Crop Transfer Vehicle Vision Guidance for Harvester Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural machine operators face challenges in synchronizing the movement of harvesters and receiving vehicles during crop transfer operations, particularly due to limited visibility and the need for precise alignment, which can lead to laborious and inefficient unloading processes.
Innovation Solution
A system equipped with a camera and computing devices on the receiving vehicle that captures images of the harvester, identifies features, determines location information, and generates control signals to coordinate the movement of the receiving vehicle, either automatically or through a graphical user interface, to ensure proper alignment and fill patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the receiving vehicle operator manually aligns the grain bin with the unload conveyor spout during motion, then the unloading operation can proceed, but the operator workload increases and alignment precision decreases due to limited visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of cameras mounted on the receiving vehicle and processing equipment that captures images, identifies the spout position, and provides visual feedback to the operator. This intermediary system bridges the gap between the operator and the alignment task, reducing manual workload while improving alignment precision through automated image processing and spout detection algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical alignment process with an automated optical and computational system. Instead of relying on the operator's visual estimation and manual vehicle positioning, the system uses cameras to capture images, computational algorithms to identify the spout, and automated feedback to guide alignment, thereby substituting mechanical operator actions with an automated information processing system.
2Manufacturing precision
If the receiving vehicle operator shifts the grain bin position to evenly fill the bin, then grain distribution improves, but the operator cannot see into the bin and must estimate fill patterns, reducing control precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the unloading process by capturing images with cameras mounted on the receiving vehicle. These images provide a visual representation of the fill pattern inside the grain bin, allowing the operator to see the actual grain distribution without physical visibility. The system processes these images to generate feedback information that guides the operator in shifting the grain bin position to achieve even fill distribution.
3Productivity
If the unloading operation proceeds at high speed to maintain harvest efficiency, then productivity increases, but the time available for precise alignment and filling decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-processing images and pre-identifying the spout position and fill pattern before the vehicle completes its alignment maneuver. The system captures images continuously and processes them in advance, so that when the vehicle is close to the optimal position, the alignment information is already available. This allows high-speed operation while maintaining precise alignment through advance preparation of visual feedback.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an agricultural crop receiving vehicle with a bin for receiving and holding agricultural crop material and a camera positioned to capture images of an area proximate the receiving vehicle. One or more computing devices receive the image data from the camera, identify one or more features of a harvester in the image data, determine a location of the agricultural harvester relative to the crop receiving vehicle, and use the location of the agricultural harvester to generate control signals for controlling movement of the agricultural crop receiving vehicle to coordinate receiving crop material in the bin from the harvester or for controlling a graphical user interface to present a visual indicator of the relative locations of the agricultural crop receiving vehicle and the agricultural harvester.