HARVESTER WITH A SENSOR MOUNTED ON AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20120029732A1
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Meyer, Axel Roland
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/085 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 75/185 Avoiding collisions with obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms

Abstract

A sensor for monitoring a plant population in front of a harvester and a transfer process of the crop from the harvester to a transport vehicle is arranged on an unmanned aircraft. The aircraft moves in the vicinity of the harvester in the harvesting mode and communicates in a wireless fashion with a control unit that controls an actuator for influencing an operating parameter of the harvester and/or the transport vehicle (in real time based on signals of the sensor in the harvesting mode.

Claims

1. An assembly for a harvester the assembly comprising:

least one sensor for monitoring a plant population in front of the harvester and a transfer process of the crop from the harvester to a transport vehicle;

a control unit designed such that it controls an actuator for influencing an operating parameter of the harvester or the transport vehicle in real time based on signals of the sensor in the harvesting mode, wherein the sensor is mounted on an unmanned aircraft that is designed for moving in the vicinity of the harvester in the harvesting mode and for communicating with the control unit in a wireless fashion.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the actuator serves for adjusting the position of a transferring device of the harvester, or for controlling the position of a transport vehicle relative to the harvester.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is capable of planning the route to be driven by the harvester over a field based on the signals of the sensor.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is capable of planning the route to be driven by the harvester in such a way that it is possible to drive around movable and immovable obstacles and areas of a field that are not suitable for harvesting during the harvest and while driving to the field.

5. The assembly according to claims 1 wherein the control unit is situated aboard the harvester or aboard the aircraft or respectively situated in part aboard the harvester and in part aboard the aircraft.

6. The assembly according to claims 1 wherein the sensor comprises a camera, or an optical spectrometer, or a scanning range finder that operates with optical or acoustic waves.

7. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the aircraft is equipped with a flight control that is capable of independently controlling the flight path of the aircraft, particularly based on control signals of the control unit.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the flight control is capable of controlling the flight path based on signals of a satellite-based positioning system or an inertial navigation system, or signals of a sensor that comprises a camera and a range finder.

9. The assembly according to claim, 1 wherein the aircraft is equipped with a transmitting and receiving device that serves as a relay station and allows, a time-delayed or synchronous communication between a transmitting and receiving device of the harvester and/or the transport vehicle and a remote station.

10. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the aircraft consists of a rotary-wing aircraft such as, for example, a helicopter, a gyrocopter or a quadrocopter.

11. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the actuator is configured for controlling the driving speed of the harvester or for controlling the speed of a driving motor of the harvester.

12. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the actuator is configured for steering the harvester.

13. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the actuator is configured for adjusting an operating parameter of a crop-conveying device and/or crop-processing device of the harvester.