Multi-variable yield monitor and methods for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10260931-B2
Application number	US-201615174686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2016
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A dynamic yield monitor system includes a plurality of instruments to measure harvested crop characteristics while a crop is in-flow within a harvester elevator. The system includes a volume instrument that measures a harvested crop volume from the in-flow harvested crop within the harvester elevator, and a weight instrument that measures a harvested crop weight from the in-flow harvested crop within the harvester elevator. Optionally, the system includes other instruments including a moisture and temperature instrument. A receiver and processing node communicates with the instrument. The receiver and processing determines variable harvested crop test weight based on at least the measured harvested crop volume and measured harvested crop weight of the in-flow crop. The receiver and processing node further determines a variable yield of the harvested crop based on the measured harvested crop volume, the measured harvested crop weight, and the variable harvested crop test weight.

First claim

The claimed invention is:

1. A dynamic yield monitoring system comprising:
a volume instrument configured for coupling with a harvester elevator, the volume instrument is configured to measure a harvested crop volume of a harvested crop ascending within the harvester elevator;
a weight instrument configured for coupling with the harvester elevator, the weight instrument is separate from the volume instrument, and the weight instrument is configured to measure a harvest crop weight of the harvested crop ascending within the harvester elevator;
a moisture instrument configured to measure a harvested crop moisture of the harvested crop within the harvester elevator;
a temperature instrument configured to measure a harvested crop temperature of the harvested crop within the harvester elevator; and
a receiver and processing node in communication with each of the volume, weight, moisture and temperature instruments, the receiver and processing node configured to determine:
a variable harvested crop test weight based on at least the measured harvested crop volume and measured harvested crop weight of the harvested crop ascending within the harvester elevator and the measured harvested crop temperature and measured harvested crop moisture, and
a variable yield of the harvested crop based on the measured harvested crop volume, the measured harvested crop weight, the measured harvested crop temperature, measured harvested crop moisture and the variable harvested crop test weight.

2. The dynamic yield monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein one of the volume or weight instruments is configured to move relative to the of the weight or volume instruments.

3. The dynamic yield monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the weight instrument is configured to move relative to the volume instrument.

4. The dynamic yield monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the weight instrument is configured for installation with at least one paddle of a plurality of paddles of the harvester elevator.

5. The dynamic yield monitor system of claim 4 , wherein the paddle mounted weight instrument is configured to measure the harvested crop weight along an ascending segment of the harvester elevator, and a quantity of the harvest crop weighed on a paddle is static relative to the weight instrument and ascending relative to the remainder of an elevator loop of the harvester elevator.

6. The dynamic yield monitor system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver and processing node includes a blending filter configured to determine the variable harvested crop test weight based on the measured harvested crop volume, weight, temperature and moisture as each of the plurality of harvested crop characteristics vary within a field.

7. The dynamic yield monitor system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver and processing note includes a blending filter configured to:
receive the measurements of the harvested crop characteristics including the measured harvest crop volume, weight, and a harvested crop temperature and a harvested crop moisture content, and
generate one or more variable yield values based on the measurements of the harvested crop characteristics, the one or more variable yield values including one or more of a variable volume value, a variable weight value or a variable test weight value.

8. The dynamic yield monitor system of claim 7 , wherein the receiver and processing node includes an indexing module in communication with a location sensor, and the receiver and processing node is configured to associate one or more of the variable yield values with a plurality of corresponding locations of an agricultural field.

9. The dynamic yield monitor system of claim 8 , wherein the receiver and processing node includes a yield map module in communication with the indexing module, and the yield map module is configured to generate a yield map including one or more of the variable yield values associated with the plurality of corresponding locations of the agricultural field.

10. The dynamic yield monitoring system of claim 1 comprising the harvester elevator including an ascending segment and one or more paddles movable within the ascending segment and configured to move the harvested crop.

11. A harvester elevator comprising:
a harvester elevator including at least an ascending segment and one or more paddles configured to move through the ascending segment;
a volume instrument coupled with the harvester elevator;
a weight instrument coupled with the harvester elevator;
wherein the volume or weight instrument is movable relative to the other of the weight or volume instrument;
a moisture and temperature instrument, the moisture and temperature instrument is configured to measure a harvested crop moisture and temperature from the harvested crop within the harvester elevator; and
a receiver and processing node in communication with each of the volume and weight instruments, the receiver and processing node is configured to:
determine a variable harvested crop test weight of a harvested crop according to measurements of the volume and weight instruments in the ascending segment of the harvester elevator and moisture and temperature measurements of the harvested crop within the harvester elevator, and
determine a variable yield of the harvested crop according to measurements of the volume and weight instruments in the ascending segment, the moisture and temperature measurements and the determined variable harvested crop test weight.

12. The harvester elevator of claim 11 , wherein the volume instruments coupled with a first portion of the harvester elevator and the weight instrument is coupled with a second portion of the harvester elevator different than the first portion.

13. The harvester elevator of claim 11 , wherein the volume instrument is statically coupled along the ascending segment, and the weight instrument is configured to move relative to the volume instrument.

14. The harvester elevator of claim 11 , wherein weight instrument is coupled with at least one paddle of the one or more paddles.

15. The harvester elevator of claim 14 , wherein the weight instrument coupled with the at least one paddle is configured to measure the harvested crop weight along the ascending segment, and a quantity of the harvest crop weighed on the at least one paddle is static relative to the weight instrument and moving relative to the remainder of an elevator loop of the harvester elevator.

16. The harvester elevator of claim 11 , wherein the weight instrument includes a plurality of weight instruments and the one or more paddles include a plurality of paddles, and each of the weight instruments is coupled with a respective paddle of the plurality of paddles.

17. The harvester elevator of claim 11 , wherein the volume instrument includes an optical sensor.

18. The harvester elevator of claim 17 , wherein the weight instrument includes a load cell.

19. The harvester elevator of claim 11 , wherein the receiver and processing node includes an indexing module in communication with a location sensor, and the receiver and processing node is configured to associate one or more of the variable yield values with a plurality of corresponding locations of an agricultural field.

20. The harvester elevator of claim 19 , wherein the receiver and processing node includes a yield map module in communication with the indexing module, and the yield map module is configured to generate a yield map including one or more of the variable yield values associated with the plurality of corresponding

Assignees

• Raven Ind Inc

Inventors

• Acheson John Earl
• Fjelstad Stephen Filip
• Prairie Douglas Samuel

Classifications

• G01G21/23

  Support or suspension of weighing platforms (G01G21/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01G19/12

  having electrical weight-sensitive devices · CPC title

• G01G11/003 Primary

  Details; specially adapted accessories (details of weighing apparatus in general G01G21/00; auxiliary devices for weighing apparatus in general G01G23/00) · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01D41/1271

  for measuring crop flow · CPC title