Agricultural work machine, agricultural work management method, agricultural work management program, and recording medium with the agricultural work management program recorded thereon

• US 10,143,134 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2013
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Takahara, Kazuhiro, Kato, Katsuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US14/779,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,912 Days
• Field of Search: 701 50
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1208 Tanks for grain or chaff for threshing machines A01F12/60
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1275 for the level of grain in grain tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/133 Drying devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining

Abstract

An agricultural crop harvester (1) includes a tank in which harvested crops are stored, a stored amount calculation section (51) that calculates a current stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank, a communication section (61) which receives drier operation information indicative of a drier operational status transmitted from a drying facility 7, a work management section 62 that determines completion timing of a harvesting work based on the current stored amount and the drier operation information, and a notification section 63 which notifies the completion timing.

Claims

1. An agricultural crop harvester comprising:

a tank in which harvested crops are stored;

at least one sensor configured to determine a stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank and provide stored amount information;

a stored amount calculation section operatively connected to the at least one sensor and configured to calculate a current stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank based on the stored amount information from the at least one sensor, the current stored amount being determined when the harvester performs a harvesting work while traveling;

a communication section which receives drier operation information indicative of a drier operational status transmitted from a drying facility;

a drying amount determination section that determines, from the drier operation information, a same-day dryable amount that can be brought in by the harvester to the drying facility to be dried on the same day as this bringing;

a work management section that determines completion timing of a harvesting work by comparing the current stored amount with the same-day dryable amount; and

a notification section which notifies the completion timing.

2. The agricultural crop harvester according to claim 1, wherein the calculation of the current stored amount and/or the determination of the same-day dryable amount is/are effected in repetition over time;

and each time such calculation/determination occurs, the work management section re-calculates the completion timing.

3. The agricultural crop harvester according to claim 1, wherein the drier operation information includes drier operational status according to moisture content, and a moisture content calculation section is provided for calculating a moisture content of harvested crops stored in the tank;

and wherein the same-day dryable amount is set based on the moisture-content drier operation information and the moisture content of the harvested crops.

4. The agricultural crop harvester according to claim 1, wherein the communication section is included in a mobile communication terminal which is connected to a control unit of the agricultural crop harvester to be capable of data exchange therewith.

5. The agricultural crop harvester according to claim 4,

wherein at least one of the drying amount determination section, the work management section and the notification section is included in the mobile communication terminal.

6. An agricultural work management program to be installed on a mobile communication terminal which is connected to a control unit of an agricultural crop harvester to be capable of data exchange therewith, the harvester having a tank for storing harvested crops and at least one sensor configured to determine a stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank and provide stored amount information,

wherein the program causes a computer to realize:

a stored amount calculation function that calculates, during a harvesting work while traveling of the harvester, a current stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank based on the stored amount information from the at least one sensor;

a communication function which receives drier operation information indicative of a drier operational status transmitted from a drying facility;

a drying amount determination function that determines a same-day dryable amount that can be carried into the drying facility to be dried on the same day as a harvest day;

a work management function that determines completion timing of a harvesting work by comparing the current stored amount with the same-day dryable amount; and

a notification function which notifies the completion timing.

7. The agricultural work management program according to claim 6, wherein the completion timing is notified through the control unit via a notifying device mounted on the agricultural crop harvester.

8. The agricultural work management program according to claim 6, wherein the completion timing is notified via a notifying device mounted on the mobile communication terminal.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium to be connected to a mobile communication terminal which is connected with a control unit of an agricultural crop harvester to be capable of data exchange therewith, the harvester having a tank for storing harvested crops and at least one sensor configured to determine a stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank and provide stored amount information,

wherein the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium records therein a program causing a computer to realize:

a stored amount calculation function that calculates, during a harvesting work while traveling of the harvester, a current stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank based on the stored amount information from the at least one sensor;

a communication function which receives drier operation information indicative of a drier operational status transmitted from a drying facility;

a drying amount determination function that determines a same-day dryable amount that can be carried into the drying facility to be dried on the same day as a harvest day;

a work management function that determines completion timing of a harvesting work by comparing the current stored amount with the same-day dryable amount; and

a notification function which notifies the completion timing.

10. An agricultural work management method implemented using a mobile communication terminal which is connected with a control unit of an agricultural crop harvester to be capable of data exchange therewith, the harvester having a tank for storing harvested crops and at least one sensor configured to determine a stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank and provide stored amount information, the method comprising:

receiving, by a sensor management module provided on the control unit of the agricultural crop harvester, the stored amount information from the at least one sensor;

calculating, by the sensor management module and during a harvesting work while traveling of the harvester, a current stored amount of harvested crops stored in the tank based on the stored amount information from the at least one sensor;

receiving, by a data processing module, drier operation information indicative of a drier operational status transmitted from a drying facility;

calculating a moisture content of harvested crops stored in the tank by the data processing module based on a signal from at least one gustatory sensor provided in the tank;

determining, by the data processing module, a same-day dryable amount that can be carried into the drying facility to be dried on the same day as a harvest day based on the drier operation information and the moisture content of the harvested crops;

determining, by the data processing module, completion timing of a harvesting work after comparing the current stored amount with the same-day dryable amount;

notifying the completion timing by a notification section provided on at least one of the mobile communication terminal and the agricultural crop harvester; and

drying the harvested crops at the drying facility based on the drier operation information and the moisture content of the harvested crops,

wherein the data processing module is provided on at least one of a) the mobile communication terminal, b) the control unit of the agricultural crop harvester, and c) a computer system provided outside the agricultural crop harvester and having communication function with the notification section.