Method for storing data from an area treated with a centrifugal fertilizer spreader

Abstract

Method for storing an area treated with a centrifugal fertilizer spreader in a map, in particular a stored one, wherein the method comprises: recording the path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader in the map; marking the treatment area in the map; storing the area swept over by the treatment area as already treated area in the map, wherein the method is characterized in that marking the treatment area in the map when driving around a curve comprises guiding the center of the treatment area along the path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.

Description

The invention is in the field of application of fertilizer with a centrifugal fertilizer spreader.It is known to scatter an agricultural surface with fertilizer using a centrifugal fertilizer spreader. In order to track which surfaces have already been processed, it is known to store already processed surfaces in a map. These data can then also be taken into account in further processing steps.It is known to display the processing area, i.e. the area which is being processed, in a map and to store the area swept by this processing area in the map as an already processed area. The machining area can be displayed by a (optionally curved or straight) line, e.g. a bar. In particular in the case of an Zentifugaldüngerstreuer in which the processing region lies far behind the fertilizer spreader or the tractor, because the fertilizer falls behind the fertilizer spreader by about half a working width during spreading, and where the scatter image has a spatial extent which is not reproduced in this way by the processing region, an incorrect representation of the processed region can occur, in particular when cornering.If, for example, in the case of a centrifugal fertilizer spreader, the processing region is modeled in a fixed position with respect to the fertilizer spreader, for example with respect to the two spreader disks, regions on the inner side of the curve are marked as not having a fertilizer effect due to the rotations which take place during cornering. Due to the spatial extent that a scatter image has, however, these regions are actually likewise tapered, so that the marking of this region as being unfed is incorrect.The invention is based on the object of more correctly detecting and / or storing the already processed regions.The invention comprises the method of storing a surface processed with a centrifugal fertilizer spreader according to claim 1, an agricultural data processing system according to claim 11 and a centrifugal fertilizer spreader or a combination of centrifugal fertilizer spreader and tractor according to claim 12.According to the invention, in the method, an area already processed with a centrifugal fertilizer spreader is stored in a map. The map can be, in particular, a map already previously stored, for example a map of the processed agricultural field, which can have been known in particular previously and can optionally contain further details and information. In other examples, this may be a newly generated map that does not take into account any already known information. Such a map may be generated, for example, based on measured GPS position, other position measurements, velocity and / or direction measurements, or other values.The method includes detecting the travel path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader in the map. In this case, the detection of the travel path can comprise, for example, a measurement of GPS positions, other speed and direction sensors, the rotational speeds of the wheels of the towing vehicle or of the fertilizer spreader or the like. However, the travel path can correspond in particular to the path covered by the center point of the fertilizer spreader or of the towing vehicle, in particular the center point between the (four) wheels of the fertilizer spreader or of the towing vehicle or the center point between the front or rear wheels, or the center of the connecting line between the center points of the two spreading disks of the fertilizer spreader.The method furthermore comprises marking the processing area, i.e. the area in which processing is currently being carried out, in the map. This marking can be effected in particular during the application of fertilizer. For example, the machining area can be marked as a one-dimensional line or bar, which can be straight or curved, or an area composed of line segments, in particular straight line segments, e.g. line segments of equal length. Typically, the processing region is arranged at a specific ratio to the centrifugal fertilizer spreader, for example at a specific distance and has a specific extension. The extent (length or width) can depend in particular on the parameters set at the fertilizer spreader. Thus, in particular, the width can accurately describe the actual working width.The area swept by the processing area may be stored in the map as an already processed area. By storing the already processed surface, this can be displayed visually, for example, by marking already processed surfaces in the map in a different representation, e.g., color, than surfaces that have not yet been processed. The surface stored as already machined can also be taken into account for further machining steps. This can be relevant in particular when a centrifugal fertilizer spreader is used which enables the switching on and off of individual partial widths. In particular, in a centrifugal fertilizer spreader with partial width cut-off, when surface areas are marked as unprocessed and these are passed over again, the corresponding partial areas of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader can be switched on. In the case of faulty markings of the machined region, an over-reduction can therefore occur in the further machining steps.Marking the processing area in the map when cornering can comprise guiding the center of the processing area along the travel path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader. In particular, the center of the processing area, which can represent the center of the scatter image in particular when traveling straight ahead, is thus guided along the travel path (also when traveling around a curve). This has the result, in particular, that the processing region is not pivoted in the curves with respect to the travel path on account of its distance from the tractor or centrifugal fertilizer spreader. It may be particularly advantageous for it to prevent inner regions in the curve from being erroneously marked as unfattened.The machining area can be marked in particular as a machining line or machining bar or modeled parabolically. Parabolic modelling is advantageous since it more closely corresponds to the natural shape of a scatter image, which can be embodied in particular in kidney-shaped form, and thus enables a more realistic representation and storage of the processed region and the already processed surface.The processing area can be modeled in the map as a set of subareas, in particular subareas widths. For example, the machining region can be formed as a set of straight, in particular equally long, partial beams, the respective centers of which are arranged on a parabola. In particular, if a centrifugal fertilizer spreader with a sub-region cut-off, in particular sub-width cut-off, is used, a corresponding machining with only sub-regions can also be modeled.In particular, the center of the processing area may be guided along the travel path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader based on an offset of the center of the processing area.The offset can be determined, for example, as an angle between the center of the processing region and the travel path starting from a reference point, which can correspond, for example, to a representation of the center point between the two scattering discs. In this case, the angle can be formed in particular on a circle around the reference point with radius of the scattering width (the circle around the reference point with the radius of the throwing width, which can in turn be in particular the median of the width distribution of the throwing widths). Alternatively, the offset of the center of the processing region to the lane can also be determined by an (absolute) distance of the center of the processing region to the lane, the distance of the center of the scatter image to the lane along the previously described circle or another direction or in another way.The center of the processing area, which is considered here (i.e. for determining the offset between the processing area and the travel path), can correspond in particular to the center of the processing area when traveling straight, that is to say to a point in a fixed ratio to the fertilizer spreader (which can be dependent in particular on the parameters of the fertilizer spreader set when traveling straight, and can correspond to the center of the spreading image when traveling straight). The center of the processing region, which is considered for determining the offset between the processing region and the travel path, can be arranged in particular on the straight line running perpendicular to the connecting line between the centers of the two scattering disks at a fixed distance and fixed angle, e.g. a straight line running at a specific distance from the center point between the two scattering disks, which straight line can run in particular parallel to the field (in the plane of the travel direction). Marking the processing area in a map during cornering can comprise displacing, in particular rotating, the processing area or the individual partial areas of the processing area with respect to their position during straight-ahead travel on the basis of an offset of the center of the processing area from the travel path of the agricultural working device, in particular in order to rotate the offset in order to rotate the center of the processing area onto the travel path. A displacement or rotation can take place, for example, with respect to the center point between the two scattering disks. Alternatively, the partial widths of the machining area having the same width as in straight traveling may be placed centrally around the traveling lane.The width of the agricultural working area perpendicular to the travel path can be provided or can be changed in particular as being constant (with respect to straight-ahead travel), for example on the basis of the parameter settings such as, for example, the application point and / or the rotational speed of the respective centrifugal discs of the fertilizer spreader.The processing area can be guided at a fixed distance behind the centrifugal fertilizer spreader. Alternatively, the processing region can be guided at a variable distance behind the centrifugal fertilizer spreader, which can depend in particular on the parameters set at the fertilizer spreader, such as for example the application point and / or the rotational speed of the respective centrifugal discs. The processing region can be guided in particular as a function of the parameters set on the centrifugal fertilizer spreader, in particular as a function of the parameters set during straight-ahead travel.The processing region can orthogonally intersect the travel path, in particular in the cutting region. This can in particular lead to the machining area always being drawn in the same orientation with respect to the travel path.In one method, the stored, already processed surface can be displayed in a terminal, in particular a terminal comprised by the fertilizer spreader or tractor. A terminal can allow real-time monitoring of the fertilizer output.The stored, already processed surface can be taken into account for further processing steps, in particular with the centrifugal fertilizer spreader. In particular, in a centrifugal fertilizer spreader with partial width cutoff, the partial widths sweeping over the processed areas can be cut off.The method can in particular comprise the application of further fertilizer taking into account the stored, already machined surface, wherein in particular partial widths which sweep over already machined surfaces can be switched off and / or partial widths which still comprise non-machined surfaces can be switched on.During cornering, the actual center of the scatter image, wherein the center of the scatter image can describe in particular the median of the fertilizer distribution in the radial and concentric direction, can be different from the travel path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.Thus, in particular, the center of the processing area, as displayed and stored, can deviate from the position of the center of the scatter image, which is actually scattered out. In particular, the center of the scattering image can lie away from the travel path, for example on the outside of the curve, while at the same time the center of the processing region for storing the already processed surface is guided along the travel path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.This guiding of the center of the processing area along the travel path for storing the already processed surface can prevent areas that have actually already been narrowed from being erroneously marked as not being scattered due to the previously explained spatial extent of the processing area. Thus, guiding the center of the processing area along the travel path can in particular result in a better visualization and / or more correct deposition of the already processed surfaces.The invention furthermore comprises an agricultural data processing system for visualizing an already machined surface in an, in particular stored, map and / or for taking into account an already machined surface in an, in particular stored, map for further machining steps.This agricultural data processing system can be designed, in particular, to carry out the steps of a method described above. The agricultural data processing system can in particular comprise means for detecting the travel path and a screen, in particular for displaying the visualization of the already processed surface in a map. The data processing system may further comprise one or more processors and a storage medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed by a processor, control the execution of a method as described above.The invention further comprises a centrifugal fertilizer spreader or a combination of centrifugal fertilizer spreader and draw device. The centrifugal fertilizer spreader or the combination of centrifugal fertilizer spreader and draw device thereby comprise means which are designed to carry out the steps of a previously described method. In particular, these means may comprise an agricultural data processing system as described above. The means may further comprise means for detecting the travel path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader in the map, in particular for example a GPS position system or other measurement means as described above with respect to the method, which allow detecting the travel path.Further aspects of the invention are evident from the figures, which show schematic aspects that are not relevant to scale. The following shows: FIG. 1 ashows a representation of a processing area known from the prior art, FIG. 1 bshows a processing region, the center of which is guided along the travel path, FIG. 1 cshows the stored already processed surface which results in the prior art; FIG. 1d shows the surface already processed as it results from the described method.FIG. 1 ashows, by way of example, the travel path 1 of a centrifugal fertilizer spreader, boundaries 2 aand 2 bof the processing area during straight travel, which are spaced apart from one another at a distance of a working width. The center point of a centrifugal fertilizer spreader in a first position 3 aand a second position 3 band the associated processing areas 4 aand 4 bare drawn as crosses, which are each arranged at a fixed position to the centrifugal fertilizer spreader. As shown, this arrangement, which leads to a correct detection of the machined area when traveling straight ahead, leads to an erroneous representation of the machined area when traveling through curves due to the pivoting of the machining area relative to the travel path. The grid networks shown serve for better comparison with the other figures, in particular FIG. 1c.FIG. 1 bshows a corresponding situation according to the described method, in which the center of the processing region is guided along the travel path 5 of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader. The boundaries of the processing area are denoted 6a and 6b and the crosses 7a, 7b indicate the centres of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader at different points of its travel. The centers of the machining areas 8a and 8b are guided along the path of travel of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader when cornering. The grid networks shown serve for better comparison with the other figures, in particular FIG. 1d.FIG. 1 cshows the surface already machined in a map when the machining areas are guided as in FIG. 1 a. As can be seen there, surfaces 9 a, 9 bare produced within the boundaries 2 a, 2 b, which are marked as unfertilized on account of the pivoting of the machining region out of the machining boundaries. Due to the spatial extent of the scattering fan, this representation of the region as unfed but incorrect.In contrast, FIG. 1 d shows the already machined surface in a map which was produced with a machining region as guided in FIG. 1 b. In the example shown, the method prevents the erroneous marking of regions within the processing boundaries 6 a, 6 bas being unfatten, and can thus serve in particular as a more correct visualization and / or correct data basis for the further processing of the field.

Claims

Method for storing a surface processed with a centrifugal fertilizer spreader in a map, in particular a stored map, the method comprising: detecting the travel path (1, 5) of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader in the map; marking the processing area (4a, 4b, 8a, 8b) in the map; storing the surface swept by the processing area as an already processed surface in the map, the method being characterized in that the marking of the processing area in the map during a cornering comprises guiding the center of the processing area along the travel path (1, 5) of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.Method according to claim 1, wherein the machining area (4a, 4b, 8a, 8b) is modeled as a machining bar or parabolically.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing area (4a, 4b, 8a, 8b) in the map is modeled as a set of subareas.Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the centre of the processing area is guided along the path of travel (1, 5) of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader based on an offset of the centre of the processing area.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein marking the processing region (4a, 4b, 8a, 8b) in the map during cornering comprises displacing, in particular rotating, the individual subareas on the basis of an offset of the center of the processing region from the travel path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the processing area (4a, 4b, 8a, 8b) is guided at a fixed distance behind the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing region (4a, 4b, 8a, 8b) is represented as a function of the parameters set in the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing region intersects the travel path perpendicularly in the intersecting region.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the stored, already processed surface is displayed in a terminal.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the stored, already processed surface is taken into account for further processing steps, in particular with the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, during cornering, the actual center of the processing region is different from the travel path of the centrifugal fertilizer spreader.Agricultural data processing system for visualizing an already machined surface in an, in particular stored, map, and / or for taking into account an already machined surface in an, in particular stored, map, for further machining steps, characterized in that it is designed to carry out the steps of a method according to one of Claims 1 to 10 described above.Centrifugal fertilizer spreader or combination of centrifugal fertilizer spreader and draw device, characterized in that the centrifugal fertilizer spreader or combination of centrifugal fertilizer spreader and draw device comprises means configured to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.A centrifugal fertilizer spreader or combination centrifugal fertilizer spreader and tractor according to claim 12, wherein the means comprise an agricultural data processing system according to claim 11.

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