RU2807735C2 - Method of soil treatment, method of controlling equipment for soil treatment and non-volatile computer-readable media for information storage (embodiments) - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: agriculture.

SUBSTANCE: method of tillage contains collection of data from harvesting equipment, correlated with the field map, which contain the amount of grain collected or the amount of material other than grain processed by harvesting equipment; generation of a map of operating parameters of soil treatment equipment, this performance map is correlated with the field map and is based at least in part on the collected data; and adjustment of operating parameters of soil treatment equipment when this tillage equipment crosses the field, based on the operating parameter map and position equipment for tillage in the field. The method for controlling soil cultivation equipment contains selection of changing the operating parameter of the tillage equipment depending on the position in the field based on the amount of grain collected or the amount of non-grain material processed by the harvesting equipment; moving tillage equipment across the field; and adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on the selected changes. A non-volatile, computer-readable medium for storing information, containing commands that, when executed by a computer, implement a soil cultivation method, which includes generation of a map of operating parameters of the tillage equipment, wherein the operating parameter map is correlated with the field map and is based at least in part on the amount of grain harvested or the amount of non-grain material processed by the harvesting equipment; and adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment as the tillage equipment moves through the field based on the operating parameter map and the position of the tillage equipment in the field. A non-volatile computer-readable medium for storing information, containing commands, when executed by a computer, a method of controlling soil cultivation equipment, including a choice of changing the operating parameters of the tillage equipment depending on the position in the field based on the amount of grain collected or the amount of non-grain material processed by the harvesting equipment; and adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on the selected change as the tillage equipment moves through the field.

EFFECT: accuracy of regulation of tillage parameters on the field is ensured.

20 cl, 6 dwg

Description

Cross references to related applications

This application claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/860,991, entitled “Methods of Operating Tillage Implements and Working Fields,” filed June 13, 2019, and all contents which is incorporated herein by reference.

Field of technology to which the invention relates

Embodiments of the present invention relate to agricultural fields. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to map-based methods for controlling tillage equipment.

State of the art

Yields are influenced by various factors such as planting parameters, soil quality, weather, irrigation and fertilization. Soil quality is affected by the amount of crop residue remaining on the soil surface at the end of the growing season and after tillage. As used here, the term "crop residue" means plant material that is not mixed with the soil. Crop residues can be used to control erosion, soil moisture and other soil properties.

In some fields and for some crops, it is desirable to keep the amount of crop residue relatively constant within the particular area under consideration. In other circumstances, it may be desirable to vary the amount of crop residue per unit area (eg, based on surface slope, soil type, groundwater level, etc.). However, the amount of crop residue can vary based on a number of factors, and it is difficult to adjust for the influence of various factors without adjusting the tillage parameters of the field, which is very difficult for the farmer to do accurately.

The essence of the invention

In some embodiments, the method of cultivating a field comprises collecting data from harvesting equipment (harvesters) correlated with a map of the field, generating a map of the operating parameters of the tillage equipment, and adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment as the equipment moves across the field, at based on a map of operating parameters and the position of equipment in the field. The performance map is correlated with the field map and is based at least in part on the collected data.

Some methods of controlling tillage equipment include selecting to change the operating parameter of the tillage equipment depending on the position of the equipment in the field based on information collected from the harvesting equipment, moving the tillage equipment across the field, and adjusting the operating parameter of the tillage equipment based on the selected changes.

Non-volatile computer-readable storage media contain programs and instructions that, when executed by a computer, carry out the methods described herein.

Brief description of drawings

While the present description concludes with the Claims specifically specifying and clearly stating all that relates to the embodiments of the present invention, the various features and advantages of the embodiments of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a simplified top view of a field map with a working combine shown on it;

Fig. 2 illustrates a map that can be generated and used in the methods described herein;

Fig. 3 illustrates a tractor pulling soil cultivation equipment according to one embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a simplified logic diagram illustrating an example of a field processing method;

Fig. 5 is a simplified logic diagram illustrating another example of a field processing method; And

Fig. 6 illustrates an example of a computer-readable storage medium containing processor-executable instructions configured to implement one or more field processing methods, such as the methods illustrated in FIG. 4 and Fig. 5.

Detailed description

The illustrations presented herein do not show actual images of any specific harvesting equipment, tillage equipment, or any parts of such equipment, but are merely idealized representations used to describe exemplary embodiments of the present invention. In addition, elements common to multiple drawings may have the same reference numerals.

The following description sets forth specific details of embodiments of the present invention in order to provide a complete and comprehensive description thereof. However, even one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without the need for many such specific details. Indeed, embodiments of the present invention may be practiced in combination with conventional technologies used in the industry. In addition, the description below does not contain all the elements necessary to create a complete structure or assembled units. Only those processes, operations, and structures are described in detail below as necessary to understand embodiments of the invention. Additional conventional activities and structures may also be used. We also note that the drawings accompanying the application are for illustrative purposes only and are therefore not to scale.

As used herein, the terms "comprising", "including", "containing", "different" and their grammatical equivalents are inclusive or open terms that do not exclude additional elements or operations not mentioned herein, but also cover more the restrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” and their grammatical equivalents.

As used herein, the term "may" in relation to a material, structure, feature or method operation means that it is contemplated to be used in implementing an embodiment of the present invention, and such term is used in preference to the more restrictive term "is" or "is" to avoid any suggestion that other compatible materials, structures, features and methods that may be used in combination therewith should or must be excluded.

As used herein, the term “configured” refers to the size, shape, material composition and construction of one or more of a plurality of at least one structure and at least one apparatus facilitating the operations of the one or more structures and apparatus in a predetermined manner.

As used here, the singular forms after the articles "a", "an" and "the" are intended to also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

As used herein, the term "and/or" covers any and all combinations of associated list objects.

As used here, terms relating to spatial arrangement such as "under", "beneath", "below", "lower", "above", "above", "upper", "front", "rear", " left", "right", etc., can be used to facilitate description of the relative position of one element or feature relative to other element(s) or feature(s), as illustrated in the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, terms relating to spatial arrangement are intended to cover various orientations of materials in addition to the orientation shown in the drawings.

As used herein, the term "about" when used in relation to a particular parameter includes a stated value and has a meaning dictated by the context (eg, it also includes the degree of error associated with measurements of that particular parameter).

Fig. 1 shows a simplified representation of a map 100 of a field 102. A combine 104 is illustrated operating in a field 102 (ie, harvesting a crop in that field 102). The drawing shows that field 102 has an area 106 where the crop has already been harvested (the harvested area) and an area 108 where the crop has not yet been harvested (the unharvested area).

As combine 104 traverses field 102 (i.e., harvests crops), sensors mounted on the combine may collect data regarding conditions in field 102. For example, combine 104 may collect data regarding the amount of crop harvested, the amount of MOG material (material other than grain (material other than grain) thrown from combine 104 into field 102, or soil condition data such as moisture content, color, particle size, and the like. Data collected by combine 104 may be correlated with positions of map 100, for example, by matching the collected data with position information from a GPS receiver mounted on combine 104. The collected data may be stored after harvest for use in subsequent growing seasons.

In FIG. 2 shows a simplified representation of a map 200 of a field 102. This map may contain different areas 202-208 separated by boundaries 210. These areas 202-208 may be defined to have different amounts of crop residue, soil characteristics, topography, or differ in some other way. in other ways. Map 200 may contain any number of regions 202-208 with any selected property classifications. Map 200 may be generated based on data collected by combine 104 (FIG. 1) and may contain operating parameters of tillage equipment to be used to cultivate field 102. Areas 202-208 may be defined as areas where seeds are planted. different varieties or different crop densities have been created.

Generating field maps is generally described in US Patent Application Publication 2002/0022929 A1, “System and Method for Creating Field Attribute Maps for Site-Specific.” Farming”), published February 21, 2002; US Patent 6,606,542, "System and Method for Creating Agricultural Decision and Application Maps for Automated Agricultural Machines", issued August 12, 2003; and International Patent Publication WO 2018/080979 A1, “Land Mapping and Guidance System,” published May 3, 2018; the entire contents of these documents are incorporated herein by reference.

Fig. 3 illustrates a tractor 300 towing tillage equipment 302, which includes a hitch 304 supporting tillage implements 306. A computer 308, which may include a central processing unit (“CPU”) 310, a memory 312, an executive controller 314 and a graphical user interface (“GUI”) (e.g., a touch screen interface), typically located in the cab of the tractor 300. A global positioning system (“GPS”) receiver 316 may be mounted on the tractor 300 and coupled to communicate with computer 308. This computer 308 may include an executive controller 314 configured to communicate with the tillage implements 306 and/or the GPS receiver 316, for example, via wired or wireless (radio) communications.

Tillage implements 306 may be any of a variety of tools, such as those described in US Patent Application Publication 2016/0183445, “Rotary Spider Tine for Tillage Implement.” ), published June 30, 2016; in US Patent Application Publication 2013/0192855, “Interlocking Basket for Strip Tillage Machine,” published August 1, 2013; and US Patent Application Publication 2014/0054051, “Implement with Raisable Soil-Leveling Cylinders,” published February 27, 2014; the entire contents of each of these documents are incorporated herein by reference.

The CPU 310 may use a map 200 (FIG. 2), which may be stored in a memory device 312, to determine the operating parameters of the tillage equipment 302 at the location where the tillage equipment 302 is located in the field 102. The executive controller 314 may control the tillage equipment 302, such as the tillage implements 306, each of which tills the soil in the field 102 to a selectable depth at each point in the field 102. The specified operating parameter may be adjusted when the tillage equipment 302 traverses the field 102, based on the map 200 and the positions of the tillage equipment 302 in the field 102. For example, an operating parameter may be adjusted when the tillage equipment 302 crosses the boundary 210.

In some embodiments, the tillage depth of tillage implements 306 may be set by executive controller 314, although it is possible that tillage implements 306 may not be individually adjustable by executive controller 314. In such embodiments, soil profiles may prevent all tillage implements 306 from operating on the same and the same depth. In other embodiments, these tillage units 306 can be individually adjusted. These tillage implements 306, tillage equipment 302, and tractor 300 may have other parameters such as share angle, share depth, equipment depth, shank depth, dwell time, data filtering parameter, finishing tool pressure, finishing tool angle, traction force of the hitch, wheel load, speed of the towing vehicle, etc. Tillage implements 306 may cut, crush, grind, scrape, or otherwise manipulate soil and crop residue as tractor 300 and tillage equipment 302 traverse a field. In some embodiments, tillage equipment 302 may be configured to collect a portion of the crop residues. In other embodiments, tillage implements 306 may mix some of the crop residue with the soil so that the crop residue ends up below the surface of the soil. The depth of the tillage equipment 306 may affect the amount of crop residue remaining on the soil surface (as opposed to being mixed with the soil or collected by the tillage equipment 302).

The hitch 304 may also carry one or more sensors 318 oriented to measure characteristics of the field 102 in which the tractor 300 operates. These sensors 318 may be configured to measure visible, ultraviolet (UV) and/or infrared (IR) (infrared (IR)) radiation; humidity levels; soil composition; particle size; crop residues, etc. Each of the sensors 318 may be oriented to measure soil characteristics behind the tillage implements 306 in the direction of travel of the tractor 300.

Information from sensors 318 may be communicated to computer 308, which may use the information to determine whether operating parameters indicated on map 200 are adequate to achieve a selected soil condition outcome after soil treatment equipment 302 has completed processing the soil (e.g. selected amount of crop residues on the soil surface).

In FIG. 4 is a simplified logic diagram illustrating a method 400 for processing a field, such as the field 102 shown in FIG. 1 and Fig. 2. As shown in block 402, harvesting equipment (eg, combine 104) collects data correlated with a field map. The collected data may contain, for example, information about the harvested crop (for example, the mass of grain harvested) or the MOG mass (for example, the mass of material processed by harvesting equipment and returned to the field).

At block 404, a soil treatment equipment operating parameter map (eg, map 200) is generated. The performance map is correlated with the field map and is based at least in part on the collected data. The operating parameter map may be generated by a computer associated with the harvesting equipment, a computer associated with the tillage equipment, or another computer. The harvesting equipment may transmit the collected data to a computer associated with the tillage equipment, either directly or indirectly, and either before or after the generation of the operating parameter map. In some embodiments, the performance map may be generated by a computer located away from the field (eg, a computer on the Internet that receives collected data from the harvesting equipment and transmits the performance map to the tillage equipment).

At block 406, the operating parameters of the tillage equipment are adjusted as the tillage equipment moves through the field based on the operating parameter map and the position of the tillage equipment in the field.

At block 408, the tillage equipment optionally determines the characteristics of the field after passing through the tillage equipment. For example, sensors 318 (FIG. 3) may measure one or more characteristics, as discussed above. The computer 308 may adjust the operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on the measured characteristics. In other words, the sensors 318 may provide feedback to the computer 308 to assist the computer 308 in adjusting operating parameters in accordance with the actual current state of the field and the operating parameter map generated from data collected during harvest. In some embodiments, the tillage equipment may sense an image of a field and may use the resulting image to determine the amount of crop residue on the surface of the ground. If the measured residue amount differs from the selected amount, the operating parameter map can be adjusted accordingly (eg, shift by some amount to correct the difference and maintain the selected residue amount). Thus, sensors 318 can assist computer 308 in fine-tuning operating parameters to achieve a selected result.

In FIG. 5 is a simplified logic diagram illustrating another method 500 of processing a field such as the field 102 shown in FIG. 1 and Fig. 2.

At block 502, a change in the operating parameter of the tillage equipment is selected in accordance with the field position based on information collected by the harvesting equipment. Typically this change is based on a field map (eg, map 200) and can be selected by a computer program configured to simulate the operation of the tillage equipment.

At block 504, tillage equipment is moved through a field, such as a tractor or other vehicle towing the tillage equipment behind it. At block 506, the operating parameters of the tillage equipment are adjusted based on the selected change as the tillage equipment moves through the field. For example, operating parameters that need to be adjusted may be share angle, share depth, equipment depth, shank depth, dwell time, data filtering parameter, finishing tool pressure, finishing tool angle, hitch pull, wheel load, and/or or the speed of the towing vehicle.

At block 508, a video camera mounted on the tillage equipment can optionally capture an image of the field. This image can be read from the rear of the tillage equipment and may be an image of the ground surface immediately after being processed by the tillage equipment. The read image can be obtained in visible light, ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, or some combination of these types of radiation. This image can be used to identify surface crop residues such as MOG material. For example, a computer associated with tillage equipment can determine the amount of crop residue on the surface of a field. The computer can then adjust the operating parameters of the tillage equipment. In some embodiments, the computer may modify the change in operating parameters based on the image in question (eg, the computer may apply a shift to the amount of change based on the map). Although discussed here in relation to image reading, such a procedure can be performed with any type of information collected by soil processing equipment, including combinations of different types of data (eg, image plus soil moisture measurements).

Yet another group of other embodiments utilizes a computer-readable storage medium (eg, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) having processor-executable instructions configured to implement one or more of the methods presented herein. An example of a computer-readable medium that may be used is illustrated in FIG. 6, where the product 600 includes a computer-readable storage medium 602 (e.g., a flash drive, a CD-R disk, a DVD-R disk, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array gate array (FPGA), a disk from a hard disk drive, etc.) on which computer-readable data 604 is recorded. This computer-readable data 604 in turn contains a group of processor-executable instructions 606 configured to operate in accordance with one or several principles formulated here. In some embodiments, these computer executable instructions 606 may be configured to control the computer 308 (FIG. 3) to perform operations 608 when the instructions are executed by a processor module, in accordance with at least one example of the method 400 shown in FIG. . 4, or the method 500 shown in FIG. 5. In other embodiments, processor-executable instructions 606 may be configured to implement a system such as at least some examples of the tractor 300 and tillage equipment 302 shown in FIG. 3. Even those of ordinary skill in the art are capable of developing many variations of such computer readable media for operation in accordance with one or more of the methods presented herein.

The tractor 300 and tillage equipment 302 described herein may be used in conjunction with plowing and furrowing a field in preparation for planting or at the end of the growing season. By properly adjusting tillage parameters, crop yields can be increased because the soil can be treated in such a way that its characteristics are favorable for the particular crop that is going to be grown in the field. For example, soil characteristics can be selected to protect the soil from erosion, nutrient loss, and moisture loss.

Additional non-exhaustive examples of embodiments of the present invention are described below.

Option 1: Field cultivation method, this method comprises collecting data from harvesting equipment correlated with a field map, generating an operating parameter map for the tillage equipment, and adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment as the tillage equipment moves across the field, based on a map of operating parameters and the position of tillage equipment in the field. The performance map is correlated with the field map and is based at least in part on the collected data.

Option 2: The method of Option 1, further comprising transmitting the collected data to a computer associated with the tillage equipment.

Option 3: The method of Option 1 or Option 2, further comprising measuring field characteristics at the position in question after the tillage equipment has passed that position.

Option 4: The method according to Option 3, further comprising further adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on the operating parameter map and the measured field characteristic at the position in question.

Option 5: The method according to Option 3 or Option 4, where the procedure for measuring field characteristics includes reading an image of the field through a video camera installed on the soil cultivation equipment.

Option 6: The method according to any one of Options 3 to 5, where the procedure for measuring field characteristics includes identifying crop residues on the surface of the field.

Option 7: The method according to any one of Options 3 to 6, further comprising modification of the performance map based on measured field characteristics.

Option 8: A method for controlling a tillage equipment, this method comprises selecting to change the operating parameter of the tillage equipment depending on a position in the field based on information collected by the harvesting equipment, moving the tillage equipment through the field, and adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on selected changes.

Option 9: The method according to Option 8, further comprising reading the image of the field using a video camera installed on the soil cultivation equipment.

Option 10: The method according to Option 9, where the field image reading procedure comprises reading a visible light image.

Option 11: The method according to Option 9 or Option 10, where the field image reading procedure comprises reading an image in infrared rays.

Option 12: Method according to any one of Options 9 to 11, additionally comprising identification of crop residues in the image.

Option 13: The method according to Option 12, where the procedure for identifying crop residues in the image includes determining the amount of crop residues on the surface of the field.

Option 14: The method according to Option 12 or Option 13, where the procedure for identifying crop residues in the image includes identifying material other than grain.

Option 15: The method according to any one of Options 9 to 14, further comprising further adjusting the operating parameters of the soil treatment equipment based on the image.

Option 16: The method according to any one of Options 9 to 15, further comprising a modification of changing the operating parameters based on the image.

Option 17: The method of any one of Options 8 through 16, wherein the procedure for adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment comprises adjusting the operating parameters to maintain a selected amount of crop residue on the ground surface.

Option 18: The method according to any one of Options 8 to 17, where the procedure for adjusting the operating parameters of the soil treatment equipment includes adjusting at least one parameter selected from the group that includes the angle of installation of the shares, the installation depth of the shares, the depth of the equipment, shank depth, dwell time, data filtering parameter, finishing tool pressure, finishing tool angle, hitch pull, wheel load and/or towing vehicle speed.

Embodiment 19: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising commands that, when executed by a computer, generate a map of the operating parameters of the tillage equipment and adjust the operating parameters of the tillage equipment as the tillage equipment moves through the field based on the operating map parameters and positions of equipment for tillage on the field. The performance map is correlated with the field map and is based at least in part on data collected from the harvesting equipment.

Embodiment 20: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising commands that cause the computer to select changes in operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on position in the field based on information collected by the harvesting equipment and adjust the operating parameters of the tillage equipment. based on the selected change as this tillage equipment moves through the field.

Although the present invention has been described herein with respect to certain illustrated embodiments, even one of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, numerous additions, deletions and modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims, including lawful equivalents thereof. In addition, features of one option can be combined with features of another option, still remaining within the scope intended by the authors. Further, embodiments of the present invention can be used in combination with various and varied types and configurations of equipment.

Claims (30)

1. A soil treatment method containing: collecting data from harvesting equipment correlated with a field map, wherein the collected data includes the amount of grain collected or the amount of material other than grain processed by the harvesting equipment; generating a tillage equipment performance map, which performance map is correlated with the field map and based at least in part on the collected data; And adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment when the tillage equipment crosses the field, based on the operating parameter map and the position of the tillage equipment in the field. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the collected data to a computer associated with the tillage equipment. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising measuring field characteristics at the position in question after the tillage equipment has passed that position. 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising further adjustment of the operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on the operating parameter map and the measured field characteristics at the position in question. 5. The method according to claim 3, wherein measuring the characteristics of the field comprises reading an image of the field through a video camera mounted on the tillage equipment. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the measurement of field characteristics comprises identifying crop residues on the surface of the field. 7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising modifying the operating parameter map based on the measured field characteristics. 8. A method for controlling soil cultivation equipment, comprising: choosing to change the operating parameter of the tillage equipment depending on the position in the field based on the amount of grain collected or the amount of material other than grain processed by the harvesting equipment; moving tillage equipment across the field; And adjusting the operating parameters of tillage equipment based on selected changes. 9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising reading the image of the field using a video camera installed on the soil cultivation equipment. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein reading the field image comprises reading a visible light image. 11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein reading the field image comprises reading the image in infrared rays. 12. The method according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising identification of crop residues in the image. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein identifying crop residues in the image comprises determining the amount of crop residues on the surface of the field. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying the crop residue in the image comprises identifying a material other than grain. 15. The method of claim 9 or 10, further comprising further adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on the image. 16. The method of claim 9 or 10, further comprising the modification of changing operating parameters based on the image. 17. Method according to any one of paragraphs. 8-10, wherein adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment comprises adjusting the operating parameters to maintain a selected amount of crop residue on the ground surface. 18. Method according to any one of paragraphs. 8–10, in which the regulation of the operating parameters of the soil treatment equipment contains the regulation of at least one parameter selected from the group, which includes the installation angle of the plowshares, the installation depth of the plowshares, the depth of the equipment, the depth of the shank, the delay time, the data filtering parameter, the finishing pressure tool, finishing tool angle, hitch pull, wheel load and/or towing vehicle speed. 19. A non-volatile, computer-readable medium for storing information, containing commands, when executed by a computer, a soil cultivation method is carried out, containing: generating a map of operating parameters of the tillage equipment, wherein the operating parameter map is correlated with the field map and is based at least in part on the amount of grain harvested or the amount of non-grain material processed by the harvesting equipment; And adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment as the tillage equipment moves through the field based on the operating parameter map and the position of the tillage equipment in the field. 20. A non-volatile computer-readable medium for storing information, containing commands, when executed by a computer, a method of controlling soil cultivation equipment is carried out, containing: choosing to change the operating parameters of the tillage equipment depending on the position in the field based on the amount of grain collected or the amount of material other than grain processed by the harvesting equipment; And adjusting the operating parameters of the tillage equipment based on a selected change as the tillage equipment moves through the field.