Predictive Machine Mapping for Harvester Slope Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesters face performance degradation due to topographic features like slopes, which can cause increased power demands, grain loss, and affect grain quality, especially when operating on wet soil, leading to instability and inefficient material distribution.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates a predictive machine map using in-situ data and prior topographic data to control agricultural work machines, optimizing power utilization, speed, and internal material distribution by modeling relationships between topographic characteristics and machine performance metrics, such as power usage and grain loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the agricultural harvester operates on sloped terrain, then the harvesting operation can be completed, but power demands increase and machine performance diminishes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by generating a predictive machine map before the harvesting operation that anticipates power demands based on topographic features. This allows the harvester to pre-plan its operation to optimize power utilization across different terrain conditions, avoiding sudden power deficits during critical harvesting moments
2Productivity
If the agricultural harvester operates on wet soil with increased slippage, then the harvesting operation continues, but machine performance is further degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates preliminary action by integrating soil condition data into the predictive machine map generation process. This allows the harvester to anticipate sections with wet soil and increased slippage risk, and pre-adjust operational parameters or routing to maintain reliable performance through challenging terrain sections
3Adaptability or versatility
If the topography causes the machine to pitch or roll, then the harvester can navigate the terrain, but grain loss increases and grain quality is impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by predicting pitch and roll conditions based on topographic data before the harvester encounters them. This allows the control system to pre-adjust operational parameters such as threshing intensity, cleaning fan speed, and material flow rate to compensate for anticipated pitch and roll, thereby minimizing grain loss and maintaining grain quality through challenging terrain sections
4Adaptability or versatility
If the pitch and roll affect internal material distribution, then the harvester can operate on varied terrain, but tailings volume increases and controls need adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses preliminary action by predicting pitch and roll conditions that will affect internal material distribution before the harvester encounters them. This allows the control system to pre-adjust tailings elevator speed, chopper operation, and material flow parameters to maintain optimal material distribution and minimize excessive tailings volume despite terrain-induced pitch and roll
Data Source
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AI summary
One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.