Predictive biomass map generation and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12144286-B2
Application number	US-202318536888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2023
Priority date	Oct 9, 2020
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural system comprising:
a communication system that receives a map that includes values of an agricultural characteristic corresponding to different geographic locations in a field;
a geographic position sensor that detects a geographic location of an agricultural work machine;
an in-situ sensor that detects a value of a biomass characteristic corresponding to a first geographic location in the field;
one or more processors; and
memory storing computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configuring the one or more processors to:
identify a relationship between the agricultural characteristic and the biomass characteristic based on a value of the agricultural characteristic in the map corresponding to the first geographic location in the field and the value of the biomass characteristic, detected by the in-situ sensor, corresponding to the first geographic location in the field; and
identify a predictive value of the biomass characteristic corresponding to a second geographic location in the field based on a value of the agricultural characteristic in the map corresponding to the second geographic location in the field and based on the relationship; and generate a control signal to control a controllable subsystem of the agricultural work machine based on the predictive value of the biomass characteristic.

2. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal controls the controllable subsystem to control a feed rate of material through the agricultural work machine.

3. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal controls, as the controllable subsystem, a propulsion subsystem.

4. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal controls, as the controllable subsystem, an actuator to control a component of the agricultural work machine.

5. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal controls, as the controllable subsystem, a residue subsystem.

6. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal controls, as the controllable subsystem, a machine cleaning subsystem.

7. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the map comprises a vegetative index map that maps, as the values of the agricultural characteristic, vegetative index values corresponding to the different geographic locations in the field.

8. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the biomass characteristic comprises vegetation height.

9. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the biomass characteristic comprises a force used to drive a threshing element of the agricultural work machine.

10. The agricultural system of claim 9 , wherein the force used to drive the threshing element of the agricultural work machine comprises a fluid pressure used to drive the threshing element of the agricultural work machine or a torque used to drive the threshing element of the agricultural work machine.

11. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the biomass characteristic comprises vegetation volume.

12. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the biomass characteristic comprises vegetation density.

13. A computer implemented method of controlling an agricultural work machine, the computer implemented method comprising:
obtaining a map that includes values of an agricultural characteristic corresponding to different geographic locations in a field;
detecting a geographic location of the agricultural work machine;
detecting, with an in-situ sensor, a value of a biomass characteristic corresponding to a first geographic location in the field;
identifying a relationship between the agricultural characteristic and the biomass characteristic based on a value of the agricultural characteristic in the map corresponding to the first geographic location in the field and the value of the biomass characteristic, detected by the in-situ sensor, corresponding to the first geographic location in the field;
identifying a predictive value of the biomass characteristic corresponding to a second geographic location in the field based on a value of the agricultural characteristic in the map corresponding to the second geographic location in the field and based on the relationship; and
generating a control signal to control a controllable subsystem of the agricultural work machine based on the predictive value of the biomass characteristic; and
wherein detecting, with the in-situ sensor, the value of the biomass characteristic corresponding to the first geographic location comprises detecting one of: (i) a value of vegetation density corresponding to the first geographic location; (ii) a value of vegetation volume corresponding to the first geographic location; or (iii) a value of vegetation height corresponding to the first geographic location.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13 , wherein detecting, with the in-situ sensor, a value of the biomass characteristic comprises detecting a value of a force used to drive a threshing element of the agricultural work machine.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 13 , wherein obtaining the map comprises obtaining a vegetative index map that maps, as the values of the agricultural characteristic, vegetative index values to the different geographic locations in the field.

16. An agricultural system comprising:
a communication system that receives a map that includes values of an agricultural characteristic corresponding to different geographic locations in a field;
a geographic position sensor that detects a geographic location of an agricultural work machine;
an in-situ sensor that detects a value of a biomass characteristic corresponding to a first geographic location in the field;
one or more processors; and
memory storing computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configuring the one or more processors to:
identify a predictive value of the biomass characteristic corresponding to a second geographic location in the field based on a value of the agricultural characteristic in the map corresponding to first geographic location in the field and based on the value of the biomass characteristic, detected by the in-situ sensor, corresponding to the first geographic location; and
generate a control signal to control a controllable subsystem of the agricultural work machine based on the predictive value of the biomass characteristic; and

wherein the in-situ sensor detects, as the value of the biomass characteristic corresponding to the first geographic location, one of: (i) a value of vegetation density corresponding to the first geographic location; (ii) a value of vegetation volume corresponding to the first geographic location; or (iii) a value of vegetation height corresponding to the first geographic location.

17. The agricultural system of claim 16 , wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further configure the one or more processors to:
identify a relationship between the agricultural characteristic and the biomass characteristic based on the value of the agricultural characteristic in the map corresponding to first geographic location in the field and the value of the biomass characteristic, detected by the in-situ sensor, corresponding to the first geographic location in the field; and
identify the predictive value of the biomass characteristic corresponding to the second geographic location in the field based on the identified relationsh

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Vandike Nathan R
• Palla Bhanu Kiran Reddy
• Anderson Noel W

Classifications

• G06V20/188

  Vegetation · CPC title

• G01L5/00

  Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• A01D41/1278

  for automatic steering · CPC title

• G06N20/00

  Machine learning · CPC title

• G01L23/00

  Devices or apparatus for measuring or indicating or recording rapid changes, such as oscillations, in the pressure of steam, gas, or liquid; Indicators for determining work or energy of steam, internal-combustion, or other fluid-pressure engines from the condition of the working fluid · CPC title