IP Library Granted Patent US 10,813,272
Granted Patent B2
US 10,813,272 · App. 16/256,044 · Granted Oct 27, 2020

System and method for determining the position of a sensor mounted on an agricultural machine based on ground speed and field characteristic data

Inventor: Trevor Stanhope (Darien, IL)
Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
A01B79/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,813,272
App. No.
16/256,044
Granted
Oct 27, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one aspect, a system for determining a position of a sensor mounted on an agricultural machine may include a ground speed sensor configured to capture data indicative of a ground speed of the agricultural machine. The system may also include a non-contact-based sensor configured to capture data indicative of a field characteristic of the field across which the agricultural machine is traveling. Furthermore, a controller of the system may be configured to determine a first ground speed value of the implement frame based on the data received from the ground speed sensor and a second ground speed value based on the data received from the non-contact-based sensor. Additionally, the controller may be configured to determine a position of the non-contact-based sensor relative to a field surface of the field across which the agricultural machine is traveling based on the first ground speed value and the second ground speed.

Claims (41)

1. A system for determining a position of a sensor mounted on an agricultural machine, the system comprising:

a ground speed sensor configured to capture data indicative of a ground speed at which the agricultural machine is traveling across a field;

a non-contact-based sensor mounted on the agricultural machine, the non-contact-based sensor configured to capture data indicative of a field characteristic of the field across which the agricultural machine is traveling;

a controller communicatively coupled to the ground speed sensor and the non-contact-based sensor, the controller configured to:

determine a first ground speed value of the agricultural machine based on the data received from the ground speed sensor;

determine a second ground speed value of the agricultural machine based on the data received from the non-contact-based sensor; and

determine a position of the non-contact-based sensor relative to a field surface of the field across which the agricultural machine is traveling based on the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value to determine the position of the non-contact-based sensor.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value based on a predetermined relationship between true speed and apparent speed.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact-based sensor corresponds to a vision-based sensor, the controller further configured to determine the second ground speed value based on motion analysis.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vision-based sensor comprises an RGB camera or a thermal camera.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact-based sensor corresponds to a RADAR sensor, the controller further configured to the second ground speed value based on the doppler Effect.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the field characteristic comprises at least one of a surface finish of the field, a percent residue coverage of the field, or a clod size of the field.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ground speed sensor comprises a location sensor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to initiate a control action when the determined position of the non-contact-based sensor differs from a predetermined range of positions.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting an operating parameter of the agricultural machine.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine at least one of a pitch or a roll of the agricultural machine based on the data received from the non-contact-based sensor.

12. An agricultural implement, comprising:

a frame;

a ground speed sensor configured to capture data indicative of a ground speed at which the agricultural implement is moved across a field;

a non-contact-based sensor mounted on the frame, the non-contact-based sensor configured to capture data indicative of a field characteristic of the field across which the agricultural implement is being moved;

a controller communicatively coupled to the ground speed sensor and the non-contact-based sensor, the controller configured to:

determine a first ground speed value of the agricultural implement based on the data received from the ground speed sensor;

determine a second ground speed value of the agricultural implement based on the data received from the non-contact-based sensor; and

determine a position of the frame relative to a field surface of the field based on the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value.

13. The agricultural implement of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine at least one of a pitch of the frame or a roll of the frame based on the determined position of the frame.

14. The agricultural implement of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value to determine the position of the non-contact-based sensor.

15. The agricultural implement of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value based on a predetermined relationship between true speed and apparent speed.

16. A method for determining the position of a sensor mounted on an agricultural machine, the agricultural machine including a ground speed sensor configured to capture data indicative of a ground speed at which the agricultural machine is traveling across a field, the agricultural machine further including a non-contact-based sensor configured to capture data indicative of a field characteristic of the field across which the agricultural machine is traveling, the method comprising:

determining, with a computing vehicle, a first ground speed value of the agricultural machine based on data received from the ground speed sensor;

determining, with the computing device, a second ground speed value of the agricultural machine based on data received from the non-contact-based sensor; and

determining, with the computing device, a position of the non-contact-based sensor relative to a field surface of the field across which the agricultural machine is traveling based on the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value; and

when the determined position of the non-contact-based sensor differs from a predetermined range of positions, initiating, with the computing device, a control action associated with adjusting an operating parameter of the agricultural machine.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

comparing, with the computing device, the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value to determine the position of the non-contact-based sensor.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

comparing, with the computing device, the first ground speed value and the second ground speed value based on a predetermined relationship between true speed and apparent speed.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the non-contact-based sensor corresponds to a vision-based sensor, the method further comprising:

determining, with the computing device, the second ground speed value based on motion analysis.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining, with the computing device, at least one of a pitch or a roll of the agricultural machine based on the data received from the non-contact-based sensor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2021
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
To: BLUE LEAF I.P., INC.
Reel/Frame 055343/0448 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2019
From: STANHOPE, TREVOR
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 048120/0470 →
Continuity (1)
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