Agricultural harvester with robotic control

Abstract

An agricultural harvesting machine (harvester) is automatically controlled and steered so as to completely harvest all crop in a field. A Global Positioning System (GPS) and an Inertial Navigation System provide data regarding the position and orientation of the harvester in a field. A Field Coverage Planner constructs a field coverage plan which defines a path for the harvester to follow in cutting crop from a field. Video images of the field in front of the harvester are derived alternately from two video cameras mounted on opposite sides of the harvester. The video images are processed in a Video Processing Computer to detect the crop line between cut and uncut crop and generate steering signals for steering the harvester along the crop line. Video images are also processed to detect the end of a row at the end of a field and supply a measure of the distance to the end of the row. When the end of a row is reached, the harvester executes a 180° spin turn and traverses the field in the opposite direction.

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