Residue monitoring and residue-based control

• US 9,282,688 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Casper, Robert T., Theilen, Ricky B., Schweitzer, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US14/262,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20150305224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 17/002 Means for putting manure, debris, straw or the like under the soil to plough-in weeds A01B39/18
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 33/16 with special additional arrangements A01B49/00 takes precedence; for sowing or fertilising A01B49/06
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 41/06 with electric, e.g. photo-electric control of thinning operations
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/28 operated by the machine or implement
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/00 Methods for working soil
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and a control system are described for controlling operations involving residue. The method includes executing a first operation on a field with an implement resulting in residue on the field. A first image is captured with a camera assembly of an area of the field that is ahead of or behind the implement. The first image is analyzed to determine an indicator of residue coverage on the field. A subsequent operation on the field is executed, one or more aspects of which are controlled based upon the determined indicator of residue coverage.

Claims

1. A method for residue management with an agricultural implement including at least one camera assembly, the method comprising:

executing an operation on a field with the implement, the operation resulting in residue on the field;

capturing, with the at least one camera assembly, a first image of an area of the field when the area is ahead of the implement;

capturing, with the at least one camera assembly, a second image of the area of the field when the area is behind the implement;

analyzing the first and second images, by one or more computing devices, to determine one or more indicators of residue coverage on the area of the field;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, an effect of the operation on residue coverage of the field, based upon the determined one or more indicators; and

controlling, by the one or more computing devices, one or more aspects of a subsequent operation on the field based upon the determined one or more indicators.

2. A method for residue management for an agricultural implement with at least one camera assembly, the method comprising:

executing a first operation on a field with the implement, the first operation resulting in residue on the field;

capturing, with the at least one camera assembly, a first image of an area of the field that is ahead of the implement and a second image of an area of the field that is behind the implement;

analyzing the first and second images, by one or more computing devices, to acquire and compare residue information from each of the first and second images to determine an indicator of residue coverage on the field;

executing a subsequent operation on the field; and

controlling, by the one or more computing devices, one or more aspects of the subsequent operation based upon, at least in part, the determined indicator of residue coverage.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subsequent operation utilizes a different implement and does not form part of a continuous series of operations with the first operation.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

associating the indicator of residue coverage with a location of the implement on the field; and

controlling the one or more aspects of the subsequent operation further based upon, at least in part, the location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the implement is a tillage implement having a plurality of ground-engaging tillage tools;

wherein the first operation includes a first portion of a tillage operation on the field;

wherein the subsequent operation includes a second portion of the tillage operation on the field; and

wherein controlling the one or more aspects of the subsequent operation includes adjusting at least one of a depth and a down-pressure of at least one of the plurality of tillage tools based upon the determined indicator of residue coverage.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the determined indicator of residue coverage includes an indicator of percent coverage.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the determined indicator of residue coverage includes an indicator of residue size.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one camera assembly includes at least one of a stereo image camera assembly and an infrared camera system.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein a portion of the field included in the second image is also included in the first image.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more computing devices determine a first indicator of residue coverage of the area of the field associated with the first image and a second indicator of residue coverage of the area of the field associated with the second image;

and

wherein the one or more computing devices compare the first and second indicators of residue coverage to determine a change in residue coverage.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one camera assembly includes an aft camera and a forward camera spaced from the aft camera in a direction of travel of the implement.

12. A control system for operation of one or more agricultural operations on a field with residue, the control system comprising:

a camera assembly including a first camera and a second camera spaced from the first camera in a direction of travel of a tillage implement;

one or more processor devices in communication with the camera assembly; and

one or more memory architectures coupled with the one or more processor devices;

wherein the one or more processor devices are configured to;

identify the execution of a first tillage operation on the field with the tillage implement, the first operation resulting in residue on the field;

cause the camera assembly to capture first and second images of first and second areas of the field that are ahead of and behind the tillage implement;

analyze the first and second images to determine an indicator of residue coverage on the field;

identify the execution of a subsequent operation on the field; and

control one or more aspects of the subsequent operation on the field based upon, at least in part, the determined indicator of residue coverage.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein the subsequent operation utilizes a different implement and does not form part of a continuous series of operations with the first operation.

14. The control system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processor devices are further configured to:

associate the indicator of residue coverage with a location of the tillage implement on the field; and

control the one or more aspects of the subsequent operation further based upon, at least in part, the location.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the tillage implement includes a plurality of ground-engaging tillage tools;

wherein the first operation includes a first portion of a tillage operation on the field;

wherein the subsequent operation includes a second portion of the tillage operation on the field; and

wherein controlling the one or more aspects of the subsequent operation includes adjusting at least one of a depth and a down-pressure of at least one of the plurality of tillage tools based upon the determined indicator of residue coverage.

16. The control system of claim 12, wherein the determined indicator of residue coverage includes an indicator of percent coverage.

17. The control system of claim 12, wherein the determined indicator of residue coverage includes an indicator of residue size.

18. The control system of claim 12, wherein the camera assembly is at least one of a stereo image camera assembly and an infrared camera system.

19. The control system of claim 12, wherein a portion of the field included in the second image is also included in the first image.

20. The control system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processor devices determine a first indicator of residue coverage of the area of the field associated with the first image and a second indicator of residue coverage of the area of the field associated with the second image;

and

wherein the one or more processor devices compare the first and second indicators of residue coverage to determine a change in residue coverage.