Harvester and method using an RFID system for detecting and locating objects and conditions along a harvesting path
First Claim
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1. A harvester for agricultural products, comprising:
- a movable frame and harvesting apparatus connected to the movable frame and configured to move with the movable frame along agricultural products bearing plants, the harvesting apparatus including at least one movable member, and a drive controllably operable and configured to drivingly move the at least one member to exert forces against the agricultural products bearing plants to release at least some of the agricultural products therefrom;
an RFID system including a first device carried on or adjacent to a leading end of the frame relative to a direction of travel and a second device carried on or adjacent to a trailing end of the frame relative to the direction of travel, wherein the first device is configured to automatically detect a signal emitted by an RFID tag present within an RFID detecting range of the first device in a manner to determine a first presence and location of an object or condition associated with the RFID tag relative to the at least one movable member of the harvesting apparatus, the second device is configured to automatically detect the signal emitted by the RFID tag present within an RFID detecting range of the second device in a manner to determine a second presence and location of the object or condition associated with the RFID tag, the RFID system is connected to a controller operatively connected to the drive, the controller is configured to automatically control the drive in response to the determined first presence and location of the object or condition associated with the RFID tag to reduce or interrupt movement of the at least one member while the at least one member is positioned to contact the object or condition, and the controller is configured to automatically control the drive in response to the determined second presence and location of the object or condition associated with the RFID tag to increase or resume the movement of the at least one member.
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Abstract
A harvester for agricultural products such as fruits such as grapes, berries, vegetables, and the like, and method of harvesting, using an RFID system capable of detecting and interrogating RFID tags associated with objects or conditions along a path of the harvester in a manner to determine both presence and location of the associated object or condition, to enable responsively adapting or altering the operation of harvesting apparatus in a predetermined manner, such as by reducing or interrupting forces exerted thereby when about or proximate the object or condition.
12 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A harvester for agricultural products, comprising:
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a movable frame and harvesting apparatus connected to the movable frame and configured to move with the movable frame along agricultural products bearing plants, the harvesting apparatus including at least one movable member, and a drive controllably operable and configured to drivingly move the at least one member to exert forces against the agricultural products bearing plants to release at least some of the agricultural products therefrom; an RFID system including a first device carried on or adjacent to a leading end of the frame relative to a direction of travel and a second device carried on or adjacent to a trailing end of the frame relative to the direction of travel, wherein the first device is configured to automatically detect a signal emitted by an RFID tag present within an RFID detecting range of the first device in a manner to determine a first presence and location of an object or condition associated with the RFID tag relative to the at least one movable member of the harvesting apparatus, the second device is configured to automatically detect the signal emitted by the RFID tag present within an RFID detecting range of the second device in a manner to determine a second presence and location of the object or condition associated with the RFID tag, the RFID system is connected to a controller operatively connected to the drive, the controller is configured to automatically control the drive in response to the determined first presence and location of the object or condition associated with the RFID tag to reduce or interrupt movement of the at least one member while the at least one member is positioned to contact the object or condition, and the controller is configured to automatically control the drive in response to the determined second presence and location of the object or condition associated with the RFID tag to increase or resume the movement of the at least one member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A harvesting system for agricultural products having a RFID capability for detecting objects and conditions along a path of movement of the harvester while harvesting, comprising:
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a frame configured for movement along the path; harvesting apparatus connected to the frame for movement therewith along the path while straddling at least one agricultural products bearing plant on the path, the harvesting apparatus including at least one shaker member and a drive configured and operable to forcibly move the at least one shaker member against the at least one products bearing plant when straddled by the harvesting apparatus for releasing at least some of the agricultural products therefrom; an RFID system including a first device carried on or adjacent to a leading end of the frame relative to a direction of travel and a second device carried on or adjacent to a trailing end of the frame relative to the direction of travel, wherein the first device is configured to automatically detect and interrogate a signal emitted by an RFID tag present along the path in relation to an associated object or condition along the path to determine a first presence and location of the object or condition, and the second device is configured to automatically detect and interrogate the signal emitted by the RFID tag present along the path in relation to the associated object or condition along the path to determine a second presence and location of the object or condition; and a controller connected to the RFID system and the drive, wherein the controller is configured to automatically control the drive in response to the determined first presence of the object or condition to reduce or interrupt the forcible movements of the at least one shaker member while the object or condition is straddled by the harvesting apparatus, and the controller is configured to automatically control the drive in response to the determined second presence of the object or condition to increase or resume the forcible movements of the at least one shaker member while the object or condition is straddled by the harvesting apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification