Raster-based contour swathing for guidance and variable-rate chemical application
First Claim
1. A method of guiding an agriculture sprayer vehicle including a motive component and a spray component with a spray boom having opposite ends and multiple spray nozzles mounted in spaced relation between said ends, said components being interconnected by a power hitch adapted for laterally shifting said working component relative to said motive component, which method comprises the steps of:
- providing an XY pixel grid corresponding to the area;
providing a raster-based database page comprising said XY pixel grid for said area;
providing a processor on the vehicle;
providing a GNSS guidance system connected to the processor on the vehicle;
receiving GNSS positioning signals with said guidance system;
providing said GNSS positioning signals as input to said processor;
computing GNSS-based positioning for said vehicle with said processor;
defining a GNSS-defined reference point on said area and storing the reference point coordinates with said processor;
computing X and Y pixel indices based on said GNSS-defined vehicle position in relation to said reference point with said processor;
treating portions of said area with said working component;
with said processor marking pixels in said treated area portions as treated;
guiding said vehicle over said area utilizing said treated pixel information;
defining additional raster-based XY pixel grid pages in said area;
expanding said database by tiling said pixel grid pages over said area;
generating X and Y scale factors for said database;
relating said X and Y scale factors to latitude and longitude respectively;
computing X and Y pixel indices based on the difference between current GNSS-defined position coordinates and the reference position coordinates;
creating with said processor a linear or multidimensional database comprising said pixel grid pages;
accessing with said processor said database;
marking pixels in said database as treated;
defining a swath coverage area with said working component ends forming opposite edges of said swath;
with said GNSS system and said processor seeking pixels in proximity to said swath edges;
with said GNSS system and said processor guiding said vehicle along said swath edges;
providing an autosteer system on said vehicle;
with said processor generating steering commands using the marked pixel information and said XY pixel page database;
outputting said steering commands to said autosteer system for automatically steering said vehicle over said area;
with said processor and said GNSS system laterally shifting said working component relative to said motive component for maintaining said working component generally within said swath;
computing an application map for said area corresponding to treatments of pixels therein with said working component;
guiding said vehicle with said application map while treating said pixels; and
detecting a vehicle direction of travel with said GNSS system;
walking up the pixels in the vehicle direction of travel to a target pixel;
testing pixels in multiple scans alongside said vehicle path for treated conditions based on a swath width of said working component;
guiding said vehicle towards said target pixel using said treated condition pixel information alongside said vehicle path;
testing multiple distances ahead for treated pixels;
detecting a curve condition defined by treated pixels;
guiding said vehicle alongside said curve using said treated pixel information;
preprogramming said processor with variables corresponding to vehicle performance dynamics;
determining altitudes of said pixels with said GNSS system; and
adjusting guidance and steering for vehicle slippage, sloping surface chemical spray patterns and crop heights using said vehicle performance dynamics and said pixel altitudes.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A raster-based system for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) guidance includes a vehicle-mounted GNSS antenna and receiver. A processor provides guidance and/or autosteering commands based on GNSS-defined pixels forming a grid representing an area to be treated, such as a field. Specific guidance and chemical application methods are provided based on the pixel-defined treatment areas and preprogrammed chemical application prescription maps, which can include variable chemical application rates and dynamic control of the individual nozzles of a sprayer.
-
Citations
1 Claim
-
1. A method of guiding an agriculture sprayer vehicle including a motive component and a spray component with a spray boom having opposite ends and multiple spray nozzles mounted in spaced relation between said ends, said components being interconnected by a power hitch adapted for laterally shifting said working component relative to said motive component, which method comprises the steps of:
-
providing an XY pixel grid corresponding to the area; providing a raster-based database page comprising said XY pixel grid for said area; providing a processor on the vehicle; providing a GNSS guidance system connected to the processor on the vehicle; receiving GNSS positioning signals with said guidance system; providing said GNSS positioning signals as input to said processor; computing GNSS-based positioning for said vehicle with said processor; defining a GNSS-defined reference point on said area and storing the reference point coordinates with said processor; computing X and Y pixel indices based on said GNSS-defined vehicle position in relation to said reference point with said processor; treating portions of said area with said working component; with said processor marking pixels in said treated area portions as treated; guiding said vehicle over said area utilizing said treated pixel information; defining additional raster-based XY pixel grid pages in said area; expanding said database by tiling said pixel grid pages over said area; generating X and Y scale factors for said database; relating said X and Y scale factors to latitude and longitude respectively; computing X and Y pixel indices based on the difference between current GNSS-defined position coordinates and the reference position coordinates; creating with said processor a linear or multidimensional database comprising said pixel grid pages; accessing with said processor said database; marking pixels in said database as treated; defining a swath coverage area with said working component ends forming opposite edges of said swath; with said GNSS system and said processor seeking pixels in proximity to said swath edges; with said GNSS system and said processor guiding said vehicle along said swath edges; providing an autosteer system on said vehicle; with said processor generating steering commands using the marked pixel information and said XY pixel page database; outputting said steering commands to said autosteer system for automatically steering said vehicle over said area; with said processor and said GNSS system laterally shifting said working component relative to said motive component for maintaining said working component generally within said swath; computing an application map for said area corresponding to treatments of pixels therein with said working component; guiding said vehicle with said application map while treating said pixels; and detecting a vehicle direction of travel with said GNSS system; walking up the pixels in the vehicle direction of travel to a target pixel; testing pixels in multiple scans alongside said vehicle path for treated conditions based on a swath width of said working component; guiding said vehicle towards said target pixel using said treated condition pixel information alongside said vehicle path; testing multiple distances ahead for treated pixels; detecting a curve condition defined by treated pixels; guiding said vehicle alongside said curve using said treated pixel information; preprogramming said processor with variables corresponding to vehicle performance dynamics; determining altitudes of said pixels with said GNSS system; and adjusting guidance and steering for vehicle slippage, sloping surface chemical spray patterns and crop heights using said vehicle performance dynamics and said pixel altitudes.
-
Specification