Guidance assist system for agricultural machines
First Claim
1. Guidance assist apparatus for directing the lateral movement of an agricultural machine relative to the edge of a severed crop comprising:
- optical sensing means for producing a signal in response to the intensity of the reflected illumination from the crop material in view thereof,scanning means disposed relative to said optical sensing means for providing thereto periodic scans of the crop material preceding the machine wherein said periodic scans include the severed crop edge and wherein the signal from said optical sensing means will change in response to the intensity of the reflected illumination from the crop and severed crop material as the severed crop edge is scanned thereby resulting in a discontinuity in the output signal therefrom,circuit means coupled to said optical sensing means for providing an error signal representative of the deviation of the discontinuity in the output signal of said optical sensing means from a predetermined point in the scan, andutilization means responsive to said error signal for directing the lateral movement of the machine so that said error signal reduces toward zero.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A guidance assist system is mounted on an agricultural machine for directing the lateral movement thereof with respect to the severed edge of the crop material being harvested thereby. The crop, including the severed edge, is periodically, optically, scanned and an output signal, in response to the reflected illumination therefrom, is generated having a discontinuity therein representative of the severed crop edge. The deviation of this discontinuity from a predetermined point along the scan is determined by the apparatus and an error signal representative thereof is coupled to the utilization means for directing the lateral movement of the agricultural machine such that the error signal is reduced towards zero.
26 Citations
11 Claims
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1. Guidance assist apparatus for directing the lateral movement of an agricultural machine relative to the edge of a severed crop comprising:
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optical sensing means for producing a signal in response to the intensity of the reflected illumination from the crop material in view thereof, scanning means disposed relative to said optical sensing means for providing thereto periodic scans of the crop material preceding the machine wherein said periodic scans include the severed crop edge and wherein the signal from said optical sensing means will change in response to the intensity of the reflected illumination from the crop and severed crop material as the severed crop edge is scanned thereby resulting in a discontinuity in the output signal therefrom, circuit means coupled to said optical sensing means for providing an error signal representative of the deviation of the discontinuity in the output signal of said optical sensing means from a predetermined point in the scan, and utilization means responsive to said error signal for directing the lateral movement of the machine so that said error signal reduces toward zero. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification