Comparative agricultural obstacle monitor and guidance system and method for same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11470760-B2
Application number	US-201916982495-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2019
Priority date	Aug 13, 2018
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle monitoring system includes one or more noncontact sensors configured to sense multiple objects along a scanline. A comparative vehicle monitor is in communication with the one or more noncontact sensors. The comparative vehicle monitor is configured to provide a specified row width and to identify one or more crop rows from the scan line and determine one or more lengths of scan line segments between identified crop rows. The comparative vehicle monitor is further configured to determine a vehicle position including one or more of a vehicle angle or a vehicle location according to the specified row width and the one or more determined lengths of scan line segments between the identified crop rows.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural vehicle monitoring system comprising:
one or more noncontact sensors configured for coupling with an agricultural vehicle, the one or more noncontact sensors are configured to sense one or more objects along a scan line, the one or more noncontact sensors each include:
a scan line generator configured to generate the scan line, wherein the scan line generator is oriented to generate the scan line transverse to one or more crop rows; and
a scan line receiver configured to receive a reflection of the scan; and

a comparative vehicle monitor in communication with the one or more noncontact sensors, the comparative vehicle monitor configured to:
receive a specified row width;
detect one or more amplitude peaks in the reflection of the scan line;
determine a length of a scan line segment of the scan line based on the detected one or more amplitude peaks; and
determine a vehicle position of the agricultural vehicle relative to the one or more crop rows based on the specified row width, a mounting angle of the one or more noncontact sensors, and the determined length of the scan line segment.

2. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle position comprises at least one of a vehicle angle or a vehicle location relative to the one or more crop rows.

3. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 2 , wherein:
the scan line generator includes a forward oriented scan line generator and a rearward oriented scan line generator, and
the comparative vehicle monitor is further configured to determine the vehicle angle of the agricultural vehicle according to a length of a scan line segment of a first scan line that extends from the forward oriented scan line generator to the one or more crop rows and a length of a line segment of a second scan line that extends from the rearward oriented scan line generator to the one or more crop rows, wherein the length of the scan line segment of the scan line between the scan line generator and one or more of the crop rows includes the length of the scan line segment of a first scan line and length of a scan line segment of a second scan line.

4. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the scan line generator is oriented to generate the scan line perpendicularly relative to at least one stalk of an agricultural crop.

5. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the scan line generator is oriented to generate the scan line parallel to the ground.

6. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the scan line generator is oriented to generate the scan line in a direction preceding the agricultural vehicle.

7. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the scan line generator is oriented to generate the scan line in a direction of the agricultural vehicle.

8. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the comparative vehicle monitor includes a steering interface configured to couple with one or more of an output device or an automated steering system.

9. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the agricultural vehicle having one or more wheel assemblies coupled with a vehicle chassis; and
the one or more noncontact sensors coupled with the one or more wheel assemblies.

10. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural vehicle includes front and rear ground engaging elements, and wherein:
at least one noncontact sensor of the one or more noncontact sensors is coupled proximate the rear ground engaging element.

11. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the rear ground engaging element is a rear wheel assembly.

12. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 10 , further comprising the comparative vehicle monitor in communication with the at least one noncontact sensor, the comparative vehicle monitor configured to:
determine a vehicle angle or a vehicle location of the agricultural vehicle relative to the one or more crop rows according to the specified row width and a mounting angle of the at least one noncontact sensor relative to the rear ground engagement element.

13. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural vehicle includes first and second wheels, and wherein:
the one or more noncontact sensors include at least first and second noncontact sensors:
the first noncontact sensor is configured for coupling proximate the first wheel and the scan line generator of the first noncontact sensor is directed toward the second wheel; and
the second noncontact sensor is configured for coupling proximate the second wheel and the scan line generator of the second noncontact sensor is directed toward the first wheel.

14. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising the first and second wheels coupled to a rear portion of a vehicle chassis of the agricultural vehicle relative to third and fourth wheels coupled to a front position of the vehicle chassis of the agricultural vehicle.

15. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 14 , wherein the comparative vehicle monitor is further configured to select the scan line for the second noncontact sensor if a vehicle location determined with the first noncontact sensor is proximate to the specified row width.

16. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 14 , wherein the comparative vehicle monitor is further configured to select the scan line for the second noncontact sensor if a vehicle location determined with the first noncontact sensor is proximate to the specified row width including the specified row width and a sensor deadband for the first noncontact sensor.

17. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 14 , wherein the comparative vehicle monitor is further configured to:
select the scan line for both the second noncontact sensor and the first noncontact sensor; and
determine a vehicle angle of the agricultural vehicle according to a confidence value for the first noncontact sensor and a confidence value for the second noncontact sensor.

18. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle chassis includes one or more of a vehicle frame or an agricultural implement.

19. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural vehicle includes a vehicle chassis, and the one or more noncontact sensors are configured to couple proximate the vehicle chassis.

20. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the comparative vehicle monitor is further configured to identify the one or more crop rows from the scan line.

21. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 20 , wherein the comparative vehicle monitor is configured to identify the one or more crop rows from the scan line with a row threshold.

22. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 20 , wherein the comparative vehicle monitor is further configured to filter noise artifacts from the identified one or more crop rows based on an identification of the first crop row and the specified row width.

23. The agricultural vehicle monitoring system of claim 20 , wherein the comparative vehicle monitor is further configured to filter noise artifacts from the identified one or more crop rows based on an identification of at least the first crop row.

Assignees

• Raven Ind Inc

Inventors

• Van Roekel Jeffrey Allen
• Weidenbach Alex John
• Preheim John D
• Waltner Drew John
• Quanbeck Joel Quentin

Classifications

• G01S13/865

  Combination of radar systems with lidar systems · CPC title

• G01S13/88

  Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00) · CPC title

• G01C22/00

  Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers · CPC title

• G01S13/878

  Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S13/874 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S13/86

  Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder · CPC title