Crop Density Determination via Partial Echo Timing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining crop density in agricultural harvesting machines require a large number of measurements to achieve acceptable accuracy, which is inefficient and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a transmission beam with large beam divergence to generate multiple partial echoes, which are reflected at different time offsets, allowing for the determination of crop density from a single measurement by analyzing the temporal relationship within the resulting echo pulse, reducing the need for multiple measurements and improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor array transmits electromagnetic pulses with low beam divergence, then the beam cross-section is small and distance measurement is precise, but numerous measurements are required to determine stand density with acceptable accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The echo pulse is segmented into multiple partial echo pulses, each corresponding to reflections from different plants. By analyzing the temporal distribution of these partial echoes within a single measurement, the system extracts stand density information without requiring multiple measurements, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and productivity
2Measurement precision
If numerous measurements are conducted, then stand density can be determined with acceptable accuracy, but control-technical effort and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the echo pulse structure by identifying and timing partial echo pulses. This preliminary action extracts all necessary stand density information from a single measurement, eliminating the need for repeated measurements and reducing both time loss and control effort while maintaining accuracy
3Loss of information
If a transmitted beam reflects from multiple plants, then information about penetration length and stand density is obtained, but the beam cross-section must be enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing beam cross-section area to capture multiple reflections, the system transitions to analyzing the temporal dimension of the echo pulse. By measuring time offsets of partial echoes in the time domain, the system obtains stand density information without enlarging the spatial beam cross-section, thus resolving the contradiction between information gain and area increase
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate determination of crop density with reduced control technology effort, allowing for precise adjustment of harvesting machine operations without the need for extensive measurement averaging, and enables predictive control of harvesting components.
Implementation Method 1
A sensor array periodically transmits electromagnetic pulses in different directions onto the field. The transmitted pulses are reflected by the field and received as echo pulses by the sensor array.
Implementation Method 2
The travel time of the transmitted pulses to the echo pulses determines the distance between the sensor array and the reflecting plant.
Implementation Method 3
For this purpose, the transmitted beam must be equipped with a relatively large beam divergence so that the transmitted beam can be split into different partial beams.
Implementation Method 4
This is due to multiple reflections of the respective transmitted beam, namely on the one hand from a front plant and on the other hand from at least one plant within the stand.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for determining the stand density of a field stand (2) consisting of a plurality of plants (3) to be harvested by a harvesting machine (1), wherein the harvesting machine (1) has a control arrangement (6) and a sensor arrangement (7), wherein transmit pulses (8) from electromagnetic transmitting beams (9) are periodically emitted onto the field stand (2) by means of the sensor arrangement (7) in at least one transmission direction (10), wherein the transmit pulses (8) are reflected at the field stand (2) and are received as echo pulses (11) by the sensor arrangement (7).It is proposed that for at least some of the transmission pulses (8), different partial beams (12, 13) of one and the same transmission beam (9) are reflected with time offsets from plants (3) of the field stand (2) lying one behind the other in the respective transmission direction (10), so that the respective resulting echo pulse (11) is composed of correspondingly time-off partial echo pulses (11a, 11b), and that a value for the stand density is determined by means of the control arrangement (6) based on a temporal relationship within the resulting echo pulse (11).