Harvester Multi-Camera Imaging for Real-Time Crop State Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current agricultural harvesting equipment lacks the ability to acquire and process real-time state information about the harvesting operation, requiring manual intervention and lacking in intelligent unmanned operations, leading to inefficiencies and high production costs.
Innovation Solution
An image acquisition device and processing method that captures and processes images of the harvesting operation area, including positions of crops to be harvested, harvested, and the state of harvesting, enabling real-time feedback and control for unmanned operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple cameras are used to capture surrounding images for comprehensive harvesting operation information, then the completeness of state information is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The image acquisition system is segmented into multiple cameras positioned at different locations (front, rear, left, right sides of the harvesting machine) to capture different aspects of the harvesting operation. Each camera focuses on specific areas (crops to be harvested, crops being harvested, crops already harvested) to collectively provide comprehensive state information without requiring a single complex all-seeing system
Solution Approach 2:
The image processing system is designed to extract multiple types of harvesting state information (positions of crops to be harvested, positions of harvested crops, and state of crops being harvested) from the combined images captured by the camera system, making the system multi-functional in terms of information extraction while using a unified processing architecture
2Measurement precision
If real-time image processing algorithms are implemented to extract harvesting operation state information, then the accuracy of state information is improved, but the processing time and computational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images from multiple predetermined camera positions that are strategically placed to cover all necessary harvesting areas. The image processing algorithm is pre-configured to extract specific harvesting state information (crop positions, harvesting state) from these standardized image formats, enabling faster processing compared to analyzing arbitrary images from unknown angles
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the specific harvesting state information that is necessary for operation control (positions of crops to be harvested, positions of harvested crops, and state of crops being harvested) from the captured images, rather than performing comprehensive image analysis. This partial extraction approach provides sufficient information for harvesting decisions without the computational overhead of complete scene understanding
3Area of stationary object
If long-distance scene images are captured to monitor large harvesting areas, then the coverage area is improved, but the image quality and usefulness for specific harvesting decisions deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single long-distance camera to monitor the entire harvesting area, the system employs multiple cameras positioned at different locations around the harvesting machine, each capturing images of specific local areas (front, rear, left, right sides). This provides detailed, high-quality images of locally relevant harvesting states (crops to be harvested, crops being harvested) that are immediately useful for harvesting decisions
Data Source
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AI summary
An image acquisition device and image processing method for an agricultural harvesting operation machine. The agricultural harvesting operation machine comprises a body and an image acquisition device; the image acquisition device comprises an image capturing component and a communication machine; the image acquisition device is mounted on the body; the communication machine is communicatably connected to the image capturing component so as to obtain acquired image information from the image capturing component, thereby assisting in adjusting the working position and operation speed of the body. Also provided is an image processing method. Information required by harvesting operation is taken into full consideration, images of the position of an agricultural harvesting operation machine are acquired, and multiple acquired images are efficiently processed.