Yield measurement and base cutter height control systems for a harvester

{
  "publication_number": "US10371561B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Yield measurement and base cutter height control systems for a harvester",
  "abstract": "A system is provided that can include a 3D sensor. The 3D sensor can be configured to detect an area of an elevator on a harvester. The 3D sensor can further be configured to transmit a first signal associated with the area. The system can also include a processing device in communication with the 3D sensor. The system can further include a memory device in which instructions executable by the processing device are stored for causing the processing device to receive the first signal and determine a volume of a material on the elevator based on the first signal.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system comprising: a stereo-camera system configured to detect an area of an elevator on a harvester and to transmit images associated with the area, the elevator having an elevator back plate with an irregular pattern of apertures configured to reduce volume determination errors; a processing device in communication with the stereo-camera system; and a memory device in which instructions executable by the processing device are stored for causing the processing device to: receive the images; generate a three-dimensional (3D) profile of the area at least in part by analyzing the images using triangulation, the 3D profile including a grid of squares, each square in the grid of squares having a predefined area and a corresponding height relative to a plane of the elevator; filtering out, from the 3D profile, data points corresponding to a paddle on the elevator to produce a filtered 3D profile; and determine a volume of a material on the elevator based on the filtered 3D profile.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a parameter of the harvester and transmit a signal associated with the parameter to the processing device, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: receive the signal; and generate a three-dimensional (3D) map based on the signal; determine the volume of the material based on the 3D map; and determine a yield of the material based on the volume of the material and the signal.",
    "3. The system of claim 2, wherein the parameter comprises a GPS location, speed, direction, or crop processing engagement.",
    "4. The system of claim 2, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: generate a corrected GPS location by modifying a GPS location associated with the yield by a distance; spatially filter the yield to generate a filtered yield value; and generate a yield map based on the filtered yield value and the corrected GPS location.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: determine a composition of the material by analyzing a color and a texture of the material in the images, wherein the composition comprises a first percentage of the material that is attributable to a target material and a second percentage of the material that is attributable to an extraneous material; and apply a scaling factor to the volume of the material based on the composition to determine a calibrated volume.",
    "6. The system of claim 5, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: change a speed of a fan associated with a primary extractor or a secondary extractor based on the composition.",
    "7. The system of claim 5, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: operate the stereo-camera system when the elevator does not include the material; receive the images from the stereo-camera system; determine a baseline volume based on the images; and modify the calibrated volume based on the baseline volume.",
    "8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lighting system that includes a sensor configured to detect an amount of ambient light and at least one light positioned to illuminate the area of the elevator, wherein the memory device further includes instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to operate the at least one light to illuminate the area of the elevator based on the detected amount of ambient light.",
    "9. The system of claim 5, wherein the memory device further includes instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to determine the composition of the material by: determining that a first portion of an image corresponds to the elevator and a second portion of the image corresponds to the material based on a first color of the elevator being different from a second color of the material.",
    "10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a paddle sensor configured to detect a position of a paddle on the elevator and transmit a signal to the processing device, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: receive the signal; determine a speed of the elevator based on the signal; and operate the stereo-camera system based on the signal.",
    "11. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: determine a position of a paddle on the elevator based on the images from the stereo-camera system by identifying the paddle in an image from the stereo-camera system; and determine a speed of the elevator based on the position of the paddle.",
    "12. The system of claim 1, wherein triangulation involves correlating a first set of pixels in a first image from a first camera in the stereo-camera system to a second set of pixels in a second image from a second camera in the stereo-camera system.",
    "13. A method comprising: receiving, by a processing device, images from a stereo-camera system, the images being of an area of an elevator of a harvester, the elevator having an elevator back plate with an irregular pattern of apertures configured to reduce volume determination errors; generating, by the processing device, a three-dimensional (3D) profile of the area of the elevator at least in part by analyzing the images using triangulation, the 3D profile including a grid of squares, each square in the grid of squares having a predefined area and a corresponding height relative to a plane of the elevator; filtering out, by the processing device and from the 3D profile, data points corresponding to a paddle on the elevator to produce a filtered 3D profile; and determining, by the processing device, a volume of a material on the elevator based on the filtered 3D profile.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: calibrating the 3D profile based on calibration data, wherein the calibration data determined using other images from the stereo-camera system generated prior to the material being positioned in the elevator, and wherein the calibration data accounts for (i) a position of a back plate of the elevator, (ii) a deformation in the back plate of the elevator, and (iii) a characteristic of a paddle on the elevator.",
    "15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining a speed of the elevator; and multiplying the speed of the elevator by the volume to determine a total volume of the material on the elevator.",
    "16. The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining a composition of the volume of the material on the elevator by: dividing the images into segmented regions based on a visual characteristic of the material in the elevator; generating corrected segmented-regions by correcting the segmented regions for at least one of illumination, scale, or perspective; performing feature extraction on the corrected segmented-regions to determine one or more features in the corrected segmented-regions; and classifying the one or more features as trash or a target material to determine the composition of the material on the elevator; and modifying the volume of the material on the elevator based on the composition.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, further comprising changing a speed of a fan associated with a primary extractor or a secondary extractor based on the composition of the volume of the material.",
    "18. The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving, from a sensor, a signal associated with a parameter of the harvester; and generating a yield map based on the volume of the material and the parameter.",
    "19. The method of claim 18, wherein generating the yield map further comprises: generating a yield based on the volume of the material; generating a corrected GPS location by modifying the parameter by a distance; spatially filtering the yield to generate a filtered yield value; and generating the yield map based on the filtered yield value and the corrected GPS location.",
    "20. A harvester comprising: an elevator having an elevator back plate with an irregular pattern of apertures configured to reduce volume determination errors; and a stereo-camera system coupled to the harvester and configured to detect an area associated with the elevator and transmit images associated with the area; wherein the harvester is configured for: generating a three-dimensional (3D) profile of the area of the elevator at least in part by analyzing the images using triangulation; adjusting a coordinate plane of the 3D profile to align with a plane of the elevator such that the coordinate plane of the 3D profile includes (i) a first axis that is oriented along a direction of paddle movement on the elevator, (ii) a second axis that is oriented from the elevator toward the stereo-camera system, and (iii) a third axis that is orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis; determining a composition of a material by analyzing the 3D profile of the area of the elevator; and determining a volume of a crop included in the material based on the composition of the material.",
    "21. The harvester of claim 20, further comprising a paddle sensor configured to detect a position of a paddle on the elevator and transmit a paddle sensor signal usable for: determining a speed of the elevator; and operating the stereo-camera system.",
    "22. The harvester of claim 20, further comprising a lighting system that includes: a sensor configured to detect an amount of ambient light; and a plurality of lights positioned to illuminate the area of the elevator and separate from the stereo-camera system, wherein the harvester is configured to operate the plurality of lights to illuminate the area of the elevator based on the amount of ambient light detected using the sensor.",
    "23. The harvester of claim 20, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a parameter of the harvester and transmit a sensor signal associated with the parameter that is usable for: determining a yield of the crop based on the volume of the material and the sensor signal.",
    "24. The harvester of claim 23, wherein the yield is usable for generating a yield map.",
    "25. The harvester of claim 20, wherein the composition of the material is usable for changing a speed of a fan associated with a primary extractor or a secondary extractor.",
    "26. A system comprising: a harvester comprising: a base cutter; and a stereo-camera system positioned underneath the harvester, the stereo-camera system being configured to capture an area that is underneath or behind the harvester and to transmit images of the area; a processing device in communication with the stereo-camera system; and a memory device on which instructions executable by the processing device are stored for causing the processing device to: generate a three-dimensional (3D) profile of the area by analyzing the images using a stereo-vision algorithm; and modify a height of the base cutter based on the 3D profile.",
    "27. The system of claim 26, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: determine a lateral position of a row of a stubble or a height of the stubble based on the 3D profile of the area; and modify the height of the base cutter based on the lateral position of the row of the stubble or the first height of the stubble.",
    "28. The system of claim 26, further comprising a debris barrier configured to protect the stereo-camera system from damage or debris.",
    "29. The system of claim 26, further comprising a lighting system that includes: a sensor configured to detect an amount of ambient light; and at least one light positioned underneath the harvester for illuminating the area.",
    "30. The system of claim 26, wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: receive the images from the stereo-camera system; determine a calibration factor by analyzing the images; and determine the height of the base cutter based on the calibration factor.",
    "31. The system of claim 26, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a location of the harvester and transmit a sensor signal associated with the location, and wherein the memory device further comprises instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to: analyze the images to determine information about a material depicted in the images, the information include a height of the material, a number of fallen pieces of the material, a length of a fallen piece of the material, or a number of roots of the material; and generate a geographic map based on the location of the harvester and the information.",
    "32. A method comprising: receiving, by a processing device, images from a stereo-camera system positioned underneath a harvester comprising a base cutter, the images depicting an area that is underneath or behind the harvester; generating, by the processing device, a three-dimensional (3D) profile of the area by analyzing the images using a stereo-vision algorithm; and modifying, by the processing device, a height of the base cutter based on the 3D profile.",
    "33. The method of claim 32, further comprising: filtering the images from the stereo-camera system to generate filtered images; determining a lateral position of a row of material depicted in the images or a height of the row of material depicted in the images using the filtered images.",
    "34. The method of claim 33, further comprising: calibrating the height of the row of material based on calibration data, wherein the calibration data determined using (i) other images from the stereo-camera system and (ii) a user input.",
    "35. The method of claim 33, further comprising: receiving, from a sensor, a signal indicating a location of the harvester; and generating a geographic map based on the location of the harvester and the height of the row of material.",
    "36. The method of claim 35, further comprising: analyzing the images to determine information about a material depicted in the images, the information including a number of fallen pieces of the material, a length of a fallen piece of the material, or a number of roots of the material; and generating the geographic map based on the location of the harvester and the information.",
    "37. The method of claim 33, wherein filtering the images comprises filtering the images to reduce an effect of airborne debris on the 3D profile."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to devices for use in farming operations. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, this disclosure relates to yield measurement and base cutter height control systems for a harvester.\n\nA harvester or combine can be used for gathering material (e.g., sugar cane, vegetables, crops, etc.) from a farm and loading the material into a cart pulled by a tractor. As with many other kinds of farming operations, it can be desirable for a farm operator to know the yield of each section of the farm. This can allow the farm operator to optimize the farming process. Information about the yield can be difficult to obtain.\n\nIn one example, a system is provided that can include a 3D sensor. The 3D sensor can be configured to detect an area of an elevator on a harvester. The 3D sensor can further be configured to transmit a first signal associated with the area. The system can also include a processing device in communication with the camera system. The system can further include a memory device in which instructions executable by the processing device are stored for causing the processing device to receive the first signal and determine a volume of a material on the elevator based on the first signal.\n\nIn another example, a method is provided that can include receiving, by a processing device, a data signal from a 3D sensor. The 3D sensor can be positioned on an elevator of a harvester. The method can also include generating, by the processing device, a three-dimensional (3D) map based on the data signal.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01F 25/0084",
    "G01F 22/00"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G01F 25/00",
    "G01F 22/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Carnegie Mellon University",
    "Deere and Co",
    "Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc ISURF"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Matthew J. Darr",
    "Daniel Joseph Corbett",
    "Herman Herman",
    "Carlos Vallespi-Gonzalez",
    "Bryan E. Dugas",
    "Hernan Badino"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-10-29",
  "publication_date": "2019-08-06",
  "grant_date": "2019-08-06",
  "priority_date": "2013-11-01",
  "application_number": "US-201414527152-A",
  "family_id": "53006743",
  "cited_by_count": 9,
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}