Agricultural harvester and method for determining at least one property of crop
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SMF HLDG GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-08
Smart Images
Figure EP2024073922_06032025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Agricultural harvester and
[0002] Method for determining at least one property of harvested material
[0003] Description
[0004] The application relates to an agricultural harvesting machine with a harvesting attachment having a mowing and intake device for cutting and picking up crops, wherein a measuring device is provided for determining at least one property of the crops, as well as to a method for determining at least one property of crops, wherein the crops are harvested with an agricultural harvesting machine with a harvesting attachment, wherein the harvesting attachment has a mowing and intake device with which the crops are cut and picked up.
[0005] It is known to examine harvested crops for specific properties during harvesting. EP 3 130 213 A1 relates to a measuring device for examining harvested grain for a combine harvester, which measuring device comprises a measuring chamber with an inlet and an outlet for a sample of harvested grain to be examined, wherein the measuring chamber is designed such that the sample, during operation, passes along a flow direction from the inlet into the measuring chamber and from there into the outlet. A transmission spectrometer is equipped with a first element in the form of a light source and a second element with a sensor for light generated by the light source and transmitted through the sample. The sensor is connected to an analyzer for the wavelength-resolved analysis of the received light.
[0006] DE 10 2011 051 784 A1 discloses a method for operating a harvesting machine with an optical sensor that optically records the cultivated area immediately behind the front attachment in order to obtain conclusions about the condition of the cultivated area. A camera sensitive to the near-infrared (NIR) range is indicated as particularly suitable, as such a camera provides additional analysis options for plant residues and the soil. For example, the water content of soil and / or plant residues can be determined.
[0007] The use of an NIR camera in a daylight area has the disadvantage of the measurement results being influenced by NIR components of the sunlight, whereby the influence depends on the time of day, the season and the weather.
[0008] One task may be to propose an agricultural harvesting machine that avoids the disadvantages of the state of the art.
[0009] The object is solved by the subject matter of claim 1. The object is further solved by a method according to claim 7. Embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.
[0010] The agricultural harvesting machine comprises a harvesting attachment with a mowing and intake device for cutting and collecting the crop. A measuring device is provided for determining at least one property of the crop. The measuring device comprises at least one optical detection unit arranged on the harvesting machine behind the harvesting attachment. The optical detection unit detects radiation reflected by plant stubble remaining in the soil.
[0011] Detecting the reflected radiation from the plant stubble remaining in the soil has the advantage that the properties of the crop in the lower region of the plant can be determined and that undergrowth can also be taken into account in the determination. Determining the properties of the crop in the lower region of the plant, i.e. at a level in which the crop is cut, has the advantage that straw moisture content in particular can be determined as a property of the crop. Straw moisture content is an important plant physiological characteristic that is particularly important for cutting the crop. Determining straw toughness therefore offers the particularly advantageous option of controlling the mower depending on the straw toughness determined immediately after the crop has been cut. This type of control is particularly advantageous when the crop stand is inhomogeneous with regard to ripening.Straw toughness is also an important parameter for the intake device as well as for a threshing unit and a straw chopper of the harvesting machine, so that these components can also be advantageously controlled depending on the determined straw toughness.
[0012] Another advantage of this solution is that non-grain components are analyzed at cutting height. The plants can be very dry in the upper third and very moist and therefore tough in the lower third. Undergrowth can only grow a few centimeters above cutting height. When determining the properties of the entire crop flow, the properties of the plant parts in the lower third of the growth height are often not taken sufficiently into account. However, these plant properties often have a significant impact on threshing properties and grain quality. In practice, the statement "Ten centimeters more cutting height can result in up to 1% less grain moisture" is often true, which is not scientifically proven and certainly does not apply in dry, crumbly stands. In addition, tough straw impairs threshing properties and ultimately also machine performance.Therefore, especially in difficult harvesting conditions, it can be advantageous to examine the crop more closely at cutting height and to adjust the threshing units and cutting unit based on these parameters, for example by raising the harvesting header when there is undergrowth.
[0013] The agricultural harvesting machine, in particular, has a harvesting attachment whose mowing and intake device cuts the crop and immediately collects it. In particular, it is not a so-called swath mower, which deposits the cut crop for later collection. The term "radiation" is to be understood in the sense of electromagnetic radiation, in particular light, which should include at least the wavelength spectrum of sunlight, including visible light, ultraviolet radiation, and infrared radiation.
[0014] According to one embodiment, the detection unit is arranged on an underside of the harvesting machine facing the ground. In particular, the detection unit can be arranged in the region of a front axle of the harvesting machine, i.e. between the drive wheels of the harvesting machine. According to a further embodiment, the detection unit is aligned obliquely to the ground, in particular at an angle between 35 degrees and 55 degrees, preferably at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The detection unit is aligned in particular such that as much light as possible from the plant stubble and as little light as possible reflected by the ground reaches the detection unit. The soil spectrum interferes with the measurement. An arrangement obliquely to the ground, for example at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground, is particularly advantageous.A detection axis, along which the reflected light falls in a straight line into the detection unit, then forms an angle of, for example, 45 degrees with the ground. At a steeper angle of, for example, more than 55 degrees, more light reflected from the ground reaches the detection unit. At a shallower angle of, for example, less than 35 degrees, only light reflected from the upper part of the plant stubble and from more distant plant stubble reaches the detection unit. However, the plant stubble is preferably detected over as much of its length as possible and in the immediate vicinity of the detection unit.
[0015] The detection unit has a light source for illuminating the plant stubble remaining in the soil. This advantageously makes the detection of the reflected radiation independent of natural lighting conditions. The detection unit has a spectrometer that detects the intensity of the radiation reflected by the plant stubble remaining in the soil with wavelength resolution. This means that the intensity of the radiation is recorded across the detected spectrum. The spectrometer can, for example, be an optical spectrometer, in which the wavelengths of the reflected light to be analyzed are differentiated, for example, by directional deflection through refraction in a prism or by diffraction at a grating. Alternatively, it is also possible to determine the frequency components using an interferometer based on Fourier analysis (FTIR spectrometer).Another possible embodiment is a spectrometer based on a photodiode array. This spectrometer has several semiconductor diodes that respond to individual wavelengths. The resolution is sufficient for the intended purpose, and the design is significantly less expensive than the previously mentioned spectrometers.
[0016] According to a further embodiment, an evaluation unit can be provided to evaluate a spectrum of the detected light, wherein at least one property of the crop stream can be derived from the spectrum. The evaluation unit can have a computer and the evaluation unit can be connected to the detection unit via a signal line for transmitting measurement signals. The spectrum can be in the visible wavelength range and / or the near infrared range, in particular with wavelengths between 400 nm and 2200 nm. Color properties and chlorophyll content can be advantageously determined up to 900 nm. Between 1000 nm and 2200 nm, interactions resulting in the plant condition take place through substances such as cellulose, lignin and water. The property of the crop stream to be determined is, in particular, straw toughness, which depends on the degree of ripening of the crop in the crop stream.This can be advantageously determined using a comparable method, such as a vegetation index, i.e. a key value that is representative of an analysis of vegetation. Certain radiation characteristics of plants are exploited to distinguish them from non-vegetation, since a plant's chlorophyll primarily absorbs visible light in the blue and red frequency ranges. In the near-infrared range, between 700nm and 900nm wavelengths, there are regions in which the light is reflected particularly strongly by an intact cell structure of the plant. This principle can be applied to harvested goods, even if the differences in radiation characteristics between different stages of ripeness of the harvested goods are smaller. The degree of ripeness can be determined from the cell structure of the plants and the remaining chlorophyll content.
[0017] The vegetation index is determined, for example, from at least one ratio of the reflection values in different spectral ranges, in particular a ratio of sums and / or differences of reflection values in different spectral ranges. For example, the vegetation index is designed as an NDVI (Normalized Differenced Vegetation Index). The vegetation index designed as an NDVI is calculated, in particular with the computer of the evaluation unit, from a quotient of a difference between a reflection value in the near infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum RNIR and a reflection value in the red visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum and a sum of the reflection value in the near infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum RNIR and the reflection value in the red visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum.In the case of harvest-ready crops, it has proven advantageous to use a frequency band in the blue visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum (RBlu). Furthermore, the received signals are processed and conditioned before the index calculation to achieve better results. However, the red visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum allows for a better assessment of a high proportion of green growth if the chlorophyll content is still sufficiently high. In particular, a formula for calculating the vegetation index, which is a modified NDVI, is:
[0018] NDVI = (RNIR - RBlue) / (RNIR + RBlue).
[0019] The resulting values range from -1 to +1. Negative values occur, for example, in the case of radiation from a water surface and are irrelevant in this application. The closer the positive index value is to zero, the greater the degree of aging. The reflection value R is a value between 0 and 1 and indicates how much light of a specific wavelength is reflected by a surface. In the modified NDVI formula, the reflection values RNIR in the NIR range and RBlue in the blue range are used to assess the degree of aging.
[0020] The spectrometer is configured to detect the intensity of at least one calibration wavelength range, wherein the calibration wavelength range lies outside a wavelength spectrum emitted by the light source and wherein the calibration wavelength range lies within a wavelength spectrum of sunlight. The evaluation unit can be configured to determine the property of the harvested crop as a function of a development of the radiation intensity in the calibration wavelength range. In this way, the intensity of the sunlight radiation that influences the detection can advantageously be determined. The calibration wavelength range is advantageously selected such that the reflection properties of the stubble and the soil are as independent as possible of ripening and moisture and of green growth within its spectral range. A frequency band from the UV range is an example of a usable calibration wavelength range.If the spectrometer is exposed to more or less intense sunlight, this can be registered by the measured intensity of the calibration wavelength range. The evaluation unit can then advantageously differentiate whether changing light intensities in the spectral ranges being evaluated are caused by a change in the crop characteristics or whether other lighting conditions are the reason for the changed light intensities.
[0021] According to a further embodiment, the detection unit can have a housing with a transparent cover. The spectrometer and, if applicable, the illumination are advantageously protected from external influences in the housing. The transparent cover can, for example, be a glass pane made of safety glass, wherein the safety glass has an impact and shock resistance of at least 80 MPa, in particular between 120 MPa and 200 MPa, in a pendulum impact test according to DIN EN 12600. Such safety glass is advantageously scratch-resistant and can, for example, be borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, thermally toughened soda-lime glass, or chemically toughened glass. The reflected radiation advantageously passes through the transparent cover to the spectrometer. A cleaning device can be provided to remove dirt from an outer side of the transparent cover.
[0022] According to a further embodiment, the detection unit can have a calibration light source, wherein a light beam from the calibration light source is directed onto the transparent cover in such a way that a portion of the light beam reflected by the cover strikes a light receiver. The calibration light source is arranged within the housing so that the light beam strikes an inner side of the transparent cover. The light receiver can be integrated into the spectrometer or arranged spatially separate from the spectrometer in the housing. The light receiver is designed in particular such that no reflections of the light beam from outside the housing reach the light receiver. As the transparent cover becomes increasingly dirty, the portion reflected by the transparent cover increases and the light receiver measures an increasing intensity.Advantageously, this information can be used to correct the determined property of the crop and / or to trigger cleaning of the transparent cover.
[0023] According to a further embodiment, a control system for at least one component of the harvesting machine can be configured to control the component depending on the at least one property of the crop, wherein the components include the harvesting attachment, conveyor elements, the threshing element, a drive system, and a straw chopper. The drive system can be used to control the driving speed to adapt the throughput to the crop.
[0024] A further aspect for solving the above-mentioned problem relates to a method for determining at least one property of a crop, wherein the crop is harvested with an agricultural harvesting machine having a harvesting attachment, the harvesting attachment comprising a mowing and intake device with which the crop is cut and collected. After the crop is cut, radiation reflected by plant stubble remaining in the soil is detected by at least one optical detection unit.
[0025] According to one embodiment, a spectrum of the detected light is evaluated, and at least one property of the crop flow is derived from the spectrum. The plant stubble remaining in the soil can be illuminated with a light source.
[0026] The intensity of at least one calibration wavelength range is recorded, wherein the calibration wavelength range lies outside a wavelength spectrum emitted by the light source and wherein the calibration wavelength range lies within a wavelength spectrum of sunlight. The properties of the harvested crop can be determined depending on the development of the radiation intensity in the calibration wavelength range. The calibration wavelength range is advantageously selected such that the reflection properties of the stubble and the soil are as independent as possible of ripening, moisture, and green growth within its spectral range. A frequency band from the UV range is an example of a usable calibration wavelength range. If more or less strong solar radiation hits the spectrometer, this can be registered by the measured intensity of the calibration wavelength range.The evaluation unit can then advantageously differentiate whether changing light intensities in the spectral ranges to be evaluated are caused by a change in the inventory properties or whether other lighting conditions are the reason for the changed light intensities. According to a further embodiment, a light beam from a calibration light source of the detection unit is directed onto a transparent cover of the detection unit in such a way that a portion of the light beam reflected by the cover strikes a light receiver. The intensity of the reflected portion of the light beam can advantageously be used to determine the degree of contamination of the transparent cover. The light receiver is designed in particular such that no reflections of the light beam from outside the housing reach the light receiver.In particular, the light beam can be pulsed to form a difference between reflected radiation from outside the detection device and the portion of the light beam reflected by the transparent cover plus the reflected radiation from outside the sensor. A measure of the contamination of the transparent cover can advantageously be derived from this difference. The spectral range of the light beam from the calibration light source can be in the range of the spectrometer or in an independent spectral range. If the light receiver and the spectrometer use the same wavelengths and / or the same installation space, the spectral values of the stubble can be measured, particularly during the pulse pauses.
[0027] Another subject matter of the application relates to a method for controlling at least one component of a harvesting machine, wherein at least one property of a crop is determined according to the method described above, and wherein the component is controlled depending on the at least one property of the crop flow. The components include at least the harvesting attachment, conveyor elements, the threshing element, a drive system, and a straw chopper.
[0028] The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. The explanations apply equally to the agricultural harvesting machine and the described methods.
[0029] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of an agricultural harvesting machine in a schematic representation;
[0030] Figure 2 shows the measuring device from Figure 1 as a detail in a schematic view. Figure 1 shows a combine harvester as an example of an agricultural harvesting machine with a harvesting attachment 14 hinged at the front in the direction of travel to a frame of the combine harvester and a conveyor belt 9, via which a mown crop flow reaches a threshing unit 10. The frame has front drive wheels 1 and a rear wheel axle with steering wheels 2. A driver's cab 3 is arranged on the frame in the area in front of the drive wheels 1. Directly behind it is a grain tank 4, to which a drive motor 5 is connected. In the rear area of the combine harvester there is a straw chopper 16 and an outlet 7 for the part of the crop that has been separated from the grains as unusable. A straw walker 11 is designed to rise from a central area of the combine harvester towards the rear.
[0031] The harvesting attachment 14 has a mowing and intake device for cutting and collecting the crop. A measuring device is provided to determine at least one property of the crop. The measuring device has at least one optical detection unit 12 arranged on the harvesting machine behind the harvesting attachment 14. The optical detection unit 12 detects radiation 8 reflected by plant stubble 6 remaining in the soil after the harvesting has been cut. The detection unit 12 can be arranged on an underside 15 of the harvesting machine facing the ground, as in the exemplary embodiment, in the region of a front axle of the harvesting machine between the drive wheels 1.
[0032] An evaluation unit 20 is provided to evaluate a spectrum of the detected light, wherein a straw toughness as at least one property of the crop can be derived from the spectrum. The evaluation unit can be arranged at the installation location of the detection unit 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the evaluation unit 20 is arranged in the driver's cab 3 and receives the measurement signals from the detection unit 12 via a signal connection (not shown), which can be wired, wireless, or via an optical fiber. A controller 19 of at least one component of the harvesting machine is configured to control the component depending on the straw toughness of the crop, wherein the controller 19 receives the information from the evaluation unit 20 via a further signal connection (not shown).The components controlled by the control system 19 depending on the straw toughness can be the harvesting header 14, conveying elements 21, the threshing element 10 and the straw chopper 16.
[0033] Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the detection unit 12 of the measuring device from Figure 1 as a detail. Detection unit 12 has two light sources 22 for illuminating the plant stubble 6 remaining in the soil. The radiation 8 reflected by the plant stubble 6 remaining in the soil passes through a lens 23 to a spectrometer 18, which detects the intensity of the broadband radiation 8 reflected by the plant stubble 6 remaining in the soil with wavelength resolution. The spectrometer 18 is further configured to detect the intensity of at least one calibration wavelength range, wherein the calibration wavelength range lies outside a wavelength spectrum emitted by the light source 22 and wherein the calibration wavelength range lies within a wavelength spectrum of sunlight.The evaluation unit 20 determines the property of the crop depending on a development of the intensity of the radiation in the calibration wavelength range in order to compensate for the influence of sunlight on the measurement.
[0034] The detection unit 12 has a housing 28 with a transparent cover 17. The transparent cover 17 can be a glass pane made of scratch-resistant safety glass. An additional calibration light source 24 is provided in the housing 28, with a light beam 25 from the calibration light source 24 being directed onto the transparent cover 17 such that a portion 26 of the light beam 25 reflected by the transparent cover 17 strikes a light receiver 27. The intensity of the reflected portion 26 of the light beam 25 is used to determine the degree of contamination of the transparent cover 17.
[0035] The detection unit 12 is oriented obliquely to the ground, in particular such that as much light as possible from the plant stubble 6 and as little light reflected by the ground reaches the detection unit 12. The soil spectrum interferes with the measurement. An arrangement oblique to the ground, for example, at an angle a of 45 degrees to the ground, is particularly advantageous. A detection axis E, along which the light 8 falls directly into the detection unit 12, then forms an angle a of, for example, 45 degrees with the ground. List of Reference Symbols
[0036] 1 drive wheels
[0037] 2 steering wheels
[0038] 3 Driver's cab
[0039] 4 grain tanks
[0040] 5 Drive motor
[0041] 6 plant stubble
[0042] 7 Outlet
[0043] 8 Reflected radiation
[0044] 9 inclined conveyors
[0045] 10 Threshing organ
[0046] 11 shakers
[0047] 12 Optical detection unit
[0048] 14 Harvesting header
[0049] 15 Bottom
[0050] 16 straw chopper
[0051] 17 Transparent cover
[0052] 18 spectrometers
[0053] 19 Control
[0054] 20 Evaluation unit
[0055] 21 Funding body
[0056] 22 Light source
[0057] 23 lens
[0058] 24 Adjustment light source
[0059] 25 light beam
[0060] 26 Reflected portion
[0061] 27 light receivers
[0062] 28 housings
[0063] E detection axis
Claims
Claims 1. An agricultural harvesting machine with a harvesting attachment, wherein the harvesting attachment has a mowing and intake device for cutting and picking up harvested crops, wherein a measuring device is provided for determining at least one property of the harvested crops, wherein the measuring device has at least one optical detection unit (12) arranged on the harvesting machine behind the harvesting attachment, and wherein the optical detection unit detects radiation (8) reflected by plant stubble remaining in the soil, characterized in that the detection unit (12) has at least one light source (22) for illuminating the plant stubble (6) remaining in the soil, wherein the detection unit (12) has a spectrometer (18) which detects an intensity of the radiation (8) reflected by the plant stubble remaining in the soil with wavelength resolution, wherein the spectrometer (18) is designed toto detect the intensity of at least one calibration wavelength range, wherein the calibration wavelength range lies outside a wavelength spectrum emitted by the light source (22) and wherein the calibration wavelength range lies in a wavelength spectrum of sunlight.
2. Agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection unit is arranged on an underside of the harvesting machine facing the ground, in particular in the region of a front axle of the harvesting machine.
3. Agricultural harvesting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detection unit (12) is aligned obliquely to the ground, in particular at an angle (a) between 35 degrees and 55 degrees.
4. Agricultural harvesting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an evaluation unit (20) is provided in order to evaluate a spectrum of the detected radiation (8), wherein the at least one property of the harvested material can be derived from the spectrum, wherein a control (19) of at least one component of the harvesting machine is set up to control the component as a function of the at least one property of the harvested material, wherein the components comprise the harvesting attachment (14), conveying elements (21), the threshing element (10), a straw chopper (16) and a travel drive.
5. Agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the evaluation unit (20) is designed to determine the property of the harvested crop as a function of a development of the intensity of the radiation in the calibration wavelength range.
6. Agricultural harvesting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detection unit (12) has a housing (28) with a transparent cover (17) and a calibration light source (24), wherein a light beam (25) of the calibration light source is directed onto the cover (17) in such a way that a portion (26) of the light beam reflected by the cover strikes a light receiver (27).
7. Method for determining at least one property of harvested crop, wherein the harvested crop is harvested with an agricultural harvesting machine with a harvesting attachment (14), wherein the harvesting attachment has a mowing and intake device with which the harvested crop is cut and taken up, wherein after cutting the harvested crop a Radiation (8) reflected from plant stubble (6) is detected with at least one optical detection unit (12), characterized in that the plant stubble (6) remaining in the ground is illuminated with a light source (22), wherein an intensity of at least one calibration wavelength range is detected, wherein the calibration wavelength range lies outside a wavelength spectrum emitted by the light source and wherein the calibration wavelength range lies in a wavelength spectrum of sunlight.
8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that a spectrum of the detected radiation (8) is evaluated, wherein the at least one property of the crop is derived from the spectrum.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the property of the crop is determined as a function of a development of the intensity of the radiation in the calibration wavelength range.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims 7 to 9, characterized in that a light beam (25) of a calibration light source (24) of the detection unit (12) is directed onto a transparent cover (17) of the detection unit (12) in such a way that a portion (26) of the light beam reflected by the cover strikes a light receiver (27).
11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that a degree of contamination of the transparent cover (17) is inferred from an intensity of the reflected portion (26) of the light beam (25).
12. A method for controlling at least one component of a harvesting machine, wherein at least one property of a crop is determined according to a method according to one of the preceding claims 7 to 11 and wherein the component is controlled as a function of the at least one property of the crop flow.