Crop Row Guidance Line Shifting for GNSS Navigation Errors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural navigation systems struggle with inaccuracies in crop row location estimates due to errors in GNSS positional data, antenna mounting locations, state estimation of vehicle and implement positions, and measurements of implement pose relative to the tractor.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising one or more computers configured to adjust and correct recorded crop row locations by applying lateral and longitudinal adjustments based on actual crop row locations, using a combination of GNSS data, mechanical crop sensors, and Kalman filters to generate accurate guidance paths for agricultural vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If GNSS-based crop row location estimation is used, then automated navigation capability is enabled, but location accuracy deteriorates due to multiple error sources including antenna mounting errors and state estimation errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mechanical crop sensors as an intermediary measurement device that directly contacts the crop rows to detect their actual positions. This mediator bridges the gap between the vehicle-mounted GNSS system and the ground truth crop locations, providing correction data that compensates for GNSS errors without requiring changes to the automated navigation infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where mechanical sensors continuously measure actual crop row positions during vehicle operation. These measurements are fed back to update and correct the guidance lines in real-time, creating a closed-loop control system that automatically compensates for accumulated errors and maintains location accuracy throughout the field operation
2Measurement precision
If mechanical crop sensors are deployed to measure actual crop row positions, then location accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional hardware and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mechanical crop sensor measurements with the existing GNSS-based guidance system by integrating the sensor data into the same software platform that generates guidance lines. This combination allows the system to leverage both measurement modalities without requiring separate independent systems, reducing overall complexity through unified data processing and control logic
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the parameters used for guidance line generation by switching between relying primarily on GNSS data and incorporating mechanical sensor corrections based on operational conditions. This parameter adjustment allows the system to adapt its complexity level, using simpler GNSS-only operation when conditions permit and more complex sensor-fused operation when higher accuracy is needed
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustment system for guidance lines comprising a GNSS unit disposed on an agricultural vehicle, a memory comprising stored crop row locations, a processor in communication with the GNSS unit and the memory, the processor configured to apply lateral and/or longitudinal adjustments to guidance lines generated based on stored crop row locations from a prior operation, and an automatic steering system configured to command the agricultural vehicle to traverse the guidance lines.