System and method for detecting tool plugging of an agricultural implement based on residue differential

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021123728-A1
Application number	US-201916665476-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 28, 2019
Priority date	Oct 28, 2019
Publication date	Apr 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for detecting plugging of ground-engaging tools of agricultural implements includes an aft sensor(s) configured to capture data indicative of a post-worked residue coverage of a portion of a field aft of a ground-engaging tool(s). The system includes a controller configured to monitor the data received from the aft sensor(s) and determine the post-worked residue coverage for the portion of the field. The controller is configured to identify when the ground-engaging tool(s) is experiencing a plugged condition based at least in part on the determined post-worked residue coverage for the field.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for detecting plugging of ground-engaging tools of agricultural implements, the system comprising:
an agricultural implement including a frame and at least one ground-engaging tool coupled to the frame, the at least one ground-engaging tool configured to engage soil within a field as the agricultural implement is moved across the field; at least one aft sensor configured to capture data indicative of a post-worked residue coverage of a portion of the field aft of the at least one ground-engaging tool relative to a direction of travel of the agricultural implement; and a controller configured to monitor the data received from the at least one aft sensor and determine the post-worked residue coverage for the portion of the field, the controller being further configured to identify when the at least one ground-engaging tool is experiencing a plugged condition based at least in part on the determined post-worked residue coverage for the field.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one forward sensor configured to capture data indicative of a pre-worked residue coverage of the portion of the field forward of the at least one ground-engaging tool relative to the direction of travel of the agricultural implement, wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the data received from the at least one forward sensor and determine a residue coverage differential between the pre-worked residue coverage and the post-worked residue coverage for the portion of the field, the controller being further configured to identify when the at least one ground-engaging tool is experiencing a plugged condition based at least in part on the determined residue coverage differential for the field.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the at least one ground-engaging tool is experiencing the plugged condition when the residue coverage differential differs from a predetermined differential threshold.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one ground-engaging tool comprises a first ground-engaging tool and a second ground-engaging tool, wherein the at least one forward sensor comprises a first forward sensor configured to capture data indicative of the pre-worked residue coverage forward of the first ground-engaging tool and a second forward sensor configured to capture data indicative of the pre-worked residue coverage forward of the second ground-engaging tool, wherein the at least one aft sensor comprises a first aft sensor configured to capture data indicative of the post-worked residue coverage aft of the first ground-engaging tool and a second aft sensor configured to capture data indicative of the post-worked residue coverage aft of the second ground-engaging tool.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein controller is further configured to identify that one of the first ground-engaging tool or the second ground-engaging tool is experiencing the plugged condition based at least in part on a differential between the pre-worked and post-worked residue coverages for the first ground-engaging tool and a differential between the pre-worked and post-worked residue coverages for the second ground-engaging tool.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to identify that one of the first ground-engaging tool or the second ground-engaging tool is experiencing the plugged condition when the differential between the pre-worked and post-worked residue coverages for the first ground-engaging tool differs from the differential between the pre-worked and post-worked residue coverages for the second ground-engaging tool by a predetermined differential threshold.

7 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a work vehicle configured to move across the field, the agricultural implement coupled to the work vehicle, wherein the at least one forward sensor is supported on the work vehicle.

8 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one forward sensor is supported relative to the frame at or adjacent to a forward end of the agricultural implement relative to the direction of travel and the at least one aft sensor is supported relative to the frame at or adjacent to an aft end of the agricultural implement relative to the direction of travel.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to initiate a control action when the controller identifies that the at least one ground-engaging tool is experiencing the plugged condition, wherein the control action comprises at least one of notifying an operator of the agricultural implement that the at least one ground-engaging tool is plugged, adjusting a position of the at least one ground-engaging tool relative to a ground surface across which the agricultural implement is being moved, or adjusting an actuator force being applied to the at least one ground-engaging tool.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aft sensor comprises at least one of a camera, an optical sensor, a RADAR sensor, an ultrasonic transceiver, or a LIDAR sensor.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ground-engaging tool comprises at least one shank or disc blade of the agricultural implement.

12 . A method for detecting tool plugging for an agricultural implement, the method comprising:
monitoring, with a computing device, a post-worked residue coverage for a field aft of at least one ground-engaging tool of the agricultural implement relative to a direction of travel of the agricultural implement; and identifying that the at least one ground-engaging tool is experiencing a plugged condition based at least in part on the monitored post-worked residue coverage for the field.

13 . The method of claim 12 . further comprising:
monitoring, with the computing device, a pre-worked residue coverage for the field forward of the at least one ground-engaging tool of the agricultural implement relative to the direction of travel of the agricultural implement; and determining, with the computing device, a residue coverage differential for the field based at least in part on the monitored pre-worked residue coverage for the field and the monitored post-worked residue coverage for the field, wherein identifying that the at least one ground-engaging tool is experiencing a plugged condition comprises identifying that the at least one ground-engaging tool is experiencing a plugged condition based at least in part on the determined residue coverage differential for the field

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein identifying that the at least one ground-engaging tool is a experiencing a plugged condition comprises identifying that the at least one ground-engaging tool is a experiencing the plugged condition when the residue coverage differential differs from a predetermined differential threshold.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein monitoring the pre-worked residue coverage for the field forward of the at least one ground-engaging tool comprises receiving, with the computing device, data from at least one forward sensor configured to capture data indicative of the pre-worked residue coverage of the field forward of the at least one ground-engaging tool relative to the direction of travel of the agricultural implement, and wherein monitoring the post-worked residue coverage for the field aft of the at least one ground-engaging tool comprises receiving, with the computing device, data from at least one aft sensor configured to capture data indicative of the post-worked residue coverage of the field aft of the at least one ground-engaging

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Smith Kevin M

Classifications

• A01B76/00

  Parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, not provided for in groups A01B51/00 - A01B75/00 · CPC title

• A01B49/027

  with a rotating, soil working support element, e.g. a roller · CPC title

• G01B11/30 Primary

  for measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces · CPC title

• A01B63/24

  Tools or tool-holders adjustable relatively to the frame · CPC title

• A01B15/16 Primary

  Discs; Scrapers for cleaning discs; Sharpening attachments · CPC title