Methods and imaging systems for harvesting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12150406-B2
Application number	US-202318183992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2023
Priority date	Dec 9, 2019
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

Described herein are methods and harvesters for adjusting settings of a harvester. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method includes capturing, with at least one image capture device that is located on the harvester, images of a field view of an unharvested region to be harvested, analyzing the captured images to determine crop information for a crop of a harvested region that is adjacent to the unharvested region, and adjusting settings or operating parameters of the harvester for the unharvested region based on the crop information for the crop of the harvested region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method for adjusting settings of a harvester comprising:
capturing, with at least one image capture device that is located on the harvester, images of a field view of a region after a header of the harvester;
analyzing the captured images to determine a presence of at least one of percentage area of bent over soybeans and percentage area of intact soybean pods in the region after the header; and
adjusting settings or operating parameters of the harvester for an unharvested region based on the crop information for the crop of the region, wherein adjusting settings or operating parameters comprises adjusting one or more of angle of header, header height, header speed, reel tine angle, deck plate spacing, adjusting fan speed, cylinder speed, concave clearance, vehicle speed, precleaner, chaffer, extension, sieve, or draper belt speed of the harvester based on the crop information in the region after the header of the harvester.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing the captured images to determine two or more of a level or amount of residue crop, residue crop effectiveness, crop header loss, soybean percentage of stalk uncut or length stalk uncut, a level or percentage of soybean cut quality, percentage of surface area viewed that has kernels, percentage of yield loss of crop based on bushel acre estimate or cost per acre estimate, bushels of crop lost per acre based on cost per acre estimate, or economic loss window.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one image capturing device comprises a downward viewing device to view crops and a ground surface of the region after the header.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying images or video captured by the at least one image capture device to a display device.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying the crop information to a display device.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting settings or operating parameters comprises automatically without user input adjusting settings or operating parameters of the harvester for the unharvested region based on the crop information.

7. A combine harvester comprising:
a header to engage a crop;
at least one image capturing device to capture images of a harvested region after the header; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one image capturing device, the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions to analyze the captured images to determine crop information for a crop of the harvested region and to adjust settings or operating parameters of the combine harvester for an unharvested region based on the crop information for the crop of the harvested region, wherein adjusting settings or operating parameters comprises adjusting one or more of angle of header, header height, header speed, reel tine angle, deck plate spacing, adjusting fan speed, cylinder speed, concave clearance, vehicle speed, precleaner, chaffer, extension, sieve, or draper belt speed of the harvester based on the crop information in the harvested region after the header of the harvester.

8. The combine harvester of claim 7 , further comprising:
a chassis to support the harvester with at least image capturing device being mounted on the chassis.

9. The combine harvester of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions to analyze the captured images to determine crop information including two or more of a level or amount of residue crop, residue crop effectiveness, crop header loss, soybean percentage of stalk uncut or length stalk uncut, percent area of bent stalks, percentage area of intact soybean pods, a level or percentage of soybean cut quality, percentage of surface area viewed that has kernels, percentage of yield loss of crop based on bushel acre estimate or cost per acre estimate, bushels of crop lost per acre based on cost per acre estimate, or economic loss window.

10. The combine harvester of claim 7 , further comprising:
a display device to display images or video captured by the at least one image capture device.

11. The combine harvester of claim 10 , wherein the display device further displays the crop information.

12. The combine harvester of claim 7 , wherein the crop information comprises a level or amount of residue crop or a residue crop effectiveness.

Assignees

• Prec Planting Llc

Inventors

• Herrmann Aaron
• Swanson Todd
• Stoller Jason J

Classifications

• A01D45/021

  Cornheaders · CPC title

• A01D41/141

  Automatic header control · CPC title

• A01D41/127 Primary

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title