# US 9,775,290 B2 · Look-ahead crop mass predictive sensor

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- Number: US 9,775,290 B2
- Document ID: US9775290B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/853,990
- Filed: 2015-09-14
- Published: 2016-03-17
- Granted: 2017-10-03
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-12
- Assignees: Intelligent Agricultural Solutions LLC
- Applicants: Intelligent Agricultural Solutions, LLC
- Inventors: Bradley K. Schleusner; Marshall T. Bremer; Nicholas L. Butts; Flemming Schøler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9775290B2

## CPC

- A01D 41/127: Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
- A01D 41/1271: {for measuring crop flow}
- A01D 41/1272: {for measuring grain flow}
- A01D 41/1277: {for measuring grain quality}
- A01D 57/12: Rotating rakes
- B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)}
- G01B 7/14: for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B7/30 takes precedence)
- G01G 19/08: for incorporation in vehicles
- G01G 19/12: having electrical weight-sensitive devices
- G01L 1/00: Measuring force or stress, in general (measuring force due to impact G01L5/00)
- G01N 33/0098: {Plants or trees (wood G01N33/46)}
- G01S 7/411: {Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity (G01S7/415 takes precedence)}
- G01S 13/865: {Combination of radar systems with lidar systems}
- G01S 13/867: {Combination of radar systems with cameras}
- G01S 13/87: Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
- G01S 13/88: Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00)
- G01S 17/04: Systems determining the presence of a target
- G01S 17/88: Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
- G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging
- G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection}
- G06T 7/11: Region-based segmentation
- G06T 7/136: involving thresholding
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means
- A01D 41/1273: {for measuring grain loss}
- A01D 41/1274: {for drives}
- A01D 41/1276: {for cleaning mechanisms}
- G06T 2207/10004: Still image; Photographic image
- G06T 2207/10024: Color image
- G06T 2207/30128: Food products
- G06V 20/68: Food, e.g. fruit or vegetables
- H04N 23/80: Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
- A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16)
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A crop mass predictive sensor, comprising an imaging device, a laser-based device such as a LIDAR, a first radar emitting a frequency of energy that is absorbed by plant mass, and a second radar emitting a frequency of energy that passes through plant mass without being absorbed, wherein the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar are focused on the crop material in front of an agricultural vehicle, and the information gathered from the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar is used to calculate an estimated mass for the crop material that is about to enter the agricultural vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A crop mass predictive sensor, comprising:
an imaging device;
a laser-based device;
a first radar emitting a frequency of energy that is absorbed by plant mass;
a second radar emitting a frequency of energy that passes through plant mass without being absorbed;
wherein the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar are focused on a crop material in front of an agricultural vehicle;
wherein the information gathered from the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar is used to calculate an estimated mass for the crop material that is about to enter the agricultural vehicle;
wherein the laser-based device is a laser;
wherein the laser projects a structured pattern of light on the edge of the crop material facing the laser;
wherein the imaging device captures an image of the structured pattern of light as it appears on the edge of the crop material; and
wherein the crop mass predictive sensor analyzes how the image of the structured pattern of light appears distorted by the irregularities in the shape and distance of the edge of the crop material to determine a shape of the edge of the crop material.

### Claim 2

A crop mass predictive sensor, comprising:
an imaging device;
a laser-based device;
a first radar emitting a frequency of energy that is absorbed by plant mass;
a second radar emitting a frequency of energy that passes through plant mass without being absorbed;
a location sensor;
wherein the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar are focused on a crop material to the side of an agricultural vehicle;
wherein the information gathered from the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar is used to calculate an estimated mass for the crop material;
wherein the estimated mass is stored along with a current location from the location sensor for subsequent use; and
wherein the laser-based device is a laser;
wherein the laser projects a structured pattern of light on the edge of the crop material facing the laser;
wherein the imaging device captures an image of the structured pattern of light as it appears on the edge of the crop material; and
wherein the crop mass predictive sensor analyzes how the image of the structured pattern of light appears distorted by the irregularities in the shape and distance of the edge of the crop material to determine a shape of the edge of the crop material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The crop mass predictive sensor of claim 2 wherein the estimated mass and location data are transmitted to other agricultural vehicles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The crop mass predictive sensor of claim 1 wherein the laser-based device is a LIDAR range-finding device, wherein the LIDAR range-finding device is used to collect information on the shape of the edge of the crop material facing the LIDAR range-finding device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The crop mass predictive sensor of claim 2 wherein the laser-based device is a LIDAR range-finding device, wherein the LIDAR range-finding device is used to collect information on the shape of the edge of the crop material facing the LIDAR range-finding device.