Agricultural Harvester Guidance Line Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesters face inefficiencies due to inaccuracies in crop row detection, particularly with GNSS-based sensors experiencing signal drift and contact-based sensors providing incorrect data when crop rows are absent, leading to suboptimal harvesting performance.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for an agricultural harvester that includes a sensor assembly mounted on row dividers to detect the operating line and a controller that adjusts the guidance line based on measurement signals, switching between operating modes to ensure accurate alignment with crop rows, using contact-based sensors for initial alignment and GNSS for continuous guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If GNSS-based sensors are used to detect crop row orientation, then the harvester can operate autonomously over long distances, but signal drift causes inaccurate location detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines GNSS-based sensors with contact-based sensors mounted on the harvesting implement. The GNSS sensor provides continuous location data for autonomous operation, while contact sensors detect physical contact with crop rows to correct drift. This merging of two sensing systems resolves the contradiction by maintaining both autonomous operation capability and accurate location detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from contact sensors to continuously correct GNSS-based location data. When the contact sensor detects contact with a crop row, it provides feedback signals that adjust the GNSS-derived position, thereby eliminating signal drift and maintaining measurement precision over time.
2Measurement precision
If contact-based sensors are used to detect crop rows, then the harvester achieves accurate alignment with rows, but the sensors provide incorrect data when crop rows are absent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic sensor selection where the system switches between contact-based sensors and GNSS-based sensors depending on operating conditions. When crop rows are present, contact sensors provide accurate alignment data; when rows are absent (e.g., during headland turns), the system dynamically transitions to GNSS-based guidance, thereby maintaining both alignment accuracy and data reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses preliminary action by pre-positioning contact sensors on the harvesting implement to detect crop rows before the main harvesting operation begins. This allows the system to establish accurate row alignment in advance, while having backup GNSS-based guidance ready for when rows are temporarily absent.
3Device complexity
If the harvester uses a fixed guidance line, then the control system is simple, but the guidance line becomes inaccurate when operating conditions change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic guidance line system that adjusts based on real-time sensor feedback. Rather than using a fixed predetermined guidance line, the system continuously updates the guidance line position based on contact sensor detections and GNSS data, thereby maintaining guidance line accuracy while adding moderate complexity to the control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters of the guidance line dynamically by adjusting its position and orientation based on accumulated correction values from sensor measurements. This allows the guidance line to adapt to variations in crop row position and harvester drift, maintaining accuracy without requiring overly complex control algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a system for operating an agricultural harvester may include a sensor assembly configured to detect a parameter indicative of an operating line of the harvester. The system may also include a controller configured to monitor the operating line of the harvester based on measurement signals received from the sensor assembly when the harvester is operated in a first operating mode. The controller may also be configured to determine a differential between the operating line and a predetermined guidance line of the harvester. Furthermore, the controller may be configured to update a stored correction value based on the determined differential. Additionally, when the harvester is switched from the first operating mode to a second operating mode, the controller may be configured to adjust a location of the predetermined guidance line based on the stored correction value.