US 12,433,184 B2
Method for performing driving route optimization
Alexander Grever, Osnabrück (DE); Hannes Mählmann-Dunker, Neuenkirchen (DE); and Stefan Haverkamp, Ostbevern (DE)
Assigned to KRONE AGRICULTURAL SE, Spelle (DE); and LEMKEN GMBH & CO. KG, Alpen (DE)
Filed by Krone Agriculture SE, Spelle (DE); and Lemken GmbH & Co. KG, Alpen (DE)
Filed on Mar. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/183,598.
Claims priority of application No. 102022105922.7 (DE), filed on Mar. 14, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0284549 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. A01B 69/04 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01)
CPC A01B 69/008 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0219 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling at least one agricultural machine engaged in cultivation with a computer system in communication with the agricultural machine that controls routes in field cultivation automatically, wherein in each cultivation step a predefined cultivation area is driven through by an agricultural machine in accordance with a driving route (F1-F5) containing a plurality of parallel lanes (S1-S5), wherein the driving route (F1-F5) is able to be characterized by an orientation (A1-A2) of the lanes (S1-S5), a positioning (P1-P4) that defines positions of all of the lanes (S1-S5), and an order (R1-R5) in which the lanes (S1-S5) are driven through, wherein the orientation (A1-A2) is the same for all cultivation steps, the method comprising the following steps:
controlling the at least one agricultural machine in cultivating a field with the computer system to provide an automatic optimization of the order (R1-R5) for each of a plurality of combinations of in each case, an orientation (A1, A2) and a positioning (P1-P4) by ascertaining, from a plurality of orders (R1-R5), an order (Ropt) that is optimum for this combination in accordance with a defined optimization criterion for performing driving route optimization for field cultivation, wherein in each case combinations with corresponding orientation are taken as a basis for all cultivation steps;
automatically controlling the at least one agricultural machine in cultivating a field with the computer system to provide an automatic optimization of the driving routes (F1-F5) for each cultivation step by ascertaining, from the plurality of combinations, incorporating the optimum order (Ropt) ascertained for the respective combination, a combination that is optimum in accordance with the optimization criterion and that corresponds to an optimum driving route (Fopt) for this cultivation step, wherein the orientation (A1-A2) of the optimum driving routes (Fopt) is the same for all cultivation steps; and
automatically controlling the at least one agricultural machine in cultivating a field with the computer system to provide in with generated control data (D) for controlling at least one agricultural machine during each of the cultivation steps, wherein the control data represent the optimum driving route (Fopt), wherein the optimization criterion takes into consideration each of the cultivation steps, such that the driving route (F1-F5) for the respective cultivation step is optimized on the basis of all cultivation steps.