Crop-Height Track Following for Accurate Ground-Level Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural machinery forming tracks in fields damages crops, and existing track following systems are inaccurate when crop height obscures the view of track bottoms, leading to inexact track identification and increased crop damage.
Innovation Solution
A track following system using a camera and processor to identify tracks in captured images, determining visibility at ground level and correcting track positions based on the height difference between crop and ground levels, enabling accurate track following for automated steering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If camera image analysis is used to identify tracks, then automated steering capability is achieved, but measurement precision deteriorates when crops obscure the view of track bottoms
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from 2D image analysis to 3D spatial reasoning by incorporating crop height measurements. The processor uses depth information and crop height data to calculate the three-dimensional position of track bottoms, compensating for the vertical offset caused by obscuring crops. This dimensional transformation enables accurate track location even when tracks are not directly visible at ground level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces crop height measurement as an intermediary parameter to bridge the gap between visible track positions at crop level and actual track positions at ground level. By measuring crop height and using geometric relationships, the system calculates the offset between these two levels, enabling indirect but accurate determination of track bottom positions.
2Loss of information
If tracks are followed at crop level instead of ground level, then track visibility is improved, but track position accuracy deteriorates due to projection offset
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where crop height measurements are continuously used to adjust track position calculations. The processor receives crop height data, calculates the vertical offset between crop level and ground level, and applies this correction to transform track positions from crop level to ground level, ensuring continuous accurate positioning despite varying crop heights.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the vertical reference parameter from crop level to ground level by incorporating crop height measurements. When crop height exceeds a threshold, the system changes the reference plane and applies geometric transformation to maintain accurate ground-level track positioning, adapting to varying field conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A track following system is provided for an agricultural machine, in which tracks are identified in captured images and the visibility of the identified tracks at ground level is assessed. If the tracks are invisible at ground level, a track position is determined by converting from a track position corresponding to the position of the tracks visible in the captured image to a corrected track position based on the height difference between ground level and crop level. This gives accurate track locating.