US 12,439,852 B2
Harverster systems and methods for automated and semi-automated filling of groups of receiving vehicles
Martin Peter Christiansen, Randers (DK); Esma Mujkic, Randers (DK); Ramon Buchaca Tarragona, Randers (DK); Morten Stigaard Laursen, Randers (DK); Kenneth Düring Jensen, Randers (DK); and Morten Leth Bilde, Langaa (DK)
Assigned to AGCO International GmbH, Neuhausen (CH)
Filed by AGCO International GmbH, Neuhausen (CH)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/931,728.
Claims priority of application No. 2114576 (GB), filed on Oct. 12, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0114174 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. A01D 41/127 (2006.01); A01D 41/12 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01)
CPC A01D 41/1278 (2013.01) [A01D 41/1217 (2013.01); G05D 1/0236 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more cameras, configured to capture image data of a group of receiving vehicles and one or more vehicles moving the group of receiving vehicles near a harvester;
a LIDAR system, configured to:
scan in coordinates of respective parts of the group of receiving vehicles and the vehicle(s);
scan in coordinates of respective distributions of crop material in each receiving vehicle of the group of receiving vehicles; and
scan a crop material flow expelled from a spout of a discharge chute of the harvester; and
a computing system, configured to:
based on the scan of the crop material flow by the LIDAR system, determine an arc formed by the crop material flow;
determine a crop material path by extrapolating points along the arc formed by the crop material flow;
determine boundary parameters of a bin of a selected receiving vehicle of the group of receiving vehicles based on:
(i) a receiving vehicle parts subset of the scanned in coordinates of the parts of the group of receiving vehicles, associated with parts of the selected receiving vehicle, and
(ii) a receiving vehicle crop distribution subset of the scanned in coordinates of the distributions of crop material of the group of receiving vehicles, associated with a crop distribution of the selected receiving vehicle;
process the captured image data to detect the group of receiving vehicles and the vehicle(s) moving the group of receiving vehicles and detect a location of the selected receiving vehicle and respective locations of other receiving vehicles in the group of receiving vehicles relative to the harvester;
compare the determined boundary parameters to the processed image data to validate and augment the determined boundary parameters;
determine an inner surface of the bin of the selected receiving vehicle within the validated and augmented boundary parameters; and
determine a landing point of the expelled crop material flow by curve fitting the determined crop material path to a point of intersection with the determined inner surface; and
process information determined by the computing system to generate a graphical representation of the processed information or to provide feedback to a control system of the harvester or the vehicle(s) moving the group of receiving vehicles, wherein the processed information comprises the determined crop material path, the determined boundary parameters, the determined inner surface, and the determined landing point.