System And Method For Analyzing Product Flow Signal For An Agricultural Implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016161306-A1
Application number	US-201414560747-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method are provided for quantifying a degree of discontinuity of material flow from a meter roller. A flowable particulate material is fed into a meter roller rotated at a constant speed while a camera takes pictures or images of the product dispensed from the roller. The images of the product taken by the camera are analyzed to determine the area of the image represented by the product. The areas of product within the images are then compared with one another to determine how continuous the area of product is in the respective frames. The area measurement for each image is calculated at a frame rate for the camera that, when compared to the flute frequency range of the roller, provides a frame per flute ratio that ensures all particles of product dispensed from the roller are captured in an image without overlap of product between frames.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method for measuring a flow rate from a metering device, comprising: feeding a flowable particulate material into the metering device; rotating the metering device at a predetermined speed; taking images of the flowable particulate material dispensed from the metering device at a specific rate; measuring a parameter of the flowable particulate material for each image; and comparing the measurement of the parameter of the flowable particulate material for each image with the measurement of the parameter of the flowable material in all images to determine a statistical parameter indicative of flow rate discontinuity.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each measuring step comprises determining an area of the output flowable particulate material in each image.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein comparing the measurement for each image with the measurement for the area comprises dividing the measurement for the area of the flowable particulate material in all images by number of images to determine an average.

4 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the statistical parameter indicative of flow rate discontinuity is a standard deviation between the measurement for each image and the average.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein rotating the meter roller comprises determining a flute frequency range for the meter roller; determining a frame rate range for a camera taking the images; calculating a frame per flute ratio range; and rotating the meter roller above a minimum frame per flute ratio.

6 . A method for measuring a flow rate from a meter roller by rotating the meter roller at an operational speed for a specified period of time; the method characterized by measuring output from the meter roller from an image taken of the output; and comparing the measurement to a theoretical value equal to an total area of the output from the meter roller for all images of the output of the roller divided by the total number of images.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein measuring output from the meter roller from the image of the output comprises determining an area of the output in the image of the output.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein rotating the meter roller comprises determining a flute frequency range for the meter roller; determining a frame rate range for a camera taking the images; calculating a frame per flute ratio range; and rotating the meter roller above a minimum frame per flute ratio.

9 . The method of claim 6 , comprising measuring output from the meter roller for each image.

10 . The method of claim 6 , comprising comparing the measurement for each image to the theoretical value to determine a statistical parameter indicative of flow rate discontinuity.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the statistical parameter indicative of flow rate discontinuity is a standard deviation between the measurement for each increment and the theoretical value.

12 . An apparatus for measuring a flow rate from a meter roller, comprising: a metering assembly configured to receive a flowable particulate material; a meter roller disposed within the metering assembly; a drive unit coupled to the meter roller and configured to rotate the meter roller within the metering assembly; a drive unit controller communicatively coupled to the drive unit and configured to instruct the drive unit to rotate the meter roller at a specified speed; and a measuring device configured to take images of the flowable particulate material output from the metering assembly.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , comprising a camera configured to take images of the flowable particulate material output of the metering assembly.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , comprising a light source disposed opposite the camera.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a measuring device to collect the flowable particulate material output.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the measuring device comprises a scale configured to determine a mass of the flowable particulate material.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Gervais Joel
• Noble Scott

Classifications

• G06T2207/10016

  Video; Image sequence · CPC title

• G06T7/62

  of area, perimeter, diameter or volume · CPC title

• G01F22/00

  Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G01F25/0092 Primary

  for metering by volume · CPC title

• G01F1/06 Primary

  using rotating vanes with tangential admission · CPC title