Method and apparatus for determining the quality of an image of an agricultural field using a plurality of fuzzy logic input membership functions

A method of processing a sequence of electronic camera images using fuzzy logic comprising the steps of:

• taking a first electronic camera image indicative of a scene including cut and uncut vegetation in an agricultural field by an electronic camera;
• deriving from the first image a first numeric value indicative of a first characteristic of the first image;
• processing the first numeric value with at lest a first fuzzy logic input membership function to provide a first numeric input value;
• combining the first numeric input value with at least a first fuzzy logic output membership function to provide a first numeric output value;
• defuzzifying the first numeric output value to determine whether or not the first numeric value properly characterizes the first image or not;
• and
• saving the first numeric value.

In a work vehicle including a ground engaging implement having a camera for taking successive electronic images of a portion of ground and/or vegetation in front of the vehicle, and a guidance control system responsive to successive images generated by the camera, a method for determining whether each of the successive images transmitted by the camera to the guidance system should be used to guide the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• taking successive images of the ground in front of the vehicle with the camera;
• successively processing the images to provide, for one image at a time, a first numerical value indicative of a characteristic of the ground and/or vegetation in front of the vehicle with the guidance system, wherein the numerical value is indicative of a line of travel of the vehicle;
• determining whether or not the first numerical value is acceptable using at least two fuzzy logic input functions;
• combining the results of the at least two fuzzy logic input functions as inputs to a fuzzy logic output function;
• based upon a numerical result generated by the fuzzy logic output functions, determining whether the first numerical value should be used to guide the vehicle.