Combine Harvester Work Allocation for Capacity-Based Field Blocks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional work vehicles in farm fields often travel and work inefficiently due to sectionalization of fields without considering the work capacity of each vehicle, leading to reduced efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that divide the farm field into work blocks based on the work vehicles' capabilities, allocating vehicles to blocks that suit their capacities, allowing for efficient travel and work.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the farm field is sectionalized into multiple sections to separate work vehicles, then collision between vehicles is prevented, but work efficiency is reduced because vehicles cannot fully utilize their work capacity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision preventionVSAvoidwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The farm field is divided into multiple work blocks, but unlike conventional equal segmentation, this segmentation is performed based on the specific work capacity of each vehicle. The work allocator divides the field into blocks that match vehicle capabilities, allowing multiple vehicles to work simultaneously in different blocks without collision while fully utilizing each vehicle's work capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The work allocation system dynamically assigns work blocks to vehicles based on real-time conditions and vehicle capacities. The segmentation is not fixed but adapts to the specific characteristics of each vehicle, enabling optimal utilization of work capacity while maintaining collision prevention through coordinated allocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If work vehicles are allocated to fixed sections, then work coordination is simplified, but travel efficiency is reduced due to unnecessary movement between sections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework coordinationVSAvoidtravel efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The work allocator performs preliminary division of the farm field into work blocks before vehicles begin work. This pre-planned allocation considers each vehicle's work capacity and assigns optimal blocks in advance, eliminating the need for vehicles to travel between sections during work operations and reducing unnecessary movement time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If equal division of the farm field is used, then allocation is simple, but work capacity of each vehicle is not fully utilized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveallocation simplicityVSAvoidwork capacity utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniform equal division, the work allocator applies local quality by dividing the farm field into work blocks with different characteristics that match specific vehicle capacities. Each vehicle is assigned work blocks tailored to its capabilities, ensuring optimal utilization of each vehicle's work capacity while maintaining a relatively simple allocation process through automated calculation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4094559B1Work method and work system
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 YANMAR HLDG CO LTD
  • EP4094559B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4094559B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4094559B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The aim is to provide a work method, a work vehicle and a work system that enable a plurality of work vehicles to efficiently travel and work. A combine harvester (1a) that works in a farm field in cooperation with a combine harvester (1b) is a work vehicle capable of automatically traveling based on a travel path created in the farm field, and includes a portable terminal (30) that functions as a work allocator (37) that divides a work area of the farm field into a plurality of work blocks based on the combine harvesters (1a) and (1b), and allocates any of the combine harvesters (1a) and (1b), and a controller (50) that functions as a self-driving controller (53) that performs a work of the work blocks' work block allocated to combine harvester (1a).