Baler information system and method

• US 10,436,913 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company, Iowa State University Research Foundation Incorporated (Iowa State University)
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Lang, Eric R., Schlesser, Walter M., Askey, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilgendorf, Dale W
• Application Number:
  US15/589,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20170354092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 15/00 Baling presses for straw, hay or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 15/08 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 15/0875 Discharge devices
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3007 Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement

Abstract

A bale information system includes a baling machine configured to process a material into a bale, the baling machine including a sensor configured to measure a release of the bale from the baling machine, a global positioning system receiver in operable communication with the baling machine, and a data storage system operable to receive and store data from the global positioning system receiver.

Claims

1. A bale information system comprising:

a baling machine configured to process a material into a bale, the baling machine including a sensor configured to send a signal in response to a release of the bale from the baling machine;

a global positioning system receiver in operable communication with the baling machine;

a data storage system operable to receive and store data regarding at least one of a position of the baling machine or the bale from the global positioning system receiver; and

a processing system configured to assign a graphical bale identifier based at least in part on data from the global positioning system receiver and on the signal,

wherein the data storage system is operable to receive a user signal indicative of material that is discontinuous with a desired material.

2. The bale information system of claim 1, wherein the baling machine includes a second sensor, the second sensor configured to measure one of a moisture, a mass flow, or a yield of the material processed by the baling machine.

3. The bale information system of claim 2, wherein the data storage system is operable to receive and store data from the second sensor.

4. The bale information system of claim 1, wherein the data storage system is operable to store data from the global positioning system receiver in a chronological order.

5. The bale information system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote device configured to communicate with the data storage system and access data stored by the data storage system.

6. The bale information system of claim 5, wherein the remote device includes an interface to view the data.

7. The bale information system of claim 5, wherein the remote device includes a graphical interface configured to illustrate one or more aspects of the data.

8. The bale information system of claim 7, wherein the graphical interface is configured to graphically depict the bale position based at least in part on data from the global positioning system receiver.

9. The bale information system of claim 7, wherein the graphical interface is configured to graphically depict a bale orientation based at least in part on data from the global positioning system receiver.

10. The bale information system of claim 7, wherein the graphical interface is configured to graphically depict a baling machine travel path based at least in part on data from the global positioning system receiver.

11. The bale information system of claim 10, wherein the graphical interface is configured to graphically depict the baling machine travel path over a virtual map of an area associated with the travel path.

12. The bale information system of claim 1, wherein the material is an agricultural material.

13. The bale information system of claim 1, wherein the material is hay.

14. An information system for a baling machine, the information system comprising:

a global positioning system receiver configured to track a global position of the baling machine and at least one bales discharged from the baling machine;

a bale release sensor coupled to the baling machine, the bale release sensor configured to generate a signal in response to the release of the at least one bales discharged from the baling machine;

a data storage system operable to receive and store data from the global positioning system receiver relating to at least one of the position of the baling machine or the at least one bale and operable to receive and store a user signal indicative of material that is not representative of a desired agricultural material;

a processing system in operable communication with the data storage system and configured to assign a graphical bale identifier based at least in part on data from the global positioning system receiver and on the signal; and

a remote device in communication with the data storage system and operable to display at least the graphical bale identifier.

15. The information system of claim 14, wherein the remote device is configured to transform the data into a graphical depiction that illustrates at least a baling machine travel path and the position of the at least one bale based at least in part on data from the global positioning system receiver.

16. The information system of claim 14, wherein the remote device includes a plurality of remote devices, each of the plurality of remote devices in communication with the data storage system and operable to access data stored by the data storage system.

17. The information system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to assign a unique bale identifier in response to the signal indicating the release of the at least one bale generated by the bale release sensor, the bale identifier being stored by the data storage system.

18. The information system of claim 17, wherein the data storage system is configured to acquire the global position of the at least one bale in response to the signal generated by the bale release sensor indicating the release of the bale.