Closed circuit video guidance system for farming vehicles and method

A guidance system for use in conjunction with a farming vehicle adapted to be driven through a field of crops planted in rows, the crops having relatively dense foliage making it difficult for an operator of the farming vehicle to ascertain the position of the rows, the farming vehicle having a plurality of drive wheels and at least one guide wheel, the farming vehicle also having a steering mechanism for controlling the guide wheel, the steering mechanism allowing an operator to steer the farming vehicle, the farming vehicle having a longitudinal axis corresponding to the direction in which the farming vehicle travels and also having a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, said guidance system comprising in combination:

• a. a video camera including a lens, said lens having an optic axis;
• b. attaching means for attaching said video camera to the farming vehicle and for positioning said video camera to view an area of the ground lying below the farming vehicle for differentiating the rows in which the crops are planted from furrows formed between such rows, the optic axis of said lens being positioned to lie in a plane perpendicular to the lateral axis of the farming vehicle;
• and
• c. a video monitor attached to the farming vehicle in proximity to the steering mechanism and electrically coupled to said video camera for displaying the area of the ground viewed by said video camera and assisting the operator of the vehicle in ascertaining the position of the rows and furrows formed within the field;
• whereby, an operator can steer the farming vehicle in accordance with the information displayed by said video monitor in order to maintain the guide wheel and the plurality of drive wheels within the furrows.