth 691C, yield 693C, and fertilizer application amount 695C may be the mean value in the interval 641C, or they may be the standard deviation, similar to the adjacent PV statistics 645C.

[0101] The tillage depth 691C is, for example, the height of the implement 20 relative to the traveling machine body 10, and the apron 22 It can be obtained based on the rotation angle of the shield cover 210. Alternatively, the tilling depth 691C may be obtained based on the rotation angle of the leveler 230 relative to the apron 220, in addition to the rotation angle described above.

[0102] Yield 693C is data obtained, for example, when harvesting crops using a harvesting machine. The yield 693C data is mapping data, similar to the field condition determination results. Since the device used to acquire yield 693C is different from the implement 20 in this embodiment, the size of the blocks for the determination result 647C and the size of the blocks for the yield obtained by the harvesting machine may differ. An example of this is shown in Figures 22 and 23. Figure 22(A) is a field map 650C displaying the mapping data for the determination result 647C. Figure 22(B) is a field map 700C displaying the mapping data for yield 693C.

[0103] In Figure 22(A), block 651C is a work section with a judgment result of "excess," block 653C is a work section with a judgment result of "insufficient," and block 655C is a work section with a judgment result of "optimal." In Figure 22(B), block 701C is a work section with a yield of "high," block 703C is a work section with a yield of "low," and block 705C is a work section with a yield of "average." Note that field maps 650C and 700C represent the same field and have the same field size. Field map 650C is divided into width:length in an 8:6 ratio, while field map 700C is divided into width:length in a 5:4 ratio. In other words, the size of one block in field map 650C and field map 700C are different.

[0104] Thus, when the size of one block differs in different field maps, the mapping data for yield 693C is divided at the boundary of the block for judgment result 647C (dotted line in Figure 23), as shown in Figure 23. In the case of Figure 23, the yield data for block 703C is recorded in data table 640C as the yield 693C data corresponding to judgment result 647C for block 651C. The average value of the yield data for blocks 703C and 705C is recorded in data table 640C as the yield 693C data corresponding to judgment result 647C for block 653C. Note that the average value of the yield data may be a weighted average obtained by weighting the ratio of the area occupied by the yield data for block 703C and the area occupied by the yield data for block 705C in block 653C.

[0105] As described above, if a block corresponding to judgment result 647C contains multiple yield data, the average or weighted average of those yield data shall be treated as the yield data for that block. However, if a single block contains multiple yield data as described above, any one of the multiple yield data may be treated as the yield data for that block. As a method for selecting one yield data from multiple yield data, the yield data with the largest occupied area in that block may be adopted, or the yield data with the highest or lowest yield may be adopted.

[0106] As described above, if multiple mapping data sets exist for a single field, this information will be displayed to the worker upon request. When displaying this information to the worker, it may be displayed side-by-side as shown in Figures 22(A) and (B), or it may be displayed overlaid as shown in Figure 23. The worker can review the above display and, for example, modify the judgment criteria as shown in the example in Figure 16 so that the field condition judgment result for blocks with high yields is included in "optimal".

[0107] The above describes yield 693C, but tillage depth 691C and fertilizer application rate 695C can be treated in the same manner as described above.

[0108] The data related to the data table 640C shown in Figure 21 may be stored in a storage device connected to the control unit 191 of the traveling machine 10, in a storage device connected to the control unit 291 of the work machine 20, or in a storage device of a server connected to the communication unit of the traveling machine 10 or the work machine 20 via a network, or in external storage connected to the server via a network.

[0109] When acquiring field mapping data with a harvester or other implement, the field information registered by the field registration method shown in Figures 5 and 6 can be used. For example, since the registered field information includes field location information, the field to be worked on can be identified based on the current position of the harvester or other implement, or candidate fields may be displayed to the operator.

[0110] The data related to data table 640C shown in Figure 21 may be read out the next time the field is worked on. If the judgment criteria have not been changed as described above, for example, when working on a block where the judgment result is "optimal" but the yield is "average" or "low" (a block that does not yield the best result), the operator may be shown work operation guidance such as "increase vehicle speed" or "decrease vehicle speed", "decrease rotor rotation speed" or "increase rotor rotation speed", or "pressurize apron" or "release apron pressure" to bring the judgment result of that block closer to the judgment result of a block with a "high" yield.

[0111] <Second Embodiment> This embodiment describes a configuration in which the judgment criteria for the real-time judgment result 660 are changed depending on the soil type of the field. Soil types can be broadly classified into sandy soil, sandy loam, loam, clay loam, and clay. Sandy soil refers to a state that is almost entirely sand. On the other hand, clay refers to a state that is almost entirely clay. Loam refers to a state that is roughly half sand and half clay. Sandy loam refers to a state where sand and clay are mixed, with a higher proportion of sand. Clay loam refers to a state where sand and clay are mixed, with a higher proportion of clay. In the case of a soil type with a high proportion of sand, even if the field is judged as "insufficient" in the real-time judgment result, it is relatively easy to change "insufficient" to "optimal". On the other hand, in the case of a soil type with a high proportion of clay, more work is required to change "insufficient" to "optimal" compared to the case of sandy soil. Therefore, it is preferable to change the judgment criteria for the real-time judgment result according to the soil type. In particular, as shown in Figure 14, it is preferable to change the criteria for determining the "Good 1" 663 and "Good 2" 667 results when notifying the work guidance 675, according to the soil type. The embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 24 and 25.

[0112] Figure 24 shows an example of displaying the field condition determination results on a monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display screen shown in Figure 24 is similar to the display screen shown in Figure 12, but differs from the display screen shown in Figure 12 in the soil type display on the monitor 110D and the display of the real-time determination results 660D.

[0113] As shown in Figure 24, a soil type display unit 710D is provided to the left of the real-time judgment result 660D. Furthermore, the width of the gauges for each judgment result ("Excessive" 661D, "Good 1" 663D, "Optimal" 665D, "Good 2" 667D, and "Insufficient" 669D) in the real-time judgment result 660D is displayed with different widths according to the range of each judgment result in the adjacent PV statistical value judgment range 635 shown in Figure 10. The cursor 666D is displayed analogously according to the adjacent PV values ​​(PV1, PV2, PV3) in Figure 8. In this embodiment, the cursor 666D is displayed analogously, and the width of the gauges for each judgment result in the real-time judgment result 660D is displayed with different widths, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 12, the range of each judgment result in the real-time judgment result 660 may differ depending on the soil type. That is, as shown in Figure 12, the real-time judgment result 660 The width of the gauge for each judgment result may be the same, and the cursor 666 may be configured to indicate one of the judgment results depending on the result.

[0114] The soil type display unit 710D displays one of the following soil types: sandy soil, sandy loam, loam, clay loam, or clay. The above soil type is determined by the operator's settings. However, the above soil type may also be automatically determined based on location information detected by the GNSS installed in the mobile unit 10D or work machine 20D, and regional soil type information published on the web or managed by a server connected to the communication unit of the mobile unit 10D or work machine 20D. Furthermore, the soil type classification may be fewer or more than the five types listed above. Alternatively, the soil type may be classified by items different from those listed above.

[0115] The gauge width of the real-time judgment result 660D in Figure 24 will be explained in detail using Figure 25. Figure 25 is a diagram showing an example of a real-time judgment result of the field condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 25(A) is the real-time judgment result 660D when the soil type is clayey, and (B) is the real-time judgment result 660E when the soil type is sandy.

[0116] As shown in Figure 25(A), the width of "Good 2" 667D is displayed smaller than the widths of "Excessive" 661D, "Good 1" 663D, and "Optimal" 665D, while the width of "Insufficient" 669D is displayed larger. As shown in the soil type display section 710D, the soil type of the field shown in Figure 24 is clayey. As described above, clayey is almost entirely clay, and more work is required to break it down into fine clumps compared to other cases. In other words, among the conditions that deviate from "Optimal" 665D towards "Insufficient" 669D, only those conditions close to "Optimal" 665D can be brought to "Optimal" 665D by changing the working conditions, while conditions that deviate from "Optimal" 665D cannot benefit from changing the working conditions. For these reasons, the width of "Good 2" 667D is displayed relatively small, while the width of "Insufficient" 669D is displayed relatively large.

[0117] As shown in Figure 25(B), the widths for "excessive" 661E, "good 1" 663E, and "insufficient" 669E are displayed smaller than the widths for "optimal" 665E and "good 2" 667E. Unlike the case of clay described above, sandy soil can be broken up relatively easily. In other words, most of the soil clumps are broken down into small pieces in a single operation. Also, by changing the working conditions, conditions that deviate from "optimal" 665E to "insufficient" 669E can easily be brought back to "optimal" 665E. Therefore, the range in which "optimal" 665E is judged is set to be wide. For these reasons, as described above, the widths for "optimal" 665E and "good 2" 667E are displayed relatively large, while the widths for "excessive" 661E, "good 1" 663E, and "insufficient" 669E are displayed relatively small.

[0118] As described above, the gauge width of each judgment result in the real-time judgment result 660D in Figure 24 differs depending on the soil type displayed in the soil type display unit 710D. In other words, the range of each judgment result in the adjacent PV statistical value judgment range 635 shown in Figure 10 differs depending on the soil type. To put it another way, a LUT 630 is set for each soil type, and in accordance with the switching of the soil type in the soil type display unit 710D, the LUT 630 used as the judgment criterion is switched, and the gauge width of each judgment result in the real-time judgment result 660D is determined according to the adjacent PV statistical value judgment range 635 of the switched LUT 630. Here, the above soil type information may be stored in the data tables 640 and 640C shown in Figures 11 and 21 along with each judgment result.

[0119] As described above, the criteria for the real-time judgment result 660 are changed depending on the soil type, allowing workers to be notified of working conditions suitable for the field they are working in.

[0120] <Third Embodiment> This embodiment describes a field registration method different from that of the first embodiment. Figure 6 of the first embodiment shows a field registration method in which the size of the long and short sides of the field is input, and an image corresponding to the positional relationship between the mobile vehicle 10 and the field is selected to register the field's location information. In this embodiment, a method for registering the field's location information based on the direction of movement of the mobile vehicle 10 after it enters the field, by inputting the sizes of the two sides, will be explained using Figure 26.

[0121] Figure 26 shows an example of an interface displayed on a screen in a field condition determination method according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 26(A) shows the interface displayed on the monitor 110F. Figure 26(B) shows a method for determining the field position information based on the movement direction of the traveling machine 10.

[0122] The interface in Figure 26(A) is similar to the interface in Figure 6, but the monitor 110F displays the input area 611F and the entry start button 720F, and does not display the position selection area 613 as in Figure 6. The input area 611F is provided with input fields for the field name 617F, the first side size 618F, and the second side size 619F. An arbitrary name is entered in the field name 617F input field. The first side size 618F input field is used to input the size of the field's side (first side) in the direction of travel of the vehicle 10 when it enters the field. The second side size 619F input field is used to input the size of the side (second side) that intersects with the first side. The entry start button 720F is pressed before the vehicle 10 enters the field.

[0123] In this embodiment, the field location information is determined based on the direction of movement of the mobile unit 10 after the entry start button 720F is pressed. First, based on the relative sizes of the first side size 618F and the second side size 619F, one of the four states shown in Figure 26(B) is selected that corresponds to the current positional relationship between the mobile unit 10F and the field. For example, if the first side size 618F is larger than the second side size 619F, state A or B is selected. On the other hand, if the first side size 618F is smaller than the second side size 619F, state C or D is selected. If state A or B is selected and the mobile unit 10 moves to the right after entering the field, state B is selected and the field location information is determined. On the other hand, if state A or B is selected and the mobile unit 10 moves to the left after entering the field, state A is selected and the field location information is determined. In this way, the operator can determine the field's location simply by inputting the dimensions of the two sides of the field and then moving the mobile machine 10 into the field. In other words, the operator's operational burden can be reduced. Alternatively, the monitor 110F may display icons A to D shown in Figure 26 (B), and the operator may determine the field's location by inputting the first side size 618F and the second side size 619F and then selecting one of the icons A to D.

[0124] <Fourth Embodiment> This embodiment describes a field determination method different from that of the first and second embodiments. Unlike the block determination and real-time determination described above, this embodiment describes field determination for the entire field. As shown in Figure 27, the field determination result for the entire field (field determination result) is derived based on the proportion of blocks determined to be "insufficient" out of all blocks in the field. In other words, the field determination result is derived based on the proportion of the block determination results that were determined to be unsatisfactory based on the pass / fail criteria (block pass / fail criteria) among the block determination results described above. The block pass / fail criteria are criteria for determining the pass or fail of each block, derived based on the determination result of each block ("optimal", "excess", or "insufficient"). In the following description, an example is given in which the field determination result is derived based on block pass / fail criteria in which block determination results determined to be "optimal" and "excess" are passed, and block determination results determined to be "insufficient" are failed. However, the block pass / fail criteria are not limited to this example and can be freely set by the operator.

[0125] For example, if the total number of blocks in a field is 50, and the number of blocks judged as "insufficient" is 5 or less (i.e., the percentage of blocks judged as "insufficient" is 10% or less), the field evaluation result can be judged as "pass". On the other hand, if the number of blocks judged as "insufficient" is 6 or more (i.e., the percentage of blocks judged as "insufficient" is greater than 10%), the field evaluation result can be judged as "fail". If the field evaluation result is "pass", a notification such as "The work has been completed successfully" will be displayed on the screen, as shown in Figure 27. On the other hand, if the field evaluation result is "fail", a notification such as "Please perform the work again" will be displayed instead of the above notification. Note that the criteria for judging "pass" and "fail" (field evaluation criteria) can be freely set by the operator.

[0126] The present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0127] 10: Traveling machine body, 20: Work equipment, 100: Vehicle body, 110: Monitor, 120: Three-point linkage mechanism, 121: Communication unit, 191: Control unit, 193: Display unit, 195: Position detection unit, 200: Frame, 201: Main frame, 203: Chain case, 205: Side frame, 207: Rotor, Shield cover 210, 220: Apron, 230: Leveler, 291: Control unit, 293: Detection unit, 300: Central work unit, 310: Central shield cover, 320: Central apron, 330: Central leveler, 332: Second connection unit, 400: Extension work unit, 410: Extension shield cover, 414, 434: Base, 420: Extension apron, 422, 432: Connection unit, 430: Extension leveler, 490: Leveler extension unit, 500: Leveler angle detection mechanism, 501: Control box, 510: Potentiometer, 520: First arm unit, 521: First arm connection unit, 523: Second arm connecting part, 530: Second arm part, 531: First stopper, 533: Second stopper, 540: First elastic part, 550: Second elastic part, 560: Connecting rotating member, 561: Third arm part, 563: Rotating shaft, 565: Opening, 570: Bracket, 571: First stopper, 573: Second stopper, 575: Fixed part, 577: Opening, 580: Rotating axis, 590: Telescopic rod, 611: Input area, 613: Position selection area, 615: Input frame, 630: LUT, 631: Judgment result, 633: Selection, 635: Adjacent PV statistical value judgment range, 640: Data table, 641: Interval, 643: Plot data, 645: Adjacent PV statistics, 647: Judgment result, 650, 700C: Field map, 651, 653, 655, 701C, 703C, 705C: Block, 657: Mobile vehicle icon, 660: Real-time judgment result, 670: Various information display section, 680A: Criteria change, 691C: Tillage depth, 693C: Yield, 695C: Fertilizer application amount, 710D: Soil type display section, 720F: Start entry button, 730G: Field judgment result

Claims

1. The condition of the soil crushing or leveling of the field after work with the implement is determined based on the first judgment criterion. A program that, when a worker selects to change the criteria, causes the computer to change the criteria for determining the soil condition or leveling condition of the field from the first criteria to a second criteria based on the soil condition or leveling condition of the field as performed by the work machine when the selection to change the criteria is made.

2. The first determination result, determined based on the first determination criterion, is displayed on the display unit. The display unit displays a standard change mark indicating that the standard change selection is accepted. The program according to claim 1, wherein, based on the operator selecting the criterion change mark, the criteria for determining the soil condition or leveling condition of the field are changed from the first criterion to the second criterion.

3. When the criteria for determining the soil condition or leveling of the field are changed to the second criteria, the soil condition or leveling of the field, which was determined based on the first criteria, is re-determined based on the second criteria. The program according to claim 2, wherein the second determination result determined based on the second determination criterion is displayed on the display unit.

4. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the criteria for determining the soil condition or leveling condition of the field is changed to the second criteria, the program stores the criteria value based on the second criteria in the storage unit.

5. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the determination result of the soil condition and leveling condition of the field based on the work performed when the aforementioned criterion change selection is made is included in the best determination result among a plurality of determination results determined based on the second determination criterion.

6. The state of soil pulverization or leveling of the field after work with the implement is determined based on the first judgment criterion. Multiple judgment results determined based on the first judgment criterion are displayed on the display unit. A program that, when one of the multiple judgment results displayed on the display unit is selected, causes the computer to change the criteria for determining the soil condition or leveling condition of the field from the first judgment criterion to the second judgment criterion based on the selected judgment result.

7. The program according to claim 6, wherein the second determination criterion is the selected determination result of the first, which is the best determination result.

8. Work equipment and A system comprising: a program that determines the state of soil pulverization or leveling of a field worked on by the aforementioned implement based on a first judgment criterion, and when the operator selects to change the criterion, a program that causes the computer to execute a change in the criterion for determining the state of soil pulverization or leveling of the field from the first judgment criterion to a second judgment criterion based on the state of soil pulverization or leveling of the field worked on by the aforementioned implement when the selection to change the criterion was made.

Images