Surface Roughness Estimation for Off-Road Implement Down-Force Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Off-road vehicles face challenges in maintaining target path plans due to ground surface irregularities, leading to variations in crop input application and reduced implement performance, as existing technologies fail to effectively estimate and adjust for surface roughness in real-time.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses motion data, pitch, and roll sensors to estimate a surface roughness index, displayed graphically and stored for a field or work site, allowing for dynamic adjustment of implement down-force settings to maintain uniformity and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If automatic guidance system is used to guide vehicle to track path plan, then vehicle positioning accuracy is improved, but implement application uniformity deteriorates due to ground surface irregularities causing variance from target path plan
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors vehicle position, implement position, and ground surface conditions, then feeds this information back to the control system which adjusts implement settings in real-time to compensate for deviations caused by surface irregularities, maintaining application uniformity despite positioning challenges
Solution Approach 2:
The control system dynamically changes implement parameters such as down-force, row unit spacing, and application rate based on real-time feedback from sensors detecting ground surface conditions and vehicle/implement position, allowing the system to adapt to varying terrain while maintaining precision
2Ease of operation
If vehicle operates on irregular ground surface, then vehicle mobility is maintained, but implement performance deteriorates due to increased vibrations and deviation from target path
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic adjustment of implement settings based on real-time detection of vehicle motion, ground surface conditions, and position deviations, allowing the implement to adapt its configuration continuously as the vehicle traverses irregular terrain, maintaining performance reliability while preserving mobility
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces purely mechanical guidance and control with an integrated electronic control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators to detect and compensate for the effects of irregular ground surfaces, substituting mechanical rigidity with electronic adaptability
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If optical sensors are used to detect surface irregularities, then surface roughness detection capability is improved, but detection reliability deteriorates due to concealment by crop residue, surface soil, vegetation, or poor visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple sensing modalities including optical sensors, inertial measurement units, and position systems to compensate for the limitations of individual sensors, creating a redundant and complementary sensor network that maintains detection reliability under varying visibility conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses intermediary calculations and data processing to infer surface conditions from indirect measurements when direct optical detection is obscured, using vehicle motion data and sensor fusion to estimate surface roughness even when visibility is poor
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
The system enables precise control of implement down-force based on real-time surface roughness estimation, improving crop input application uniformity and reducing operator fatigue and equipment wear, thereby enhancing crop yield and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a motion sensor to detect motion data of an off-road vehicle traversing a field or work site during a sampling interval. The motion data comprises ground speed of the off-road vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a first sensor to detect pitch data of the off-road vehicle, or its implement, for the sampling interval (e.g., to obtain pitch acceleration). A second sensor is adapted to detect roll data
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
A method and system for estimating surface roughness of a ground for an off-road vehicle to control an implement comprises detecting motion data of an off-road vehicle traversing a field or work site during a sampling interval. A first sensor is adapted to detect pitch data of the off-road vehicle for the sampling interval to obtain a pitch acceleration. A second sensor is adapted to detect roll data of the off-road vehicle for the sampling interval to obtain a roll acceleration. An electronic data processor or surface roughness index module determines or estimates a surface roughness index based on the detected motion data, pitch data and roll data for the sampling interval. The surface roughness index can be displayed on the graphical display to a user or operator of the vehicle.