Agricultural Sensor Data Obscuration Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural sprayers face inaccuracies in boom adjustments due to obscured sensor data from dust clouds, spray clouds, and airborne particulate matter, leading to inefficient and uneven distribution of agricultural substances.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize sensors to capture three-dimensional data, identify obscured regions, and disregard them to generate a modified representation, allowing for accurate control of agricultural machine components like booms to maintain uniform distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If sensors are used to capture three-dimensional data for boom adjustment, then the automation and precision of agricultural operations is improved, but obscured sensor data from dust clouds and spray clouds causes measurement inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing multiple sensor readings before making boom adjustments. It proactively identifies obscured regions in advance and flags them for exclusion, allowing the system to prepare accurate representations of the crop canopy before automation decisions are made, thereby preventing inaccurate adjustments due to temporary obscusions
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring sensor data quality and comparing multiple readings. When obscured regions are detected, the system feeds this information back into the adjustment algorithm to exclude problematic data points, ensuring that automated decisions are based on reliable measurements rather than obscured sensor data
2Productivity
If sensor data is used directly for boom adjustments, then the speed of operation is improved, but inaccurate data from obscured regions leads to unnecessary adjustments and reduced productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation of sensor data before using it for boom adjustments. By pre-identifying obscured regions and filtering unreliable data points in advance, the system ensures that only accurate measurements are used for control decisions, preventing unnecessary adjustments that would reduce productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback loops to continuously verify data quality and adjust processing accordingly. When obscured regions are detected, the feedback mechanism triggers exclusion of affected data points, ensuring that boom adjustments are based on reliable measurements and preventing wasted operations
3Loss of information
If all sensor data within the field of view is processed, then the completeness of field representation is improved, but obscured regions introduce errors that degrade the overall quality of the three-dimensional representation
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes obscured regions from the complete sensor data set. By identifying and excluding data points from obscured regions while retaining all other valid measurements, the system maintains the completeness of the field representation without incorporating erroneous information from dust clouds or spray clouds
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality control by treating different regions of the sensor data differently. Valid regions are processed with full detail while obscured regions are selectively excluded or down-weighted, allowing the overall three-dimensional representation to maintain high accuracy without sacrificing comprehensive coverage of the field
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a system for disregarding obscured sensor data during the performance of an agricultural operation may include a sensor provided in operative association with an agricultural machine. The sensor may, in turn, be configured to capture three-dimensional data associated with a portion of the field within a field of view of the sensor. A controller of the system may be configured to configured to generate an initial three-dimensional representation of the field based on data received from the sensor. Moreover, the controller may be configured to identify an obscured region within the generated initial three-dimensional representation of the field. Additionally, the controller may be configured to disregard a three-dimensional volume associated with the obscured region from the initial three-dimensional representation of the field to form a modified three-dimensional representation of the field.