Loader Wagon Constituent Yield Measurement via Weight-Content Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Measuring the quantity of harvested stalk material during harvesting is challenging due to fluctuating mass per unit time or displacement, especially when crop mass is unevenly distributed, complicating the determination of constituent yields in precision agriculture.
Innovation Solution
A loader wagon system equipped with a data processor that calculates weight change data from weight sensors and content data from a contents sensor, associating the content data with the mass of the stalk material by multiplying content data by associated weight change data and summing these products over the gathering trajectory, allowing for reliable measurement of constituent yields.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If volumetric measurements are used to determine mass of harvested material, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to fluctuating mass per unit time and varying compressibility of dried stalk material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/volumetric measurement methods with an optical measurement system (near infrared sensor) that measures constituent contents directly. This substitution allows continuous measurement during harvesting without being affected by the fluctuating mass flow or compressibility issues that plague volumetric methods, thereby maintaining both high productivity and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from physical volume/mass to optical properties (near infrared reflectance). By measuring the optical characteristics of the stalk material as it passes through the loader wagon, the system can determine constituent contents independently of the material's physical state, density variations, or flow rate fluctuations.
2Measurement precision
If near infrared sensors are used to measure constituent contents, then measurement precision of constituents is improved, but reliability of quantity determination deteriorates when crop mass is unevenly distributed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a feedback mechanism where the measured constituent contents are continuously correlated with the position data and mass flow information. The system uses this feedback to adjust and refine the yield calculations, ensuring that variations in crop mass distribution do not compromise the reliability of the final yield mapping results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary calibration and characterization of the relationship between near infrared signals and actual constituent contents under various harvesting conditions. By establishing these reference relationships beforehand, the system can reliably interpret measurements even when crop mass distribution varies, ensuring accurate yield mapping without requiring real-time adjustments for every condition change.
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
Enables accurate and reliable measurement of constituent yields during harvesting, even with varying compressibility of dried stalk material, by smoothing weight data and associating weight changes with content data, facilitating precise yield mapping over a parcel.
Implementation Method 1
measuring the contents of agricultural products such as grains or forage during harvesting with for instance near infrared sensors spectroscopy
Implementation Method 2
measuring the weight of a loaded loader wagon after harvesting during standstill on a level ground surface
Data Source
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AI summary
A loader wagon system (1) having a load carrying box (13), a pick-up (11) for gathering halm material and transporting gathered halm material into the load carrying box, a content sensing system (7) for measuring at least one constituent content of the halm material being transported into the load carrying box, a weighing system (3, 4) for measuring weight of halm material present in the loader wagon; and a data processor (2). The data processor is arranged for calculating a quantity of a constituent gathered over a trajectory by calculating a plurality of products of the content data and the associated weight change data resulting from the additional weight of gathered halm material from which the content data have been measured and summing the products over the trajectory from which the halm material has been gathered.