Grain Cart Fill Control Using Open-Loop Volumetric Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for managing the unloading of agricultural material from harvesters, such as combines, are limited by the need for closed-loop sensors like cameras, which can be obscured by dust or residue, and require additional components, making them unsuitable for legacy harvesters without modifications.
Innovation Solution
An open-loop fill management system that uses a controller, user interface, and wireless communication to adjust the position of the harvester relative to the receiving vehicle based on mass flow sensor signals and storage dimensions, eliminating the need for camera hardware and image processing, and allowing for automated transfer without closed-loop control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If closed-loop systems with cameras and machine vision are used to monitor fill level, then automated fill monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability deteriorates due to sensor obscuration by dust or residue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fill monitoring function from the receiving vehicle and relocates it to the harvester by using a mass flow sensor on the transfer mechanism. This eliminates the need for cameras on the receiving vehicle that are susceptible to dust and residue obscuration, thereby improving reliability while maintaining automated monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mass flow sensor as an intermediary device on the transfer mechanism to indirectly measure fill level. Instead of directly observing the receiving vehicle's fill status with cameras, the system uses the mass flow sensor to monitor material transfer and calculate fill level, bypassing the reliability issues of optical sensors in dusty environments.
2Extent of automation
If closed-loop systems with cameras and machine vision are installed on the harvester, then automated fill monitoring is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex camera and machine vision subsystem and replaces it with a simpler mass flow sensor integrated into the transfer mechanism. This maintains automated fill monitoring functionality while significantly reducing device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The mass flow sensor on the transfer mechanism serves dual purposes: it performs its primary function of monitoring material transfer during unloading and simultaneously provides data for fill level calculation. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated fill monitoring hardware, reducing overall system complexity.
3Extent of automation
If closed-loop systems are implemented on legacy harvesters, then automated fill management is achieved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to required modifications
Solution Approach 1:
The mass flow sensor is integrated into the transfer mechanism, which is a universal component already present on the harvester for material transfer. By making the sensor serve multiple functions (transfer monitoring and fill level calculation), the system can be implemented on legacy harvesters without requiring modifications to the receiving vehicle or addition of dedicated fill monitoring hardware.
4Productivity
If manual positioning adjustments are made to prevent material overflow, then filling efficiency is improved, but loss of time increases due to repeated stopping and repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the mass flow sensor to continuously monitor the fill level and automatically generate positioning adjustments. This closed-loop control enables the receiving vehicle to self-adjust its position relative to the harvester, maintaining optimal filling conditions without manual intervention or repeated stopping, thereby improving productivity while minimizing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning adjustments with an automated system that uses sensor data and wireless communication to control the receiving vehicle's position. This substitution eliminates the need for operators to manually stop and reposition the vehicle, reducing time loss while maintaining filling efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural harvester includes a cutting head configured to harvest an agricultural material, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the harvested agricultural material from the agricultural harvester, and a fill management system. The fill management system is configured to provide open-loop control of an automated transfer of the agricultural material from the agricultural harvester. The fill management system includes a controller, a user interface module coupled to the controller and configured to receive user input indicative of a selected nudge direction, and a wireless communication module coupled to the fill management system and configured to communicate wirelessly with a receiving vehicle. The wireless communication module is configured to obtain storage dimensions relative to the receiving vehicle from the receiving vehicle. At least one sensor is operably coupled to the transfer mechanism and provides a sensor signal that is indicative of flow of the agricultural material through the transfer mechanism. The controller is configured to automatically generate relative positional adjustments between the agricultural harvester and the receiving vehicle based on the signal indicative of flow through the transfer mechanism and the storage dimensions relative to the receiving vehicle.