Method for setting the work parameters of a harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9226449-B2
Application number	US-201414169644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2014
Priority date	Feb 7, 2013
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

The automatic adjustment of a combine harvester ( 10 ) includes providing an electronic map with characteristics of the field (304), determining a work parameter of the combine harvester ( 10 ) by using information provided by the electronic map; and adjusting an actuator ( 36, 38, 42, 84, 48, 50 ) of the combine harvester ( 10 ) with the aid of the determined work parameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for adjusting work parameters of a combine harvester ( 10 ) comprising steps of:
(a) providing an electronic map with characteristics of a field ( 304 ) in an electronic control device ( 54 ) of the combine harvester ( 10 );
(b) deriving a desired value of at least one work parameter of the combine harvester ( 10 ) in a harvesting operation by the electronic control device ( 54 ), taking into consideration a characteristic of the field ( 304 ) taken from the electronic map for a harvesting position;
(c) adjusting at least one of a cutting height adjustment actuator ( 36 ), a blower speed actuator ( 38 ), sieve opening actuators ( 42 ), a rate of advance actuator ( 84 ), a threshing element rpm actuator 48 and a threshing slit adjustment actuator ( 50 ) of the combine harvester ( 10 ) coupled for influencing a measurement value of said at least one work parameter, with the aid of the derived desired value of the at least one work parameter, by the electronic control device ( 54 );
(d) determining a finely adjusted work parameter value by the electronic control device ( 54 ), taking into consideration the desired value derived in step (b) and taking into consideration a measured feedback value of the at least one work parameter using at least one of a throughput sensor ( 46 ), a first grain loss sensor 52 and a second grain loss sensor ( 58 ), with the finely adjusted feedback value being influenced by the at least one actuator ( 36 , 38 , 42 , 84 , 48 , or 50 ) and a repetition of step (c) with the finely adjusted work parameter value; characterized in the steps of:
(e) identifying sections along a path ( 302 ) of the combine harvester ( 10 ) over the field ( 304 ) in which characteristics of the field ( 304 ) are homogeneous, within predetermined limits and distances that lie above a threshold value for the length, as determined by the electronic device ( 54 ) with the aid of the electronic map; and
(f) determining at least one of calibration data for the at least one of the throughput sensor ( 46 ), the first grain loss sensor 52 and the second grain loss sensor ( 58 ) or parameters for a further fine adjustment of the desired work parameter value for step (d) when travelling over and harvesting at least some stretches identified in step (e), with the further fine adjustment of the desired work parameter value being used in subsequent steps (d).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in step (f), the at least one of the calibration data or parameters is determined for the further fine adjustment of the work parameter for step (d) by one of an operator, who inputs the at least one of the calibration data or parameters into the electronic control device ( 54 ), or by the electronic control device ( 54 ).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one desired work parameter value is at least one of a rate of advance of the combine harvester ( 10 ), a threshing element adjustment, a cleaning sieve adjustment or a cutting mechanism adjustment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is one of the first grain loss sensor ( 52 ), the second grain loss sensor ( 58 ) and the throughput sensor ( 46 ).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics of the field ( 304 ) stored in the electronic map contain information regarding at least one of soil characteristics, a topography of the field and a plant density.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measured feedback value from step (d) is used to update the characteristics of a field recorded in the electronic map at a pertinent position along a programmed path contained in the electronic map.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters determined in step (f) are at least one of variables of mathematical models or variables of machine learning algorithms that concern a selection of a control strategy.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the electronic map contains information regarding plant density and wherein the electronic control device ( 54 ) in step (d) also takes into consideration the measurement value of an anticipatory crop sensor ( 60 ), which measures an anticipated plant density and compares this sensed plant density with the plant density stored in the electronic map at a field location correlated with that from which the crop sensor is gathering the anticipatory crop density and may use this information for making adjustments to the at least one desired work parameter value.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electronic control device ( 54 ) in step (b) ignores changes of the characteristics of the field in the electronic map if they are valid only over distances that fall short of a preselected minimum value.

10. A combine harvester ( 10 ) including a mobile chassis ( 12 ) supported on front drive wheels ( 14 ) together with a rate of advance actuator ( 84 ) and rear wheels ( 16 ), and carrying a combine position determining device ( 62 ), an anticipatory sensor ( 60 ), an axial threshing element ( 22 ) together with an rpm actuator ( 48 ), a threshing slit adjustment actuator ( 50 ) and a first grain loss sensor ( 52 ), a conveying assembly 20 together with a throughput sensor ( 46 ) being mounted to a forward end of the mobile chassis ( 12 ) for conveying harvested crop to the threshing element ( 22 ), a harvesting attachment ( 18 ) being attached to the conveying assembly ( 20 ) for vertical adjustment by a cutting height adjustment actuator ( 36 ), a grain cleaning device ( 26 ) including a blower ( 40 ) together with a blower speed actuator ( 38 ) and sieves ( 44 ) together with sieve opening actuators ( 42 ) and a second grain loss sensor ( 58 ), and an electronic control device ( 54 ) being connected to at least one of the cutting height adjustment actuator ( 36 ), the blower speed actuator ( 38 ), the sieve opening actuators ( 42 ), the rate of advance actuator ( 84 ), the threshing element rpm actuator 48 and the threshing slit adjustment actuator ( 50 ), by means of which a result of the harvesting operation can be influenced, and with at least one of a throughput sensor ( 46 ), a first grain loss sensor ( 52 ) and a second grain loss sensor ( 58 ) for the recording of a measurement value of a result of the harvesting operation, which can be influenced by the at least one actuator ( 36 , 38 , 42 , 84 , 48 or 50 ), wherein the electronic control device ( 54 ) is designed to carry out the method in accordance with claim 1 .

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Bischoff Lutz

Classifications

• A01D75/28

  Control mechanisms for harvesters or mowers when moving on slopes; Devices preventing lateral pull · CPC title

• A01D75/00 Primary

  Accessories for harvesters or mowers · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01B79/005 Primary

  Precision agriculture · CPC title