Systems and methods for detecting fill-levels in crop transport receptacles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023194326-A1
Application number	US-202117552838-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2021
Priority date	Dec 16, 2021
Publication date	Jun 22, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one aspect, a system for monitoring crop fill-levels of transport receptacles, includes a crop transport receptacle defining a storage volume including at least a first sub-region and a second sub-region. The system also includes first and second fill-level sensors having fields of view directed towards harvested crops contained within the first and second sub-regions of the storage volume, respectively. In addition, the system includes a computing system configured to determine a first fill-level value associated with a fill-level of the first sub-region based on data received from the first fill-level sensor and a second fill-level value associated with a fill-level of the second sub-region based on data received from the second fill-level sensor. The computing system is further configured to determine an estimated fill-level value associated with at least a portion of the storage volume including the sub-regions based on the first and second fill-level values.

First claim

1 . A system for monitoring crop fill-levels of transport receptacles, the system comprising:
a crop transport receptacle defining a storage volume configured to receive harvested crops, the storage volume including at least a first sub-region and a second sub-region; a first reflection-based fill-level sensor supported relative to the storage volume such that the first fill-level sensor has a field of view directed towards harvested crops contained within the first sub-region of the storage volume; a second reflection-based fill-level sensor supported relative to the storage volume such that the second fill-level sensor has a field of view directed towards harvested crops contained within the second sub-region of the storage volume; and a computing system communicatively coupled to the first and second fill-level sensors, the computing system being configured to determine a first fill-level value associated with a fill-level of the first sub-region based on data received from the first fill-level sensor and a second fill-level value associated with a fill-level of the second sub-region based on data received from the second fill-level sensor, the computing system being further configured to determine an estimated fill-level value associated with at least a portion of the storage volume including the first and second sub-regions based on the first and second fill-level values.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a crop profile of the harvested crops within the storage volume is such that a maximum height of the harvested crops is defined within one of the first sub-region or the second sub-region and a reduced height of the harvested crops is defined with the other of the first sub-region or the second sub-region; the computing system is configured to average the first and second fill-level values to determine the estimated fill-level value.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the storage volume further includes a central sub-region extending between the first and second sub-regions of the storage volume; the system further includes a third fill-level sensor supported relative to the storage volume such that the third fill-level sensor has a field of view directed towards harvested crops contained within the central sub-region of the storage volume; the computing system is configured to determine a third fill-level value associated with a fill-level of the third sub-region based on data received from the third fill-level sensor; and the computing system is further configured to determine the estimated value based on the first, second, and third fill-level values.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein:
a crop profile of the harvested crops within the storage volume is such that a maximum height of the harvested crops is defined within the central sub-region and reduced heights of the harvested crops are defined with the first and second sub-regions; the computing system is configured to average the first and second fill-level values to determine a reduced fill-level value associated with the first and second sub-regions; and the computing system is configured to average the reduced fill-level value and the third fill-level value to determine the estimated fill-level value.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a secondary fill-level sensor configured to provide an indication of when the harvested crops are at an initial fill-level within the storage volume, the computing system being configured to activate one of the first fill-level sensor or the second fill-level sensor based on the data received from the secondary fill-level sensor.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the secondary fill-level sensor is positioned within the storage volume of the crop transport receptacle at a predetermined offset distance relative to a bottom wall of the crop transport receptacle.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the secondary fill-level sensor comprises a switch-based fill-level sensor.

8 . The system of claim 1 , at least one of the first fill-level sensor or the second fill-level sensor comprises one of a radar sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a sonar sensor, or a LIDAR sensor.

9 . A system for monitoring crop fill-levels of transport receptacles, the system comprising:
a crop transport receptacle defining a storage volume configured to receive harvested crops; a primary fill-level sensor supported relative to the storage volume such that the primary fill-level sensor has a field of view directed towards harvested crops contained within the storage volume of the crop transport receptacle; a secondary fill-level sensor supported relative to the storage volume such that the secondary fill-level sensor is configured to detect when the harvested crops have reached an initial fill-level within the storage volume; and a computing system communicatively coupled to both the primary fill-level sensor and the secondary fill-level sensor, the computing system being configured to determine whether the harvested crops have reached the initial fill-level based on data received from the secondary fill-level sensor, the computing system being further configured to activate the primary fill-level sensor to allow a fill-level value associated with a fill level of the storage volume to be determined based on data received from the primary fill-level sensor upon determining that the harvested crops have reached the initial fill level.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the primary fill-level sensor comprises a reflection-based fill-level sensor.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the reflection-based fill-level sensor comprises one of a radar sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a sonar sensor, or a LIDAR sensor.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the secondary fill-level sensor is positioned within the storage volume of the crop transport receptacle at a predetermined offset distance relative to a bottom wall of the crop transport receptacle.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the secondary fill-level sensor comprises a switch-based fill-level sensor.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the storage volume of the crop transport receptacle includes at least a first sub-region and a second sub-region; the primary fill-level sensor comprises a first primary fill-level sensor supported relative to the storage volume such that the first primary fill-level sensor has a field of view directed towards harvested crops contained within the first sub-region of the storage volume; the secondary fill-level sensor comprises a first secondary fill level sensor configured to detect when the harvested crops have reached the initial fill-level within the first sub-region; the system further comprises a second primary fill-level sensor supported relative to the storage volume such that the second primary fill-level sensor has a field of view directed towards harvested crops contained within the second sub-region of the storage volume; the system further comprises a second secondary fill level sensor configured to detect when the harvested crops have reached a second initial fill-level within the second sub-region.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the computing system is configured to determine whether the harvested crops have reached the initial fill-level or the second initial fill level based on data received from the first and second secondary fill-level sensors, respectively, the computing system being further configured to activate either the first primary fill-level sensor or the second primary fill-level sensor to allow a fill-level value associated with a fill level of the storage volume to be determined bas

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Schroeder Brittany

Classifications

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01D90/02 Primary

  Loading means · CPC title

• G01F23/284 Primary

  Electromagnetic waves · CPC title

• G01F23/14

  by measurement of pressure · CPC title

• G01F23/802

  Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment · CPC title