Harvester-to-Trailer Speed Control for Accurate Crop Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Simultaneously controlling the agricultural harvester and the vehicle towing the trailer for crop transfer is challenging, leading to potential crop spillage and safety risks, even with existing camera-based automatic and semi-automatic systems.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize sensors to determine various parameters, including vehicle and harvester positions, crop cloud dynamics, and exclusion zones, to control the vehicle speed remotely, ensuring synchronized movement and accurate crop transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If manual control of harvester and vehicle speeds is used, then operator flexibility is maintained, but crop transfer accuracy deteriorates and spillage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop transfer accuracyVSAvoidoperator workload

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service automation where the harvester controller autonomously determines and controls vehicle speed based on sensor data about crop position, trailer position, and transfer parameters. The controller acts independently to adjust vehicle speed without continuous operator intervention, improving transfer accuracy while reducing operator workload.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring crop position, trailer position, and transfer parameters via sensors, then using this feedback to dynamically adjust vehicle speed. The controller receives real-time data and automatically modifies speed to maintain optimal crop transfer conditions, resolving the contradiction between precision and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of substance

If vehicle speed is not controlled, then operation simplicity is maintained, but crop spillage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop spillageVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The harvester controller performs multiple functions: it monitors crop transfer parameters, determines optimal vehicle speed, sends control signals to the vehicle, and adjusts speed dynamically. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated control systems, managing complexity while preventing crop spillage through integrated control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical speed control with an automated electronic control system that uses sensor data and algorithms to determine optimal vehicle speed. This substitution eliminates the need for operator manual adjustment while preventing crop spillage, managing the complexity through electronic automation rather than mechanical means.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If automated speed control is implemented, then crop transfer accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop transfer accuracyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the vehicle control function with the harvester controller, combining multiple control functions into a single integrated system. The harvester controller now also manages vehicle speed, reducing the number of separate control systems and managing complexity through consolidation while maintaining high transfer accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated controller performs self-service by autonomously determining optimal vehicle speed based on sensor data about crop position, trailer position, and transfer parameters. The system independently adjusts speed without external intervention, improving accuracy while managing complexity through autonomous operation rather than requiring additional control hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If vehicle and harvester move independently, then operational flexibility is maintained, but safety deteriorates due to collision risk

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidsynchronization difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the relative positions of the vehicle and harvester via sensors, then using this feedback to dynamically adjust vehicle speed. The controller receives real-time position data and automatically modifies speed to maintain safe distances and synchronized movement, improving safety while managing synchronization through automated control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20260033426A1Method and system for controlling a crop transfer process

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 CNH IND BELGIUM NV

AI summary

A method of controlling a crop transfer process for transferring crop from an agricultural harvester to a nearby trailer towed by a vehicle. The method includes determining at least one parameter relating to the vehicle and/or the harvester, and in dependence on the or each determined parameter of the vehicle and/or the harvester, determining a desired speed of the vehicle; and sending a control signal from the harvester to the vehicle to control the speed of the vehicle in accordance with the desired speed.