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US 12,510,551 B2Granted
Autonomous system for grain sampling and grading
OwnerJerry Hartema, Richard George Struve +1inventors
InventorsJerry Hartema, Richard George Struve, Robert Franklin Rasmus
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Abstract
Processes for an autonomous grain facility are described herein. The process could include sampling and grading. For sampling, the system controls a robot to capture position data of a trailer and area data of grain, determines one or more sampling areas within the trailer, and controls the robot to obtain a sample from each of the sampling areas. For grading, the system measures data with both a near infrared sensor and a second sensor, analyzes all of the data to determine a dispositive action to be performed on the respective sample, and controls the system to perform the dispositive action.
Claims16
A method for autonomously sampling grain, the method comprising:
- receiving, by one or more processors, an indication that a trailer containing the grain is stationary within a sampling system, the sampling system comprising at least a robot with a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor system;
- controlling, by the one or more processors, the robot to capture position data of the trailer and area data of the grain, wherein capturing the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain comprises, in response to receiving the indication that the trailer containing the grain is within the sampling system:
- initiating, by the one or more processors, a LiDAR scan of the trailer using the robot;
- controlling, by the one or more processors, the robot to traverse the length of the trailer during the LiDAR scan to create the three-dimensional LiDAR model of the trailer, wherein controlling the robot to traverse the length of the trailer during the scan comprises controlling, by the one or more processors, the robot to travel a single pass from a first end of the trailer to a second end of the trailer opposite the first end;
- and
- analyzing, by the one or more processors, the three-dimensional LiDAR model of the trailer to determine the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain;
- determining, by the one or more processors, and based at least in part on the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain, one or more sampling areas within the trailer for the grain;
- and
- controlling, by the one or more processors, the robot to obtain a sample of the grain from one or more of the one or more sampling areas within the trailer, wherein controlling the robot to obtain a sample of the grain from the one or more of the one or more sampling areas within the trailer comprises controlling, by the one or more processors, the robot to obtain the sample of the grain from the one or more of the one or more sampling areas as the robot moves in a single pass back towards the first end of the trailer from the second end of the trailer.
6 more elements
A sampling system:
- a robot comprising a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor system;
- andone or more processors configured to:
- receive an indication that a trailer containing the grain is stationary within the sampling system;
- control the robot to capture position data of the trailer and area data of the grain,
- wherein capturing the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain comprises, in response to receiving the indication that the trailer containing the grain is stationary within the sampling system:
- initiating a LIDAR scan of the trailer using the robot;
- controlling the robot to traverse the length of the trailer during the LiDAR scan to create the three-dimensional LiDAR model of the trailer, wherein controlling the robot to traverse the length of the trailer during the scan comprises controlling the robot to travel a single pass from a first end of the trailer to a second end of the trailer opposite the first end;
- and
- analyzing the three-dimensional LiDAR model of the trailer to determine the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain;
- determine, based at least in part on the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain, one or more sampling areas within the trailer for the grain;
- and
- control the robot to obtain a sample of the grain from one or more of the one or more sampling areas within the trailer, wherein controlling the robot to obtain a sample of the grain from the one or more of the one or more sampling areas within the trailer comprises controlling the robot to obtain the sample of the grain from the one or more of the one or more sampling areas as the robot moves in a single pass back towards the first end of the trailer from the second end of the trailer.
9 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a sampling system to:
- receive an indication that a trailer containing the grain is stationary within the sampling system, the sampling system comprising at least a robot with a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor system;
- control the robot to capture position data of the trailer and area data of the grain, wherein capturing the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain comprises, in response to receiving the indication that the trailer containing the grain is stationary within the sampling system:
- initiating a LIDAR scan of the trailer using the robot;
- controlling the robot to traverse the length of the trailer during the LiDAR scan to create the three-dimensional LiDAR model of the trailer, wherein controlling the robot to traverse the length of the trailer during the scan comprises controlling the robot to travel a single pass from a first end of the trailer to a second end of the trailer opposite the first end;
- analyzing the three-dimensional LiDAR model of the trailer to determine the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain;
- determine, and based at least in part on the position data of the trailer and the area data of the grain, one or more sampling areas within the trailer for the grain;
- and
- control the robot to obtain a sample of the grain from one or more of the one or more sampling areas within the trailer, wherein controlling the robot to obtain a sample of the grain from the one or more of the one or more sampling areas within the trailer comprises controlling the robot to obtain the sample of the grain from the one or more of the one or more sampling areas as the robot moves in a single pass back towards the first end of the trailer from the second end of the trailer.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.