System and method for distributing and compressing crop material for ensilage
In one aspect, a method for distributing crop material for ensilage may include determining, with a computing device, a storage volume for the crop material. The method may also include dividing, with the computing device, the determined storage volume into a plurality of planes. Each plane of the plurality of planes may be spaced apart from each other plane of the plurality of planes along a vertical direction. Furthermore, the method may include controlling, with the computing device, an operation of at least one of a work vehicle or an associated implement in a manner that distributes a portion of the crop material on a given plane of the plurality of planes.
1. A method for distributing crop material for ensilage, the method comprising:
determining, with a computing device, a storage volume for the crop material;
dividing, with the computing device, the determined storage volume into a plurality of planes, each plane of the plurality of planes spaced apart from each other plane of the plurality of planes along a vertical direction; and
controlling, with the computing device, an operation of at least one of a work vehicle or an associated implement in a manner that distributes a portion of the crop material on a given plane of the plurality of planes.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the operation of the at least one of the work vehicle or the associated implement comprises controlling, with the computing device, the operation of the at least one of the work vehicle or the associated implement in a manner that distributes the portion of the crop material on the given plane such that the portion of the crop material defines a predetermined height along the vertical direction.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined height comprises a distance between the given plane and an adjacent plane of the plurality of planes.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
monitoring, with the computing device, a current height of the portion of the crop material on the given plane; and
controlling, with the computing device, the operation of the at least one of the work vehicle or the associated implement based on the monitored current height.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
identifying, with the computing device, a plurality of measurement points on the given plane;
determining, with the computing device, a current height of the crop material at each measurement point of the plurality of measurement points;
determining, with the computing device, a gradient vector associated with a height of the crop material at a given measurement point of the plurality of measurement points and a height of the crop material at an adjacent measurement point of the plurality of measurement points; and
controlling, with the computing device, the operation of the at least one of the work vehicle or the associated implement based on the determined gradient vector.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined height corresponds to an uncompressed or partially compressed height of the portion of the crop material.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring, with the computing device, a surface roughness of the portion of the crop material on the given plane; and
controlling, with the computing device, the operation of the at least one of the work vehicle or the associated implement based on the monitored surface roughness.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the operation of the at least one of the work vehicle or the associated implement comprises controlling, with the computing device, at least one of a speed of the work vehicle, a direction of travel of the work vehicle, or an orientation of the implement.
9. A system for distributing crop material for ensilage, the system comprising:
a work vehicle;
an implement coupled to the work vehicle, the implement configured to distribute the crop material; and
a controller configured to:
determine a storage volume for the crop material;
divide the determined storage volume into a plurality of planes, each plane of the plurality of planes spaced apart from each other plane of the plurality of planes along a vertical direction; and
control an operation of at least one of the work vehicle or the implement in a manner that distributes a portion of the crop material on a given plane of the plurality of planes.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the operation of the at least one of the work vehicle or the implement in a manner that distributes the portion of the crop material on the given plane such that the portion of the crop material defines a predetermined height along the vertical direction.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined height comprises a distance between the given plane and a subsequent plane of the plurality of planes.
12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to capture data indicative of a current height of the portion of the crop material on the given plane, the sensor communicatively coupled the controller, the controller further configured to monitor the current height of the portion of the crop material on the given plane based on data received from the sensor and control the operating parameter based on the monitored current height.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor comprises a location sensor.
14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to capture data indicative of a current height of the portion of the crop material on the given plane, the sensor communicatively coupled the controller, the controller further configured to:
identify a plurality of measurement points on the given plane;
determine a current height of the crop material at each measurement point of the plurality of measurement points based on data received from the sensor;
determine a gradient vector associated with a first height of the crop material at a given measurement point of the plurality of measurement points and a second height of the crop material at an adjacent measurement point of the plurality of measurement points; and
control the operation of the at least one of the work vehicle or the associated implement based on the determined gradient vector.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined height corresponds to an uncompressed or partially compressed height of the portion of the crop material.
16. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to capture data indicative of a surface roughness of the portion of the crop material on the given plane, the sensor communicatively coupled the controller, the controller further configured to monitor the surface roughness of the portion of the crop material on the given plane based on data received from the sensor and control the operating parameter based on the monitored surface roughness.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the sensor comprises a vision-based sensor.
18. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to control at least one of a speed of the work vehicle, a direction of travel of the work vehicle, or an orientation of the implement.