Compartment profile monitoring and control system for an agricultural system
A storage compartment profile monitoring and control system for an agricultural system may include at least one sensor configured to output sensor signals indicative of a corresponding series of images of particulate material within a storage compartment and at least one graduated marking on the storage compartment during a period of operation of a metering system and a controller comprising a memory and a processor. The controller is communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to receive the sensor signals from the at least one sensor to determine a series of profiles of the particulate material within the storage compartment based on the series of images. The controller also determines a volumetric rate of change of the particulate material based on the series of profiles and control controls the metering system based on the change.
1 . A storage compartment profile monitoring and control system for an agricultural system, comprising:
at least one sensor configured to output a series of sensor signals indicative of a corresponding series of images of particulate material within a storage compartment and at least one graduated marking on the storage compartment at a time interval during a period of operation of a metering system configured to meter the particulate material from the storage compartment, wherein the time interval corresponds to a duration between images of the series of images; and
a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, and the controller is configured to:
receive the series of sensor signals at the time interval from the at least one sensor;
determine a series of profiles of the particulate material within the storage compartment based on the series of images, wherein each profile of the series of profiles is determined for a respective image of the series of images;
determine a volumetric rate of change of the particulate material based on the series of profiles and the time interval;
determine a particulate material distribution rate based on the volumetric rate of change; and
control the metering system based on a comparison between the particulate material distribution rate and a target particulate material distribution rate.
2 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises only a single camera.
3 . The compartment monitoring and control system claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a series of average levels of the particulate material within the storage compartment based on the series of profiles, and the controller is configured to determine the volumetric rate of change of the particulate material based on the series of average levels.
4 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one graduated marking on the storage compartment comprises a dot, a line, or both.
5 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one graduated marking comprises a decal, an applique, or a combination thereof.
6 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
output a control signal to a display indicative of instructions to display an indication that a difference between the particulate material distribution rate and the target particulate material distribution rate is greater than a threshold value.
7 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output an additional control signal indicative of adjusting one or more parameters of the metering system in response to determining a difference between the particulate material distribution rate and the target particulate material distribution rate.
8 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a size, a shape, a type, or a combination thereof, of at least one particle of the particulate material based on the series of sensor signals.
9 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of cameras.
10 . A compartment monitoring system and control system for a storage compartment, comprising:
at least one sensor configured to output a series of sensor signals indicative of a corresponding series of images of particulate material within the storage compartment and at least one graduated marking on the storage compartment; and
a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, and the controller is configured to:
receive the series of sensor signals from the at least one sensor;
determine a series of profiles of the particulate material within the storage compartment based on the series of images;
determine a series of average levels of the particulate material within the storage compartment based on the series of profiles;
determine a volumetric rate of change of the particulate material based on the series of average levels;
determine a particulate material distribution rate based on the volumetric rate of change;
compare the particulate material distribution rate to a target particulate material distribution rate; and
control a metering system based on the comparison.
11 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one graduated marking is painted or molded to an interior surface of the storage compartment.
12 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one graduated marking comprises a decal, an applique, or a combination thereof.
13 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one graduated marking comprises lines, dots, or a combination thereof.
14 . The compartment monitoring and control system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one graduated marking comprises a plurality of markings assembled non-linearly.
15 . A method, comprising:
receiving, via a controller, a series of sensor signals at a time interval from at least one sensor within a storage compartment, wherein the series of sensor signals is indicative of a corresponding series of images of particulate material within the storage compartment and at least one graduated marking on the storage compartment, and the time interval corresponds to a duration between images of the series of images;
determining, via the controller, a series of profiles of the particulate material within the storage compartment based on the series of images, wherein each profile of the series of profiles is determined for a respective image of the series of images;
determining, via the controller, a volumetric rate of change of the particulate material based on the series of profiles and the time interval;
determining, via the controller, a particulate material distribution rate based on the volumetric rate of change; and
comparing, via the controller, the particulate material distribution rate to a target particulate material distribution rate; and
controlling, via the controller, a metering system based on the comparison.
16 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:
outputting, via the controller, a control signal indicative of terminating an operation of the metering system in response to determining that a difference between the particulate material distribution rate and the target particulate material distribution rate is greater than a threshold value.
17 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:
outputting, via the controller, a control signal indicative of adjusting one or more parameters of the metering system in response to determining that the particulate material distribution rate and the target particulate material distribution rate are different.
18 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:
determining, via the controller, a series of average levels of the particulate material within the storage compartment based on the series of profiles; and
determining, via the controller, the volumetric rate of change of the particulate material based on the series of average levels.
19 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:
determining, via the controller, a size and a shape of at least one particle of the particulate material based on the series of sensor signals;
determining, via the controller, a type of particulate material based on the size and the shape of the at least one particle of the particulate material; and
determining, via the controller, the target particulate material distribution rate based on the type of particulate material.