System and method for determining soil roughness of a field across which an agricultural implement is being moved based on ground engaging tool acceleration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820468-B2
Application number	US-201816135430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2018
Priority date	Sep 19, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

In one aspect, a system for determining soil roughness of a field across which an agricultural implement is being moved may include a tool configured to perform a tillage operation on soil within the field as the agricultural implement is moved across the field. The system may also include a sensor configured to detect a parameter associated with an acceleration of the tool. Furthermore, the system may include a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, with the controller configured to determine a soil roughness characteristic of the soil based on measurement signals received from the sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for determining seedbed floor roughness of a field across which an agricultural implement is being moved, the system comprising:
a tool configured to perform a tillage operation on soil within the field as the agricultural implement is moved across the field, wherein the tool comprises a disc gang including a plurality of discs configured to penetrate below a surface of the soil;
a sensor installed on a hanger of the disc gang and configured to detect a parameter associated with an acceleration of the tool; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller being configured to determine a seedbed floor roughness characteristic of the soil based on measurement signals received from the sensor,
wherein the determined seedbed floor roughness characteristic is indicative of a roughness of a seedbed floor located below the surface of the soil within the field.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the seedbed floor roughness characteristic relative to a maximum seedbed floor roughness characteristic value and initiate a control action when the monitored seedbed floor roughness characteristic has exceeded the maximum seedbed floor roughness characteristic value.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control action comprises notifying an operator of the agricultural implement that the monitored seedbed floor roughness characteristic has exceeded the maximum seedbed floor roughness characteristic value.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting an operating parameter of the agricultural implement.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the operating parameter comprises a ground speed of the agricultural implement.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control an operation of an actuator in a manner that adjusts at least one of an angle or a penetration depth of the disc gang when the monitored seedbed floor roughness characteristic has exceeded a maximum seedbed floor roughness value.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd
• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Henry James W

Classifications

• A01B5/04

  drawn by tractors · CPC title

• A01B76/00

  Parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, not provided for in groups A01B51/00 - A01B75/00 · CPC title

• A01B79/005

  Precision agriculture · CPC title

• A01B63/14 Primary

  for implements drawn by animals or tractors · CPC title

• A01B49/027 Primary

  with a rotating, soil working support element, e.g. a roller · CPC title