Method for executing an agricultural harvesting process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018317385-A1
Application number	US-201815933725-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2018
Priority date	May 8, 2017
Publication date	Nov 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for executing an agricultural harvesting process on a field by an integrated system of agricultural harvesting machines, wherein the harvesting machines in the integrated system each comprise crop-processing working units which can be adjusted using machine parameters for adaptation to the particular harvesting conditions, wherein the harvesting machines in the integrated system communicate with each other via a wireless data network. One harvesting machine in the integrated system is designed as a self-optimizing harvesting machine which comprises a driver assistance system for automatically generating machine parameters which have been optimized with respect to the crop processing, and the optimized machine parameters are provided by the self-optimizing harvesting machine via the data network to the other harvesting machines in the integrated system that do not comprise a driver assistance system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for executing an agricultural harvesting process on a field by means of an integrated system of agricultural harvesting machines, wherein the harvesting machines in the integrated system each comprise crop-processing working units which can be adjusted using machine parameters for adaptation to the particular harvesting conditions, wherein the harvesting machines in the integrated system communicate with each other via a wireless data network, comprising the following steps:
automatically generating machine parameters which have been optimized with respect to the crop processing by one harvesting machine in the integrated system, said one harvesting machine being designed as a self-optimizing harvesting machine which comprises a driver assistance system; providing said optimized machine parameters by the self-optimizing harvesting machine via the data network; and receiving the optimized machine parameters by other harvesting machines in the integrated system that do not comprise a driver assistance system for generating, in an automated manner, machine parameters that have been optimized with respect to the crop processing for each of said other harvesting machines.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the harvesting machines in the integrated system are designed as combine harvesters each comprising working units of header, feeder, threshing unit, separating device, cleaning device, and spreading device, and wherein the optimized machine parameters relate to at least one of these working units.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein assigned to the driver assistance system of the self-optimizing harvesting machine is at least one sensor for monitoring crop processing, and/or at least one sensor for monitoring the field ahead, and wherein the driver assistance system determines the optimized machine parameters based on measured values from the sensor.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the optimized machine parameters relate to the header and represent cutting height and/or reel speed.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the optimized machine parameters relate to the threshing unit and represent cylinder speed and/or concave width.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the optimized machine parameters relate to the separating device and represent a sieve width of the separating device.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the optimized machine parameters relate to the cleaning device and represent a sieve width of an upper sieve and/or lower sieve and/or a blower output.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the optimized machine parameters relate to the spreading device and represent a throwing direction and throwing range.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of each of the other harvesting machines comprises a reception controller, by means of which the working units are adjusted to the received, optimized machine parameters.

10 . The method as claimed claim 9 , wherein the reception controller adapts the received, optimized machine parameters to machine equipment of the respective harvesting machine.

11 . The method as claimed claim 9 , wherein the reception controller automatically adjusts the working units to the received, optimized machine parameters.

12 . The method as claimed claim 9 , wherein the reception controller comprises a graphical interface via which the received optimized machine parameters are displayed.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising the step of modifying the received, optimized machine parameters in an operator-controlled manner by means of the user interface, and/or adjusting the working units to the received machine parameters in an operator-controlled manner by means of the user interface.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein assigned to the driver assistance system of the self-optimizing harvesting machine is at least one sensor for monitoring the field ahead, and wherein sensor data for monitoring the field ahead are provided by the self-optimizing harvesting machine via the data network and are received by the other harvesting machines in the integrated system.

Assignees

• Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen Gmbh

Inventors

• Wellensiek Scott
• Baumgarten Joachim

Classifications

• A01D41/1278

  for automatic steering · CPC title

• A01B79/005

  Precision agriculture · CPC title

• A01D41/127 Primary

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title