Method for determining semi-automatically paths to be followed by at least one agricultural robot to work a plot

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining semi-automatically the routes and paths to be followed by at least one agricultural robot (1) to completely work a given plot (P). This method consists in computing paths parallel to an initial reference orientation (OR1), in determining one or more non-optimal areas (Z2), in defining another reference orientation (ORi), and in computing paths (Ti) that are parallel thereto for each of the one or more non-optimal areas, in repeating these operations if necessary, and in viewing at least one proposed configuration of the movements projected for the entire plot.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Method for semi-automatically determining the paths of at least one agricultural robot for working a plot

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of agricultural machinery and more particularly to the working of the soil or plants of an agricultural plot by at least one agricultural work machine or machine with autonomous operation, that is to say capable of working the plot without the assistance of an operator, except for possible occasional intervention, and preferably without being under the control of a control center. Such a machine is commonly called an agricultural robot and corresponds to a mobile and motorized agricultural machine or attachment provided with at least one tool (integrated, carried, semi-carried or trailed) and comprising integrated means (control, communication, tracking, etc.) making it capable of working a plot autonomously, where appropriate in cooperation with at least one other machine carrying out the same type of work or not.

[0002] In this context, the invention relates to a method for semi-automatically determining the passages and paths to be carried out by at least one agricultural robot to work a given plot in its entirety.

[0003] Such an agricultural robot can be implemented alone to work a plot or be part of a fleet of at least two robots assigned to the plot. This robot can operate completely independently after configuration and programming (before the start of work in the field, directly by a user on site or remotely by a central control and management system). The robots in a fleet may or may not communicate with each other and, if necessary, be assigned to work a predetermined part of the plot.

[0004] Typically, an agricultural plot is worked by going back and forth within it. In agricultural robotics, the trajectories taken by the machines are often generated in advance, in the form of pre-calculated planned paths or passages. These trajectories are generally (at least within the cultivated area of ​​the plot) parallel lines relative to an edge of the plot, called "reference edge", if possible chosen straight, but not necessarily. These straight lines (paths or passages) are spaced apart by the working width of the tool or tools of the agricultural robot in question.

[0005] This solution is simple to implement and well suited for plots with basic geometric shapes (e.g. rectangles, squares, quadrilaterals) or at least without a concave or non-rectilinear edge. But as soon as a plot has a more complex shape, includes an obstacle and / or includes a certain relief or risk zones (which is often the case in real situations), then the trajectories are not necessarily optimized (in terms of number, length, safety during work, non-worked movements, etc.), if they are all parallel to a single orientation or direction or to a single reference edge (see for example figure 1 A).

[0006] Document US 10,459,447 discloses a method for planning trajectories of agricultural robots for making windrows, consisting of defining one or more partitions of the plot, determining sets of windrow trajectories by multiple angular incrementation, calculating for each set the difference in length between the longest trajectory and the shortest trajectory and retaining the set of trajectories with the smallest difference.

[0007] Document EP 2 446 725 discloses a method for determining a planned route for a vehicle, which method consists of delimiting a plot by means of linear segments and concave connecting nodes, identifying the concave surfaces of this plot, subdividing the plot into sectors by lines in relation to the aforementioned nodes, determining a reference direction of trajectories and defining the working routes in the sectors and the interconnecting routes between sectors.

[0008] These known processes are systematically entirely automatic, involve a complex methodology which firstly partitions the plot concerned, cannot be carried out at the user's discretion and in part, and do not provide for final validation, or even choice, by the user.

[0009] The present invention aims to overcome at least the main of these drawbacks.

[0010] To this end, it relates to a method for semi-automatically determining the passages and paths to be carried out by at least one agricultural robot to work a given plot in its entirety, this method comprising the following steps: -a) define, automatically or by a user, an initial reference orientation, advantageously in accordance with a reference edge of the plot considered, -b) calculate the paths parallel to the initial reference orientation, so as to cover the entire plot, -c) automatically detect one or more zones of the plot, with i varying from 2 to n, with n > 2, called non-optimal zones, in which the evaluation, with respect to at least one predefined performance criterion in terms of route and / or work, of the planned routes in accordance with the initial reference orientation and the resulting configuration of the projected movements, does not exceed a threshold value or does not reach a respectively predetermined optimal value, -d) automatically define at least one other reference orientation for the or each of the non-optimal zones, -e) calculate for the or each of the non-optimal zones, the paths parallel to at least one other reference orientation defined for the non-optimal zone considered, so as to cover this non-optimal zone in its entirety each time, -f) repeating steps d) and e) where appropriate for a given non-optimal area, defining a different reference orientation each time, until at least one route proposal is obtained for this non-optimal area, the evaluation of which in relation to at least one performance criterion reaches an optimal value, -g) visualize the plot with at least one proposed configuration of the projected movements for the agricultural robot(s) in the different zones with path orientations specific to each, these different zones, with i varying from 1 to n, together covering the entire surface of the plot.

[0011] The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example and explained with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:

[0012] [Fig. 1A] is a schematic top view of a plot for which the intended paths of an agricultural robot have been determined relative to a single reference edge and in a single orientation;

[0013] [Fig. 1 B] and [Fig. 1 C] are views identical to Figure 1A of the same plot, with a determination of the paths in accordance with the method according to the invention and the implementation of two reference edges or orientations;

[0014] [Fig. 2],

[0015] [Fig. 3] and

[0016] [Fig. 4] are schematic top views of two other plots for which the planned paths of an agricultural robot were determined with the method according to the invention, in relation to at least three reference edges or orientations.

[0017] Figures 1 B, 1 C and 2 to 4 illustrate, in accordance with the invention, the application to different geometric shapes and topographies of plots (P) of the method for semi-automatic determination of the passages and paths (T) to be carried out by at least one agricultural robot (1) to work a given plot (P) in its entirety.

[0018] According to the invention, this method essentially comprises the following steps: -a) define, automatically or by a user (U), an initial reference orientation (OR1), advantageously in accordance with a reference edge (BR1) of the plot (P) considered, -b) calculate the paths (T1) parallel to the initial reference orientation (OR1), so as to cover the entire plot (P), -c) automatically detect one or more zones (Zi) of the plot (P), with i varying from 2 to n, with n > 2, called non-optimal zones (Zi), in which the evaluation, with respect to at least one predefined performance criterion in terms of route and / or work, of the routes (T1) planned in accordance with the initial reference orientation (OR1) and the resulting configuration of the projected movements, does not exceed a threshold value or does not reach a respectively predetermined optimal value, -d) automatically define at least one other reference orientation (ORi) for the zone (Z2) or each (Z2 to Zn) of the non-optimal zone(s) (Zi), -e) calculate for the or each of the non-optimal zones (Zi), the paths (Ti) parallel to the at least one other reference orientation (ORi) defined for the non-optimal zone (Zi) considered, so as to cover each time this non-optimal zone (Zi) in its entirety, -f) repeating steps d) and e) where appropriate for a given non-optimal zone (Zi), defining a different reference orientation (ORi) each time, until at least one route proposal (Ti) is obtained for this non-optimal zone (Zi), the evaluation of which in relation to the at least one performance criterion reaches an optimal value, -g) visualize the plot (P) with at least one proposed configuration of the projected movements for the agricultural robot(s) (1) in the different zones (Zi) with orientations (ORi) of paths (Ti) specific to each, these different zones (Zi), with i varying from 1 to n, together covering the entire surface of the plot (P).

[0019] Thanks to this combination of particular characteristics, the method according to the invention makes it possible to determine an optimized configuration of the paths to be taken to work the entire plot considered (P), the initial orientation (OR1) being able to be defined, automatically by suitable software (following in particular a cartographic or geometric analysis of the plot; for example: OR1 = direction of the longest straight line that can be drawn in the plot) or manually by the user (II). When defining this initial orientation, the knowledge acquired during previous work campaigns can also be taken into account.

[0020] Furthermore, this guided progressive approach to determining the orientations, then the working paths, and the non-optimal areas makes it possible to explore and evaluate substantially all the possible options in terms of proposed route configurations (of course the T1 paths are kept for the rest of the plot (= plot - non-optimal areas), as the optimal path configuration).

[0021] The same orientation (ORi) can possibly be applied to several distinct constituent zones of the plot, not linked to each other (see OR3 applied to Z3 and Z4 in figure 4).

[0022] In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the visualization of the proposed configuration(s) of the projected movements for the agricultural robot(s) (1) on the plot (P) divided into n zones (Zi) is carried out on an interactive graphical interface (2) and is characterized in that the proposal, possibly selected from among several after a justified selection, is subject to validation by a user (U) before its transmission to the agricultural robot(s) (1), where appropriate via a centralized management system of the latter. Thus, the user regains control and decides on the configuration that will be implemented, where appropriate after having defined the initial orientation (step a).

[0023] Advantageously, and in particular when it is carried out automatically, the definition of the initial reference orientation (OR1) is carried out, after taking into account topographical and geometric characteristics of the plot (P), using at least one evaluation criterion chosen from the following: a given number of projected paths (T1), for example a minimum number; a given number of U-turns, for example a minimum number; an uninterrupted edge-to-edge path (T) as long as possible, where appropriate rectilinear; at least one statistical parameter optimized on the population of the lengths of the projected paths (T1), for example the variance, the mean and / or the median; knowing that a weighting of the criteria can possibly be applied when at least two criteria are used.

[0024] Preferably, the evaluation criterion(s) used to detect the zones (Zi) as not being likely to be traveled and / or worked in a sufficiently efficient manner in relation to the initial route forecast (T1), is (are) chosen from the following: the topography and / or geometry of the plot (P); an average value of the route lengths as large as possible; a number of U-turns as small as possible; at least one statistical parameter optimized on the population of the projected route lengths (T1), for example the variance, the mean and / or the median, a weighting of the criteria possibly being applied when at least two criteria are used.

[0025] The weighting used where appropriate when multiple evaluation criteria are implemented makes it possible to prioritize one or more of these considered to be more important than the others.

[0026] The paths (Ti) planned on two areas (Zi) which touch each other may tend to overlap and cross each other in a junction region (RJ) between these two areas. To avoid this disruptive phenomenon, it can be planned to manage, automatically or by user intervention, the configuration of the paths in these regions.

[0027] Thus, and as shown in Figures 1 C and 2 to 4, the method consists of defining limits (L) at the level of the junction regions (RJ) between two adjoining zones, among the different n zones (Zi) covering the entire surface of the plot (P), favoring as criterion(s) a minimum number of paths (Ti), with i varying from 1 to n, to cover the entire plot (P) and / or a minimum number of U-turns inside the plot (P).

[0028] Preferably, the definition of each limit (L) at the level of the junction region (RJ) between two adjoining zones (Zi), with i varying from 1 to n, is carried out either by connecting two opposite points (P1, P2) of the peripheral edge surrounding the plot (P), or by extending the lines (Ti) of a zone (Zi) from the peripheral edge to their intersection with another line (Ti) of greater length of another zone (Zi), this definition of the limits being where appropriate carried out automatically or manually by a user (U) by means of an interactive graphical interface (2).

[0029] A boundary (L), which may or may not be rectilinear, is for example constituted by at least a portion or the entirety of a bordering path (Ti), provided in one of the two adjoining zones (Zi): it then has a real existence. However, such a boundary (L) may also be of a virtual nature, defining a virtual edge between two adjoining zones (figure 4).

[0030] In order to better take into account the actual situation on the ground, and in particular factors disturbing the homogeneity and continuity of work of the plot to be worked, it may be planned to take into account during steps a), b), d) and e), on the basis of augmented cartographic data of the plot (P) and for the definition of the initial reference orientation (OR1), and at least one possible other reference orientation (ORi), as well as for the subsequent calculation of the routes (T1, Ti): one or more obstacles (O) possibly present in the plot (P) and / or one or more risk zones (ZR) possibly present in the plot (P), and / or the direction of movement planned during a subsequent agricultural operation (see figures 2, 3 and 4).

[0031] An obstacle (O) can, depending on its geometry in particular, itself determine an orientation or a reference edge for the calculation of routes. In addition, in the case of a risk zone (ZR), it can be planned to determine an orientation (ORR) specific to this zone and generating paths (TRR) minimizing the risk incurred (figure 4).

[0032] As a supplement or alternative and in order to take into account the relief of the plot to be worked, it may be planned to take into account three-dimensional topographical data of the plot (P) considered, to identify the zone(s) (ZDj) possibly on a slope and whose slope is greater than a predetermined threshold value and to impose a reference orientation (ODj) for the orientation of the paths (TDj), with j > 0, to be calculated for the or each of the agricultural robot(s) (1) in the or each zone (ZDj) mentioned above (see figure 3).

[0033] In order to guide the final choice of the user (U) among the proposals submitted and in particular to inform him of the risks linked to safety, it may be provided to inform the user (U), where appropriate, that the or at least one of the proposed configuration(s) of the movements projected for the agricultural robot(s) (1) is dangerous due to a slope or another identified risk, or is not optimal for the subsequent agricultural operation.

[0034] As shown by way of example in Figure 3, the method may consist, in the case of at least one portion (PC) of non-rectilinear plot edge (P), in generating tracings (TC) parallel to the portion (PC) of edge and defining a zone (ZC), the extension of each of the tracings (TC) being limited by their intersection with the edge of the plot (P) and / or with a rectilinear tracing (Ti).

[0035] More generally, when the reference orientation (OR1) and / or when another subsequent reference orientation (ORi) is associated with a non-rectilinear reference edge (BR1, BRi), the calculated paths (T1, Ti) follow the path of the edges in a parallel manner, therefore according to a non-rectilinear path.

[0036] The invention also relates to a method for treating a plot (P) by means of at least one agricultural robot (1), characterized in that it comprises a preliminary parameterization and programming phase comprising at least one method for semi-automatic determination of the passages and paths (T) to be carried out, as described previously.

[0037] After its automatic or semi-automatic definition and the final selection made by the user, the path configuration proposal (Ti) chosen for implementation is sent to the robot(s) (1) so that the latter can carry out the programmed work on the plot (P) in question, the calculation operations and the transmission of the configuration being carried out, for example, by a supervisor system or by a mobile terminal available to the user.

[0038] The actual work on the plot may then be carried out, for example, in accordance with the procedures described in the applicant's documents FR3119508, FR3114218, FR3114217, FR3119507 and FR3122063.

[0039] As a practical example of the process flow, we can consider the following process: the user connects to a "web" application via his computer / tablet / smartphone. He then accesses a list of existing plots to which he can add a new plot if necessary. He retrieves (via data measured in the field) or draws by hand the external contour of his plot. This is followed by the implementation of the steps of the process according to the invention described above. The result of this process is a file containing the geometry (line configuration) generated by the user. This file can be distributed to the robot(s), which will implement it via supervision software that will generate control orders for it / them.

[0040] As existing software that can be used by the invention, to carry out certain tasks or operations within the framework of a practical implementation of the method described above, either directly or by adapting their implementation to the needs of the invention, mention may be made of known software allowing to import and / or draw maps of plots or fields from satellite images, to generate optimized parallel guidance lines and to export them to a terminal to be then used by an autonomously guided tractor (at Examples include the software called "Geo-Bird" from AGCO or the software called "FieldPlanner" from Lacos Computer Service). In particular, these software programs need to be adapted or implemented in relation to multiple reference edges or directions. Mention may also be made of software programs that allow a set of parallel lines to be generated along a reference line (for example: CCI. Command and Parallel Tracking functions from Terminal CCI).

[0041] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the attached drawings. Modifications remain possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for semi-automatic determination of the passages and paths (T) to be carried out by at least one agricultural robot (1) to work a given plot (P) in its entirety, this method comprising the following steps: -a) define, automatically or by a user (U), an initial reference orientation (OR1), advantageously in accordance with a reference edge (BR1) of the plot (P) considered, -b) calculate the paths (T1) parallel to the initial reference orientation (OR1) so as to cover the entire plot (P), -c) automatically detect one or more zones (Zi) of the plot (P), with i varying from 2 to n, with n > 2, called non-optimal zones (Zi), in which the evaluation, with respect to at least one predefined performance criterion in terms of route and / or work, of the routes (T1) planned in accordance with the initial reference orientation (OR1) and the resulting configuration of the projected movements, does not exceed a threshold value or does not reach a respectively predetermined optimal value, -d) automatically define at least one other reference orientation (Ori) for the zone (Z2) or each of the (Z2 to Zn) non-optimal zone(s) (Zi), -e) calculate for the or each of the non-optimal zones (Zi), the paths (Ti) parallel to the at least one other reference orientation (ORi) defined for the non-optimal zone (Zi) considered, so as to cover each time this non-optimal zone (Zi) in its entirety, -f) repeating steps d) and e) where appropriate for a given non-optimal zone (Zi), defining a different reference orientation (ORi) each time, until at least one route proposal (Ti) is obtained for this non-optimal zone (Zi), the evaluation of which in relation to the at least one performance criterion reaches an optimal value, -g) visualize the plot (P) with at least one proposed configuration of the projected movements for the agricultural robot(s) (1) in the different zones (Zi) with orientations (ORi) of paths (Ti) specific to each, these different zones (Zi), with i varying from 1 to n, together covering the entire surface of the plot (P).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the visualization of the proposal(s) for configuring the projected movements for the agricultural robot(s) (1) on the plot (P) divided into n zones (Zi) is carried out on an interactive graphical interface (2) and in that the proposal, possibly selected from among several after a justified selection, is subject to validation by a user (U) before its transmission to the agricultural robot(s) (1), where appropriate via a centralized management system for the latter.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the definition of the initial reference orientation (OR1) is carried out, after taking into account topographical and geometric characteristics of the plot (P), using at least one evaluation criterion chosen from the following: a given number of projected paths (T1), for example a minimum number; a given number of U-turns, for example a minimum number; an uninterrupted path (T) edge to edge as long as possible, where appropriate rectilinear; at least one statistical parameter optimized on the population of the lengths of the projected paths (T1), for example the variance, the mean and / or the median; knowing that a weighting of the criteria can possibly be applied when at least two criteria are used.

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the evaluation criterion(s) used to detect the zones (Zi) as not being likely to be traveled and / or worked in a sufficiently efficient manner in relation to the initial route forecast (T1) is (are) chosen from the following: the topography and / or the geometry of the plot (P); an average value of the route lengths as large as possible; a number of U-turns as small as possible; at least one statistical parameter optimized on the population of the projected route lengths (T1), for example the variance, the mean and / or the median; a weighting of the criteria which may optionally be applied when at least two criteria are used.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it consists of defining limits (L) at the level of the junction regions (RJ) between two adjoining zones, among the different n zones (Zi) covering the entire surface of the plot (P), favoring as criterion(s) a minimum number of journeys (Ti), with i varying from 1 to n, to cover the entire plot (P) and / or a minimum number of U-turns within the plot (P).

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the definition of each limit (L) at the junction region (RJ) between two adjoining zones (Zi), with i varying from 1 to n, is carried out either by connecting two opposite points (P1, P2) of the peripheral edge surrounding the plot (P), or by extending the lines (Ti) of a zone (Zi) from the peripheral edge to their intersection with another line (Ti) of greater length of another zone (Zi), this definition of the limits being where appropriate carried out automatically or manually by a user (U) by means of an interactive graphical interface (2).

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it consists of taking into account during steps a), b), d) and e), on the basis of augmented cartographic data of the plot (P) and for the definition of the initial reference orientation (OR1), and at least one other possible reference orientation (ORi), as well as for the subsequent calculation of the routes (T1, Ti): one or more obstacles (O) possibly present in the plot (P) and / or one or more risk zones (ZR) possibly present in the plot (P), and / or the direction of movement planned during a subsequent agricultural operation.

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it consists of taking into account three-dimensional topographical data of the plot (P) considered, of identifying the zone(s) (ZDj) possibly on a slope and whose slope is greater than a predetermined threshold value and of imposing a reference orientation (ODj) for the orientation of the paths (TDj), with j > 0, to be calculated for the or each of the agricultural robots (1) in the or each zone (ZDj) mentioned above.

9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it consists of informing the user (U), where appropriate, that the or at least one of the proposed configuration(s) of the movements projected for the agricultural robot(s) (1) is dangerous due to a slope or other identified risk, or is not optimal for the subsequent agricultural operation.

10. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it consists, in the case of at least one portion (PC) of non-rectilinear plot edge (P), in generating lines (TC) parallel to the portion (PC) of edge and defining a zone (ZC), the extension of each of the lines (TC) being limited by their intersection with the edge of the plot (P) and / or with a rectilinear line (Ti).

11. Method for treating a plot (P) by means of at least one agricultural robot (1), characterized in that it comprises a preliminary parameterization and programming phase comprising at least one method for semi-automatic determination of the passages and paths (T) to be carried out according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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