Agricultural Machine Steering Using Dual Tramline Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic steering systems for agricultural machines face challenges in accurately determining trajectories due to factors like solar radiation, dirty sensors, and vegetation height, leading to unreliable path guidance.
Innovation Solution
The method employs two optical sensors with different positions and viewing directions to detect tramlines, determine trajectories, and generate steering signals, with symmetry-based calculations and additional position data for improved accuracy and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single optical sensor is used for detecting tramlines, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision and reliability deteriorate under adverse conditions such as solar radiation, dirty sensors, and vegetation height
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines data from multiple optical sensors (at least two sensors with different positions and/or viewing directions) to detect tramlines and determine trajectories. This merging of sensor data improves measurement precision and reliability under adverse conditions while maintaining manageable system complexity through coordinated processing of the combined inputs.
2Reliability
If multiple optical sensors with different positions and viewing directions are used, then the reliability and precision of trajectory determination improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges recordings from multiple optical sensors to determine trajectories, improving reliability of path guidance under various adverse conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes sensors positioned at different locations and/or orientations (adding spatial dimensions) to capture tramline information from multiple perspectives. This multi-dimensional approach enhances reliability by providing redundant detection capabilities while the systematic processing method keeps the overall system complexity manageable.
3Measurement precision
If tramlines are detected in multiple recordings from different sensors, then the accuracy of steering signal determination improves, but the computational effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines tramline detections from multiple sensor recordings to determine trajectories and generate steering signals. The systematic merging approach improves steering accuracy by integrating information from multiple sources while processing the combined data efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automatically steering an agricultural machine on an agricultural area that is to be worked. The method includes optically detecting a first region of the area that is to be worked lying in a direction of travel of the agricultural machine in a first recording via a first optical sensor in a first position with a first viewing direction. The method further includes optically detecting a second region of the area that is to be worked lying in the direction of travel of the agricultural machine in a second recording via a second optical sensor in a second position with a second viewing direction. The method additionally includes detecting a tramline in the first recording and detecting a tramline in the second recording, determining a first trajectory and a second trajectory, and determining a steering signal based on the first trajectory and/or the second trajectory.