Harvesting head reel-mounted laser measurement
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsJethro Martin, Cory Douglas Hunt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for detecting crop field parameters with a header of a harvester. The header includes a reel configured to draw crop from a crop field toward the header as the harvester moves through the crop field and at least one distance sensor mounted to the reel. Data is received from the at least one distance sensor mounted on the reel, processed, and used to detect crop field parameters.
Claims20
A harvesting apparatus comprising:
- a harvester;
- a header coupled to the harvester, the header including a reel configured to draw crop from a crop field toward the header as the harvester moves through the crop field;
- at least one distance sensor positioned on the reel, each of the at least one distance sensor configured to detect distance information;
- and
- a control system configured to receive the detected distance information from the at least one distance sensor to detect at least one crop field parameter,
- wherein the reel is rotatable, the at least one distance sensor is positioned on the rotatable reel, and the control system comprises:
- a sensor monitor configured to receive the detected distance information from the at least one distance sensor;
- and
- a reel position monitor configured to determine orientation of the at least one distance sensor;
- wherein the at least one distance sensor gathers distance information for objects in front of the harvester.
A method for detecting parameters of a crop field, the method comprising:
- receiving data from at least one distance sensor mounted on a reel of a harvester;
- processing the data from the at least one distance sensor using a processor;
- detecting at least one crop field parameter from the processed data using the processor;
- and
- adjusting operation of the harvester using the processor in response to the detected at least one crop field parameter by halting the harvester or adjusting the speed of the harvester,
- wherein the reel is rotatable and the at least one distance sensor is mounted on the rotatable reel, the method further comprising:
- monitoring the data received from the at least one distance sensor;
- and
- monitoring position of the rotatable reel relative to the at least one sensor mounted on the rotatable reel to determine orientation of the at least one sensor;
- wherein the at least one distance sensor gathers distance information for objects in front of the harvester.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code for use with a header of a harvester, the header including a reel configured to draw crop from a crop field toward the header as the harvester moves through the crop field, the program code, when executed, is operative to cause a computing device to perform the steps of:
- receiving data from at least one distance sensor mounted on the reel of the harvester;
- processing the data from the at least one distance sensor;
- detecting at least one crop field parameter from the processed data;
- and
- adjusting operation of the harvester in response to the detected at least one crop field parameter by halting the harvester or adjusting the speed of the harvester;
- wherein the reel is rotatable and the at least one distance sensor is mounted on the rotatable reel, the steps further comprising:
- monitoring the data received from the at least one distance sensor;
- and
- monitoring position of the rotatable reel relative to the at least one sensor mounted on the rotatable reel to determine orientation of the at least one sensor,
- wherein the at least one distance sensor gathers distance information for objects in front of the harvester.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.