US 12,477,983 B2
System and method of assisted or automated grain unload synchronization
Martin Peter Christiansen, Randers (DK); Ramon Buchaca Tarragona, Randers (DK); and Dan Hermann, Randers (DK)
Assigned to AGCO International GmbH, Neuhausen (CH)
Filed by AGCO International GmbH, Neuhausen (CH)
Filed on Jul. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/377,292.
Claims priority of application No. 2011024 (GB), filed on Jul. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0015288 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. A01D 41/127 (2006.01); A01D 41/12 (2006.01); A01D 90/10 (2006.01); G01F 23/292 (2006.01); G01S 13/42 (2006.01); G01S 13/89 (2006.01); G01S 17/42 (2006.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01)
CPC A01D 41/127 (2013.01) [A01D 41/1217 (2013.01); A01D 90/10 (2013.01); G01F 23/292 (2013.01); G01S 13/42 (2013.01); G01S 13/89 (2013.01); G01S 17/42 (2013.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an agricultural harvester comprising:
a crop processor for reducing crop material to processed crop;
an unload conveyor for transferring a stream of processed crop out of the agricultural harvester;
a first electromagnetic detecting and ranging module for detecting the location of a receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester; and
a second electromagnetic detecting and ranging module for detecting at least one of a fill level and a distribution of processed crop in a grain bin of the receiving vehicle;
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 first point cloud data from the first electromagnetic detecting and ranging module;
based at least partially on the received first point could data, determine a location of the receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester and a location of a spout of the unload conveyor relative to the grain bin of the receiving vehicle;
receive second point cloud data from the second electromagnetic detecting and ranging module;
based at least partially on the received second point cloud data, determine at least one of the fill level and the distribution of grain in the grain bin of the receiving vehicle; and
using the received first point cloud data, the second point cloud data, the determined location of the receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester, and the determined at least one of the fill level and the distribution of grain in the grain bin of the receiving vehicle to generate graphic data defining a graphical representation illustrating the relative positions of the unload conveyor and the grain bin and illustrating at least one of the fill level and the distribution of processed crop in the grain bin; 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.