Harvesting Implement Height Control via Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic header height control systems for agricultural harvesters fail to efficiently fuse multiple sensor input signals into a single control variable, leading to increased ground displacement errors when adjusting the height and tilt of harvesting implements relative to the ground surface.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a computing device to perform linear regression analysis on height data from multiple sensors, establishing a correlation between height and position data to determine control outputs for height and tilt cylinders, thereby minimizing ground displacement errors by adjusting the vertical positioning and lateral tilt of the harvesting implement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple height sensors are used to measure ground contour, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need to fuse multiple sensor inputs into a single control variable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a computing device as an intermediary that receives data from multiple height sensors and performs linear regression analysis to generate a single control variable. This intermediary component handles the complexity of fusing multiple sensor inputs, allowing the control system to maintain high measurement precision while managing data fusion complexity in a centralized manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or manual methods of determining header height with an electronic computing system that performs automated linear regression analysis. This substitution of mechanical decision-making processes with electronic computation enables efficient fusion of multiple sensor inputs into a single control variable, reducing operational complexity while maintaining precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If linear regression analysis is performed to fuse sensor data, then manufacturing precision of the control system is improved, but use of energy increases due to computational processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies linear regression analysis, which is a computationally efficient statistical method that provides sufficient precision for agricultural header height control without requiring more complex and energy-intensive algorithms. By using an appropriately sized computational approach (not excessive), the system achieves the necessary manufacturing precision while minimizing energy consumption.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are spaced apart with known spatial relationship, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to coordinate transformation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The computing device serves as an intermediary that automatically handles the coordinate transformations and spatial relationship processing between multiple sensors. By centralizing this complex processing in a dedicated computational component, the system achieves high spatial measurement precision while managing the complexity of transforming data from multiple sensor locations into a unified control variable.
Data Source
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AI summary
In one aspect, a method (200) for automatically controlling a height of a harvesting implement (32) of an agricultural vehicle (10) relative to a ground surface (19) includes receiving height data from a plurality of height sensors (90) spaced apart relative to the harvesting implement with a known spatial relationship and analyzing the height data in combination with position data associated with the known spatial relationship of the plurality of height sensors to establish a correlation between the height data and the position data. In addition, the method includes determining at least one control output for controlling an operation of a height cylinder (72) and a tilt cylinder (74) provided in operative association with the harvesting attachment based on the established correlation, and controlling the operation of the height cylinder and/or the tilt cylinder based on the control output(s) to adjust the vertical positioning and/or the lateral tilt of the harvesting attachment relative to the ground surface.