US 12,262,659 B2
System and method of assisted or automated grain unload synchronization
Martin Peter Christiansen, Randers (DK); and Ramon Buchaca Tarragona, Randers (DK)
Assigned to AGCO International GmbH, Neuhausen (CH)
Filed by AGCO International GmbH, Neuhausen (CH)
Filed on Jul. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/377,331.
Claims priority of application No. 2011034 (GB), filed on Jul. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0018702 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. A01D 41/12 (2006.01); A01D 34/00 (2006.01); A01D 41/127 (2006.01); A01D 90/10 (2006.01); G01F 23/292 (2006.01); G01S 17/06 (2006.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01)
CPC A01D 41/1217 (2013.01) [A01D 34/008 (2013.01); A01D 41/1278 (2013.01); A01D 90/10 (2013.01); G01F 23/292 (2013.01); G01S 17/06 (2013.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an agricultural harvester comprising:
a crop processor for separating grain from material other than grain;
a grain tank for storing clean grain;
an unload conveyor for transferring a stream of processed crop out of the harvester; and
an electromagnetic detecting and ranging module positioned above the grain tank and configured to:
scan an inside of the grain tank and at least a portion of a receiving vehicle; and
based at least partially on the scan of the inside of the grain tank, generate point cloud data representing points on surfaces within a scan area of the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module; and
one or more computing devices comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the one or more computing devices to:
receive the point cloud data from the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module;
based at least partially on the received point cloud data, determine a fill level of the grain tank by comparing the received point cloud data to a point cloud data representing an empty tank;
based at least partially on the received point could data, determine a location of the receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester by identifying a flat surface depicted in the received point cloud data and identifying one or more additional features of the receiving vehicle; and
use the received point cloud data and the determined location of the receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester to generate graphic data defining a graphical representation illustrating the relative positions of the unload conveyor and a grain bin of the receiving vehicle; and
an electronic device including a graphical user interface, the electronic device configured to use the graphic data to present the graphical representation on the graphical user interface.