A method for cultivating a slope field plot, and a method and system for generating a cultivation plan

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of cultivating a plot of land using an autonomous agricultural vehicle, the method for performing an agricultural operation to achieve said cultivation, the method comprising generating a cultivation plan for the plot of land, the plan comprising a plurality of contiguous paths extending over the plot of land, the autonomous vehicle to traverse the paths in a predetermined order, and, after generating the plan, controlling the autonomous vehicle so that it traverses the land by moving over each of said plurality of contiguous paths according to the predetermined order, characterized in that the predetermined direction of movement of the autonomous vehicle over each of the paths depends on the angle of inclination of each of the paths. The invention also relates to a method and system for generating a cultivation plan for such an autonomous vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for cultivating a piece of sloping farmland using an autonomous agricultural vehicle to perform agricultural operations for the cultivation. The method includes generating a cultivation plan for the sloping farmland, the plan comprising multiple adjacent paths extending from the sloping farmland, the autonomous agricultural vehicle traversing the multiple adjacent paths in a predetermined order, and, after the plan is generated, controlling the autonomous agricultural vehicle to traverse the land by moving along each of the multiple adjacent paths according to the predetermined order. The invention also relates to a method and system for generating such a cultivation plan for an autonomous agricultural vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The adoption of agricultural technologies has improved the methods farmers use in cultivating the land today. Modern agriculture makes it easier for farmers to achieve high yields while using fewer inputs, especially less labor. Based on trends in agricultural technology use, there is considerable interest in whether the future of agriculture is bright. For example, agricultural mechanization has reduced the over-reliance on human labor in some agricultural activities. As a result, agricultural machines are becoming larger and more focused on performing a single type of cultivation. The introduction of autonomous agricultural vehicles, such as self-driving tractors that are operatively connected to agricultural machines like plows, is considered a next step towards the future of agriculture, with the expectation that the use of autonomous vehicles will allow for more freedom in cultivating the land and even with less labor.

[0003] Today, self-driving cars are commonplace. Based on trends in technological advancement, this technology is expected to be applied to farming as well. Currently, farmers in developed countries are developing tactical methods for planting, harvesting, and maintaining crops. A prime example of these new tactical methods is the use of autonomous vehicles in agriculture. The concept of autonomous vehicles (now also known as autonomous tractors) dates back to before the introduction of precision agriculture in the 1980s. In those days, farmers used GPS technology as a guide for tractors navigating the fields. The aim was to reduce fuel consumption and improve the efficiency of tractors and agricultural activities. Therefore, these initial steps, following the introduction of technologies that improved wireless communication, laid the foundation for the development of autonomous tractors. Autonomous tractors employ largely the same approach as driverless vehicles, namely, the use of advanced control systems and sensors. With the addition of automatic steering capabilities, these tractors gain increased control. Clearly, the emergence of autonomous tractors largely reflects the expanded use of agricultural technology.

[0004] The benefits to farmers are obvious. It's an undeniable fact that agriculture is not an easy business; it involves long hours and strenuous labor in harsh weather conditions. Given the general situation of farmers, most of them don't have employees working in the fields, so everything must be done by themselves. Autonomous tractors could be a positive outcome. Furthermore, accuracy and precision are crucial aspects of agriculture, such as planting. In short, using such tractors can result in a higher return on investment due to improved accuracy.

[0005] It is widely recognized that data plays a crucial role in influencing farmers' decision-making. Often, a lack of clear and reliable data can interfere with farmers' decisions and subsequently negatively impact the amount of output obtained from the field. Farmers need data from multiple sources and of various types to succeed in agricultural activities. For example, soil data is important because it helps farmers determine which crops will grow well on a given plot of land by establishing moisture and nutrient content. Automated tractors can be equipped with various sensors that can be used to collect data on soil conditions, thus providing a platform for improving the yield of available crops. Therefore, eliminating human interaction in agriculture may be beneficial after the adoption of automated tractors. Overworked employees cannot achieve the required levels of efficiency on-site. Similarly, humans often struggle to manage a variety of tasks on a farm, especially when large tracts of land are involved. Automated tractors, with appropriate sensors, can provide the necessary assistance in managing multiple tasks on the farm, thereby reducing stress and workload on the farm.

[0006] Automated tractors employ advanced technologies for gathering high-profile information. For example, some models feature automatic steering and GPS technology, enhancing control over the tractor's course. Advanced sensors are used to determine soil moisture levels, activities around planting and harvesting, current yield, and the amount of fuel required for a given area of ​​land. Furthermore, other models of automated tractors can guide farmers on fertilization techniques.

[0007] Autonomous tractors can precisely control work and agricultural equipment. This allows farmers to extend their working hours. Even in low visibility conditions and at night, sensors mounted on the tractors can guide them along the correct routes: work continues even in windy, dusty, and foggy conditions. Furthermore, the tractors' ability to reduce the workload and stress of employees comes in handy when working hours increase, as farmers have greater flexibility in managing their growing workload.

[0008] Therefore, it is well known that the best way to use autonomous vehicles is to establish a cultivation plan for the farmland. This plan includes multiple adjacent paths extending across the farmland, through which the autonomous vehicle will traverse in a predetermined order. After the plan is generated, the autonomous vehicle is controlled to traverse the land by moving along each of the multiple adjacent paths according to the predetermined order. Furthermore, the operation of the actual agricultural machinery (which may be part of or coupled to a vehicle) (e.g., its drive speed, its height relative to the land, its angle relative to the land, etc.) is controlled using sensor technology to adapt the predetermined plan to the specific conditions of actual land cultivation. For example, this might include objects not present on the land at the time the plan was formulated, weather conditions, etc. This is particularly important when the farmland is sloping, thus including hilly areas. Several solutions in this regard are provided in the art.

[0009] JP3589736 (assigned to Yanmar Agricultural Equipment Co., Ltd.) discloses an autonomously moving agricultural vehicle capable of adjusting engine load based on the detection of a tilt sensor and stabilizing and maintaining the engine load by anticipating the tilt of the tractor. This tilt sensor detects the vehicle's tilt in the direction of movement. This is achieved by controlling the vertical position of the ground work machine connected to the tractor based on changes in engine load and the detection of the tractor's tilt. In this way, the engine load is adjusted based on tilt detection. A drawback is that, due to the need for locally applied adjustments, this agricultural operation is not optimal for the length of the tilted portion of the path.

[0010] DE19544112 (assigned to Claas KGa GmbH) discloses a method for generating a cultivation plan for a plot of arable land. This method includes generating three-dimensional coordinates of the plot using a GPS system and providing a cultivation plan based on these coordinates. It discloses that the three-dimensional coordinates can be used to adjust machine operation according to the local inclination of the arable land. Therefore, corresponding to the teachings of JP3589736, the operation itself is locally adjusted to the inclination angle.

[0011] US10474153 (assigned to Kubota Corporation) discloses an autonomous agricultural vehicle that travels along multiple adjacent paths on a cultivated plot according to a predetermined cultivation plan. The vehicle includes a tilt sensor, a calculator, an information generator, and a recorder. The tilt sensor is mounted on the vehicle to detect the tilt angle of the vehicle body relative to a horizontal line. The calculator calculates the vehicle's position in the cultivated plot based on positioning data. The information generator outputs information to limit the vehicle's movement at tilt positions on the predetermined paths where the tilt angle detected by the tilt sensor exceeds a threshold angle. The recorder records the area around the tilt position calculated based on the positioning data as the tilt area. Again, it is taught to adjust the performance of the predetermined plan based on measured tilt angles when cultivating the cultivated plot.

[0012] US2020033143 (assigned to Yanmar Co Ltd) discloses a farming plan generation system for autonomous vehicles. The route generation system's elevation information acquisition unit acquires elevation information about the farmland plot for which an autonomous driving route is to be generated, and its driving direction setting unit sets the vehicle's driving direction on that plot of farmland. The route generation system's area setting unit sets multiple areas in the field, including work areas and headlands. Autonomous work paths parallel to the driving direction are generated in the work areas, and connecting paths connecting corresponding autonomous work paths are generated at the headlands. The area setting unit sets the width of the headlands (headlands width) based on vehicle information, elevation information, and driving direction, and the headlands width extends parallel to the driving direction. This is to prevent the vehicle from slipping off its predetermined path at the headlands when turning to another path. The tilt angle information has no other use.

[0013] US2021168989 (assigned to Horsch-Leeb ApplicationSystems GmbH) discloses an automated agricultural vehicle and a method for actively controlling the vehicle to maintain the positioning of the boom coupled to the vehicle when traversing sloping farmland. The vehicle includes a chassis carrying components of the agricultural machinery, a data processing device, a sensor unit for detecting the tilt angle of the chassis relative to a reference plane, and a detection device for detecting the travel speed and / or travel path per unit of time. Active control of the machine is achieved using the data processing device, which is configured to calculate the travel path (particularly per unit of time) using the travel speed, and / or to calculate terrain undulations using the travel path per unit of time and the chassis tilt angle, which changes or remains constant along the path. Therefore, the actual operation of the vehicle is adjusted based on the sensed tilt angle. Summary of the Invention

[0014] The purpose of this invention is to design an improved method for cultivating sloping farmland.

[0015] To achieve the objectives of this invention, the method described above in the general field section of this invention has been designed, with the improvement that the predetermined direction of movement of the autonomous agricultural vehicle on each path depends on the tilt angle of each of these paths. Therefore, instead of adjusting the predetermined plan by sensing the tilt angle of each path during actual cultivation, the direction of movement is predetermined taking the tilt angle into account. Thus, when generating a cultivation plan, the tilt angle is used as a standard for determining the vehicle's direction of movement on each path.

[0016] This invention is based on the recognition that the three-dimensional coordinates of sloping farmland plots can be obtained using modern GPS technology. Therefore, with this three-dimensional data available, the slope angle of each path can be determined in advance. Thus, the route planning—the path sequence and direction—can take this slope angle into account. In this way, adjustments to the operation during actual cultivation can be prevented. For example, if for a certain path the slope angle is so high that adjustments must be made to ensure the vehicle can continue moving without getting stuck while cultivating upwards, the plan can be determined such that for that path, the land is cultivated downwards. Therefore, by considering the slope angle in advance, the direction of movement can be adapted beforehand to that slope angle. This reduces, or even may prevent, the need to adjust cultivation operations during actual execution.

[0017] The invention is also embodied in a method for generating a cultivation plan for an autonomous agricultural vehicle used to cultivate a piece of sloping farmland. The method includes determining multiple adjacent paths extending on the piece of farmland, determining the order in which the autonomous agricultural vehicle will traverse the paths, and determining the direction of movement of the vehicle on each of the multiple adjacent paths, wherein the direction of movement of the autonomous agricultural vehicle on each path depends on the tilt angle of each of the paths.

[0018] The invention also includes a system for planning the cultivation of an autonomous agricultural vehicle for cultivating a piece of sloping farmland. The system includes a processing unit for determining multiple adjacent paths extending on the piece of farmland, determining the order in which the autonomous agricultural vehicle will traverse the paths, and determining the direction of movement of the vehicle on each of the multiple adjacent paths, wherein the direction of movement of the autonomous agricultural vehicle on each path depends on the tilt angle of each of the paths.

[0019] definition A tractor is an agricultural vehicle that typically tills land by towing or carrying agricultural machinery and providing the energy needed to till the land. It is usually (but not always) a powerful vehicle equipped with a gasoline or electric engine, a large rear wheel, or endless belt tracks (so-called caterpillar tracks).

[0020] Autonomous agricultural vehicles are vehicles that can move across plots of land according to a predetermined farming plan without human operator control. Such vehicles can automatically sense their environment, make decisions based on what they perceive and recognize, and then initiate movement or maneuvering within that environment. These decision-based actions may include, but are not limited to, starting, stopping, and maneuvering around obstacles. These vehicles can traverse farmland without continuous human operator control, thus enabling them to cultivate land autonomously.

[0021] Arable land is land that is used or suitable for cultivation.

[0022] Sloping farmland refers to farmland whose surface is not completely horizontal, but whose coordinates are different in the vertical direction.

[0023] Contiguous means that the two sides are in contact along a boundary, and there may be overlap.

[0024] The operator of a machine or equipment is a person who has been trained to control the machine or equipment.

[0025] A cultivation plan for tractor-tilled land plots refers to a plan that at least defines the position, direction, and speed of the corresponding agricultural vehicle as it passes through the land, so that the land can be essentially fully cultivated.

[0026] Automated means without (human) operator intervention. The term "automated" does not preclude something from being started or stopped by an operator, as long as the process can be completed without operator intervention.

[0027] In a first further embodiment of the method for cultivating sloping farmland according to the invention, if the inclination angle of one of the plurality of adjacent paths is higher than a predetermined threshold, the predetermined direction of movement of the vehicle is downward on that path. It is particularly recognized that when the slope is steep, vehicles risk getting stuck while cultivating the land. This can be prevented by ensuring that the vehicle moves downhill on such steep slopes. Although the threshold can have any value, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5° or higher, this embodiment is applied particularly when the inclination angle is higher than 5°, such as 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20° or higher.

[0028] In another embodiment of the method for cultivating sloping farmland according to the invention, for each path, inclination angles are determined on a plurality of consecutive sub-sections of the path. This embodiment is particularly important when the farmland does not have a smooth, continuous upward slope but has a less regular slope pattern. In particular, the inclination angle of the sub-section with the highest inclination angle determines the direction of vehicle movement on that path.

[0029] In another embodiment, in addition to the tilt angle, the direction of movement also depends on the type of agricultural operation. It has been recognized that for certain types of agricultural operations, particularly those in which a large amount of energy is dissipated in the soil, such as plowing or fixed-tooth cultivation, upward movement is only necessary when the tilt angle is very low, which is more important than for other types of operations (such as sowing or spraying).

[0030] In yet another embodiment, for each path, a slope angle is determined on multiple consecutive segments of the path to generate a cultivation plan such that no path includes two segments with a slope angle higher than a threshold, where for one of these segments the slope angle is downward and for the other it is upward. This is particularly advantageous when the land parcel has multiple "summits," such that when crossing the land from one boundary to another, the land slopes upward and downward along a (straight) path. To prevent the same problem from being introduced downstream of the path according to the solution of the invention for preventing vehicles from getting stuck, the path can be selected according to this further embodiment. For example, this might mean that the path does not follow a straight line. However, this is not detrimental to the cultivation of the land as long as all paths combined can cover the land.

[0031] Preferably, the autonomous agricultural vehicle includes an autonomous tractor and an agricultural machine operatively coupled to the autonomous tractor, which performs agricultural operations. The machine can be selected from a set of multiple different agricultural machines. The method can be applied to each of these different machines, particularly to the load required to perform the corresponding agricultural operations for each of these machines.

[0032] It should be noted that any and all embodiments described above or after the example section of the method for cultivating sloping farmland can also be embodied in the method for generating cultivation plans for autonomous agricultural vehicles according to the invention, as well as in the system according to the invention.

[0033] The present invention will now be further illustrated using the following specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 The system according to the invention is shown schematically.

[0035] Figure 2 The illustration shows a sloping farmland plot and the cultivation plan for that plot.

[0036] Figure 3 This is a flowchart describing the method according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Figure 1 Figure 1 A system 1 according to the present invention is schematically illustrated. System 11 has a central processing unit (CPU) 2, which is operatively connected (wirelessly) to a local processing unit 11 of vehicle 10. Note that, as Figure 1Any connection between the electronic components shown can be a wired or wireless connection as is known in the art. System 1 also includes unit 3, which stores data about a piece of land to be cultivated (see [link to system 1]). Figure 2 This includes, for example, GPS coordinates (3D), soil type, and objects in and around the land plot. Using this data, CPU 2 can calculate all slopes in the land plot. Unit 4 includes data on (estimated) weather conditions, as well as other applicable conditions during the planned time period for cultivating the land. The CPU is connected to computer 5, which can be used by a human operator to input various data required for cultivating the planned piece of farmland. This process itself is known in the art. For example, the process described in conjunction with Figures 6-11 of US2020033143 (described above). In this way, system 1 is able to generate a cultivation plan for vehicle 11. The local processing unit of vehicle 11 is connected to engine 12 and steering unit 13 for the actual operation of executing the plan. The cultivation plan generated by system 1 is stored in unit 14 and can be adapted as needed using information provided by the system's CPU 2. The local processing unit 11 can enable the vehicle to execute the plan by controlling engine 12 and steering unit 13.

[0038] The generation of a cultivation plan includes identifying multiple adjoining paths extending across cultivated land plots (see...). Figure 2 The system specifies the sequence in which the autonomous agricultural vehicle traverses these paths, and the direction of movement of the vehicle on each of the multiple adjacent paths. According to the invention, the direction of movement of the autonomous agricultural vehicle on each path depends on the inclination angle of each of these paths. More specifically, based on field information, CPU 2 reads the external shape data of the cultivated land plot received via unit 3 and generates a driving route suitable for the field and its slope. This driving route can be automatically generated based on basic initial parameters input via units 3 and 4, and / or based on input parameters that essentially define the driving route input by the operator via computer 5.

[0039] Figure 2 Figure 2A piece of sloping farmland 20 is schematically shown, along with the cultivation plan for that farmland. The X and Y directions of the farmland are indicated. The farmland is generally flat, with only a moderate slope of less than 3°. This is below the general threshold of 3.5°, meaning that it is possible to traverse any of these slopes in either the uphill or downhill direction without negatively interfering with any operation. There is a sub-segment 40 with a downward slope of 5.5° in the Y direction, a sub-segment 41 with a downward slope of 7° in the Y direction, and a sub-segment 42 with a downward slope of 8° in the Y direction. Any slope greater than the second threshold of 6° (typical for a particular operation, i.e., plowing) is such that, in this particular case, for the required type of operation, the direction of vehicle movement must be downward in order to enable and maintain normal operation.

[0040] To this end, a cultivation plan was developed including eight adjacent paths 21 to 28 and field sections 30, 31, and 32 (marked by dashed lines indicating the relative boundaries of cultivated land 20 along the Y direction). For each path, the direction of vehicle movement is indicated. As shown, the planned path directions and sequence ensure that section 41 is crossed by vehicles traveling downwards. Field section 31 has a greater width (in the X direction) after path 24 and before crossing path 25. This path is not directly adjacent to path 24 to avoid requiring vehicles to cross section 42 in an upward direction. Section 42 is also crossed by vehicles traveling downwards due to path 26, which is located between paths 24 and 25, and whose direction of movement is in the negative Y direction. The presence of section 40 does not pose a problem; in this path configuration, section 40 is crossed by vehicles traveling upwards because its inclination angle is 5.5°, allowing for normal operation when vehicles are traveling upwards. The order of traversing the paths is as follows: after path 26, a wide end section 32 is used again to ensure that the next path 27 runs alongside path 25, and moves in the same direction as when traversing path 25. The final path planned is path 28. In this way, paths 21 to 28 together can completely cultivate the entire field.

[0041] Figure 3 Figure 3 This is a flowchart describing the method according to the present invention. In step 50, based on the preceding... Figure 1 and Figure 2The described process involves establishing a cultivation plan for a piece of sloping farmland. In the next step, 51, a tractor coupled to agricultural machinery for autonomous execution of the plan is positioned on the land. In step 52, the tractor is started and operated according to the cultivation plan. Then, in step 53, to allow for potential fine-tuning of the operation, the operator approaches the tractor. This allows the operator to assess the quality of the cultivation according to the plan and adjust it if necessary, for example, to improve the quality of the cultivation. Subsequently, in step 54, the tractor cultivates the land according to the cultivation plan (which may be adjusted by a human operator) until the entire land has been cultivated according to the plan. Finally, in step 55, the tractor is stopped and can be picked up and taken to another plot of farmland.

Claims

1. A method for cultivating a sloping farmland using an autonomous agricultural vehicle, the autonomous agricultural vehicle being used to perform agricultural operations to achieve said cultivation, the method comprising generating a cultivation plan for the sloping farmland, the cultivation plan including a plurality of adjacent paths extending on the sloping farmland, the autonomous agricultural vehicle being to traverse the plurality of adjacent paths in a predetermined order, and, after generating the cultivation plan, controlling the autonomous agricultural vehicle such that it traverses the sloping farmland by moving on each of the plurality of adjacent paths according to the predetermined order. Its features are, The predetermined direction of movement of the autonomous agricultural vehicle on each of the paths depends on the tilt angle of each of these paths; If the tilt angle of one of the multiple adjacent paths is higher than a predetermined threshold, the predetermined direction of movement of the vehicle is downward on that path.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, For each path, determine the tilt angle on multiple consecutive segments of that path.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The tilt angle of the sub-segment with the highest tilt angle determines the direction of vehicle movement on that path.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, In addition to the tilt angle, the direction of movement also depends on the type of agricultural operation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, For each path, an inclination angle is determined on multiple consecutive segments of the path, characterized in that the cultivation plan is generated such that there is no path that includes two segments with an inclination angle higher than the threshold, wherein the inclination is downward for one of these segments and upward for the other.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The autonomous agricultural vehicle includes an autonomous tractor and an agricultural machine operatively coupled to the autonomous tractor, which performs agricultural operations.

7. A method for generating a cultivation plan for an autonomous agricultural vehicle used to cultivate a sloping plot of land, the method comprising determining a plurality of adjacent paths extending on the sloping plot of land, determining the order in which the autonomous agricultural vehicle will traverse the paths, and determining the direction of movement of the vehicle on each of the plurality of adjacent paths. The direction of movement of the autonomous agricultural vehicle on each of the paths depends on the tilt angle of each of those paths. If the tilt angle of one of the multiple adjacent paths is higher than a predetermined threshold, then the determined direction of vehicle movement is downward on that path.

8. A system for generating a tillage plan for an autonomous agricultural vehicle used to till a sloping plot of land, the system comprising a processing unit for determining a plurality of adjacent paths extending on the sloping plot of land, determining the order in which the autonomous agricultural vehicle will traverse the paths, and determining the direction of movement of the vehicle on each of the plurality of adjacent paths. The direction of movement of the autonomous agricultural vehicle on each of the paths depends on the tilt angle of each of those paths; If the tilt angle of one of the multiple adjacent paths is higher than a predetermined threshold, the determined direction of movement of the vehicle is downward on that path.

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