Agricultural Implement Thermal Monitoring via Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural machines rely heavily on manual monitoring by operators to ensure the correct operation of headers and other implements, leading to increased workload and potential downtime due to undetected malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising thermal and imaging sensors, along with controllers, to monitor the operation of agricultural implements by determining thermal characteristics of operational elements and outputting control signals to adjust machine operations accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual monitoring by operator is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases and reliability worsens due to increased workload and potential undetected malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system enables the agricultural machine to self-diagnose operational issues by automatically detecting thermal characteristics of implement elements and comparing them against threshold values, eliminating the need for continuous manual monitoring by the operator while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and mechanical monitoring methods with thermal sensing technology that uses infrared detectors to measure temperature characteristics of operational elements, providing automated monitoring that improves productivity without proportionally increasing system complexity
2Reliability
If automated thermal monitoring is implemented, then reliability improves through early detection of malfunctions, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors thermal characteristics of implement elements and provides real-time feedback to the operator when threshold values are exceeded, enabling early detection of malfunctions such as overheating bearings or friction issues, thereby improving operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal monitoring system is designed to monitor multiple operational elements (reel bearings, cutter bar elements, conveyor components) using a unified sensor and controller architecture, allowing a single system to perform multiple monitoring functions rather than requiring separate specialized systems for each element
3Loss of time
If comprehensive monitoring of all operational elements is performed, then loss of time is reduced through early malfunction detection, but measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes predetermined threshold values for thermal characteristics of various implement elements before operation begins, allowing the monitoring system to quickly compare real-time measurements against these pre-set criteria and trigger alerts before malfunctions lead to downtime, rather than requiring complex real-time analysis
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system reduces the workload of operators by automating the monitoring process, enabling early detection of potential issues such as increased temperatures, which can lead to machine downtime and efficiency losses.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal sensor having a sensing region which at least partly covers the position of the implement; receive sensor data from the thermal sensor; determine, from the sensor data received from the thermal sensor, a thermal characteristic associated with each of one or more operational elements of the implement
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring the operation of an implement associated with an agricultural machine. An imaging sensor may be used having an imaging region at least partly covering the implement, along with a thermal sensor having a sensing region which at least partly coincides with the imaging region of the imaging sensor. The image data from the imaging sensing is used to determine a location of one or more operational elements of the implement within the imaging region. The thermal sensor is used to determine a thermal characteristic (e.g. temperature) associated with each of the one or more operational elements. One or more systems of the agricultural machine may then be controlled in dependence on the determined thermal characteristic.