Granted Patent B2

US 12,342,744 · App. 17/888,809 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Inventors: Scott Glovier (Lombard, IL); Joshua D. Knoblauch (Lowpoint, IL)

A01B76/00G06T7/0002G06T2207/30188

Abstract

Claims (56)

1. An agricultural implement, comprising:

a frame;

a ground-engaging tool supported on the frame, the ground-engaging tool configured to be moved relative to soil within a field as the agricultural implement travels across the field in a travel direction;

a first imaging device configured to generate image data depicting a portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool relative to the travel direction;

a second imaging device configured to generate image data depicting a portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool relative to the travel direction; and

a computing system communicatively coupled to the first and second imaging devices, wherein the computing system:

determines a soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool based on the image data generated by the first imaging device;

determines a soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool based on the image data generated by the second imaging device; and

determines when the ground-engaging tool is plugged based on the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool and the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool.

2. The agricultural implement of claim 1 , wherein, when determining when the ground-engaging tool is plugged, the computing system is configured to:

compare the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool to the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool; and

determine that the ground-engaging tool is plugged when the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool differs from the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool by more than a predetermined amount.

3. The agricultural implement of claim 1 , wherein, when it is determined that the ground-engaging tool is plugged, the computing system is further configured to:

initiate a control action associated with de-plugging the ground-engaging tool.

4. The agricultural implement of claim 1 , wherein the first imaging device comprises a first LiDAR device and the second imaging device comprises a second LiDAR device.

5. The agricultural implement of claim 1 , wherein the ground-engaging tool comprises a tillage shank.

6. A system for detecting ground-engaging tool plugging on an agricultural implement, the system comprising:

a ground-engaging tool configured to be moved relative to soil within a field as the agricultural implement travels across the field in a travel direction;

a first imaging device configured to generate image data depicting a portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool relative to the travel direction;

a second imaging device configured to generate image data depicting a portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool relative to the travel direction; and

a computing system communicatively coupled to the first and second imaging devices, wherein the computing system:

determines a soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool based on the image data generated by the first imaging device;

determines a soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool based on the image data generated by the second imaging device; and

determines when the ground-engaging tool is plugged based on the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool and the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein, when determining when the ground-engaging tool is plugged, the computing system is configured to:

compare the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool to the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool; and

determine that the ground-engaging tool is plugged when the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool differs from the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool by more than a predetermined amount.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein:

when determining the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool, the computing system is configured to identify a presence of a divot within the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool; and

when determining the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool, the computing system is configured to determine whether the divot is present within the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein, when the presence of the divot within the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool is identified and the divot is determined to be present within the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool, the computing system is configured to determine that the ground-engaging tool is not plugged.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein, when the presence of the divot within the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool is identified and the divot is determined not to be present within the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool, the computing system is configured to determine that the ground-engaging tool is plugged.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein, when it is determined that the ground-engaging tool is plugged, the computing system is further configured to:

initiate a control action associated with de-plugging the ground-engaging tool.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting an operating parameter of the ground-engaging tool.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting a ground speed of the agricultural implement.

14. The system of claim 6 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:

initiate an adjustment to an operating parameter of the ground-engaging tool based on the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool.

15. A method for detecting ground-engaging tool plugging on an agricultural implement, the agricultural implement including a ground-engaging tool configured to be moved relative to soil within a field as the agricultural implement travels across the field in a travel direction, the method comprising:

receiving, with a computing system, first image data depicting a portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool relative to the travel direction;

determining, with the computing system, a soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool based on the received first image data;

receiving, with the computing system, second image data depicting a portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool relative to the travel direction;

determining, with the computing system, a soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool based on the received second image data;

determining, with the computing system, when the ground-engaging tool is plugged based on the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool and the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool; and

initiating, with the computing system, a control action associated with de-plugging the ground-engaging tool when it is determined that the ground-engaging tool is plugged.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining when the ground-engaging tool is plugged comprises:

comparing, with the computing system, the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool to the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool; and

determining, with the computing system, that the ground-engaging tool is plugged when the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool differs from the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool by more than a predetermined amount.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

determining the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool comprises identifying, with the computing system, a presence of a divot within the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool; and

determining the soil surface profile of the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool comprises determining, with the computing system, whether the divot is present within the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

determining, with the computing system, that the ground-engaging tool is not plugged when the presence of the divot within the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool is identified and the divot is determined to be present within the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

determining, with the computing system, that the ground-engaging tool is plugged when the presence of the divot within the portion of the field positioned aft of the ground-engaging tool is identified and the divot is determined not to be present within the portion of the field positioned forward of the ground-engaging tool.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting an operating parameter of the ground-engaging tool.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (21)