Pick-Up Machine Virtual Width Mapping for Accurate Worked Area
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to effectively address the challenge of accurately determining the boundaries of agricultural machines in harvesting operations, particularly in situations where data sharing is unreliable or unavailable, leading to inefficiencies in agricultural operations.
Innovation Solution
Implement a system that utilizes virtual sections to determine the boundaries of agricultural machines, specifically in agricultural machines, particularly in agricultural machines, to accurately record the worked area beyond the physical working width, using multiple virtual boom sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the worked area is recorded based on the physical working width of the agricultural machine, then the recording is simple and directly related to the machine's physical dimensions, but the recorded area does not accurately reflect the actual worked area in harvesting operations where swaths are created by preceding machines
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the working width into multiple virtual boom sections that can be independently positioned and configured. Each section represents a portion of the total working width and can be individually adjusted to match the actual swath pattern created by preceding harvesting machines, allowing precise mapping of the virtual boundary to the physical crop layout.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of the virtual working width parameters to match actual field conditions. The virtual boom sections can be repositioned and rescaled based on the swath spacing and width created by preceding machines, enabling the boundary determination system to adapt to varying operational conditions while maintaining accurate worked area recording.
2Reliability
If data sharing between agricultural machines is implemented to determine worked area boundaries, then accuracy can be improved when data is available, but the system becomes unreliable when data sharing is unavailable or unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The agricultural machine performs self-measurement of the worked area using its own positioning system and the configured virtual boom sections. The system determines the virtual boundary independently based on the machine's GPS coordinates and the pre-configured virtual working width parameters, eliminating dependence on external data sharing while maintaining reliability through autonomous boundary calculation.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual boom sections and virtual working width parameters are configured in advance before the harvesting operation begins. This preliminary configuration establishes the reference framework for worked area determination, allowing the system to reliably calculate boundaries during operation without requiring real-time data exchange with other machines.
3Measurement precision
If the virtual working width is extended beyond the physical working width to cover the entire swath area, then the worked area recording accuracy is improved, but the machine may perform unnecessary actions in areas where no crop is present
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different functional zones within the virtual working width by configuring multiple virtual boom sections with different properties. Each section can be independently adjusted to match the actual crop distribution pattern, allowing the system to extend coverage to areas where crop is present while identifying and excluding areas where no crop exists, thus preventing unnecessary machine actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the positioning system to continuously monitor the machine's location relative to the virtual boundary defined by the boom sections. This feedback mechanism allows real-time determination of whether the machine is approaching or has entered a previously worked area, enabling timely actions such as lifting the pick-up mechanism only when appropriate, thereby optimizing operational efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
An agricultural machine (1) arranged to perform an agricultural field operation comprising picking up harvested crop from a swath, the agricultural machine (1) comprising: a pick-up mechanism (3) arranged to pick up the harvested crop from the swath, the pick-up mechanism (3) having a working width (W) that defines a physical working width (W) of the agricultural machine; and a recording system (18) arranged to record a worked area of the field as the agricultural machine performs the field operation, wherein the recording system (18) is arranged to determine the worked area from a virtual working width for the agricultural machine (1), which is greater than the physical working width (W) of the agricultural machine, such that at least part of the worked area recorded by the recording system (18) is located beyond the physical working width (W) of the agricultural machine.