Method and stereo vision system for managing the unloading of an agricultural material from a vehicle

A method for facilitating the transfer of agricultural material from a harvesting vehicle to a receiving vehicle, the method comprising:

• propelling a storage portion of a receiving vehicle for storing agricultural material;
• collecting imaging data by a first imaging device on the harvesting vehicle or the receiving vehicle;
• identifying a container perimeter of the storage portion in the collected image data, the storage portion having an opening inward from the container perimeter for receipt of the agricultural material;
• identifying a spout of the harvesting vehicle in the collected image data based on color discrimination to identify background pixels from one or more selected spout pixels with associated spout pixel patterns or color attributes on the spout for identification purposes;
• and
• determining the relative position of the spout and the container perimeter and for generating command data to the propelled portion to steer the storage portion in cooperative alignment such that the spout is aligned within a central zone of the container perimeter;
• and
• steering the receiving vehicle in accordance with the cooperative alignment.

A system for facilitating the transfer of agricultural material from a harvesting vehicle to a receiving vehicle, the system comprising:

• a receiving vehicle comprising a propelled portion for propelling the receiving vehicle and a storage portion for storing agricultural material;
• a stereo imaging device mounted on the receiving vehicle and facing towards the storage portion of the receiving vehicle, the imaging device collecting image data;
• a container identification module for identifying a container perimeter of the storage portion in the collected image data, the storage portion having an opening inward from the container perimeter for receipt of the agricultural material;
• a spout identification module for identifying a spout of the harvesting vehicle in the collected image data;
• and
• an alignment module for determining the relative position of the spout and the container perimeter and for generating command data to the propelled portion to steer the storage portion in cooperative alignment such that the spout is aligned within a central zone of the container perimeter;
• and
• a steering controller associated with a steering system of the propelled portion for steering the receiving vehicle in accordance with the cooperative alignment, wherein the container identification module, the spout identification module, the alignment module, and the steering controller are on the receiving vehicle.