Harvesting header with control and regulation electronics

Abstract

The present invention relates to a harvesting attachment (2) with control and regulation electronics (6) for controlling machine functions, which can be operated together with a carrier machine (4). In order to be able to operate the harvesting header with different carrier machines, it is proposed that the control and regulation electronics (6) have a machine recognition module (16) which is designed to recognize a carrier machine (4) currently connected to the harvesting header (2) using a sensor system (18).

Description

The present invention relates to a harvesting attachment having control and regulating electronics for controlling machine functions, which has a data interface for the bidirectional exchange of data with the electronics of a carrier machine, wherein the data interface is designed, by means of software, to receive input data from the carrier machine and to provide it to the control and regulating electronics for further processing and to receive output data from the control and regulating electronics of the harvesting attachment and to provide it to the carrier machine. The invention also relates to a method for operating a harvesting header with control and regulation electronics for controlling machine functions according to the preamble of claim 13.From the document EP 1 232 682 A1 a harvesting header mounted on a combine harvester is known. The harvesting attachment communicates via a detector with an electronic motor control arranged on the combine harvester. In order to allow communication between the harvesting header and the combine harvester to be achieved, both machines are designed accordingly.From the document EP 2 382 854 A1 a harvesting attachment with a slip control for the conveyor belts is known. If the sensors arranged in the harvesting attachment detect a slip, a corresponding signal is transmitted directly to the electronics of the combine harvester to which the harvesting attachment is attached. The driver of the carrier machine receives a corresponding alarm message in the display display in his driver's cab. The driver can react to an alarm message received and transmit actuating commands from the driver's cab via the electronics installed in the carrier machine to the electronics of the harvesting attachment. The communication between the carrier machine and the harvesting attachment is thus effected bidirectionally. A microprocessor arranged on the harvesting attachment and the vehicle electronics of the carrier machine are designed in both machines to communicate bidirectionally with one another in order to exchange the corresponding information and control commands between the electronics of the harvesting attachment and the carrier machine with one another.In the two cases described above, when the carrier machine and the header mounted thereon are configured to communicate with each other accordingly, both machines can smoothly cooperate in the harvesting operation. However, a problem arises when the header is to be mounted on a carrier machine which is not specifically designed to communicate with exactly this header. When a harvesting attachment is attached to different vehicles, it may occur in such cases that not all sensor signals, operating parameters, switching states and control variables of components, alarm messages and the like are transmitted from the harvesting attachment to the vehicle, and conversely it is also possible that switching and control commands of an operator of the vehicle, queries about operating states of the harvesting attachment, information about operating states of the vehicle and the like are not transmitted from the vehicle to the harvesting attachment. For this reason, it is not possible today to operate a harvesting header together with a carrier machine, in which the harvesting header cannot be adapted to the technical requirements of the carrier machine for communication of the carrier machine with the harvesting header device.It is the object of the present invention to enable the attachment of a harvesting header to different carrier machines while maintaining the electronic communication between these machines.The object is achieved for a harvesting header of the generic type by the characterizing features of claim 1.The object is achieved for a method of the generic type according to the preamble of claim 13 by a method which is carried out with a harvesting header according to one of claims 1 to 12.If the control and regulation electronics of the harvesting attachment have a machine recognition module which is designed to recognize a carrier machine currently connected to the harvesting attachment by means of a sensor system, this opens up the possibility for the control and regulation electronics to automatically recognize the carrier machine connected to the harvesting attachment without the driver of the carrier machine having to check the compatibility itself and to perform possible adaptations to the harvesting attachment and / or the carrier machine when connecting the harvesting attachment or operating the latter. Any operating errors are thereby avoided. The control and regulation electronics can thereby adapt the electronic communication to the specific features of the identified carrier machine in an automated method.The sensor system with which the machine recognition module recognizes the manufacturer and / or the type of the carrier machine can consist, for example, only of a software program which is programmed to ascertain recognition-relevant data and to process these data further. A corresponding software program can, for example, start and run corresponding request routines when the harvesting attachment is connected to a carrier machine and its electronics in order to obtain corresponding data. The sensor system can also receive recognition-relevant data, however, additionally or alternatively via corresponding inputs of a user into the sensor system. Finally, the sensor system can also comprise corresponding devices, such as an optical sensor such as a digital camera with image evaluation and / or a scanner, barcode reader or the like, the sensor values of which assist in the detection of a manufacturer and / or of the type of carrier machine.The machine recognition module is programmed to identify and evaluate information about the carrier machine during the connection and / or during the operation of the harvesting header. It is possible for corresponding information to be stored in the carrier machine ready for access, so that this information only has to be queried and read out. However, it is also possible for the machine recognition module to analyze and evaluate the connection behavior of the electronics of the carrier machine and the electronic communication between the electronic modules of the carrier machine via a corresponding software program in an interrogation routine and to infer therefrom a specific manufacturer and / or type of a specific machine. Such programming represents an example of a sensor system for detecting a harvesting machine currently connected to the harvesting header. The machine recognition module can also query and evaluate the presence of specific information, equipment of the carrier machine, data formats and the like and infer therefrom a manufacturer and / or a specific type of carrier machine. The machine detection module may also be configured to detect whether certain equipment options are present on the carrier machine, particularly those that affect the operation of the harvester header.The machine recognition module can be designed, in particular, to recognize the make of a carrier machine. Different manufacturers of carrier machines may use different components and modules as well as different system architectures of their electronic communication. The sensor system can be designed to recognize such manufacturer-specific features if no plain text information is specified by the manufacturer. The differences between different manufacturers can already begin with the fact that, for example, individual manufacturers on carrier machines produced by them only permit the use of and communication with harvesting attachment devices which originate from the same manufacturer. In order that a carrier machine originating from such a manufacturer is recognized and the harvesting header can be operated with a carrier machine by such a manufacturer, the machine recognition module can, when identifying a carrier machine of such a manufacturer, switch into a simulation program which simulates a harvesting header of this manufacturer to the carrier machine. By way of the electronic simulation of such a crop offset device and the reaction of the carrier machine to the simulation, it is possible to identify the manufacturer and possibly also the type of carrier machine.In addition to a manufacturer identification or alternatively to a manufacturer identification as a form of the identification of a carrier machine connected to the offset device, the machine identification module can also be designed to identify a specific series of construction or a specific type of carrier machine.Depending on the type of carrier machine, it is possible to transmit data to be transmitted, for example, in data formats that are readable and processable by the respective receiver machine in the respective electronics network. Operating states or alarm messages of the harvesting attachment can thus be displayed on displays which are present in series in the driver's cab of a specific type of carrier machine. The installation of a separate display and operating display, especially for the crop offset device, in the driver's cab can then be dispensed with. Likewise, it may be possible that control elements present in the carrier machine may be used for inputting control commands to the harvesting header, because the machine recognition module enables control inputs to be converted via control elements present in a recognized type of carrier machine into control commands that match the harvesting header used. By detecting a specific type of carrier machine, the communication between the carrier machine and the harvesting header can be adapted accordingly. In such a case, the installation of special control elements for the harvesting attachment in the driver's cab of the carrier machine can be dispensed with. A driver of the carrier machine can also operate and control the harvesting attachment with the operating elements familiar to him.Advantageously, the machine recognition module has access to a library via programming of the software, in which data communication-relevant specifications of different carrier machines are stored. The library can be a component of the machine recognition module and stored therein, but the library can also be stored remotely in an external memory which can be accessed by the machine recognition module if required. For example, it is possible to store the library in the cloud, which the machine recognition module can then access via an interface connected to the Internet. The data communication-relevant specifications contain information which makes possible communication of the control and regulation electronics of the harvesting attachment with the electronic components of the carrier machine. Thus, for example, relevant addresses for the transmission of information, communication protocols, the clocking of bus networks, arbitration, programming languages, compilers and the like can be contained in the library.The machine recognition module has a programming of the software with which it reads out from the library a data communication-relevant specification matching a recognized carrier machine. The data communication-relevant specification contains the details and data relating to the parameters which must be activated for a functioning communication between the harvesting header and the detected carrier machine in the data interface. By reading out the appropriate data communication-relevant specification, the information contained in the specification is made usable for the control and regulation electronics of the attachment and in particular the data interface.The control and regulation electronics comprise a programming of the software with which it transmits the read-out data communication-relevant specification of the data interface. The programming of the software can be a component of the recognition module, but it can also be incorporated into the control and regulation electronics outside the machine recognition module. By transmitting the data communication-relevant specification, this specification can be used for the data interface. On the basis of the transmitted data communication-relevant specification, the data interface can individualize and adapt the electronic communication between the harvesting header device and the carrier machine such that a functionally appropriate data exchange is possible between the harvesting header device and a recognized carrier machine.The data interface is soft and hardware as a component of the control and regulation electronics of the harvesting header. The electronic communication between the carrier machine and the harvesting header is carried out via the data interface. The software consists of a software program which is designed to handle the communication between the harvesting header and the carrier machine. The corresponding physical connections, but also corresponding computing capacities, are available as hardware.The data interface is designed, via programming of the software, to check the input data and the output data for data contents which have a relevance to compatibility with the read-out data communication-relevant specification. The check is carried out in particular on the basis of the transmitted data communication-relevant specification. If compatibility deficiencies of data are determined during this check, which are to be transmitted from the harvesting header device to the carrier machine via the data interface or which have been transmitted from the carrier machine to the harvesting header device, this indicates the deletion, the change and / or the addition of data depending on the result in order to establish the compatibility in the data communication between the harvesting header device and the carrier machine.The data interface modifies compatibility-relevant data via programming of the software before it provides input data of the control and regulation electronics and output data of the carrier machine if the compatibility-relevant data do not meet the requirements of the transmitted data communication-relevant specification. The modification is effected by deleting, adding and / or changing data. When the manufacturer and / or the type of a carrier machine is detected, the data interface of the control and regulation electronics of the harvesting attachment can switch in particular into an operating mode in which the data to be transmitted from the harvesting attachment to the carrier machine are transmitted in a data format in which the data to be transported can also be transported and read for the electronics of the carrier machine. Depending on the identified manufacturer and / or machine type, data can be sent to different addresses in the electronics architecture of the carrier machine via a corresponding addressing of the data packets. Conversely, the control and regulation electronics of the harvesting attachment can convert the data transmitted by the carrier machine into data formats which can be read out and further processed by the electronics of the harvesting offset device. The control and regulation electronics can prevent the transmission of data to the carrier machine, which data cannot be processed in the control and regulation electronics of a carrier machine, and it can block the transmission of data to the harvesting attachment device, which data cannot be read and / or further processed by the control and regulation electronics of the harvesting offset device. Conversely, data can also be added in each direction which is not provided by default to the carrier machine by the harvesting attachment, but which the carrier machine requires for its trouble-free operation, and / or which is not provided to the harvesting attachment by the carrier machine which, however, requires the harvesting attachment for its trouble-free operation. Added data can be calculated by a simulation program, but it is also possible to determine corresponding data if the harvesting header has corresponding sensors.Depending on the type of carrier machine, it is possible to carry out suitable registration routines, for example, and / or to transmit data to be transmitted in data formats that are readable and processable by the respective receiver machine in the respective electronic network. Operating states or alarm messages of the harvesting attachment can thus be displayed on displays which are present in series in the driver's cab of a specific type of carrier machine. The installation of a separate display and operating display, especially for the crop offset device, in the driver's cab can then be dispensed with. Likewise, it may be possible that control elements present in the carrier machine may be used for inputting control commands to the harvesting header, because the machine recognition module enables control inputs to be converted via control elements present in a recognized type of carrier machine into control commands that match the harvesting header used. By recognizing a specific manufacturer, the control and regulation electronics can adapt to the transmission of data on the basis of the specific data transmission protocols or the addressing of data to specific receivers. Without an adaptation to the manufacturer-specific data transmission protocols, otherwise the operation of the manufacturer-external harvesting header with the relevant carrier machine would not be possible at all or would only be possible with a limited function.By detecting a specific type of carrier machine, the communication between the carrier machine and the harvesting header can be adapted accordingly. In such a case, the installation of special control elements for the harvesting attachment in the driver's cab of the carrier machine can be dispensed with. A driver of the carrier machine can also operate and control the harvesting attachment with the operating elements familiar to him. For example, certain manufacturers generally use data transmission protocols or a standardized architecture of the electronics network in the carrier machine, via which electronic information is exchanged, or these protocols are specific for certain machine types.According to one embodiment of the invention, the input data contain control commands and / or status queries generated on the carrier machine side and the output data contain sensor data about switching positions and / or operating states of machine components. For these contents of the input and output data, it is advantageous to undertake a machine recognition-dependent adaptation of the data in order to ensure a functionally appropriate data exchange between the harvesting attachment and the carrier machine.According to one embodiment of the invention, the transmitted data communication-relevant specifications contain information about the registration routines, protocols, clock rates, network nodes, addresses, priorities, control units, peripheral devices connected to the bus network and / or software updates used in a carrier machine in a bus network. This list is to be understood as exemplary only and not exhaustive. A transmitted data communication-relevant specification for a specific carrier machine can also contain fewer than the points listed above. However, the listed items are related to typical themes at which a functioning communication between a harvesting header device and a carrier machine may fail.According to one embodiment of the invention, the transmitted data communication-relevant specifications contain information about the protocols, clock rates, network nodes, addresses, control units, peripheral devices connected to the bus network and / or software updates used in the bus network installed in the harvesting header device. In order to be able to check the input and output data for possible compatibility problems, it is advantageous if comparison-relevant details regarding the specifications of the crop offset device are also present.According to one embodiment of the invention, the data interface, via programming of the software, matches the read-out and transmitted data communication-relevant specification in a test run with the actual specification of an electronic network connected to the data interface and installed on the carrier machine and, in the case of differences established in the process between the data of the read-out data communication-relevant specification and the actual specification of the carrier machine, matches the data of the read-out data communication-relevant specification to the data of the actual specification. The test run can check whether the stored information is correct in the read-out and transmitted data communication-relevant specification. If a difference is detected, an adjustment is made in order to avoid an operation of the harvesting attachment with an erroneous specification as far as possible.According to one embodiment of the invention, the data interface simulates compatibility-relevant input data via programming of the software if no data from control commands and / or status queries currently provided by the carrier machine are available for this purpose. By simulating data, it is possible to operate a combination of a harvesting attachment with a carrier machine which would not be operable with one another without the simulation in the absence of corresponding data. It can be provided that an operator interface is provided for the simulation, via which an operator can specify upper and / or lower limit values or concrete actual values for the simulation.According to one embodiment of the invention, the data interface simulates output data relevant to compatibility via programming of the software if no data from sensor data currently provided by the control and regulation electronics about switching positions and / or operating states of machine components are available for this purpose. By simulating output data, it is also possible to operate a combination of a harvesting header with a carrier machine which would not be operable with one another without the simulation without corresponding data being missing. Here too, it can be provided that an operator interface is provided for the simulation, via which an operator can specify upper and / or lower limit values or concrete actual values for the simulation.According to one embodiment of the invention, the data interface blocks input data relevant to compatibility via programming of the software if the read-out and transmitted data communication-relevant specification contains an indication that corresponding input data cannot be further processed by the control and regulation electronics of the harvesting header. The interfering input data is thus masked by the data interface in communication with the carrier machine, so that they can no longer interfere with the communication.According to one embodiment of the invention, the data interface blocks output data relevant to compatibility via programming of the software if the read-out and transmitted data communication-relevant specification contains an indication that corresponding output data cannot be further processed by the carrier machine. The interfering output data are thus hidden by the data interface in communication with the carrier machine, so that they can no longer interfere with the communication.According to one embodiment of the invention, the data interface has an Internet interface for data exchange with the Internet, via which program-controlled data can be exchanged to form a data communication-relevant specification, a carrier machine and / or a modification of input data and output data. Via the additional Internet interface, the data interface can send data to the Internet or receive data from the Internet. The harvesting attachment is thereby not necessarily dependent on being able to establish communication with the carrier machine in order to enable a data exchange. The data interface can also operate the Internet interface in parallel with the communication interface to the carrier machine. As a result, a parallel data exchange can take place with the Internet on the one hand and the carrier machine on the other hand. The data communication via the Internet interface can be effected wirelessly.The data interface can be provided with a permanently installed SIM card in order to be able to establish an Internet connection independently at any time. However, the data interface can also connect to a device of the mobile electronics located in the vicinity, such as a smartphone, for example, in order to handle the data exchange via this. The connection can be established automatically or initiated by an operator. The device of the mobile electronics can be provided with a corresponding app for this purpose. The data exchange with the device of the mobile electronics can take place, for example, via a Bluetooth connection, a WLAN connection or by means of other suitable connection techniques.According to one embodiment of the invention, the control and regulation electronics of the harvesting header device receive information about which operationally relevant information is available from the carrier machine via the data interface via the data communication-relevant specification, and the control and regulation electronics selects an operating mode on the basis of this information, in which the harvesting header device can be operated in combination with the detected carrier machine. In this embodiment of the invention, the control and regulation electronics generate a quasi offer in which way the carrier machine can be operated together with this attachment. The operating mode can be permanently defined from its functional scope, or the operating mode offers a selection menu for its start or during operation, in which specific functional combinations can be selected and activated. The selectable combinations can relate to the control of the driven components of the harvesting header, the selection and operation of the sensor system present in the harvesting header and / or to the selection and type of the displays of operating parameters and the selection and type of the control devices for the operation of the harvesting header in the carrier machine.According to one embodiment of the invention, the control and regulation electronics have an interface to an operating unit, via which an operator can input a data communication-relevant specification or a transmitted data communication-relevant specification can be changed. The operating unit makes it possible to make individual settings. The operating unit can have a user interface in which the respective data communication-relevant specification with the associated settings is displayed. Data and settings for the data interface can then be entered, changed or deleted in the display.Further features of the invention are evident from the claims, the figures and the present description. All features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description and the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or else alone, provided that no technical obligatory obstacles are present.The invention will now be explained in more detail on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment and with reference to the appended drawings.The following are shown: FIG. 1 : a schematic representation of a combination of a carrier machine with a harvesting header, and FIG. 2 shows an enlarged schematic diagram of the machine recognition module,FIG. 1 shows a harvesting header 2 with control and regulation electronics 6 for controlling machine functions, which has a data interface 8 for the bidirectional exchange of data with the electronics 10 of a carrier machine 4. The data interface 8 is designed by means of software to receive input data 12 from the carrier machine 4 and to provide it to the control and regulation electronics 6 for further processing and to receive output data 14 from the control and regulation electronics 6 of the harvesting header 2 and to provide it to the carrier machine 4. The control and regulation electronics 6 have a machine recognition module 16, which is designed to recognize a carrier machine 4 currently connected to the harvesting attachment 2 by means of a sensor system 18.The carrier machine 4 likewise has a data interface 8 in the electronics 10 associated therewith. When the harvesting attachment 2 is mounted on the carrier machine 4, the two data interfaces 8 can exchange the input and output data 12, 14 with one another via a corresponding connection 20. The connection can be physically established via a corresponding cable, as shown in FIG. 1, or a temporarily established or permanently present wireless connection is present, via which the data are exchanged, such as, for example, a WLAN, Bluetooth or other wireless connection technology, which is indicated in FIG. 1 with a dashed line. A combination of both connection techniques is also possible.FIG. 2 shows an enlarged schematic diagram of the control and regulation electronics 6 with the data interface 8. The data interface 8 is controlled via software 22. The software 22 processes the incoming input data 12 and forwards it to the machine recognition module 16, which is a component of the data interface 8. The machine recognition module 16 has access to a library 24 via programming of the software 22, in which data communication-relevant specifications S of different carrier machines 4 are stored. Via the software 22 and an Internet connection connected thereto, a library 24 can also be accessed, which is located in a cloud or on the server of a manufacturer or dealer of agricultural machines.The machine recognition module 16 has programming of the software 22, with which it reads out a data communication-relevant specification S from the library 24 that matches a recognized carrier machine 4. In FIG. 2, it is shown that a plurality of specifications S 1-n are stored in one of the libraries 24 in the library 24. From these various specifications S 1-n the software 22 can select and read an appropriate specification S. The control and regulation electronics 6 have a programming of the software 22, with which it transmits the read-out data communication-relevant specification S of the data interface 8. After the transmission of the data communication-relevant specification S, the software 22 of the control and regulation electronics 6 can correspondingly adapt the parameters of the communication between the harvesting attachment 4 and the corresponding carrier machine 4. The data interface 8 of the control and regulation electronics 6 of the harvesting attachment 2 can then communicate with the data interface 8 of the electronics 10 of the identified carrier machine 4.For the communication, the data interface 8 is designed, via programming of the software 22, to check the input data 12 and the output data 14 for data contents which have a compatibility relevance with the read-out data communication-relevant specification S. The data interface 8 modifies compatibility-relevant data via programming of the software 22 before it provides input data 12 to the control and regulation electronics 6 and output data 14 of the carrier machine 4 if the compatibility-relevant data do not meet the requirements of the transmitted data communication-relevant specification S.By programming the software 22, the data interface 8 can compare the read-out and transmitted data communication-relevant specification S in a test run with the actual specification of an electronic network connected to the data interface 8 and installed on the carrier machine 4 and, in the case of differences established in the process between the data of the read-out data communication-relevant specification S and the actual specification of the carrier machine 4, adapt the data of the read-out data communication-relevant specification S to the data of the actual specification.If necessary, the data interface 8 can simulate compatibility-relevant input data 12 via programming of the software 22, if no data from control commands and / or status queries currently provided by the carrier machine 4 are available for this purpose. The data can be, for example, switch-on or switch-off commands, setpoint parameters for operating parameters of machine components that can be set by a user for the harvesting attachment, data about operating pressures of a working hydraulic system, rotational speeds of drive shafts and / or operating states of the electronics of the carrier machine.The data interface 8 can simulate compatibility-relevant output data 14 via programming of the software 22 if no data from sensor data currently provided by the control and regulation electronics 6 about switching positions and / or operating states of machine components are available for this purpose. Thus, for example, the working height of the harvesting attachment 2 as a whole and / or of its parts, for example a reel, the pivot angle of the harvesting attachment 2 in relation to the longitudinal axis of the carrier machine 4 pointing in the working direction, the angle of attack of the harvesting attachment 2 with respect to the ground, the cutting frequency of the cutter bar, the reel rotational speed, the reel position, the conveying speed of conveying elements, throughput or loss quantities, rotational speeds and / or load states of working elements or operating pressures of the working hydraulics can be simulated via the simulation if the carrier machine requires corresponding data in order to be able to be operated together with the harvesting attachment.The data interface 8 can block compatibility-relevant input data 12 via programming of the software 22 if the read-out and transmitted data communication-relevant specification S contains an indication that corresponding input data 12 cannot be further processed by the control and regulation electronics 6 of the harvesting header 2.The data interface 8 can block output data 14 relevant to compatibility via programming of the software 22 if the read-out data communication-relevant specification S contains an indication that corresponding output data 14 cannot be further processed by the carrier machine 4.The data interface 8 can have an Internet interface 26 for data exchange with the Internet, via which program-controlled data can be exchanged to form a data communication-relevant specification S, a carrier machine 4 and / or a modification of input data 12 and output data 14.The control and regulation electronics 6 of the harvesting header 2 can obtain information via the data communication-relevant specification S about which operationally relevant information is available from the carrier machine 4 via the data interface 8, and the control and regulation electronics 6 can select an operating mode on the basis of this information, in which the harvesting header 2 can be operated in combination with the detected carrier machine 4.The control and regulation electronics 6 can have an interface 28 to an operating unit 30, via which a data communication-relevant specification S can be input by an operator or a transmitted data communication-relevant specification S can be changed.The invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The skilled person does not present any difficulties in modifying the exemplary embodiment in a manner which appears suitable for him in order to adapt it to a specific application.List of reference characters2 Harvesting attachment 4 Carrier machine 6 Control and regulation electronics 8 Data interface 10 Electronics of the carrier machine 12 Input data 14 Output data 16 Machine recognition module 18 Sensor system 20 Connection 22 Software 24 Library 26 Internet interface 28 Interface 30 Operating unit S Data communication-relevant specificationReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedEP 1 232 682 A1

[0002] EP 2 382 854 A1

[0003]

Claims

Harvesting attachment (2) having control and regulating electronics (6) for controlling machine functions, which has a data interface (8) for the bidirectional exchange of data with the electronics (10) of a carrier machine (4), wherein the data interface (8) is designed, by means of software (22), to receive input data (12) from the carrier machine (4) via a connection (20) and to provide it to the control and regulating electronics (6) for further processing and to receive output data (14) from the control and regulating electronics (6) of the harvesting attachment (2) and to provide it to the carrier machine (4), characterized in that the control and regulating electronics (6) - have a machine recognition module (16) which is designed to receive input data from the carrier machine, with a sensor system (18) for detecting a carrier machine (4) currently connected to the harvesting attachment (2), - the machine detection module (16) has access to a library (24) via programming of the software (22), in which data communication-relevant specifications (S) of different carrier machines (4) are stored, - the machine detection module (16) has programming of the software (22), with which it reads out from the library (24) a data communication-relevant specification (S) matching a detected carrier machine (4), - the control and regulation electronics (6) have programming of the software (22), with which it transmits the read-out data communication-relevant specification (S) to the data interface (8), - the data interface (8) is designed via programming of the software (22), to, the input data (12) and the output data (14) are checked for data contents which have a relevance to compatibility with the read-out data communication-relevant specification (S), the data interface (8) modifies compatibility-relevant data via programming of the software (22) before it provides input data (12) to the control and regulation electronics (6) and output data (14) of the carrier machine (4) if the compatibility-relevant data do not meet the requirements of the transmitted data communication-relevant specification (S).Harvesting attachment (2) according to claim 1, characterised in that the input data (12) contains control commands and / or status queries generated on the carrier machine side and the output data (14) contains sensor data about switching positions and / or operating states of machine components.Harvesting header (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the transmitted data communication-relevant specifications (S) contain information about the registration routines, protocols, clock rates, network nodes, addresses, priorities, control units, peripheral devices connected to the bus network and / or software updates used in a carrier machine (4) in a bus network.Harvesting header (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitted data communication-relevant specifications (S) contain information about the protocols, clock rates, network nodes, addresses, control units, peripheral devices connected to the bus network and / or software updates used in the bus network installed in the harvesting header (2).Harvesting attachment (2) according to one of the preceding claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the data interface (8) matches the read-out and transmitted data communication-relevant specification (S) in a test run with the actual specification of an electronic network connected to the data interface (8) and installed on the carrier machine (4) by programming the software (22) and, in the case of differences established in the process between the data of the read-out data communication-relevant specification (S) and the actual specification of the carrier machine (4), adapts the data of the read-out data communication-relevant specification (S) to the data of the actual specification.Harvesting attachment (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data interface (8) simulates compatibility-relevant input data (12) via programming of the software (22) if there is no data for this purpose from control commands and / or status queries currently provided by the carrier machine (4).Harvesting attachment (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data interface (8) simulates compatibility-relevant output data (14) via programming of the software (22) if there is no data for this purpose from sensor data currently provided by the control and regulation electronics (6) about switching positions and / or operating states of machine components.Harvesting header (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data interface (8) blocks compatibility-relevant input data (12) via programming of the software (22) if the read-out and transmitted data communication-relevant specification (S) contains an indication that corresponding input data (12) cannot be further processed by the control and regulation electronics (6) of the harvesting header (2).Harvesting attachment (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data interface (8) blocks output data (14) relevant to compatibility via programming of the software (22) if the read-out data communication-relevant specification (S) contains an indication that corresponding output data (14) cannot be further processed by the carrier machine (4).Harvesting attachment (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data interface (8) has an Internet interface (26) for data exchange with the Internet, via which program-controlled data can be exchanged to form a data communication-relevant specification (S), a carrier machine (4) and / or a modification of input data (12) and output data (14).Harvesting header (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control and regulation electronics (6) of the harvesting header (2) obtain information about which operationally relevant information is available from the carrier machine (4) via the data interface (8) via the data communication-relevant specification (S), and the control and regulation electronics (6) select an operating mode on the basis of this information, in which the harvesting header (2) can be operated in combination with the detected carrier machine (4).Harvesting attachment (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control and regulating electronics (6) have an interface (28) to an operating unit (30), via which an operator can input a data communication-relevant specification (S) or a transmitted data communication-relevant specification (S) can be changed.Method for operating a harvesting header (2) with control and regulating electronics (6) for controlling machine functions, which has a data interface (8) for the bidirectional exchange of data with a carrier machine (4), wherein the data interface (8) receives input data (12) from the carrier machine (4) and provides it to the control and regulating electronics (6) for further processing and receives output data (14) from the control and regulating electronics (6) of the harvesting header (2) and provides it to the carrier machine (4), characterized in that the method is carried out with a harvesting header (2) according to one of Claims 1 to 12.

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