Controlling ground engaging elements based on images

• US 10,165,725 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Sugumaran, Ramanathan, Anderson, Noel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brushaber, Frederick M
• Application Number:
  US15/281,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20180092295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 14/00 Methods or apparatus for planting not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/007 Determining fertilization requirements
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/007 Metering or regulating systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

An agricultural machine has a communication component configured to receive a first data set and a second data set. The first and second data sets comprise indications of a soil parameter of a worksite. The first data set is captured at an earlier time than the second data set. The agricultural machine also has a controller configured to receive the first and second data sets and, based on the first and second data sets, generate a map of the worksite. The agricultural machine also has a controllable subsystem configured to receive a control signal from the controller. The control signal is generated based on both a position of the agricultural machine within the worksite and the generated map. The control signal is configured to control operator of the controllable subsystem.

Claims

1. A mobile machine comprising:

map generator logic configured to receive a first data set and a second data set, wherein the first and second data sets comprise indications of a soil parameter of a worksite, wherein the soil parameter comprises soil temperature, and wherein the first data set is captured at an earlier time than the second data set and, based on the first and second data sets, generate a soil temperature map of the worksite;

a controllable subsystem;

a controller configured to generate a control signal based on both a position of the agricultural machine within the worksite and the generated soil temperature map; and

a control system configured to control the controllable subsystem based on the control signal.

2. The mobile machine of claim 1, and further comprising:

a sensor sensing, as the soil parameter, snow depth at various locations on the worksite.

3. The mobile machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to estimate soil moisture based on the snow depth indicated by the first and second data sets.

4. The mobile machine of claim 3, wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a ground engaging implement and wherein the control signal controls a depth of engagement of the ground engaging implement based on the estimated soil moisture.

5. The mobile machine of claim 4, wherein the first and second data sets are sensed by an image capture component on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and further comprising:

a communication component configured to receive the first and second data sets from the UAV.

6. The mobile machine of claim 5, wherein the image capture component comprises a camera, and the first and second data sets comprise image data, captured by the camera, corresponding to the worksite.

7. The mobile machine of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to generate a third data set, wherein the third data set is an estimated future soil parameter value, the controller generating the control signal based on the estimated future soil parameter value.

8. The mobile machine of claim 4, wherein the controllable subsystem comprises:

a depth control system on a planting machine that controls a planting depth.

9. The mobile machine of claim 3, wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a chemical applicator, and wherein the control signal comprises an application rate control system that controls an application rate for the chemical applicator.

10. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the map generator logic generates the soil temperature map by accessing a priori knowledge about the worksite to generate the soil parameter from the first and second data sets.

11. A method of adjusting a controllable subsystem on a mobile vehicle comprising:

receiving a first image of a worksite, captured at a first time;

receiving a second image of the worksite, captured at a second time, wherein the second time is different from the first time;

generating, using a processor, a differential soil parameter map of the worksite, wherein the differential soil parameter map is generated by analyzing the first and second images and deriving soil parameter information for the worksite;

generating a prescription for controlling a controllable subsystem, based on the differential map, wherein the prescription prescribes operation of the controllable subsystem within the worksite;

generating a control signal based on the prescription and based on a location of the mobile machine in the worksite; and

controlling the controllable subsystem based on the control signal.

12. The method of claim 11, and further comprising:

identifying a soil temperature at the worksite, wherein generating the prescription comprises generating the prescription for controlling the controllable subsystem based on the identified soil temperature.

13. The method of claim 11, and further comprising:

identifying a change in snow depth at the worksite based on the first and second images.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating a differential soil parameter map comprises:

estimating a soil moisture based on the identified change in snow depth; and

generating a soil moisture map for the worksite based on the estimated soil moisture.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a depth control mechanism on a soil engaging implement and wherein generating the control signal comprises:

generating the control signal to control the depth control mechanism.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a chemical applicator, and generating the control signal comprises:

generating the control signal to control an application rate for the chemical applicator.

17. A method for generating a route for a mobile vehicle through a worksite, the method comprising:

receiving a geo-referenced indication of a soil moisture content for the worksite;

receiving a route specification corresponding to the mobile vehicle, wherein the route specification comprises a start point and an endpoint;

identifying suitable route information based on the geo-referenced indication of soil moisture content and a machine parameter indicative of a machine characteristic that affects an ability of the mobile vehicle to traverse soil based on soil moisture;

generating the route based on the suitable route information and the route specification; and

controlling the mobile vehicle to navigate through the worksite based on the generated route.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein surfacing a user notification comprises:

identifying suggested modifications to the route specification; and

prompting the user to modify the route specification using the suggested modifications.