Harvester Regime-Zone Maps for Feed Rate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesters face performance issues due to varying conditions such as changes in biomass, crop state, topography, and soil properties, which affect the harvesting operation and require adjustments in machine settings to maintain a constant feed rate and optimal performance.
Innovation Solution
The use of predictive maps generated from in-situ data and prior information maps to control agricultural harvesters, allowing for real-time adjustments in machine settings such as header height and speed based on geographic location and environmental conditions, using sensors to detect characteristics like biomass and crop state, and adjusting actuator settings to optimize harvesting operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the agricultural harvester operates with fixed machine settings, then the device complexity is reduced, but the harvesting performance deteriorates due to varying field conditions such as changes in biomass, crop state, topography, and soil properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of machine settings by dividing the field into multiple regime zones with different optimal settings. The harvester automatically transitions between different sets of machine parameters based on its geographic location and the current regime zone, allowing the system to adapt to varying field conditions without requiring continuous manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The field is segmented into multiple regime zones based on geographic location and environmental conditions. Each regime zone contains a predefined set of optimal machine settings for harvesting under specific conditions. This segmentation allows the complex harvesting environment to be divided into manageable regions, each with optimized parameters for productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the operator manually adjusts machine settings during harvesting, then the adaptability to field conditions is improved, but the loss of time increases due to continuous intervention required
Solution Approach 1:
The harvester system performs self-adjustment of machine settings based on its geographic location and the predefined regime zones. The control system automatically selects and applies the appropriate machine parameters without requiring operator intervention, allowing the machine to serve itself in adapting to varying field conditions during harvesting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from geographic location data (GPS coordinates) to determine the current regime zone and automatically adjust machine settings accordingly. This closed-loop control enables the harvester to respond to changing field conditions based on its position, eliminating the need for continuous manual monitoring and adjustment by the operator.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple target actuator settings are maintained for different locations, then the manufacturing precision of harvesting parameters is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for map management and settings resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The optimal machine settings for each regime zone are predetermined and stored in the system before harvesting operations begin. The map containing multiple regime zones and their associated settings is prepared in advance, allowing the control system to quickly retrieve and apply the appropriate parameters based on the harvester's current location without requiring complex real-time calculations during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A map obtainable by an agricultural harvester contains regime zones with settings resolvers. A plurality of different target actuator settings corresponding to the geographic location of the agricultural work machine are identified. A regime zone is identified based on the geographic location of the agricultural harvester. One of the plurality of different target actuator settings is selected as a resolved target actuator setting based on the settings resolver corresponding to the identified regime zone and is used to control the agricultural harvester.