Strategic crop placement using a virtual trip line for a harvester and crop accumulator combination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016014971-A1
Application number	US-201414333669-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 17, 2014
Priority date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A harvester and a crop accumulator combination. The harvester is configured to transfer a harvested crop to the crop accumulator. The crop accumulator comprises at least one actuator to selectively discharge the harvested crops onto a field. A GPS unit is configured with at least one virtual trip line. An ECU is in communication with the GPS unit. The ECU is configured to selectively command the actuator of the crop accumulator to discharge harvested crop onto the field when the ECU receives a signal from the GPS unit when at least one of the virtual trip line is being approached, the virtual trip line is being crossed, and the virtual trip line has been crossed.

First claim

1 . A method for discharging a harvested crop from a crop accumulator, the method comprising:
establishing at least one virtual trip line; commencing a harvest operation; transferring the harvested crop to the crop accumulator; communicating that at least one of: the virtual trip line is being approached, the virtual trip line is being crossed, and the virtual trip line has been crossed; actuating a discharge system of the crop accumulator, in response to the communication, to discharge one of: a portion of the harvested crop and all of the harvested crop from the crop accumulator; and depositing the harvested crop according to at least one of the following: on the virtual trip line, adjacent to the virtual trip line, in a zone defined by a predetermined distance from the virtual trip line, and outside of a zone defined by a predetermined distance from the virtual trip line.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of establishing at least one virtual trip line is accomplished by using at least one of: a GPS unit, a laser sender and receiver, a buried wire, a light beam sender and receiver, and a sonar sender and receiver.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if the harvested crop is present on the crop accumulator prior to actuating the discharge system.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if the crop accumulator is full before the virtual trip line has been crossed.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the presence of harvested crop on the crop accumulator using at least one sensor on the crop accumulator.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the presence of harvested crop on the crop accumulator by keeping an account of the amount of harvested crop on the crop accumulator since the crop accumulator was last discharged.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing at least one of: an audible signal and a visual signal to an operator that the crop accumulator is full and that the virtual trip line has not yet been crossed.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising awaiting the completion of the harvesting operation prior to actuating the discharge system.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing the trip line based upon at least one of: proximity to a storage location and a topography of a field.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing intervals between virtual trip lines based upon one of: an actual crop yield and a predicted crop yield.

11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising determining the predicted crop yield based upon a historical yield data for a field and a type of crop.

12 . The method of claim 10 further comprising determining the actual crop yield based upon a sensed rate of crop flow during the harvest operation.

13 . The method of claim 10 further comprising determining the actual crop yield based upon an amount of harvested crop produced per unit of travel over the field.

14 . A harvester and a crop accumulator combination, the harvester being configured to transfer a harvested crop to the crop accumulator, the crop accumulator comprising at least one actuator to selectively discharge the harvested crop onto a field, the combination further comprising:
a GPS unit configured with at least one virtual trip line; and an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in communication with the GPS unit, the ECU configured to selectively command the actuator of the crop accumulator to discharge harvested crop onto the field when the ECU receives a signal from the GPS unit when at least one of: the virtual trip line is being approached, the virtual trip line is being crossed, and the virtual trip line has been crossed.

15 . The harvester and crop accumulator combination of claim 14 , wherein the crop accumulator has at least one sensor for detecting the presence of the harvested crop on the crop accumulator.

16 . The harvester and crop accumulator combination of claim 14 , wherein the combination is towed behind a tractor having an operator station and a display in the operator station, the display in communication with at least one of: the GPS unit and the ECU.

17 . The harvester and crop accumulator combination of claim 14 , wherein the ECU is configured to command actuation of the actuator of the crop accumulator only if the harvested crop is present on the crop accumulator.

18 . The harvester and crop accumulator combination of claim 14 , wherein the ECU is configured to command actuation of the actuator of the crop accumulator only if the harvester is not in an ejection cycle.

19 . The harvester and crop accumulator combination of claim 14 , wherein the ECU is configured to provide one of: an audible alarm and visual alarm to an operator if the crop accumulator is full.

20 . The harvester and crop accumulator combination of claim 14 , wherein the crop accumulator has a bale cradle pivotally mounted to a frame and the actuator is connected between the bale cradle and the frame to selectively pivot the bale cradle relative to the frame.

21 . The harvester and crop accumulator combination of claim 14 , wherein the harvester is equipped with a sensor for determining if the harvester is in an ejection cycle and the ECU is in communication with the sensor for determining if the harvester is in the ejection cycle.

22 . A harvester and a crop accumulator combination, the harvester configured to transfer a harvested crop to the crop accumulator, the crop accumulator comprising at least one actuator to selectively discharge the harvested crop onto a field, the combination further comprising:
a GPS unit configured with at least one virtual trip line, the GPS unit configured to provide a signal to an operator when to command the actuator of the crop accumulator to discharge the harvested crop onto the field such that the harvested crop is deposited according to at least one of the following: on the virtual trip line, adjacent to the virtual trip line, in a zone defined by a predetermined distance from the virtual trip line, and outside of a zone defined by a predetermined distance from the virtual trip line.

23 . The harvester and crop accumulator combination of claim 22 , wherein the GPS unit is a mobile phone comprising a software application that creates the virtual trip line and the software application provides the signal to the operator when to command the actuator of the crop accumulator to discharge the harvested crop onto the field.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kraus Timothy J

Classifications

• A01F15/08

  Details · CPC title

• A01D2085/007

  Machines directly attached to a baler · CPC title

• A01F15/0883 Primary

  for round balers · CPC title

• A01D85/005

  Forming groups of bales, e.g. bale sledges (loaders for bales A01D87/12; vehicles for loading bales A01D90/08) · CPC title

• A01F15/0875

  Discharge devices · CPC title