Optical Sensor Crop Quality Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesting machines face challenges in quickly and accurately assessing the effect of parameter changes in implements and identifying local irregularities in the field, leading to delayed responses and inaccurate crop quality evaluations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a cyclical recording and display system for image series to provide real-time feedback on broken grain and non-grain fractions, allowing for immediate adjustments and better identification of field conditions through an optical sensor device and evaluation system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If image series are recorded only after steady state is achieved, then measurement precision of crop quality is improved, but loss of time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously recording image series even during transient states before steady state is achieved. This allows the system to have quality assessment data ready in advance, eliminating the waiting period for steady state establishment while maintaining sufficient measurement accuracy for timely feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system operates continuously without interruption, recording image series throughout all operational phases including transient and steady states. This continuous recording ensures that quality assessment data is always available, eliminating gaps and delays associated with waiting for steady state conditions.
2Measurement precision
If image series are recorded after steady state, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to delayed feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares quality assessment data in advance by continuously recording during transient phases, so that when steady state is reached, the data is already available for immediate use. This preliminary data preparation maintains measurement precision while enabling faster decision-making that preserves harvesting productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by processing and making available quality assessment data from image series recorded during all operational phases. This real-time feedback loop allows operators to immediately adjust harvesting parameters based on current crop quality conditions, maintaining both measurement accuracy and operational productivity.
3Productivity
If image series are recorded during transient states, then productivity is improved through faster feedback, but measurement precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary recording during transient states to prepare quality data in advance, enabling fast feedback without sacrificing the option to use more accurate steady-state data when available. This approach optimizes the balance between speed and precision by having data ready when needed while maintaining the ability to use higher-quality measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system records image series more frequently and during broader operational phases than traditionally required, including transient states. This excessive recording action ensures that sufficient quality data is always available for immediate feedback, with the understanding that some transient-state measurements may be less precise but provide timely information for rapid adjustments.
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 faster and more precise assessment of crop quality and parameter settings, enabling quicker responses to changes and improved crop processing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an optical sensor device (3) for recording image series of a continuous main crop flow
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an agricultural harvesting machine with a control arrangement (2), which control arrangement (2) comprises an optical sensor device (3) for recording image series of a passing main crop stream, an evaluation device (4) for determining a broken kernel fraction and/or a non-kernel fraction of the main crop stream based on a recorded image series, and a visualization device (5) for displaying the broken kernel fraction and/or the non-kernel fraction, wherein the control arrangement (2) cyclically records image series and, within a predetermined processing time after recording an image series, displays a current broken kernel fraction and/or non-kernel fraction based on the image series.