Monitoring system for controlling the position of an implement for an agricultural vehicle while taking the vehicle dynamics into account

A harvesting machine having an implement, particularly a harvester head, the harvesting machine comprising:

• a control unit that is connected in a signal-transmitting manner to an actuator arranged for adjusting the position of the implement relative to the harvesting machine;
• a ground profile determining device, which is connected to the control unit and is designed to determine a ground profile in front of the harvesting machine;
• where the control unit is programmed to determine an expected vertical movement of the harvesting machine because of the ground profile and to prospectively transmit to the actuator a control signal that is dimensioned such that the implement is continuously guided in a predeterminable position above the ground profile;
• and
• where the control device is programmed to take into account, when determining the expected vertical movement of the harvesting machine due to the ground profile, an expected deformation of the ground profile due to the ground engagement means or an expected vertical movement of the harvesting machine relative to the ground profile due to movement induced in the tires or a suspension of the harvesting machine by the ground profile.

A method for controlling the position of an implement mounted on an agricultural vehicle that can move in a forward direction across a field by tires or tracks that engage with the ground, the method comprising:

• by a control unit that is connected in a signal-transmitting manner to an actuator, adjusting a position of the implement relative to the vehicle;
• and
• by a ground profile determining device, which is connected to the control unit, determining a ground profile in front of the vehicle;
• by the control unit determining an expected vertical movement of the vehicle because of the ground profile and prospectively transmitting to the actuator a control signal that is dimensioned such that the implement is continuously guided in a predeterminable position above the ground profile,
• when determining the expected vertical movement of the vehicle because of the ground profile, taking into account an expected deformation of the ground profile because of the ground engagement means or an expected vertical movement of the vehicle relative to the ground profile due to movement induced in the tires or a suspension of the vehicle by the ground profile.