Control system and method for controlling the orientation of soil and / or plant care units on an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a control system (10) for controlling the orientation (A) of soil and / or plant care units (102) on an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine (100) during a soil and / or plant care operation on an agricultural cultivation area (N) with row crops, with an electronic control means (12) which is configured, in a first operating state of the soil and / or plant care machine (100), in which the soil and / or plant care operation by means of one, more than one or all of the soil and / or plant care units (102) is temporarily suspended, to initiate a row-correlated pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) by means of an orientation device (16) of the soil and / or plant care machine (100).

Description

[0001] Control system and method for controlling the orientation of soil and / or plant care units on an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine

[0002] The invention relates to a control system according to the preamble of patent claim 1, an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine according to the preamble of patent claim 15 and a method according to the preamble of patent claim 16.

[0003] When cultivating crops on agricultural land, soil and / or plant care using agricultural soil and / or plant care machines is of great importance, particularly to prevent the growth of crops from being impaired by weeds and grasses. When controlling weeds in row crops, precise alignment of the soil and / or plant care machine is necessary throughout the entire soil and / or plant care process in order to remove the weeds as effectively as possible without damaging the crops. In practice, it is therefore common practice for the alignment of the soil and / or plant care units of the soil and / or plant care machines to be adapted to the layout of the rows of plants during the soil and / or plant care process.

[0004] However, if the soil and / or plant care process is interrupted, for example, due to turning operations of the soil and / or plant care machines, damage to the crops can occur when returning to the row crops due to imprecise alignment of the soil and / or plant care units with the line of the next crop rows, as the soil and / or plant care units often need to be realigned after interruptions in the soil and / or plant care process. In practice, therefore, pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units on the soil and / or plant care machines is often carried out during interruptions in the soil and / or plant care process.However, there are no known soil and / or plant care machines from the state of the art that enable pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units after interruptions in the soil and / or plant care process with the necessary precision in order to achieve effective weed control in the row crops immediately after the interruption of the soil and / or plant care process or when lowering the soil and / or plant care units into the soil and at the same time protect the crops from damage.

[0005] The object underlying the invention is therefore to enable a pre-alignment of soil and / or plant care units on an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine, by means of which weed control on agricultural land is improved and by which, at the same time, damage to row crops growing on the land is prevented.

[0006] The object is achieved with a control system of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein the electronic control device is configured to automatically initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units in the first operating state without a manual input from a machine operator initiating the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units on the basis of control data comprising geo-position data.

[0007] A control system that pre-aligns the soil and / or plant care units without manual input from a machine operator based on control data containing geo-positioning data can prevent damage to the row crops and ensure reliable weed control when the soil and / or plant care machine enters the rows, even immediately after an interruption in the soil and / or plant care process. Pre-aligning the soil and / or plant care units based on geo-positioning data during an interruption in the soil and / or plant care process ensures that the soil and / or plant care units are precisely aligned with the rows of plants that will be cared for after the interruption. This effectively protects the crops from damage.Since pre-alignment is carried out without operator input and based on control data, the machine operator is also relieved, preventing human errors during alignment and increasing the travel speed of the soil and / or plant care machine while maintaining the same work quality.

[0008] The soil and / or plant care machine is, in particular, an attachment, in particular a front-mounted, mid-axle attachment, or rear-mounted attachment. The soil and / or plant care machine can also be a towed machine. The electronic control device is preferably arranged on the soil and / or plant care machine. The electronic control device can be designed as an operating terminal for the soil and / or plant care machine. The electronic control device can also be arranged on a towing or carrier vehicle of the soil and / or plant care machine, in particular in a driver's cab of the towing or carrier vehicle of the soil and / or plant care machine. Automatic pre-alignment based on control data including geo-positioning data is more precise and enables rapid and flexible adaptation to current conditions.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the control system according to the invention, the geo-position data comprise geo-position data relating to the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units on the basis of a current geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine or a change in position of the soil and / or plant care machine.Alternatively or additionally, the geo-position data comprises the geo-position of the one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units based on a current geo-position or a position change of the one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units. Alternatively or additionally, the geo-position data comprises geo-position data relating to the agricultural area, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units based on the geo-position data of the area.Alternatively or additionally, the geo-position data comprise the geo-positions of plants arranged on the usable area and / or geo-position data relating to the course of rows of plants arranged on the usable area, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units on the basis of the geo-positions of the plants and / or the course of the rows of plants.

[0010] The control system preferably comprises at least one position sensor, in particular at least one GPS sensor, for detecting the geo-position data. The geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine and / or the soil and / or plant care units can preferably be determined from the geo-position data. The at least one position sensor is preferably connected to the control system, in particular to the control device, in a signal-conducting manner. The at least one position sensor is preferably arranged on the soil and / or plant care machine. In addition, the at least one position sensor can be arranged on a towing or carrier vehicle of the soil and / or plant care machine. In addition, at least one position sensor can be arranged on one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units. The at least one position sensor can also be a component of the control device.The geo-position data is preferably GPS data or RTK (Real Time Kinematic) data. The control device is preferably configured to evaluate the geo-position data to determine the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine and / or the one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units. In addition, the control device is preferably configured to compare the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine and / or the one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units with the geo-position data relating to the agricultural area and / or with the geo-position data relating to the geo-positions of plants arranged on the area and / or the course of rows of plants arranged on the area and / or to carry out the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units based on the comparison.

[0011] In addition, the control device can compare the geo-positioning data with map data of the usable area and / or with tramline data of the usable area. The map data and / or the tramline data can contain information on the movement paths, in particular on turning operations, of the soil and / or plant care machine. Geo-positioning data relating to the agricultural area can include the positions and course of field boundaries of the usable area and / or additional information on the positions and course of plant rows on the usable area. Geo-positioning data relating to the geo-positioning of plants arranged on the usable area and / or the course of plant rows arranged on the usable area preferably include information on the placement locations of seeds from a previous sowing operation.

[0012] The control device preferably comprises an electronic data storage device on which the map data and / or the tramline data and / or the geo-position data relating to the agricultural area and / or the geo-position data relating to the geo-position of plants arranged on the area and / or the course of rows of plants arranged on the area can be stored and retrieved from the data storage device. Furthermore, the map data and / or the tramline data and / or the geo-position data relating to the agricultural area and / or the geo-position data relating to the geo-position of plants arranged on the area and / or the course of rows of plants arranged on the area can be retrieved from an external data storage device.If the geo-position data indicates that the soil and / or plant care machine is performing a turning maneuver, for example, because the soil and / or plant care machine is traveling near a field boundary and / or in the area of ​​the headland of the cultivated area and / or at the end of a driving lane, the control device preferably initiates the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units. The geometry of the soil and / or plant care machine, in particular the working width, and / or the towing or carrier vehicle are preferably known and stored in the electronic data storage device and can be retrieved and / or evaluated by the control device.By means of the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine and / or the towing or carrier vehicle, the geo-positions and / or the arrangement and / or the orientation of the soil and / or plant care units can be determined by means of the control device, preferably on the basis of the geometry of the soil and / or plant care machine and / or the towing or carrier vehicle.

[0013] In another preferred embodiment of the control system according to the invention, the control system comprises an electronic control unit which is configured to control the alignment device of the soil and / or plant care machine for row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate the control of the alignment device by means of the control unit. The alignment device and the control unit preferably jointly form a row guidance system of the soil and / or plant care machine. The alignment device is preferably designed as a displacement unit of the row guidance system of the soil and / or plant care machine. The control unit is preferably arranged on the soil and / or plant care machine, in particular on the alignment device.The control unit is preferably connected to the control device of the control system in a signal-conducting manner.

[0014] In a further preferred embodiment of the control system according to the invention, the alignment device of the soil and / or plant care machine comprises a sliding frame and / or steerable wheels for aligning the soil and / or plant care units, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control an adjustment of the sliding frame and / or the steerable wheels by means of the at least one actuator of the alignment device for pre-aligning the soil and / or plant care units. The sliding frame is designed in particular as a parallel sliding frame, which aligns the soil and / or plant care units by means of a parallel movement. The sliding frame can also be designed as a linear sliding frame, which aligns the soil and / or plant care units by means of a linear movement.In particular, a sliding frame is displaced transversely to the direction of travel of the soil and / or plant care machine. Steerable wheels are preferably steered to align the soil and / or plant care units. The soil and / or plant care units are preferably arranged next to one another and / or at a distance from one another on a frame or on a rod assembly of the soil and / or plant care machine, wherein the soil and / or plant care units are preferably aligned together with the frame or the rod assembly by means of the alignment device. The at least one actuator is preferably designed as a hydraulic cylinder. The at least one actuator is preferably controlled by the control unit of the control system, wherein the control unit is prompted by the control device to control the actuator.

[0015] Furthermore, a control system according to the invention is preferred in which the agricultural soil and / or plant care machine is designed as an agricultural hoe, in which, in the first operating state, one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units are temporarily lifted out, so that soil engagement of one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units is temporarily interrupted. Alternatively, the agricultural soil and / or plant care machine can be designed as an agricultural field sprayer, in which, in the first operating state, application of a spray liquid by means of the soil and / or plant care units to one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units is temporarily interrupted.The soil and / or plant care machine can be a hoe for mechanical weed control by mechanically removing weeds and grasses in row crops. The soil and / or plant care units in hoes are designed as hoeing units, in particular with parallelogram linkages, each of which can comprise one or more soil cultivation tools to adapt the hoe to different crops and / or plant row spacings, for example. The soil cultivation tools include, for example, various spring-loaded and / or rigid hoeing blades, in particular goosefoot blades, protractors, hoeing chisels and / or tines, spring tines, harrows, finger wheels, and rollers, for example, hoe protection rollers or depth control rollers. The soil and / or plant care machine can also be a field sprayer for applying spray liquids, in particular plant protection and / or weed control agents and / or liquid fertilizers.The soil and / or plant care units on field sprayers are designed as spray nozzles for applying the spray liquid to the agricultural area.

[0016] A control system according to the invention is also advantageous in which the control device is configured to retrieve and / or receive control data from an external electronic control unit or from an external electronic data processing device and / or to evaluate the control data to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units. Preferably, the suspension of the soil and / or plant care process is controlled by a control unit of a towing or carrier vehicle of the soil and / or plant care machine. Preferably, the control device of the control system is connected in a signal-conducting manner to the control unit of the towing or carrier vehicle, particularly preferably via an ISOBUS connection, in particular via TIM (Tractor Implement Management).Through an ISOBUS connection, in particular via TIM, the control unit of the towing or carrier vehicle and the control device of the soil and / or plant care machine can communicate with each other, in particular exchange control data. The control data that initiate and / or control the deployment can be transmitted to the control device of the soil and / or plant care machine and / or retrieved by the control device, so that the control device can select a suitable time for pre-alignment based on the control data for deployment. An external data processing device can, for example, be a PC or server external to the machine. The control device can also be connected to the external control unit or the external data processing device via radio, for example via mobile radio, or via the Internet.

[0017] In a further development of the control system according to the invention, the control data comprise control data relating to the suspension of the soil and / or plant care process by means of one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units based on a current suspension status and / or an impending change in the suspension status. The control data preferably comprise information relating to the control of the suspension of the soil and / or plant care process by means of one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units, in particular the times at which the soil and / or plant care process is interrupted and / or continued by means of one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units.The soil and / or plant care process is temporarily suspended on one, several or all soil and / or plant care units, in particular during turning operations of the soil and / or plant care machine, for example on the headland or in the vicinity of field boundaries, in order to temporarily interrupt the soil and / or plant care process during a turning operation of the soil and / or plant care machine.

[0018] The suspension of the soil and / or plant care process indicates that the soil and / or plant care machine, after the turning process, must align the soil and / or plant care units to the position and / or course of the crop rows to be cared for after the turning process. The time during the turning process can be used to pre-align the removed soil and / or plant care units. The suspension of the soil and / or plant care process can be controlled by the control system's control device.In a soil and / or plant care machine designed as a hoe, particularly in the case of mounted hoes, the soil and / or plant care units are preferably partially or completely lifted together using a three-point hydraulic linkage of a tractor or carrier vehicle to suspend the soil and / or plant care process, so that the soil engagement of one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units in the soil of the agricultural land is temporarily interrupted, particularly for the duration of the turning process. In addition, the soil and / or plant care units can be lifted individually and / or in groups and / or segments using a section control system.In the case of hoes, individual soil and / or plant care units can be lifted out, in particular via a parallelogram linkage by means of a parallelogram lift, in particular a hydraulic one, in order to interrupt the soil and / or plant care process, for example, only over a partial width of the soil and / or plant care machine.

[0019] In field sprayers, spray nozzles can be switched off individually and / or in groups and / or segments using the section control. The control data preferably also include information on the section control, whereby a section control for suspending the soil and / or plant care process on individual soil and / or plant care units can indicate a turning process of the soil and / or plant care machine. Control data relating to the suspension of the soil and / or plant care process by means of one, several or all soil and / or plant care units can indicate a current suspension of the soil and / or plant care process or a timely suspension, whereby the control device initiates the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units as soon as the soil and / or plant care process is and / or has been suspended.The control device is preferably configured to evaluate the control data relating to the suspension of the soil and / or plant care process by means of one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units for the purpose of pre-aligning the soil and / or plant care units. For example, if the soil and / or plant care machine approaches the headland and must perform a turning maneuver, the control unit of the towing or carrier vehicle or the control device of the soil and / or plant care machine causes the soil and / or plant care process to be suspended by means of one, several, or all soil and / or plant care units on one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units.

[0020] In another preferred embodiment of the control system according to the invention, the control data comprise working position data relating to the working position of the soil and / or plant care units and / or steering angle data relating to the steering angle of at least one wheel of the soil and / or plant care machine and / or a towing or carrier vehicle of the soil and / or plant care machine. The control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units based on a current working position and / or a current steering angle. Working position data relating to the working position of the soil and / or plant care units are preferably detected by a working position sensor.The working position sensor can, in particular, detect whether one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units of a hoe are raised by detecting the working position of the soil and / or plant care units. If the current working position of the soil and / or plant care units indicates that one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units are raised, this indicates a turning process, so that the control device can initiate the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units.

[0021] Preferably, steering angle data relating to the steering angle of at least one wheel of the soil and / or plant care machine and / or a towing or carrier vehicle of the soil and / or plant care machine are detected by a steering angle sensor. If the steering angle indicates that the soil and / or plant care machine is performing a turning maneuver, the control device can initiate the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units. Furthermore, an inclination sensor can detect the inclination angle of the soil and / or plant care machine, whereby an inclination of the soil and / or plant care machine can indicate a slope of the usable area, whereby the control device is configured to control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units depending on the inclination.Furthermore, a speed sensor can detect the speed and / or an acceleration sensor can detect the acceleration of the soil and / or plant care machine, wherein a low speed and / or a deceleration of the soil and / or plant care machine can indicate a turning process of the soil and / or plant care machine.

[0022] In a further preferred embodiment of the control system according to the invention, the control data comprise camera data acquired by at least one camera, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units on the basis of the camera data. The at least one camera can be arranged on the soil and / or plant care machine or on a towing or carrier vehicle of the soil and / or plant care machine. Preferably, the at least one camera is configured to detect the position and / or the course of plant rows on the usable area. Preferably, the at least one camera is configured to detect the distance between plant rows on the usable area.

[0023] In addition, the camera can preferably distinguish between crops and weeds, for example by recognizing plants arranged in rows and / or the plant width and / or the plant height and / or the plant color. Preferably, the at least one camera is connected to the electronic control unit in a signal-conducting manner. The camera data is preferably sent from the camera to the control unit. Preferably, the control device is configured to evaluate the camera data and, based on the camera data, to determine whether the soil and / or plant care machine is in a turning process. If the camera data indicate that the soil and / or plant care machine is in a turning process, the control device preferably initiates the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units.Alternatively or additionally, an optical detection of the position and / or the course of the rows of plants on the cultivated area and / or a differentiation of the cultivated plants from weeds by detecting plants arranged in rows and / or the plant width and / or the plant height and / or the plant colour can be carried out by means of an alternative optical detection device, for example by means of a laser or by means of an infrared sensor.

[0024] A control system according to the invention is also preferred in which the control data comprise information from a previous soil and / or plant care process, wherein the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units based on the information from the previous soil and / or plant care process. The information from the previous soil and / or plant care process is preferably manual control commands and / or user inputs from a machine operator during a previous, at least partially manual, soil and / or plant care process. The information from the previous soil and / or plant care process can also be geo-position data, sensor data, and / or camera data from a previous soil and / or plant care process.The information from the previous soil and / or plant care process was preferably recorded and / or stored on an electronic data storage device, in particular by means of a scenario recorder. The recorded and / or stored manual control commands and / or user inputs can preferably be retrieved and / or evaluated by the control device. The control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment based on the recorded manual control commands. The information from the previous soil and / or plant care process preferably includes times and / or geo-positions at which a turning process and / or a suspension of the soil and / or plant care process and / or a pre-alignment and / or a fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units was carried out during the previous soil and / or plant care process.In addition, the information of the previous soil and / or plant care process can include a movement path of the soil and / or plant care machine on the agricultural area.

[0025] Furthermore, a control system according to the invention is advantageous in which the electronic control device is configured to initiate and / or control, in a second operating state of the soil and / or plant care machine, in which the soil and / or plant care process is continued by means of the soil and / or plant care units, a row-related fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units by means of the alignment device of the soil and / or plant care machine on the basis of the control data. Preferably, the soil and / or plant care process is continued by means of the soil and / or plant care units as soon as the soil and / or plant care machine has completed the turning process.With a hoe, after the turning process has been completed, the excavated soil and / or plant care units are returned to a working position in which the soil and / or plant care units have contact with the soil of the usable area.

[0026] In a field sprayer, the soil and / or plant care units designed as spray nozzles apply spray liquid to the cultivated area again after the turning process has been completed. During the continued soil and / or plant care process of the soil and / or plant care units, the control device is preferably configured to initiate and / or control a fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units on the basis of the control data. In the case of hoeing in the continued state, the soil and / or plant care units are preferably arranged between two adjacent rows of plants that run transversely to the direction of travel of the soil and / or plant care machine and at a distance from one another and in the direction of travel of the soil and / or plant care machine, in order to remove weeds and grasses growing between the rows of plants.Preferably, the soil and / or plant care units in field sprayers are arranged vertically above adjacent rows of plants, spaced apart from one another in the direction of travel of the soil and / or plant care machine in the extended state, in order to apply spray liquid to the rows of plants. To ensure that the soil and / or plant care units are arranged as intended between the rows of plants in hoeing in the extended state, the control device can cause the alignment device to finely align the soil and / or plant care units based on the control data.

[0027] In a further development of the control system according to the invention, the control device is configured to automatically switch between the row-related pre-alignment and the row-related fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units using the alignment device of the soil and / or plant care machine based on the control data. Switching between pre-alignment and fine alignment preferably occurs without manual input from a machine operator.

[0028] In a further preferred embodiment of the control system according to the invention, the control device is configured to carry out a multi-stage alignment process based on the control data, which comprises at least the row-related pre-alignment and the row-related fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units, wherein the multi-stage alignment process is preferably interrupted at least temporarily. The multi-stage alignment process is in particular a two-stage alignment process, which preferably comprises two stages. A first stage of the multi-stage alignment process preferably comprises the row-related pre-alignment. A second stage of the multi-stage alignment process preferably comprises the row-related fine alignment. The multi-stage alignment process is preferably started and / or executed when the soil and / or plant care machine performs a turning process, in particular in the headland of the cultivated area.Between the stages of the multi-stage alignment process, in particular between the pre-alignment and the fine alignment, the alignment process can be interrupted, in particular paused, at least temporarily. The multi-stage alignment process can also be carried out continuously. The control device is preferably configured to automatically switch between the stages of the multi-stage, in particular two-stage, alignment process based on the control data.

[0029] Furthermore, a multi-stage alignment process is preferred, in which geo-positioning data are taken into account in a first stage, and both geo-positioning data and camera data are taken into account in a second stage. The first stage is preferably intended for pre-alignment outside the crop stand, especially in the headland, and the second stage is intended for alignment within the crop stand.

[0030] Furthermore, a control system according to the invention is preferred in which the control device is configured to initiate and / or control the row-related fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units on the basis of camera data acquired by at least one camera and / or geo-position data relating to the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine. Preferably, at least one camera records the position and / or the course of the plant rows and on the usable area while the soil and / or plant care units are not deployed, wherein the control device finely aligns the soil and / or plant care units depending on the recorded position and / or the recorded course of the plant rows. In addition, the camera preferably records the positions and / or the density of weeds growing between and / or in the plant rows.In addition, the current geoposition of the soil and / or plant care machine can be used to initiate fine alignment, for example, when the soil and / or plant care machine returns from the headland to the interior of the cultivated area into the row crops after turning. Preferably, the control device is configured to retrieve and / or receive the geoposition data from a GPS sensor and / or the camera data from the at least one camera and evaluate them for fine alignment. Preferably, the control device is configured to automatically switch to fine alignment upon entry of the soil and / or plant care machine into the row crops after a completed pre-alignment.

[0031] The object underlying the invention is further achieved by an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine of the type mentioned above, wherein the control system is designed according to one of the above embodiments. Regarding the advantages and modifications of the agricultural soil and / or plant care machine according to the invention, reference is made to the advantages and modifications of the control system according to the invention.

[0032] The object underlying the invention is further achieved by a method of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein the electronic control device of the control system automatically initiates and / or controls the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units in the first operating state without a manual input from a machine operator initiating the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units on the basis of control data comprising geo-position data.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the orientation of the soil and / or plant care units is controlled by means of a control system according to one of the preceding embodiments. Regarding the advantages and modifications of the method according to the invention, reference is made to the advantages and modifications of the control system according to the invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained and described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0034] Fig. 1 an agricultural soil and / or

[0035] Plant care machine comprising a control system according to the invention during a soil and / or plant care process on an agricultural area in different operating states in a schematic plan view; and

[0036] Fig. 2 the agricultural soil and / or

[0037] Plant care machine during a soil and / or plant care operation in a perspective view.

[0038] Fig. 1 shows an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine 100 during a soil and / or plant care operation on an agricultural area N on which crops are arranged in rows P. The soil and / or plant care machine 100 is designed as a supported hoe, which is carried by a carrier vehicle 106 designed as a tractor by means of a coupling device 108 in the direction of travel F. The soil and / or plant care machine 100 is configured to mechanically remove weeds and grasses between the rows P to protect the crops.

[0039] For weed control, the soil and / or plant care machine 100 comprises a plurality of soil and / or plant care units 102 arranged evenly spaced and side by side on a rod assembly 104. The soil and / or plant care units 102 each comprise a parallelogram rod assembly on which soil cultivation tools, such as chopping blades, are arranged. The soil cultivation tools remove the weeds between the plant rows P, in particular by penetrating the soil into the cultivated area N. In addition, the soil and / or plant care units 102 are attached to the rod assembly 104 of the soil and / or plant care machine 100 by means of the parallelogram rod assembly. In addition, the soil and / or plant care units 102 can be lifted out individually and / or in segments by means of the parallelogram rod assembly in order to at least temporarily interrupt the soil penetration of the soil cultivation tools.

[0040] The soil and / or plant care machine 100 is shown in Fig. 1 in different statuses I-III. In a first status I, the soil and / or plant care machine 100 moves in the rows of plants P and is in a second operating state in which the soil and / or plant care process is carried out by means of the soil and / or plant care machine 100. In the second operating state, the soil and / or plant care units 102 are in a working position in which the soil and / or plant care units 102 are not raised and the soil cultivation tools, in particular the chopping blades, have soil engagement in the soil of the cultivated area N. As a result of the soil engagement of the soil cultivation tools and the movement of the soil and / or plant care machine 100, weeds on the cultivated area N that grow between the rows of plants P are removed.

[0041] In a second status II, the soil and / or plant care machine 100 performs a turning operation W. Turning operations are carried out in particular when the soil and / or plant care machine 100 has to turn in the vicinity of field boundaries of the cultivated area N on the headland between two parallel runs in the interior of the cultivated area. During the turning operation, the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is in a first operating state in which the soil and / or plant care operation by means of the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is temporarily suspended, in particular for the duration of the turning operation. In the first operating state, the soil and / or plant care units 102 are in an excavation position in which the soil and / or plant care units 102 are excavated and the soil cultivation tools, in particular the chopping blades, thus have no soil engagement with the soil of the cultivated area N.During turning operations, particularly on the headland of the cultivated area N, the soil and / or plant care units 102 are raised to avoid damaging any crops located on the headland. The coupling device 108 can be designed as a three-point hydraulic linkage of the carrier vehicle 106, by means of which the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is carried and raised.

[0042] Status II is followed by status III after the turning process has been carried out, wherein the soil and / or plant care machine 100 in status III is again in the second operating mode, analogous to status I, so that the soil and / or plant care process is continued by means of the soil and / or plant care machine 100.

[0043] In order to ensure reliable weed control while avoiding damage to the crops in the plant rows P, the soil and / or plant care units 102 must be aligned during the soil and / or plant care process such that they are adapted to the course of the plant rows A and guided precisely between the plant rows P. In the second operating mode in status I and III of the soil and / or plant care machine 100, a fine alignment of the alignment A of the soil and / or plant care units 102 is therefore controlled during the soil and / or plant care process by means of a control system 10 on the basis of control data, in particular on the basis of camera data acquired by cameras 22, so that the soil and / or plant care units 102 do not protrude into the plant rows P.The orientation A of the soil and / or plant care units 102 can be adjusted by means of an alignment device 16 of the soil and / or plant care machine 100 that can be controlled by the control system 10. The alignment device 16 comprises a displacement frame 18 designed as a parallel displacement frame, by means of which the soil and / or plant care units 102 can be displaced transversely to the direction of travel F of the soil and / or plant care machine 100. The displacement frame 18 can also be designed as a linear displacement frame. Furthermore, the orientation A of the soil and / or plant care units 102 can be adjusted by means of steerable wheels of the soil and / or plant care machine 100.

[0044] In order to ensure that the alignment A of the soil and / or plant care units 102 matches the course of the plant rows P immediately after a turning operation W of the soil and / or plant care machine 100 and thus to prevent damage to the crops due to incorrect alignment A when the soil and / or plant care machine 100 re-enters the plant rows P after a turning operation W, a row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units 102 is carried out during the turning operation W. By the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units 102 in status II, the alignment A of the soil and / or plant care units 102 is controlled such that the soil and / or plant care units 102 are guided between the plant rows P immediately after the turning operation W when changing from status II to status III.The row-related pre-alignment during the turning process W and the row-related fine alignment before and after the turning process W are components of a multi-stage alignment process of the soil and / or plant care units 102, which is automatically controlled by the control system 100, wherein the control system 100 automatically switches from the fine alignment in status I to the pre-alignment in status II and back to the fine alignment in status III.

[0045] The row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units 102 is initiated and controlled by the control system 10. The control of the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units 102 by the control system 10 is carried out based on control data. The control data includes, in particular, position data detected by a position sensor 20 and relating to the geo-position of the carrier vehicle 106 and / or the soil and / or plant care machine 100. The position sensor 20 is arranged on the carrier vehicle 106. If the geometry of the carrier vehicle 106 and the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is known, the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine 100 and / or the geo-positions of the individual soil and / or plant care units 102 can be determined from the geo-position of the carrier vehicle 106 detected by the position sensor 20.The position sensor 20 can also be positioned on the soil and / or plant care machine 100. Furthermore, the control data can comprise position data stored in a data memory of the control system 10, which in particular relate to the course of the plant rows P and / or the cultivated area N. If the position data indicate, for example, that the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is located near a field boundary of the cultivated area N or in the region of the headland of the cultivated area N, this indicates that the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is performing a turning operation W. Because the control data comprise data relating to the course of the plant rows P, the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units 102 can be carried out such that the soil and / or plant care units 102 are adjusted to the course of the plant rows P after the turning operation, thus preventing any crops from being damaged after the turning operation W.The control data can also include data relating to a current deployment status of the soil and / or plant care units 102, wherein the raising of one, several, or all of the soil and / or plant care units 102 can indicate that the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is performing a turning operation W. If, for example, a control unit of the carrier vehicle 106 initiates the raising of the soil and / or plant care units 102, corresponding control data relating to the deployment can be transmitted via ISOBUS to the control system 10, which subsequently initiates pre-alignment. The control data can further include camera data acquired by the cameras 22, wherein, based on the camera data, it can be determined when the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is in a turning operation W.

[0046] The control system 10 comprises a control device 12, by means of which the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units 102 is controlled based on the control data during the turning process W. The control device 12 can be designed, in particular, as an operating terminal for the carrier vehicle 106 and / or for the soil and / or plant care machine 100 and can be arranged in a driver's cab of the carrier vehicle 106 or on the soil and / or plant care machine 100. To receive the control data, the control device 12 is connected to the cameras 22 and / or the position sensor 20 and / or a data storage device via a signal-conducting cable or wirelessly via radio. The control device 12 receives the control data and evaluates it.For example, the control device 12 can compare the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine 100 detected by the position sensor 20 with data of the usable area N stored in a data storage device, in particular the course of the field boundaries, and thereby determine whether the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is located in the headland of the usable area N. Furthermore, the control device 100 can compare a current alignment of the soil and / or plant care units 102 with the courses of the plant rows P stored in a data storage device and, based on the comparison, control the pre-alignment.

[0047] In addition, the control system 10 comprises a control unit 14, which is connected to the control device 14 in a signal-conducting manner via cable or wirelessly via radio, in particular via ISOBUS. The control unit 14 can in particular be arranged on the soil and / or plant care machine 100. If the control data indicate that the soil and / or plant care machine is in a turning process W, the control device 14 sends control signals initiating the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units 102 to the control unit 14. The alignment device 16 for aligning the soil and / or plant care units 102 can be controlled by means of the control unit 14. For this purpose, the alignment device 16 can comprise at least one actuator, for example a hydraulic cylinder, which is controlled by the control unit 14 so that the displacement frame 18 is displaced.By moving the moving frame 18, the soil and / or plant care units 102 arranged thereon are also moved, wherein the soil and / or plant care units 102 are moved such that they are adjusted to the course of the plant rows P after the turning process W.

[0048] Fig. 2 shows the soil and / or plant care machine 100 carried by the carrier vehicle 106 and designed as a hoe, comprising the control system 10 from Fig. 1. The soil and / or plant care machine 100 can be seen during a soil and / or plant care process on an agricultural area N, wherein soil and / or plant care units 102 with soil cultivation tools, in particular with chopping knives, engage in the soil of the area N between rows of plants P in order to remove weeds between the rows of plants P.To ensure reliable weed control between the plant rows P and to ensure that no crops in the plant rows P are damaged, the soil and / or plant care units 102 are finely aligned by means of the control system 10 during the soil and / or plant care process and pre-aligned during a turning process W before entering the plant rows P after the turning process W. The fine alignment and pre-alignment are initiated and controlled by the control system 10 based on control data. The control data include, in particular, position data, which is detected by the position sensor 20.The geoposition of the soil and / or plant care machine 100 is known via position data and can be compared with data stored and retrievable on a data storage device, which, for example, relate to the course of the plant rows P and / or the usable area N, in order to determine and adjust the correct orientation A of the soil and / or plant care units 102 with respect to the plant rows P and to decide when the soil and / or plant care machine 100 performs a turning operation W. The control data can also include camera data acquired by cameras 22, wherein the camera data includes information about the course of the plant rows P.In order to receive and / or retrieve and evaluate the control data and to initiate and control the fine alignment and pre-alignment, the control system comprises a control device 12, which is designed, for example, as an operating terminal for the carrier vehicle 106 and / or the soil and / or plant care machine 100.

[0049] The alignment A of the soil and / or plant care units 102 is changed by means of an alignment device 16 in that the soil and / or plant care units 102, which are attached to the alignment device 16 by means of a rod 104, are

[0050] Plant care units 102 are moved together transversely to the direction of travel F of the soil and / or plant care machine 100. In order to

[0051] Alignment device 16 for aligning the floor and / or

[0052] In order to control plant care units 102, the control system 10 comprises a control unit 14, which can be arranged on the soil and / or plant care machine 100 and is connected to the control device 12 in a signal-conducting manner, in particular via ISOBUS.

[0053] List of reference symbols

[0054] 10 Tax system

[0055] 12 Control device

[0056] 14 Control unit

[0057] 16 Alignment device

[0058] 18 sliding frames

[0059] 20 Position sensor

[0060] 22 Camera

[0061] 100 soil and / or plant care machine

[0062] 102 soil and / or plant care units

[0063] 104 rods

[0064] 106 carrier vehicle

[0065] 108 Coupling device

[0066] A alignment

[0067] F Direction of travel

[0068] N Usable area

[0069] P rows of plants

[0070] W Turning process l-lll Status

Claims

Claims 1. Control system (10) for controlling the alignment (A) of soil and / or plant care units (102) on an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine (100) during a soil and / or plant care process on an agricultural area (N) with row crops, with an electronic control device (12) which is designed to initiate a row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) by means of an alignment device (16) of the soil and / or plant care machine (100) in a first operating state of the soil and / or plant care machine (100), in which the soil and / or plant care process is temporarily suspended by means of one, several or all of the soil and / or plant care units (102);characterized in that the electronic control device (12) is designed to automatically initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) in the first operating state without a manual input from a machine operator causing the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of control data comprising geo-position data.

2. Control system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the geo-position data comprise geo-position data relating to the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine (100), wherein the control device (12) is preferably designed to carry out the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of a current geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine (100) or a change in position of the soil and / or plant care machine (100); and / or comprise geo-position data relating to the geo-position of the one, several or all soil and / or plant care units (102), wherein the control device (12) is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) based on a current geo-position or a position change of the one, several or all soil and / or plant care units (102); and / or comprise geo-position data relating to the agricultural area (N), wherein the control device (12) is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) based on the geo-position data of the agricultural area (N);and / or geo-position data relating to the geo-positions of plants arranged on the usable area (N) and / or the course of rows of plants (P) arranged on the usable area, wherein the control device (12) is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of the geo-positions of the plants and / or the course of the rows of plants (P); 3. Control system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control system (10) comprises an electronic control unit (14) which is designed to control the alignment device (16) of the soil and / or plant care machine (100) for row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102), wherein the control device (12) is preferably designed to initiate the control of the alignment device (16) by means of the control unit (14).

4. Control system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the alignment device (16) of the soil and / or plant care machine (100) comprises a sliding frame (18) and / or steerable wheels for aligning the soil and / or plant care units (102), wherein the control device (12) is preferably designed to initiate and / or control an adjustment of the sliding frame (18) and / or the steerable wheels by means of the at least one actuator of the alignment device (16) for pre-aligning the soil and / or plant care units (102).

5. Control system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the agricultural soil and / or plant care machine (100) is designed as an agricultural hoe, in which in the first operating state one, several or all of the soil and / or plant care units (102) are temporarily raised, so that soil engagement of the one, several or all of the soil and / or plant care units (102) is temporarily interrupted; or an agricultural field sprayer is designed in which in the first operating state application of a spray liquid by means of the soil and / or plant care units (102) to one, several or all of the soil and / or plant care units (102) is temporarily interrupted.

6. Control system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (12) is designed to retrieve and / or receive the control data from an external electronic control device or from an external electronic data processing device and / or to evaluate the control data to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102).

7. Control system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control data comprise the suspension of the soil and / or plant care process by means of control data relating to one, several or all soil and / or plant care units (102), wherein the control device (12) is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of a current suspension status and / or an impending change in the suspension status.

8. Control system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control data comprise working position data relating to the working position of the soil and / or plant care units (102) and / or steering angle data relating to the steering angle of at least one wheel of the soil and / or plant care machine (100) and / or a towing or carrier vehicle of the soil and / or plant care machine (100), wherein the control device (12) is preferably designed to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of a current working position and / or a current steering angle.

9. Control system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control data comprise camera data acquired by at least one camera (22), wherein the control device (12) is preferably configured to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of the camera data.

10. Control system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control data comprise information from a previous soil and / or plant care process, wherein the control device (12) is preferably designed to initiate and / or control the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of the information of the previous soil and / or plant care process.

11. Control system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic control device (12) is designed to initiate and / or control, in a second operating state of the soil and / or plant care machine (100), in which the soil and / or plant care process is continued by means of the soil and / or plant care units (102), a row-related fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) by means of the alignment device (16) of the soil and / or plant care machine (100) on the basis of the control data.

12. Control system (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that the control device (12) is designed to automatically switch between the row-related pre-alignment and the row-related fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) by means of the alignment device (16) of the soil and / or plant care machine (100) on the basis of the control data.

13. Control system (10) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the control device (12) is designed to carry out a multi-stage alignment process on the basis of the control data, which comprises at least the row-related pre-alignment and the row-related fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102), wherein the multi-stage alignment process is preferably interrupted at least temporarily.

14. Control system (10) according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the control device (12) is designed to initiate and / or control the row-related fine alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of camera data acquired by means of at least one camera (22) and / or geo-position data relating to the geo-position of the soil and / or plant care machine.

15. An agricultural soil and / or plant care machine (100) for soil and / or plant care of row crops on an agricultural area (N), comprising a plurality of soil and / or plant care units (102); and a control system (10) for controlling the orientation (A) of the soil and / or plant care units (102) of the agricultural soil and / or plant care machine (100) during a soil and / or plant care operation on the agricultural area (N) with row crops, characterized in that the control system (10) is designed according to one of the preceding claims.

16. A method for controlling the orientation (A) of soil and / or plant care units (102) on an agricultural soil and / or plant care machine (100) during a soil and / or plant care operation on an agricultural area (N) with row crops by means of a control system (10), in particular by means of a control system (10) according to one of claims 1 to 14, comprising the step: Initiating a row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) by means of an alignment device (16) of the soil and / or plant care machine (100) in a first operating state of the soil and / or plant care machine (100), in which the soil and / or plant care process is carried out by means of one, several or all of the soil and / or plant care units (102) is temporarily suspended, by means of an electronic control device (12) of the control system (10); characterized in that the electronic control device (12) of the control system (10) automatically initiates and / or controls the row-related pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) in the first operating state without a manual input from a machine operator initiating the pre-alignment of the soil and / or plant care units (102) on the basis of control data comprising geo-position data.

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