Combine harvester operation based on windrow data stream

A method of providing machine guidance to a combine harvester for a harvesting operation, the method comprising:

• receiving, by an electronic controller, an input data stream from a windrower, wherein the input data stream includes a chronologically ordered series of location points, wherein each location point is indicative of a location of the windrower at different times during performance of a windrowing operation in a field;
• identifying, by the electronic controller, a plurality of data points from the input data stream corresponding to a first windrow of crops cut by the windrower and left in the field during the windrowing operation;
• determining, by the electronic controller, a centerline of the first windrow based on the plurality of data points;
• generating, by the electronic controller, a path plan for the combine harvester based at least in part on the centerline of the first windrow, wherein the path plan includes an indication of a target route to be travelled by the combine harvester while harvesting the cut crops in the first windrow, wherein the path plan aligns the combine harvester to the centerline of the first windrow;
• and
• controlling, by the electronic controller, the combine harvester to perform the harvesting operation based at least in part on a generated path plan.