Method and apparatus for determining and mapping crop height

Abstract

A method for mapping crop height in a field divided into multiple areas includes determining a height of a cutting bar of agricultural equipment and receiving data from a crop height sensor. The height of the crop sensed by the crop height sensor is determined based on the height of the cutting bar and data from the crop height sensor. The crop height is associated with one of multiple areas of the field based on the location of the crop height sensor. In one embodiment, the height of a reel of the agricultural equipment is also used in determining the crop height. The crop height data is used to generate a field map that is used to generate a field treatment plan.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to agricultural operations, and more particularly to mapping crop height in a field. [Background technology]

[0002] Because agricultural land is a limited resource with a finite size, it must be used efficiently. Agricultural land is typically utilized to maximize revenue per unit area. To maximize economic yield, crops require specific treatments. Crop treatments typically consist of spraying pesticides, fertilizing, and watering to promote desired crop growth. Incorrect crop treatments can result in undergrowth, thereby reducing maximum economic yield. Incorrect crop treatments can also cause crops to grow too large. When certain crops, such as wheat, grow too large, the plant stems are unable to support the weight of the seeds, causing the plant to locate. Many crops also experience lodging when infested with pests. Pest-induced lodging occurs when pests infect the basal region of the plant stem. Lodging occurs when the weight of the seeds near the top of the stem becomes excessive relative to the stem's strength, causing the plant to collapse. Lodging has adverse effects for a variety of reasons. Lodging reduces harvest efficiency, thereby reducing maximum economic yield. Lodging can cause delayed harvesting, increased fuel consumption, smaller grain size (reduced yield), reduced grain yield due to grain remaining on the ground, increased risk of damage to harvesters due to stones and foreign objects, grain deterioration, grain rot, fungal disease and harmful substances produced by mycosis, and drying costs for grain wet with groundwater. A method is needed to determine the ideal treatment schedule for a crop in order to grow it for maximum economic yield. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A method for mapping crop height in a field divided into multiple areas includes determining a height of a cutting bar of agricultural equipment and receiving data from a crop height sensor. The height of the crop sensed by the crop height sensor is determined based on the height of the cutting bar and data from the crop height sensor. The height of the crop is associated with one of multiple areas of the field based on the location of the crop height sensor. In one embodiment, the height of a reel of the agricultural equipment is also used in determining the crop height. Data from a conveyor inclinometer, along with a known height of a rotation axis associated with the conveyor inclinometer, is used to determine the height of the cutting bar. Data from a reel inclinometer, along with a known height of a rotation axis associated with the reel, is used to determine the height of the cutting bar. In one embodiment, the crop height data is used to generate a field map that is used to generate a field treatment plan. In one embodiment, the size of harvested seeds is determined using a seed size sensor, and the field treatment plan is further based on the seed size. In one embodiment, the field treatment plan includes one of land preparation, tillage changes, seed rate, seed variety, weed control period, fertilizer application, fertilizer application, pesticide application, growth regulator application, and irrigation. Results of the field treatment plan can be reviewed and compared to previous field treatment plans for a particular area to allow for improvements to the plan. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0004] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A shows an upright plant. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B shows a lodged plant. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A shows the cutting height for upright plants. [Figure 2B] Figure 2B shows the cutting height of lodged plants. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A shows a combine harvester positioned to harvest a lodged crop. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B shows a combine positioned to harvest upright crops. [Figure 4A]FIG. 4A shows the reel positioned to harvest upright crops. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B shows the reel positioned to harvest the lodged crop. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A shows the position of the reel relative to the cutting bar for harvesting upright crops. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B shows the position of the reel relative to the cutting bar for harvesting a lodged crop. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A shows the components of the combine for determining the header element and reel height. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B shows the components of the combine for determining the height of the header element and reel. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the components of a combine for determining crop height. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a front view of the components of a combine for determining crop height. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows the control unit and associated components for sensing combine and crop parameters. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows a field where a combine is harvesting crops. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 shows a flowchart of a method according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] FIG. 1A shows a healthy, fully grown plant 10A, specifically a wheat plant, standing upright. FIG. 1B shows a lodging plant 10B. Lodging refers to the tipping over of a plant. Lodging can occur for a variety of reasons, including overnutrition of the crop or pest infestation. Overnutrition can cause the seeds located at the top of the plant to grow large and heavy, exceeding the plant's ability to remain upright. Pest infestation can weaken the plant's stems, reducing their ability to maintain an upright orientation. Lodging impacts plant harvesting methods.

[0006] FIG. 2A shows a healthy, fully grown plant 10A. In the figure, arrow 20A indicates the location where plant 10A should be cut for harvesting. FIG. 2B shows a lodged plant 10B. In the figure, arrow 20B indicates the location where plant 10B should be cut for harvesting. As shown in FIG. 2B, the cutting height required for plant 10B is lower than the cutting height required for plant 10A.

[0007] The densely packed nature of lodged crops limits airflow through them, slowing drying after rain or dew and trapping more water that evaporates from the ground, wetting the grain itself. Prolonged wetness can cause the grain to rot or germinate. Rotten grain cannot be used as food or even as feed. Germinating grain cannot be used for seed or malt production. Combine headers must be lowered to harvest lodged crops, increasing the risk that the combine will pick up soil and stones that can damage it. Grain passing through a combine must pass through a small opening to be properly processed. The soil and stones collected by lowering the header can damage this small passageway, causing equipment downtime and repair costs.

[0008] FIG. 3A shows the components of combine 200 oriented to harvest lodged crops. Cutting bar 301 is oriented near ground 300 to harvest lodged crops, such as plant 10B (shown in FIG. 1B). Reel 305 rotates counterclockwise (as viewed from the left side of the combine, as shown in FIG. 3A) and urges the tops of the plants being harvested toward auger 302, which, in one embodiment, is a screw-like component that urges the harvested plants toward grain conveyor 303. Grain conveyor 303 moves the harvested plants toward threshing drum 304, which rotates and mechanically separates the seeds of the harvested plants from the stalks.

[0009] Figure 3B shows the cutting bar 301 oriented for cutting upright crops. The cutting bar 301 is positioned at a height above ground level 300 to cut the plant stems of the crop at the height identified by arrow 20A in Figure 2A.

[0010] 4A shows the position of the reel 305 relative to an upright plant 10A. The reel 305 is positioned relative to the plant 10A at a height such that the tines 310 will strike the top of the plant 10A where the plant's seeds are located. As the combine moves in the direction indicated by arrow 402 (toward the plant 10A) and the reel 305 rotates counterclockwise, the tines 310 will strike the top of the plant 10A.

[0011] 4B shows the position of the reel 305 relative to the lodged plant 10B. The reel 305 is positioned at a height relative to the plant 10B such that the tines 310 strike the top and center of the plant 10B. As the combine moves in the direction indicated by arrow 402 (toward the plant 10B) and the reel 305 rotates counterclockwise, the tines 310 strike the top and center of the plant 10B.

[0012] Figure 5A shows the position of reel 305 relative to cutting bar 301. Figure 5A shows reel 305 positioned a distance from cutting bar 301 such that reel 305 is positioned to impact the top of an upright plant being harvested (such as plant 10A shown in Figure 1A).

[0013] Figure 5B shows the position of the reel 305 relative to the cutting bar 301. Figure 5B shows the reel 305 positioned at a distance from the cutting bar 301 such that the reel 305 is positioned to strike the top and middle of a lodged crop (such as plant 10B shown in Figure 1B).

[0014] 5A and 5B show the position of the reel 305 relative to the cutting bar 301. The height of the cutting bar 301 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B does not indicate the height of the cutting bar 301 required to cut the crop.

[0015] FIG. 6A shows the components of the combine harvester 200 and the sensors used to determine their positions. The conveyor inclinometer 602 is a sensor that determines the inclination angle of the grain conveyor 303. The conveyor inclinometer 602 may be any type of sensor that can detect an angle relative to a predetermined axis, such as a sensor that can detect an angle relative to the direction of the gravity vector or a potentiometer that can measure an angle relative to a predetermined axis. As the grain conveyor 607 moves about the conveyor axis of rotation 604, the conveyor inclinometer 602 determines the inclination angle of the grain conveyor 303. The reel inclinometer 603 is a sensor that determines the inclination angle of the reel member 620 to which the reel 305 is attached. As the reel 305 moves about the axis of rotation 605, the reel inclinometer 603 determines the inclination angle of the reel member 620 to which the reel 305 is attached. Data from the conveyor inclinometer 602 and the reel inclinometer 603 is used to determine the positions of the cutting bar 301 and the reel 305.

[0016] As shown in Figure 6A, the mowing bar height 609 above ground level 300 can be determined as follows: Conveyor rotation axis height 606 is a known, and typically fixed, height above ground level 300. Conveyor rotation axis height 606 and the inclination angle of conveyor 607 determined by conveyor inclinometer 602 are used to determine rotation axis height 608. Mowing bar height 609 can be determined based on the known spatial relationship between rotation axis 605 and mowing bar 301.

[0017] 6B , reel height 610 above ground 300 can be determined as follows: Conveyor rotary axis height 606 is a known, and typically fixed, height above ground 300. Conveyor rotary axis height 606 and the tilt angle of conveyor 607, determined by conveyor inclinometer 602, are used to determine rotary axis height 608. Rotation axis height 608 and the tilt angle of reel member 620 supporting reel 305, determined by reel inclinometer 603, can be used to determine reel height 610 above ground 300. In one embodiment, the determination of reel height 610 is also based on the known spatial relationship between reel 305 and rotary axis 605.

[0018] 7 shows a side view of a combine harvester having a sensor 701 for detecting plant height. The sensor 701 is mounted on a sensor bracket 703 attached to the reel member 620. The sensor 701 detects the height of crops located within a sensor scan area 702. In one embodiment, the sensor 701 is an acoustic sensor, but may be other types of sensors such as a laser, LIDAR, and / or optical sensor.

[0019] FIG. 8 shows a front view of the combine harvester 200 having crop height sensors 804 mounted on a sensor bracket 803. As shown in FIG. 8, the sensors 804 are spaced along the sensor bracket 803 to cover the desired portion of the crop to be cut by the cutting bar 802 mounted on the bottom of the header 801. While three sensors 804 are shown in FIG. 8, more or fewer sensors 804 can be used depending on the desired scanning interval for area size data. Each of the sensors 804 has an associated scan area 806. Note that the scan area 806 is associated with the sensor 804 located approximately in the center of the sensor bracket 803. Sensor areas associated with sensors 804 located closer to the ends of the sensor bracket 803 have been omitted for clarity. The sensor 804 shown on the left side of FIG. 8 is scanning a lodged crop 805, while the sensor 804 shown on the right side of FIG. 8 is scanning an upright crop 807.

[0020] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of components of combine harvester 200 related to crop height sensing and mapping, according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, controller 902 operates using a computer. Controller 902 includes a processor 918 that controls the overall operation of controller 902 by executing computer program instructions that define such operation. The computer program instructions may be stored in storage 922 or other computer-readable medium (e.g., magnetic disk, CD-ROM, flash drive, cloud drive, etc.) and loaded into memory 920 when the computer program instructions are desired to be executed. Thus, the method steps in FIG. 11 (described below) may be defined by computer program instructions stored in memory 920 and / or storage 922 and controlled by processor 918 executing the computer program instructions. For example, the computer program instructions may be embodied as computer-executable code programmed by one skilled in the art to perform the algorithm defined in the method steps of FIG. 11. Thus, by executing the computer program instructions, processor 918 performs the algorithm defined in the method steps of FIG. 11. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that implementations of a controller may include other components as well, and controller 902 is a high-level representation of some of the components of such a controller for illustrative purposes.

[0021] The combine harvester 200 also includes sensors 904 for determining the position of the agricultural equipment and various parameters of the crop. In one embodiment, the position of the combine harvester 200 is determined using a GPS receiver 924 and / or an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The sensors 904 also include a crop height sensor 804 (shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 ) that detects the height of the crop prior to cutting and processing by the combine harvester 200. In one embodiment, the crop height sensor 804 is an analog sensor capable of detecting the height of the crop located proximate the sensor. The sensor 904 also includes a seed size sensor 928 for generating data regarding the size of the seeds harvested by the combine harvester 200. In one embodiment, the seed size sensor 928 is an optical sensor for detecting the size of the seeds harvested by the combine harvester 200. The seed size sensor 928 can be located anywhere on the combine harvester 200 as the seeds are processed along with the removed husks. For example, the seed size sensor 928 can be located downstream of a threshing drum or separator. In one embodiment, the seed size sensor 928 may be located at the bottom of an auger for moving the seeds. The sensor 904 also includes a weight sensor 930 for generating data related to determining the weight of the seeds harvested by the combine 200. The weight sensor 930 may be any type of sensor capable of directly measuring weight, such as a load cell. The weight sensor 930 may also be a sensor that indirectly measures weight, such as a volume sensor or a force sensor. Because the harvested crop moves through the combine 200 as it is processed, the weight sensor 930 may alternatively be located at another location on the combine 200 where the crop is processed. For example, the weight sensor 930 may be located on the auger or elevator that transports the seeds.

[0022] The sensors 904 also include the conveyor inclinometer 602 and the reel inclinometer 603. In one embodiment, the sensors 904 may include additional sensors (not shown), such as a camera, an infrared scanner, or other type of device for determining parameters of crops in a field in which the agricultural equipment is located. In one embodiment, the sensors 904 may also include various sensors, such as temperature and pressure sensors, associated with various components of the agricultural equipment to monitor the condition of the combine 200.

[0023] In one embodiment, the input unit 908 includes input from a user operating the combine harvester 200. In one embodiment, the input unit 908 may include one or more components that control the movement of the combine harvester 200. For example, a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, and a brake pedal may be used to drive the agricultural equipment along a desired path. The input unit 908 may also include various buttons, levers, and switches for controlling the operation of the reel 305, the header 801, and other components of the agricultural equipment. The input unit 908 may also include input from a user via input devices such as a touchscreen and other input units.

[0024] In one embodiment, a display 906 is located in the cabin of the combine harvester 200 and displays information to a user. The display 906 may be any display, such as a touch screen, a light emitting diode display, a liquid crystal display, a head-up projection display, etc. The display 906 displays various information to a user related to the combine harvester 200, the field, etc. In one embodiment, a display is not used and crop-related data is captured and transmitted to another device, such as a desktop computer, for analysis.

[0025] The controller 902 is also in communication with the reel 932, which in one embodiment is a device that controls the height of the reel 932. In one embodiment, the reel 932 is controlled by a user, and the controller 902 senses various parameters of the operation of the reel 305, such as the speed of rotation. In one embodiment, user input received via the input 908 is received by the controller 902 and used to command the reel 305 to operate in response to the user input.

[0026] The controller 902 is also connected to the header 934, which in one embodiment is a device that controls the height of the header 801 to which the cutting bar 301 is attached. Thus, the height of the header 801 is related to the height of the cutting bar 301. In one embodiment, the header 801 is controlled by a user, and the controller 902 senses various parameters of the operation of the header 801, such as vertical movement. In one embodiment, user input received via the input 908 is received by the controller 902 and used to command the header 801 to act in response to the user input.

[0027] FIG. 10 illustrates a combine harvester 200 in the process of harvesting crops from a field 1000, according to one embodiment. The field 1000 is shown divided into grid elements (also referred to as areas) defined by columns and rows, in one embodiment. The combine harvester 200 traverses the field 1000 in a first direction, indicated by arrow 1050, from grid element 1002 through grid element 1014 along path 1048. After traversing grid element 1014 in the first direction, the combine harvester 1000 makes a 180-degree turn and traverses the field 1000 in a second direction, indicated by arrow 1052, from grid element 1016 through grid element 1028. After traversing grid element 1028, the combine harvester 200 makes a 180-degree turn and traverses the field 1000 in the first direction from grid element 1030 through grid element 1042. After traversing grid element 1042, combine 200 rotates 180 degrees and traverses field 1000 in a second direction via grid element 1044 and grid element 1046. Combine 200 continues traversing field 1000 in the second direction from the position shown in FIG.

[0028] As the combine harvester 200 traverses the field 1000, the crop height sensor 804 determines the height of the crop being harvested within a grid element of the field 1000. The particular grid element in which the combine harvester 200 is located is determined using the GPS receiver 624. In one embodiment, the position of the crop detected by the crop height sensor 804 is calculated based on the difference between the position of the GPS receiver 624 and the position of the crop height sensor 804. For example, the GPS receiver 624 may be located approximately 10 feet behind and 4 feet to the right of the crop height sensor 804 within the cab of the combine harvester 200. Thus, the position of the crop detected by the crop height sensor 804 is 10 feet forward and 4 feet to the left of the position of the GPS receiver 624. This difference in position may be determined and taken into account when determining the position of the crop detected by the crop height sensor 804 and the position of the GPS receiver 624. In one embodiment, the GPS receiver 624 determines the position of the associated antenna.

[0029] Data from the crop height sensor 804 and the GPS receiver 624 is used to generate a map showing crop heights at various locations in the field 1000. As shown in FIG. 10 , the field 1000 is divided into a number of grid elements. Each element of the grid (e.g., 1002-1046) can be associated with an average crop height determined for that particular element. Thus, information obtained using the GPS receiver 624 and the crop height sensor 804 can be used to generate a crop height map. The 4×7 grid shown in FIG. 10 is an example. The dimensions of the grid shown in FIG. 10 (i.e., the number of columns and rows used to generate the grid) can be selected based on the desired resolution as well as the size of the field.

[0030] In one embodiment, the width of the grid elements is equal to the width of the crop that the combine harvester can harvest in one pass. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the width of each row is equal to the width of the crop that the crop combine harvester 200 can harvest as it travels through the field 1000. In one embodiment, the width of the grid elements is based on the width of the scan area (e.g., scan area 806 shown in FIG. 8). For example, if multiple crop height sensors are used, the combine harvester 200 collects data from each of the multiple crop height sensors and generates data associated with grid elements, each having a width that is smaller than the width of the crop that the combine harvester will harvest in one pass.

[0031] In one embodiment, the shape of each grid element (or area) can be rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, polygonal, etc. In one embodiment, small areas or points can be used to represent the areas that form the density map.

[0032] In one embodiment, additional sensors can be used to obtain data on various parameters. For example, seed weight can be sampled using a light beam passing through the seeds as they move through the combine 200 after the crop has been threshed. Alternatively, seed weight can be measured using a force-sensing device, such as a load cell. Seed weight can be measured along with the grain moisture content. Determining the moisture content of the seeds allows for determining the true yield (i.e., the true weight of the seeds). For example, wheat has a moisture content of 14%, which is a safe storage level and is used to calculate the selling price of the seeds. If seeds are harvested in poor conditions, the moisture content can be higher. This high moisture content can lead to incorrect yield calculations and inaccurate cost estimates. A moisture sensor can be used to determine the moisture content of the seeds. The moisture sensor can incorporate a temperature sensor to allow for offsetting measurement errors caused by the temperature of the seeds.

[0033] In one embodiment, the generated crop height map is used to determine a field treatment plan for future plantings in the same field. For example, the combine 200 traverses the field 1000 harvesting a crop and collects data regarding crop height, crop weight, and seed size for each grid element as it harvests the crop within each grid element. The collected data is then used to generate a crop height map. The crop height map and the data regarding harvested crop weight and seed size from each grid element are then analyzed to determine whether the crop in each grid element is over- or under-nutritional. In one embodiment, soil samples can also be obtained and analyzed from each grid element. The analyzed soil samples can be considered along with the other crop parameters described above in generating a crop treatment plan. Based on the determined crop height, crop weight, and seed size for each grid element, a field treatment plan for future plantings can be generated for each grid element.

[0034] In one embodiment, a field treatment plan is generated for a particular grid element when data for that grid element is available. For example, a field treatment plan may be generated for a particular grid element immediately after data for the grid element is obtained. In one embodiment, a field treatment plan is generated for each grid element of a field after data from all grid elements of the field has been collected. In one embodiment, crop heights of grid elements are compared to each other to determine the field treatment plan. Note that the current planting being harvested may be referred to as the first planting, and the future planting may be referred to as the second planting.

[0035] 11 shows a flowchart of a method 1100 for mapping crop height in a field. In step 1102, the controller 902 receives data from the conveyor inclinometer 602. In step 1104, the controller 902 receives data from the reel inclinometer 603. In step 1106, the controller 902 receives data from the plant height sensor 804. In step 1108, the height of the cutting bar 301 is determined based on the conveyor axle height 606 and the tilt angle of the conveyor 607 determined based on the data received in step 1102 from the conveyor inclinometer 602. In step 1110, the height of the reel 305 is determined based on the axle height 608 and the tilt angle of the reel member 620 based on the data received in step 1104 from the reel inclinometer 603. In step 1112, the crop height is determined based on the height of the cutting bar 301, the height of the reel 305, and the crop height data received from the crop height sensor 804. In step 1114, the crop height is associated with an area based on the position of the crop height sensor 804 when the crop height was sensed. Steps 1102-1114 are repeated as the combine 200 traverses a field (e.g., see FIG. 10) to generate a crop height map of the field (e.g., field 1000 shown in FIG. 10).

[0036] Crop height can be determined based on a variety of factors. For example, crop height can be determined based solely on the mowing bar height. However, determining crop height using only the mowing bar height may not be accurate enough for some applications. Crop height can also be determined using the mowing bar height and data from a crop height sensor. Crop height determined using the mowing bar height and data from a crop height sensor is more accurate than crop height determined using only the mowing bar height. Crop height can also be determined using the mowing bar height, data from a crop height sensor, and reel height. Crop height determined using all three parameters is typically the most accurate of the three determination methods. Crop height can be determined using the mowing bar height, crop height data from a crop height sensor, and reel height individually or in any combination to determine crop height.

[0037] In one embodiment, the controller 902 determines whether a crop in a particular grid element is over- or under-nourished. In one embodiment, information about the particular grid element is analyzed to determine whether the crop in the particular grid element is over- or under-nourished. In one embodiment, the height of the crop, the weight of the harvested agricultural material, and the size of the seeds are used to determine whether the crop is over- or under-nourished. Note that a well-nourished crop may have a high weight and large grain, but if the seeds grow too large and are prone to falling, the final photosynthetic period may be suboptimal, resulting in poor grain filling and smaller, lighter grains. Additional seed and / or crop parameters may need to be considered in determining whether the crop is over- or under-nourished.

[0038] In one embodiment, a field treatment plan for future plantings of a particular grid element is determined based on the crop height information. In one embodiment, the field treatment plan is determined based on a determination of nutrient overload or nutrient deficiency for the crop in the particular grid element. For example, if the crop height is low and the harvested agricultural material seeds are large and heavy in weight for a grid element, the amount of fertilizer applied to the grid element in future plantings may be reduced. Conversely, if the crop height is low and the harvested agricultural material seeds are small and light in weight for a particular grid element, the amount of fertilizer applied to the grid element in future plantings may be increased. In one embodiment, the treatment plan may include recommendations for both fertilization and watering schedules for a particular grid element, or for determining the application of other agricultural materials, such as growth regulators. Additionally, the application rates of agricultural materials may be increased or decreased. Each schedule identifies when fertilizer, water, and agricultural materials should be applied to the crop in the particular grid element.

[0039] In one embodiment, a field treatment plan for future plantings at a particular grid element can be generated based on previous treatment plans for that particular grid element. For example, if a particular previous treatment plan caused nutrient overload, that treatment plan can be used as a baseline for generating a treatment plan for future plantings by reducing the fertilizer and irrigation rates of that treatment plan that resulted in the over-nutritional crop. Similarly, if a particular previous treatment plan caused nutrient deficiencies, that treatment plan can be used as a baseline for generating a new treatment plan for future plantings by increasing the fertilizer and irrigation rates of that treatment plan that resulted in the under-nutritional crop.

[0040] The foregoing Detailed Description is to be understood in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein should be determined not from this Detailed Description, but from the claims, interpreted in their entirety as permitted by applicable patent law. It should be understood that the embodiments shown and described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventive concepts, and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventive concepts. Various other feature combinations could be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventive concepts.

Claims

1. determining a height of a cutting bar of the agricultural equipment; receiving crop height data from a crop height sensor; determining a crop height based on the cutting bar height and the crop height data; associating the crop height with one of a plurality of areas of a field based on the location of the crop height sensor; determining the size of the harvested seeds based on data from a seed size sensor on the agricultural device; associating the harvested seed size with one of the plurality of areas based on the position of the plant height sensor; generating a field treatment plan based on the size of the seeds based on the field maps generated based on the respective associating steps; 1. A method for mapping crop heights in a field divided into a plurality of areas, comprising:

2. determining a height of a reel of the agricultural equipment; determining the crop height further based on the height of the reel; 2. The method of claim 1.

3. further comprising receiving data from the conveyor inclinometer; determining the height of the mowing bar based on data from the conveyor inclinometer and the height of an axis of rotation about which the conveyor moves; 2. The method of claim 1.

4. receiving data from the reel inclinometer; determining the height of the reel based on data from the reel inclinometer and the height of an axis of rotation about which a member supporting the reel inclinometer rotates; 3. The method according to claim 2.

5. The field treatment plan includes one of land preparation, tillage changes, seed rate, seed variety, weed control period, fertilizer application, pesticide application, growth regulator application, and irrigation.

2. The method of claim 1.

6. a processor; a memory for storing computer program instructions; Equipped with The computer program instructions, when executed on the processor, cause the processor to: determining a height of a cutting bar of the agricultural equipment; receiving crop height data from a crop height sensor; determining a crop height based on the cutting bar height and the crop height data; associating the crop height with one of a plurality of areas of a field based on the location of the crop height sensor; determining the size of the harvested seeds based on data from a seed size sensor on the agricultural device; associating the harvested seed size with one of the plurality of areas based on the position of the plant height sensor; generating a field treatment plan based on the size of the seeds based on the field maps generated based on the respective associating steps; causing an action including An apparatus characterized in that

7. The operation further comprises: determining a height of a reel of the agricultural equipment; determining the crop height further based on the height of the reel; 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that

8. The operation further comprises: receiving data from the conveyor inclinometer; determining the height of the mowing bar based on data from the conveyor inclinometer and the height of an axis of rotation about which the conveyor moves; 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that

9. The operation further comprises: receiving data from the reel inclinometer; determining the height of the reel based on data from the reel inclinometer and the height of an axis of rotation about which a member supporting the reel inclinometer rotates; 8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that

10. The field treatment plan includes one of land preparation, tillage changes, seed rate, seed variety, weed control period, fertilizer application, pesticide application, growth regulator application, and irrigation.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that

11. A cutting bar, Reel and Conveyor inclinometer, Reel inclinometer and a crop height sensor; a control unit for executing computer program instructions; Equipped with The computer program instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to: determining the height of a combine harvester's reaping bar; receiving crop height data from the crop height sensor; determining a crop height based on the cutting bar height and the crop height data; associating the crop height with one of a plurality of areas of a field based on the location of the crop height sensor; Determining the size of the harvested seeds based on data from a seed size sensor of the combine; associating the harvested seed size with one of the plurality of areas based on the position of the plant height sensor; generating a field treatment plan based on the size of the seeds based on the field maps generated based on the respective associating steps; causing an action including A combine harvester characterized by:

12. The operation further comprises: determining a reel height of the combine; determining the crop height further based on the height of the reel; The combine harvester according to claim 11, characterized in that

13. The operation further comprises: receiving data from the conveyor inclinometer; determining the height of the mowing bar based on data from the conveyor inclinometer and the height of an axis of rotation about which the conveyor moves; The combine harvester according to claim 11, characterized in that

14. The operation further comprises: receiving data from the reel inclinometer; determining the height of the reel based on data from the reel inclinometer and the height of an axis of rotation about which a member supporting the reel inclinometer rotates; The combine harvester according to claim 12, characterized in that

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