Headland guidance tracks for farm machinery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12178149-B2
Application number	US-202217731015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2022
Priority date	Apr 27, 2022
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

System and methods for generating a work plan for a headland of an agricultural field (e.g., the portion of the agricultural field that is used by an agricultural machine to perform edge turns while working a main work partition of the field). A field boundary polygon indicative of a workable area of the agricultural field is segmented into multiple segments including a headland polygon and a work partition polygon. A seed track is generated based on a shape of a portion of the boundary of the headland polygon that is shared in common with the boundary of the field boundary polygon. The work plan is generated by replicating the seed track at a defined spacing throughout the headland polygon. In some implementations, the agricultural machine is operated autonomously or semi-autonomously to work the headland area based on the defined work plan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system configured to generate and at least partially implement a work plan for a headland of an agricultural field, the headland positioned adjacent to a work partition of the agricultural field and is used by an agricultural machine to perform edge turns while performing a work task in the work partition of the agricultural field, the system comprising an electronic controller configured to:
determine a field boundary polygon indicative of a workable area of the agricultural field, wherein the field boundary polygon is segmented into a plurality of segments, the plurality of segments including a headland polygon defining a shape and a size of the headland and a work partition polygon defining a shape and a size of the work partition;
identify a segment of a boundary of the headland polygon that is shared in common with a field edge boundary of the field boundary polygon;
generate, by trimming the identified segment on at least one end based on a defined lateral trim buffer width, a seed track based on a shape of at least a portion of the identified segment;
define a plurality of guidance tracks for the headland by replicating the seed track at a defined spacing throughout the headland polygon, wherein each guidance track is indicative of a path to be followed by the agricultural machine while performing the work task in the headland of the agricultural field;
generate headland work plans for each of one or more headland candidate polygons having an area exceeding a minimum headland area threshold, wherein the one or more headland candidate polygons includes the headland polygon; and
based on a predefined geospatial position of the agricultural machine and the generated work plan, transmit one or more control signals to a steering system of the agricultural machine in order to direct the agricultural machine along a guidance track of the plurality of guidance tracks.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to facilitate operation of the agricultural machine in accordance with the generated work plan.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to facilitate operation of the agricultural machine in accordance with the generated work plan by
monitoring the geospatial position of the agricultural machine while performing the work task in the headland,
displaying on a user interface display screen a graphical representation of the generated work plan including a graphical representation of at least a portion of the plurality of guidance tracks, and
displaying on the user interface a graphical indication of the geospatial position of the agricultural machine relative to the displayed guidance tracks.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to define the plurality of guidance tracks by
positioning a first copy of the seed track at a first defined distance from the corresponding segment of the boundary of the headland polygon,
positioning a second copy of the seed track at a second defined distance from the first copy of the seed track, and
positioning a third copy of the seed track at the second defined distance from the second copy of the seed track.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein each guidance track of the plurality of guidance tracks is indicative of a sequence of target positions for a center of an implement used by the agricultural machine in performing the work task, wherein the second defined distance is based at least in part on an operating width of the implement, and wherein the first defined distance is based at least in part on half of the operating width of the implement.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to generate the seed track by:
defining a guidance line with a shape and a size corresponding to an entire length of the boundary of the headland polygon that is shared in common with the field edge boundary of the field boundary polygon, and
trimming the guidance line on both ends based on the defined lateral trim buffer width such that a left end point of the trimmed guidance line corresponds to a closest point along the guidance line to a left end of the guidance line that is laterally offset from the left end of the guidance line by the defined lateral trim buffer width and a right end point of the trimmed guidance line corresponds to a closest point along the guidance line to a right end of the guidance line that is laterally offset from the right end of the guidance line by the defined lateral trim buffer width.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to generate the seed track further by extending both ends of the guidance line such that a lateral width of the extended guidance line exceeds a maximum lateral width of the headland polygon, wherein the seed track includes the extended guidance line.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to define the plurality of guidance tracks for the headland by trimming any portion of a replicated seed track that extends beyond the boundary of the headland polygon.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to:
define the work partition polygon based on a work partition work plan, wherein the work partition polygon does not include areas of the agricultural field where the agricultural machine performs edge turns for the work partition work plan, and
define the one or more headland candidate polygons including all portions of the field boundary polygon that are not included in the work partition polygon.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to:
compare each of the one or more headland candidate polygons to the minimum headland area threshold.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to define the headland polygon by
identifying a base line of the field boundary polygon; and
defining the headland polygon as including all portions of the field boundary polygon that are within a defined base line offset distance of the identified base line of the field boundary polygon.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the defined base line offset distance is determined based on at least one selected from a group consisting of
a user-defined offset value,
a turning radius of the agricultural machine,
an operating width of an implement used by the agricultural machine in performing the work task, wherein the operating width of the implement is a first operating parameter of the agricultural machine, and
a second operating parameter of the agricultural machine not the same as the first operating parameter.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to define the headland polygon by
identifying a base line of the field boundary polygon;
replicating the base line at a defined shift offset distance from the base line; and
defining the headland polygon based on an area of the field boundary polygon located between the base line and the replicated, shifted base line.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to define the headland polygon by
determining an initial work partition polygon and an initial headland polygon,
increasing a lateral width of the initial work partition polygon relative to the initial headland polygon by a defined lateral buffer amount, and
defining the headland polygon based on an area of the initial headland polygon that is not occupied by the laterally increased work partition polygon.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Peter Gregory L
• Johnson David A
• Puhalla Jeffrey S
• Smith Daniel R
• Bradford Heather R

Classifications

• G05D1/246

  using environment maps, e.g. simultaneous localisation and mapping [SLAM] · CPC title

• G05D1/248

  generated by satellites, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• G05D1/0219

  ensuring the processing of the whole working surface · CPC title

• G05D1/0278

  using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• G05D1/0044

  by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps (maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005) · CPC title