Agricultural Machine Image Display with Operating Info

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Solution Overview

Problem

External operators face challenges in quickly and reliably determining the current relevance of image files from agricultural work machines, leading to potential misinterpretations and difficulties in monitoring multiple machines effectively due to the overwhelming amount of image and position data.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an agricultural work machine with an adjustment device that captures digital images and links them with operating information, transmitting an expanded digital image only during predetermined situations, and displaying this information visually outside the machine to reduce data transfer and enhance operator understanding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If image data and position information are transmitted continuously to external operators, then the operator receives complete information about machine status, but the operator cannot quickly determine whether image files are current or outdated due to overwhelming data volume

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidoperator workload
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the continuous data stream into discrete, time-stamped image files with associated position information. Each image file is treated as an independent unit with metadata indicating its capture time and relevance, allowing operators to process information in manageable chunks rather than overwhelming continuous data flows.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically timestamping and tagging image files with position information and relevance indicators before transmission. This pre-processing of data metadata allows operators to quickly assess file currency without manually analyzing raw data, reducing their cognitive workload while maintaining information completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If all image data and position information are transmitted to external operators, then complete monitoring information is available, but it becomes almost impossible for operators to determine quickly whether image files are current and relevant or outdated and ignorable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring accuracyVSAvoidoperator time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs visual indicators (analogous to color changes) where image files are marked with temporal and relevance metadata that visually distinguishes current/relevant files from outdated/ignorable ones. This allows operators to instantly identify file status without time-consuming analysis, maintaining monitoring accuracy while reducing operator time investment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary layer of automated metadata processing that acts as a mediator between raw image data and operator interpretation. Timestamps, position tags, and relevance indicators serve as intermediary markers that guide operator attention to only the most current and relevant images, eliminating the need to manually evaluate every transmitted file.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If operators monitor multiple agricultural work machines with complete image and position data, then comprehensive oversight is achieved, but the effort required increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring reliabilityVSAvoidmonitoring efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments monitoring data across multiple machines into standardized, comparable units with consistent metadata structures. Each machine's image files are independently timestamped and tagged, allowing operators to efficiently scan and compare status across multiple machines without being overwhelmed by aggregated data volumes, thereby maintaining reliability while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4473816A1Agricultural machine
Publication Date: 2024.12.11 CLAAS E SYSTEMS GMBH
  • EP4473816A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4473816A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4473816A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to an agricultural machine (1) with at least one image acquisition device (3) arranged on the agricultural machine for acquiring a digital image (4) of an area surrounding the machine (5). The present invention is based on the general concept that the digital image (4) of the area surrounding the machine (5) is displayed simultaneously with the associated operating information (6) of the agricultural machine (1) by means of a display device (8) outside the agricultural machine (1).