Technique for determining a terrain contour and for height control for an agricultural distribution machine with a distribution boom

Abstract

A method for determining a terrain contour lying ahead in the direction of travel of an agricultural distribution machine includes determining a reference distance of a distribution boom from a reference measuring point of a target area, for example, a ground or crop surface, and determining a distance of the distribution boom from a measuring point of the target area arranged ahead of the reference measuring point in the direction of travel of the distribution machine. The method further includes referencing, preferably by comparing and/or relating the determined distance to the determined reference distance, to determine a change in the terrain contour at the measuring point relative to the reference measuring point. An agricultural distribution machine has a distribution boom and a control device for controlling the height of a distribution boom of such a distribution machine.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.