System and method for monitoring soil flow around ground-engaging tools of an agricultural implement based on radar data
In one aspect, a system for monitoring soil flow around a ground-engaging tool of an agricultural implement. The system may include a ground-engaging tool configured to be moved through the soil as the agricultural implement travels across a field. Furthermore, the system may include a radar sensor configured to capture data indicative of a flow of the soil around the ground-engaging tool within a detection zone of the radar sensor. Additionally, the system may include a controller communicatively coupled to the radar sensor. The controller may, in turn, be configured to generate a representation of the flow of the soil around the ground-engaging tool within the detection zone based on data received from the radar sensor.
1. A system for monitoring soil flow around a ground-engaging tool of an agricultural implement, the system comprising:
a ground-engaging tool configured to be moved through the soil as the agricultural implement travels across a field;
a radar sensor configured to capture data indicative of a flow of the soil around the ground-engaging tool within a detection zone of the radar sensor; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the radar sensor, wherein the controller:
generates a representation of the flow of the soil around the ground-engaging tool within the detection zone based on data received from the radar sensor;
identifies a plurality of soil units of the soil within the representation; and
monitors positions of the plurality of soil units within the representation as the ground-engaging tool is moved through the soil;
determines directions of travel of the plurality of soil units within the representation;
determines angles defined between the directions of travel of the soil units and a direction of travel of the agricultural implement; and
determines an accumulation of the soil on the ground-engaging tool based on the determined angles.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the agricultural implement based on the determined accumulation.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide a notification to an operator of the agricultural implement associated with the determined accumulation of the soil.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the ground-engaging tool is plugged when the determined soil accumulation exceeds a predetermined accumulation amount.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to initiate a control action associated with de-plugging the ground-engaging tool when it is determined that the ground-engaging tool is plugged.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when generating the representation, the controller generates a plurality of three-dimensional images of the detection zone based the data received from the radar sensor.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the accumulation of the soil on the ground-engaging tool based on the determined angles and at least one of an angle or a positioning of the ground-engaging tool.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the accumulation of the soil on the ground-engaging tool based on the determined angles and a position of the radar sensor.
9. A method for monitoring soil flow around a ground-engaging tool of an agricultural implement, the method comprising:
receiving, with one or more computing devices, radar data indicative of a flow of soil around the ground-engaging tool as the agricultural implement travels across a field;
generating, with one or more computing devices, a representation of the flow of the soil around the ground-engaging tool based on the received radar data;
identifying, with the one or more computing devices, a plurality of soil units of the soil within the representation;
monitoring, with the one or more computing devices, positions of the plurality of soil units within the representation as the ground-engaging tool is moved through the soil;
determining, with the one or more computing devices, a direction of travel of the plurality of soil units within the representation;
determining, with the one or more computing devices, angles defined between the directions of travel of the soil units and a direction of travel of the agricultural implement; and
determining, with the one or more computing devices, an accumulation of the soil on the ground-engaging tool based on the determined angles.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling, with the one or more computing devices, an operation of the agricultural implement based on the determined accumulation.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, with the one or more computing devices, that the ground-engaging tool is plugged when the determined soil accumulation exceeds a predetermined accumulation amount.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the accumulation of soil on the ground-engaging tool comprises determining, with the one or more computing devices, the accumulation of the soil on the ground-engaging tool based on the determined angles and at least one of an angle or a positioning of the ground-engaging tool.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the accumulation of soil on the ground-engaging tool comprises determining, with the one or more computing devices, the accumulation of the soil on the ground-engaging tool based on the determined angles and a position of the radar sensor.