US 12,302,781 B2
Method for controlling the operation of a machine for harvesting root crop
Daniel Bösenberg, Emsdetten (DE); and Wolfram Strothmann, Osnabrück (DE)
Assigned to Grimme Landmaschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, Damme (DE)
Appl. No. 17/286,877
Filed by Grimme Landmaschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, Damme (DE)
PCT Filed Nov. 5, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/080264
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 20, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/094655, PCT Pub. Date May 14, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2018 127 845.4 (DE), filed on Nov. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0378170 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. G06V 10/20 (2022.01); A01D 33/04 (2006.01); G06V 10/56 (2022.01); G06V 20/10 (2022.01); A01D 33/00 (2006.01); G06V 20/68 (2022.01)
CPC A01D 33/04 (2013.01) [G06V 10/255 (2022.01); G06V 10/56 (2022.01); G06V 20/10 (2022.01); A01D 2033/005 (2013.01); G06V 20/68 (2022.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling the operation of a machine for at least one of harvesting root crop and separating root crop from the rest of the harvested material comprising extraneous materials, the method comprising the steps of:
capturing, with a first optical image-capturing unit, a first test image of at least one part of the harvested material which is moved along relative to a machine frame by means of a first conveyor element leaving a separating device of the machine, wherein the first optical image-capturing unit is fixed on the machine above the first conveyor element and is directed at the first conveyor element and a stream of harvested material which is located between the first optical image-capturing units and the first conveyor element during operation of the machine;
generating test data using the first test image or by the first test image by at least one of the first optical image-capturing unit and an evaluation device;
capturing, with a second optical image-capturing unit, a second test image of at least a second part of the harvested material which is moved away from the separating device relative to the machine frame by means of a second conveyor element;
generating second test data using the second test image or by the second test image by at least one of the second optical image-capturing unit and the evaluation device; and
automatically generating, on the basis of the first test image and the second test image, a separating device setting signal for automatically setting at least one operating parameter of the separating device of the machine, wherein the operating parameter defines how forcefully the machine separates root crops from the extraneous materials, and
wherein the root crop leaves the separating device on the first conveyor element and the extraneous materials leave the separating device via a path that is different than the first conveyor element, and
wherein the first test data indicates an amount of extraneous material positioned on the first conveyor element leaving the separating device.