Automated path parameter computation in generating a navigation path
A processing system identifies an obstacle in a field that is harvested by an agricultural harvester. A material transfer vehicle moves along with the agricultural harvester in order to receive harvested material from the agricultural harvester. The processing system calculates a location and offset corresponding to the obstacle and a path planning system calculates a navigation path that can be followed by the agricultural harvester and/or the material transfer vehicle so that both the agricultural harvester and the material transfer vehicle avoid the obstacle while traveling through the field.
1 . A computer implemented method, comprising:
navigating a first agricultural vehicle along a navigation path through a field;
automatically controlling a second agricultural vehicle to stay within a spatial relationship of the first agricultural vehicle;
identifying an obstacle characteristic of an obstacle in the field;
identifying a turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle;
modifying the navigation path of the first agricultural vehicle based on the obstacle characteristic and the turning radius, to obtain a modified navigation path, so that the first agricultural vehicle and the second agricultural vehicle avoid the obstacle as the first agricultural vehicle follows the modified navigation path and as the second agricultural vehicle stays within the first spatial relationship of the first agricultural vehicle; and
controlling the first agricultural vehicle to follow the modified navigation path.
2 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the navigation path comprises:
computing an obstacle offset corresponding to the obstacle based on the obstacle characteristic, the obstacle offset defining a boundary around at least a portion of the obstacle; and
modifying the navigation path based on the obstacle offset.
3 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the turning radius comprises:
accessing machine information corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle and indicating capabilities of the second agricultural vehicle; and
computing the turning radius corresponding toof the second agricultural vehicle based on the capabilities of the second agricultural vehicle.
4 . The computer implemented method of claim 3 , wherein computing the turning radius comprises:
obtaining an indication of a weight of the second agricultural vehicle;
identifying an indication of a speed of the second agricultural vehicle in an area proximate the obstacle; and
computing the turning radius corresponding toof the second agricultural vehicle based on the weight and the speed of the second agricultural vehicle.
5 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 and further comprising:
identifying a destination characteristic of a destination of the second agricultural vehicle; and
generating a second navigation path for the second agricultural vehicle based on the destination characteristic.
6 . The computer implemented method of claim 5 , wherein identifying a destination characteristic comprises:
identifying a destination location indicative of a location of the destination.
7 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the turning radius comprises:
obtaining an indication of terrain in an area proximate the obstacle; and
computing the turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle based on the terrain proximate the obstacle.
8 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first agricultural vehicle comprises a harvester and the second agricultural vehicle comprises a material transfer vehicle, and wherein modifying the navigation path comprises:
modifying the navigation path to harvest material in an area proximate the obstacle to generate a clearance area, the clearance area being configured to facilitate the material transfer vehicle passing through the clearance area, maintaining the spatial relationship as the harvester passes the obstacle.
9 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the obstacle comprises an area of the field and wherein identifying the obstacle characteristic comprises:
identifying a terrain characteristic indicative of terrain in the area of the field.
10 . A computer implemented method, comprising:
navigating a first agricultural vehicle along a navigation path through a field;
automatically controlling a second agricultural vehicle to stay within a spatial relationship of the first agricultural vehicle;
identifying an obstacle characteristic of an obstacle in the field;
identifying a turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle;
generating a first path planning constraint based on the identified obstacle characteristic and the turning radius; and
modifying the navigation path off the first agricultural vehicle, based on the first path planning constraint, to obtain a modified navigation path, so neither the first agricultural vehicle nor the second agricultural vehicle violates the first path planning constraint, and so the first agricultural vehicle and the second agricultural vehicle avoid the obstacle as the first agricultural vehicle follows the modified navigation path and as the second agricultural vehicle stays within the spatial relationship of the first agricultural vehicle; and
controlling the first agricultural vehicle to follow the modified navigation path.
11 . The computer implemented method of claim 10 , wherein generating thea first path planning constraint comprises:
computing an obstacle offset corresponding to the obstacle based on the obstacle characteristic, the obstacle offset defining a boundary around at least a portion of the obstacle.
12 . The computer implemented method of claim 10 , wherein identifying the turning radius comprises:
computing thea turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle.
13 . The computer implemented method of claim 12 , wherein computing the turning radius comprises:
accessing machine information corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle and indicating capabilities of the second agricultural vehicle;
identifying a weight and a speed of the second agricultural vehicle; and
computing the turning radius of the second agricultural vehicle based on the capabilities, the weight, and the speed of the second agricultural vehicle.
14 . The computer implemented method of claim 13 and further comprising:
identifying a terrain characteristic indicative of terrain proximate the obstacle.
15 . The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein computing the turning radius comprises:
computing the turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle based on the terrain characteristic.
16 . The computer implemented method of claim 10 and further comprising:
identifying a destination characteristic of a destination of the second agricultural vehicle;
generating a second path planning constraint based on the destination characteristic; and
generating a second navigation path for the second agricultural vehicle based on the second path planning constraint.
17 . An agricultural system, comprising:
one or more processors;
memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to:
navigate a first agricultural vehicle along a navigation path through a field;
automatically control a second agricultural vehicle to stay within a spatial relationship of the first agricultural vehicle:
identify an obstacle characteristic of an obstacle in the field;
identify a turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle;
modify the navigation path off the first agricultural vehicle, based on the obstacle characteristic and the turning radius, to obtain a modified navigation path, so that the first agricultural vehicle and the second agricultural vehicle avoid the obstacle as the first agricultural vehicle follows the modified navigation path and as the second agricultural vehicle stays within the spatial relationship of the first agricultural vehicle; and
control the first agricultural vehicle to follow the modified navigation path.
18 . The agricultural system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to:
access machine information corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle;
identify capabilities of the second agricultural vehicle based on the machine information; and
compute the turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle based on the capabilities of the second agricultural vehicle.
19 . The agricultural system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to:
obtain an indication of a weight of the second agricultural vehicle;
identify an indication of a speed of the second agricultural vehicle in an area proximate the obstacle; and
compute the turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle based on the weight and the speed of the second agricultural vehicle.
20 . The agricultural system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to:
obtain an indication of terrain in an area proximate the obstacle; and
compute the turning radius corresponding to the second agricultural vehicle based on the terrain proximate the obstacle.