System and method for implementing end-of-row turns for agricultural machines
A method for implementing end-of-row (EOR) turns within a field includes accessing a location of a work boundary outlining a work area of the field within which an agricultural machine is configured to perform an agricultural operation, and generating a boundary-based EOR turn path for the agricultural machine between an end point of a first path extending across the work area and a start point of a second path extending across the work area, with the boundary-based EOR turn path being defined relative to the work boundary such that the agricultural machine is maintained spaced apart from the boundary by at least a minimum buffer distance as the machine is traversed between the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path. In addition, the method includes automatically executing an EOR turn along the boundary-based EOR turn path and/or displaying the boundary-based EOR turn path.
1. A method for implementing end-of-row (EOR) turns within a field, the method comprising:
accessing, with a computing system, a location of a work boundary outlining a work area of the field within which an agricultural machine is configured to perform an agricultural operation, the work boundary and an outer field boundary defining a headland area therebetween;
generating, with the computing system, a boundary-based EOR turn path in the headland area and within the outer field boundary for the agricultural machine between an end point of a first path extending across the work area and a start point of a second path extending across the work area, the boundary-based EOR turn path being defined relative to the work boundary such that the agricultural machine is maintained in the headland area spaced outwardly apart from the work boundary by at least a minimum buffer distance as the agricultural machine is traversed between the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path, the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path each being located at the work boundary; and
automatically executing an EOR turn along the boundary-based EOR turn path by automatically controlling an operation of at least one of a steering system or a speed system of the agricultural machine to guide the agricultural machine along the boundary-based EOR turn path.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the boundary-based EOR turn path comprises generating the boundary-based EOR turn path such that a lateral footprint of the agricultural machine is maintained spaced outwardly apart from the work boundary by at least the minimum buffer distance as the agricultural machine is traversed between the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the lateral footprint is defined by a maximum lateral width of at least one of a vehicle of the agricultural machine or an implement of the agricultural machine.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the boundary-based EOR turn path comprises generating the boundary-based EOR turn path such that the boundary-based EOR turn path extends substantially parallel to the work boundary along sections of the work boundary having a radius of curvature that is greater than a minimum turning radius of the agricultural machine.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying the boundary-based EOR turn path on a display device communicatively coupled to the computing system.
6. A method for implementing end-of-row (EOR) turns within a field, the field including a work area within which an agricultural operation is to be performed, the method comprising:
generating, with a computing system, an initial EOR turn path for an agricultural machine between an end point of a first path extending across the work area and a start point of a second path extending across the work area, the work area being outlined by a work boundary, the work boundary and an outer field boundary defining a headland area therebetween;
identifying, with the computing system, that at least a portion of the agricultural machine will cross over the work boundary along at least a portion of the initial EOR turn path;
generating, with the computing system, a new EOR turn path in the headland area and within the outer field boundary for the agricultural machine based on a location of the work boundary within the field, the new EOR turn path being defined relative to the work boundary such that the agricultural machine is maintained in the headland area spaced outwardly apart from the work boundary by at least a minimum buffer distance as the agricultural machine is traversed between the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path, the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path each being located at the work boundary; and
automatically executing an EOR turn along the new EOR turn path by automatically controlling an operation of at least one of a steering system or a speed system of the agricultural machine to guide the agricultural machine along the new EOR turn path.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein generating the initial EOR turn path comprises generating the initial EOR turn path based on a default EOR turn path type selected from a plurality of predetermined EOR turn path types and wherein generating the new EOR turn path comprises generating the new EOR turn path as a replacement for the initial EOR turn path.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying that the at least a portion of the agricultural machine will cross over the work boundary comprises analyzing a lateral footprint of the agricultural machine relative to the initial EOR turn path to identify an intersection between the lateral footprint and the work boundary along the at least a portion of the initial EOR turn path.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the lateral footprint is defined by a maximum lateral width of at least one of a vehicle of the agricultural machine or an implement of the agricultural machine.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the new EOR turn path comprises generating the new EOR turn path such that the lateral footprint of the agricultural machine is maintained spaced outwardly apart from the work boundary by at least the minimum buffer distance as the agricultural machine is traversed between the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein generating the new EOR turn path comprises generating the new EOR turn path such that the new EOR turn path extends substantially parallel to the work boundary along sections of the work boundary having a radius of curvature that is greater than a minimum turning radius of the agricultural machine.
12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising displaying the new EOR turn path on a display device communicatively coupled to the computing system.
13. A system for implementing end-of-row (EOR) turns within a field, the system comprising:
an agricultural machine comprising an agricultural vehicle and an agricultural implement;
a computing system provided in operative association with the agricultural machine, the computing system including a processor and associated memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the computing system to:
access a location of a work boundary outlining a work area of the field within which the agricultural machine is configured to perform an agricultural operation, the work boundary and an outer field boundary defining a headland area therebetween;
generate a boundary-based EOR turn path in the headland area and within the outer field boundary for the agricultural machine between an end point of a first path extending across the work area and a start point of a second path extending across the work area, the boundary-based EOR turn path being defined relative to the work boundary such that the agricultural machine is maintained in the headland area spaced outwardly apart from the work boundary by at least a minimum buffer distance as the agricultural machine is traversed between the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path, the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path each being located at the work boundary; and
automatically execute an EOR turn along the boundary-based EOR turn path by automatically controlling an operation of at least one of a steering system or a speed system of the agricultural machine to guide the agricultural machine along the boundary-based EOR turn path.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the computing system is configured to generate the boundary-based EOR turn path such that a lateral footprint of the agricultural machine is maintained spaced outwardly apart from the work boundary by at least the minimum buffer distance as the agricultural machine is traversed between the end point of the first path and the start point of the second path.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the lateral footprint is defined by a maximum lateral width of the agricultural vehicle or the agricultural implement.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the computing system is configured to generate the boundary-based EOR turn path such that the boundary-based EOR turn path extends substantially parallel to the work boundary along sections of the work boundary having a radius of curvature that is greater than a minimum turning radius of the agricultural machine.