Harvester Fleet Speed Control for Collision-Free Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a fleet of agricultural harvesters, the varying ground speeds of individual machines can lead to collisions, inefficient grain cart routes, and reduced harvesting efficiency due to the loss of optimal longitudinal and lateral displacement formations.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that receives data from on-board sensors and fleet parameters to determine and adjust the ground speed of each harvester, ensuring safe distances and optimal operational performance within the fleet, using output signals to control ground speed and notify operators or other machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If each harvester operates with independent automatic feed rate control to optimize individual harvesting performance, then harvesting efficiency is improved, but collision risk and formation stability deteriorate due to varying ground speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements feedback control by continuously monitoring ground speed deviations from the reference speed and adjusting the feed rate accordingly. The system compares actual ground speed with the reference speed determined by the leading harvester, and when deviations exceed a threshold, it automatically adjusts the feed rate to bring the harvester back into proper formation, thus preventing collisions while maintaining individual harvesting optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters (feed rate and ground speed) based on real-time conditions. When a harvester deviates from the reference speed, the controller modifies the feed rate parameter to adjust ground speed, thereby maintaining formation stability without sacrificing harvesting efficiency. This parameter adjustment is done automatically based on pre-set thresholds and control algorithms
2Productivity
If harvesters maintain fixed longitudinal and lateral displacement for optimal grain cart routing, then grain collection efficiency is improved, but adaptability to varying ground speeds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static fixed displacement formation to dynamic adaptive formation. The longitudinal and lateral displacements are no longer fixed but are continuously adjusted based on real-time ground speed measurements and fleet position data. This allows harvesters to maintain optimal grain cart routing while adapting to varying ground speeds caused by different harvesting conditions, as the formation parameters are dynamically recalculated and applied
3Productivity
If ground speed is increased to maximize harvesting output, then productivity is improved, but collision risk with other fleet harvesters increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller applies preliminary anti-action by proactively reducing ground speed when approaching other harvesters in the fleet. Before a collision can occur, the system detects the presence of other harvesters through fleet communication and GPS positioning, and automatically adjusts ground speed to maintain safe separation distances. This preventive measure allows harvesters to operate at high speeds during normal conditions while automatically slowing down to prevent collisions when fleet proximity is detected
Data Source
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AI summary
A controller (28) for an agricultural harvester (20) in a fleet (30) of agricultural harvesters is arranged to receive crop flow sensor output data (52) from a plurality of on-board harvester sensors, and determine a current value of each of one or more harvesting performance parameters in dependence on the received crop flow sensor output data. The controller is arranged to receive fleet data (54) indicative of one or more operational parameters of at least one further agricultural harvester (40) in the fleet (30). The controller (28) is arranged to determine ground speed for the agricultural harvester (20) in dependence on the current value of the one or more harvesting performance parameters relative to respective target values and the received fleet data. The controller is arranged to generate an output signal in dependence on determined ground speed.