Vision guidance system and method for identifying the position of crop rows in a field
First Claim
1. A method of identifying crop rows in a field comprising:
- collecting, via an imaging unit coupled to a data processor, image data comprising a template scan line profile representative of a known relationship between the imaging unit and a reference crop row, the template scan line profile comprising a series of mean intensity vectors associated with a desired minimum degree of variation between a minimum mean scan line intensity and a maximum scan line intensity;
defining a candidate scan line profile for a corresponding heading and pitch of directional movement associated with the imaging unit and relative to the reference crop row;
searching for a preferential scan line profile in an angular search space about the candidate scan line profile;
identifying the candidate scan line profile as a preferential scan line profile and a selected one dimensional position data as a preliminary row position if the candidate scan line profile is consistent with a template scan line profile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of identifying a position of a crop row in a field, where an image of two or more crop rows is transmitted to a vision data processor. The vision data processor defines a candidate scan line profile for a corresponding heading and pitch associated with a directional movement of a vehicle, for example, traversing the two or more crop rows. The candidate scan line profile comprises an array of vector quantities, where each vector quantity comprises an intensity value and a corresponding position datum. A preferential scan line profile in a search space about the candidate scan line profile is determined, and the candidate scan line profile is identified as a preferential scan line profile for estimating a position (e.g., peak variation) of one or more crop rows if a variation in the intensity level of the candidate scan line profile exceeds a threshold variation value. In addition, a template scan line profile may be utilized, where a candidate scan line profile is identified to be a preferential scan line profile if it is consistent with the template scan line profile.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of identifying crop rows in a field comprising:
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collecting, via an imaging unit coupled to a data processor, image data comprising a template scan line profile representative of a known relationship between the imaging unit and a reference crop row, the template scan line profile comprising a series of mean intensity vectors associated with a desired minimum degree of variation between a minimum mean scan line intensity and a maximum scan line intensity; defining a candidate scan line profile for a corresponding heading and pitch of directional movement associated with the imaging unit and relative to the reference crop row; searching for a preferential scan line profile in an angular search space about the candidate scan line profile; identifying the candidate scan line profile as a preferential scan line profile and a selected one dimensional position data as a preliminary row position if the candidate scan line profile is consistent with a template scan line profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for identifying crop rows in a field comprising:
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a processor; and a memory unit communicatively connected to the processor and including; computer code for collecting image data comprising a template scan line profile representative of a known relationship between an imaging unit and a reference crop row, the template scan line profile comprising a series of mean intensity vectors associated with a desired minimum degree of variation between a minimum mean scan line intensity and a maximum scan line intensity; computer code for defining a candidate scan line profile for a corresponding heading and pitch of directional movement associated with the imaging unit and relative to the reference crop row; computer code for searching for a preferential scan line profile in an angular search space about the candidate scan line profile; and computer code for identifying the candidate scan line profile as a preferential scan line profile and a selected one dimensional position data as a preliminary row position if the candidate scan line profile is consistent with a template scan line profile. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, for identifying crop rows in a field comprising:
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computer code for collecting image data comprising a template scan line profile representative of a known relationship between an imaging unit and a reference crop row, the template scan line profile comprising a series of mean intensity vectors associated with a desired minimum degree of variation between a minimum mean scan line intensity and a maximum scan line intensity; computer code for defining a candidate scan line profile for a corresponding heading and pitch of directional movement associated with the imaging unit and relative to the reference crop row; computer code for searching for a preferential scan line profile in an angular search space about the candidate scan line profile; and computer code for identifying the candidate scan line profile as a preferential scan line profile and a selected one dimensional position data as a preliminary row position if the candidate scan line profile is consistent with a template scan line profile.
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22. A system for identifying crop rows in a field comprising:
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an imaging unit, coupled to a data processor, configured to collect image data comprising a template scan line profile representative of a known relationship between an imaging unit and a reference crop row, the template scan line profile comprising a series of mean intensity vectors associated with a desired minimum degree of variation between a minimum mean scan line intensity and a maximum scan line intensity; an imaging unit interface configured to receive the collected image data; a definer communicatively connected to the imaging unit interface configured to define a candidate scan line profile for a corresponding heading and pitch of an imaging unit, the candidate scan line profile comprising an array of vector quantities, each vector quantity comprising an intensity value and a corresponding one-dimensional position data; a search engine configured to search for a preferential scan line profile in an angular search space about the candidate scan line profile, the search space defined by the corresponding pitch and heading of the imaging unit;
the search engine identifying the candidate scan line profile as a preferential scan line profile and the selected one dimensional position data as a preliminary row position if the candidate scan line profile is consistent with a template scan line profile; anda control port configured to output directional movement instructions to a vehicle steering controller, the directional movement instructions derived from the preferential scan line profile and being associated with the imaging unit and relative to the reference crop row.
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Specification