IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,232,448
Granted Patent B2
US 12,232,448 · App. 17/993,426 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Agricultural system and method for automatically determining losses for harvesting operations

Inventor: João Augusto Marcolin Lucca (São Pedro, BR)
Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
A01D45/10G06V20/188
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,232,448
App. No.
17/993,426
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An agricultural system for automatically determining losses for harvesting operations includes a loss sensor supported on an agricultural harvester and having a field of view directed toward a portion of a field aft of a base cutter of the agricultural harvester, where the loss sensor is configured to generate data indicative of ground losses. Additionally, the agricultural system includes a computing system communicatively coupled to the loss sensor. The computing system is configured to identify non-height related ground losses during a harvesting operation of the agricultural harvester based at least in part on the data generated by the loss sensor. Additionally, computing system is configured to initiate a control action in response to the non-height related ground losses.

Claims (30)

1. An agricultural system for automatically determining losses for harvesting operations, the agricultural system comprising:

a loss sensor supported on an agricultural harvester and having a field of view directed toward a portion of a field aft of a base cutter of the agricultural harvester, the loss sensor being configured to generate data indicative of ground losses; and

a computing system communicatively coupled to the loss sensor, the computing system being configured to:

identify non-height related ground losses during a harvesting operation of the agricultural harvester based at least in part on the data generated by the loss sensor; and

initiate a control action in response to the non-height related ground losses.

2. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the non-height related ground losses includes one or more of exposed roots, shattered ratoons, fixed stalks, fallen stalks, or fallen stalk segments.

3. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control action includes automatically controlling an operation of the agricultural harvester to at least one of raise the base cutter or reduce a ground speed of the agricultural harvester when the non-height related ground losses include exposed roots.

4. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control action includes automatically controlling an operation of the agricultural harvester to reduce a ground speed of the agricultural harvester when the non-height related ground losses include shattered ratoons.

5. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control action includes automatically controlling an operation of a user interface associated with the agricultural harvester to request replacement of blades of the base cutter when the non-height related ground losses include at least one of shattered ratoons or exposed roots.

6. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:

identify cut height-related ground losses during the harvesting operation based at least in part on the data generated by the loss sensor, wherein the cut height-related ground losses includes a cut height of the base cutter being too high; and

automatically controlling an operation of the agricultural harvester to adjust the cut height of the base cutter in response to the cut height-related ground losses.

7. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control action includes automatically generating a report based at least in part on the non-height related ground losses.

8. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further configured to determine at least one of a quantity or a volume of the non-height related ground losses.

9. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further configured to determine an estimated yield for a subsequent harvesting operation within the field based at least in part on the non-height related ground losses.

10. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control action includes generating a loss map correlating locations within the field to the non-height related ground losses.

11. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the loss sensor comprises at least one camera.

12. An agricultural method for automatically determining losses for harvesting operations, the agricultural method comprising:

receiving, with a computing system, data from a loss sensor supported on an agricultural harvester, the loss sensor having a field of view directed toward a portion of a field aft of a base cutter of the agricultural harvester;

identifying, with the computing system, non-height related ground losses during a harvesting operation of the agricultural harvester based at least in part on the data from the loss sensor; and

initiating, with the computing system, a control action in response to the non-height related ground losses.

13. The agricultural method of claim 12 , wherein the non-height related ground losses including one or more of exposed roots, shattered ratoons, fixed stalks, fallen stalks, or fallen stalk segments.

14. The agricultural method of claim 12 , wherein initiating the control action includes automatically controlling an operation of the agricultural harvester to at least one of raise the base cutter or reduce a ground speed of the agricultural harvester when the non-height related ground losses include exposed roots.

15. The agricultural method of claim 12 , wherein initiating the control action includes automatically controlling an operation of the agricultural harvester to reduce a ground speed of the agricultural harvester when the non-height related ground losses include shattered ratoons.

16. The agricultural method of claim 12 , wherein initiating the control action includes automatically controlling an operation of a user interface associated with the agricultural harvester to request replacement of blades of the base cutter when the non-height related ground losses include at least one of shattered ratoons or exposed roots.

17. The agricultural method of claim 12 , further comprising identifying cut height-related ground losses during the harvesting operation based at least in part on the data generated by the loss sensor, wherein the cut height-related ground losses includes a cut height of the base cutter being too high; and

automatically controlling an operation of the agricultural harvester to adjust the cut height of the base cutter in response to the cut height-related ground losses.

18. The agricultural method of claim 12 , wherein initiating the control action includes automatically generating a report based at least in part on the non-height related ground losses.

19. The agricultural method of claim 12 , further comprising determining at least one of a quantity or a volume of the non-height related ground losses.

20. The agricultural method of claim 12 , wherein initiating the control action includes generating a loss map correlating locations within the field to the non-height related ground losses.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2026
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
To: BLUE LEAF I.P., INC.
Reel/Frame 074296/0308 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2022
From: LUCCA, JOÃO AUGUSTO MARCOLIN
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL BRASIL LTDA.
Reel/Frame 061865/0839 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2022
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL BRASIL LTDA.
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 061865/0979 →
Priority Claims (1)
BR 10 2021 023703 1 · Nov 25, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230157209A1 · May 25, 2023
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