WO2021105012A1

WO2021105012A1 - Method and agricultural machine

Info

Publication number: WO2021105012A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/082814
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andreas MOGCK; Tobias DIPPER; Peter Lindner
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2019-11-25
Filing date: 2020-11-20
Publication date: 2021-06-03
Also published as: DE102019218184A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling an agricultural machine (10) which is driven on agricultural land. Specified areas (8) are worked by means of a tool (16), the tool (16) being operable at a working movement speed with which said areas (8) can be worked. The agricultural machine (10) further comprises a sensor (12) which can determine a position of the areas (8). In a first step in the method, the position of the area to be worked (8) is determined. In a second step, the tool (16) is guided to this position, the working movement speed of the tool (16) being set when the tool is located in the area (8), and in a further, third step, the tool (16) is operated outside the area (8) at a slower movement speed, or is switched off. The invention further relates to an agricultural machine (10).

Description

Process and agricultural machine

description

Field of invention

The invention relates to a method for controlling an agricultural machine according to the preamble of claim 1 and an agricultural machine.

Background of the invention

Resistance to chemical pesticides has been a growing problem with weeds and weeds for years. Mechanical weed control is therefore increasingly being used in agriculture. For example, tools are used that remove weeds at a constant tool speed. In other words, a speed of the tool is selected in such a way that it is effective for the selected work.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive method for controlling an agricultural machine, by means of which processing of selected areas is improved. Another object of the invention is to create an agricultural machine which is simple in terms of device technology and inexpensive and by means of which the method can be carried out.

The object with regard to the method is achieved according to the features of claim 1 and the object with regard to the agricultural machine is achieved according to the features of claim 8.

Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

According to the invention a method for controlling an agricultural machine is provided. The agricultural machine is moved on an agricultural area in order to work on certain areas using a tool. For example, the tool can remove selected plants in the specific areas. Furthermore, the tool has a working movement speed with which the areas can be machined. The work movement speed can, for example, a work rotation speed and / or be a working vibration speed. Furthermore, the agricultural machine preferably has a sensor. The sensor can determine a position and / or a size of the areas to be processed. For example, especially if the tool is designed to remove weeds, the sensor can determine positions of areas with plants to be removed or of plants to be removed. In a first step of the method, the position of an area to be processed is determined via the sensor. In a further, second step, the tool is then moved to this position and, at the same time or afterwards, or at least in a temporally overlapping manner, the speed of the tool working movement is set. In other words, a movement speed of the tool is set in such a way that it reaches the required working movement speed in the area to be machined. Outside the range, the tool is preferably operated or switched off at a slower speed of movement than the speed of movement.

This is advantageous because the dust generated by whirling up earth and / or dust on the agricultural area can be reduced by the speed of movement of the tool, since the dust generation is proportional to the speed of movement. Since the tool moves outside the area to be machined at a slower movement speed than the working movement speed, i.e. with a slower rotation speed, for example, the development of dust can be minimized because, preferably exclusively, the tool is operated at the working movement speed in the area to be machined becomes. Overall, the average speed of movement of the tool can be reduced by the process, which leads to lower dust generation. This is particularly advantageous because when imaging means such as cameras and / or lidar systems are used, the imaging is not disturbed by the development of dust. Furthermore, the agricultural machine can be used as efficiently as possible through the process. In other words, by reducing the speed of movement outside the areas to be processed, energy, that is to say, for example, fuel, can be saved. Thus, the method can also favor processing of areas of an agricultural area.

Furthermore, the agricultural machine is preferably to be operated in such a way that plants selected via the tool, such as weeds and / or grass weeds, can be removed. In this case, the sensor can determine areas in which the plants to be removed, that is to say in particular weeds and / or grass weeds, are arranged. The tool is then moved to the area in which the plant to be removed is located at a slow speed of movement, and within the area the work- Movement speed provided so that the plant can be eliminated. In particular, the size of the area around the plant to be removed is selected in such a way that the tool has the working movement speed at least when the plant is touched. The tool is preferably controlled in such a way that the tool reaches the working movement speed earlier, for example one second before it comes into contact with the plant. If the area has been processed and / or the plant has been removed, the speed of movement of the tool can be reduced and / or movement of the tool relative to the machine can be stopped.

So that the plants to be removed can not only be cut up but also removed from the agricultural area for a longer period of time, the tool can preferably be guided through the ground. In other words, the tool preferably penetrates the soil, so that in particular the plants are completely removed from the area to be worked. The tool can preferably be guided continuously in the ground. In other words, the tool is preferably not excavated and introduced for each individual plant to be removed, since this could lead to a very high-frequency movement which would be disadvantageous with regard to the generation of dust. Furthermore, inserting and excavating the tool for each individual plant to be removed may require increased control complexity of the tool. However, if inserting and lifting is advantageous for the selected work assignment and makes sense for the selected machining in the area, this can also be implemented.

In order to prevent the tool from getting stuck while the agricultural machine is moving on the agricultural area, the speed of movement of the tool outside the areas is preferably set in such a way that the tool can be guided through the ground. In other words, the tool can preferably also be moved between the areas at a low speed relative to the agricultural machine. The movement speed, which is set so that the tool can be guided through the floor, cannot enable effective machining of the areas, but the development of dust between the areas is thus minimized.

Furthermore, a trajectory of the agricultural machine preferably runs along a row of useful plants or between a row of useful plants. In other words, the agricultural machine is moved along a row of crops, so that the tool preferably remains on one side of the row of crops. This is advantageous because the areas can be processed quickly and efficiently. If the agricultural machine has, for example, two tools that can be moved independently of one another, so One tool can work on areas on one side of the row of crops and the other tool on areas on the other side of the row of crops. However, it is also possible for the tool to be guided to areas on both sides of the row of crops and to process them. In other words, both one tool per row of useful plants or two tools per row of useful plants can be used.

Furthermore, the sensor determines at least the position and / or the size of an area which in particular has at least one plant to be removed, which is arranged closest to the tool in a direction of movement of the tool. In other words, the agricultural machine moves along the trajectory and the sensor detects the position of the area to be processed which is arranged closest to the tool in the direction of movement. This is advantageous because processing the areas in this way is efficient.

An agricultural machine is also provided, which has at least the sensor and the tool. The agricultural machine is preferably designed in such a way that it can carry out the methods and operations described above.

Furthermore, the tool on the agricultural machine is preferably designed in such a way that it can be moved at a working movement speed that is relative to the agricultural machine, so that the selected areas can be processed with it.

Furthermore, the sensor is preferably an imaging sensor. The sensor can be, for example, a camera and / or a LIDAR system (light detection and ranging system). Because the method avoids whirling up dust and earth, the areas can be detected very well by the sensor.

Furthermore, the agricultural machine can have a manipulator arm with the aid of which the tool is guided on the ground. With the manipulator arm, the tool can preferably be movable relative to the agricultural machine. In other words, the manipulator arm allows the tool to be guided quickly and efficiently to the areas to be processed without changing the direction of movement of the agricultural machine.

The agricultural machine is preferably partially autonomous or autonomous, in particular an autonomous field robot or an intelligent attachment for soil cultivation and Plant protection in vegetable, horticultural and arable farming or a tractor. However, it is also possible that the agricultural machine is not autonomous.

Disclosed is a method for controlling an agricultural machine that is moved on an agricultural area. Certain areas are machined via a tool, the tool being operable at a working movement speed with which the areas can be machined. Furthermore, the agricultural machine has a sensor which can determine a position of the areas. In a first step of the process, the position of an area to be processed is determined. In a second step, the tool is guided to this position, the working movement speed of the tool being set when the tool is in the area and in a further third step the tool is operated outside the area at a slower movement speed or is switched off. An agricultural machine is also disclosed.

Brief description of the drawings

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. Show it:

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a trajectory of an agricultural machine according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of an agricultural machine according to an exemplary embodiment, and

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of a method according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a trajectory 1 which runs along a row 2 of useful plants with a multiplicity of useful plants 4. So that the useful plants 4 bring a better yield, Un weeds 6 that grow between the useful plants are to be removed. In other words, so that the yield of the useful plants 4 is increased, areas 8 which contain the weeds 6 should be processed. The weeds 6 can be removed by an agricultural machine, which is not shown here and which can move along the row of crops 2 and which has a tool which is moved at a working movement speed, which is in particular a working rotation speed. For this purpose, the tool can be moved along the trajectory 1, for example, via a manipulator arm. To the areas 8 that To detect the weeds 6, the agricultural machine, which is not listed here, can have a sensor which can detect the areas 8 with the weeds 6.

The agricultural machine, not shown, moves along the row of crops and the sensor detects the areas 8. The tool is then guided along the trajectory 1 to the areas 8, for example by a manipulator arm, and operated at the working speed so that the weeds 6 can be eliminated and the areas 8 are thus processed. During the time in which the tool is moved between the areas 8, it has a lower movement speed, in particular a lower rotational speed, than the working movement speed. As a result, the development of dust between the areas 8 is minimized.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of an agricultural machine 10, which is shown in simplified form as a rectangle. The agricultural machine has a sensor 12 which is configured to determine the areas 8, see FIG. 1, and thus the weeds 6. Furthermore, a manipulator arm 14, which can move a tool 16 relative to the agricultural machine 10, is arranged on the agricultural machine 10. In other words, the agricultural machine 10 can, for example, travel along the row of crops 2 at the same distance and the manipulator arm 14 can guide the tool 16 along the trajectory 1 into the areas 8 to the weeds 6.

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of a method for controlling an agricultural machine, for example the agricultural machine 10 from FIG. 2. In a first step 18, a sensor, for example the sensor 12, can determine a position of areas, for example areas 8, which contain the weeds 6. In a further step 20, a tool, for example the tool 16, is brought to the areas 8, for example via the manipulator arm 14. For this purpose, the tool 16 can be moved by the manipulator arm 14 in particular along the trajectory 1, while the agricultural machine moves in particular along the row 2 of crops. In a step 22, the area is machined in that the tool is guided into the area at a work movement speed. In other words, the tool has the work movement speed when it penetrates the area. For example, the tool 16 can remove the weeds 6 in the area 8 at the working speed. In a further step 24, when the tool 16 has left the area 8, a slower movement speed is set than the work movement speed, so that the development of dust between areas 8 is minimized.

Claims

Expectations:

1. A method for controlling an agricultural machine (10) which is moved on an agricultural economic area in order to work via a tool (16) certain areas (8), the tool (16) being operable with a working movement speed which the areas (8) can be machined, and wherein a sensor (12) is provided which is configured to determine a position of a respective area (8), characterized in that in a first step the position of an area to be machined (8) is determined, and in a second step the tool (16) is guided to this position, the working movement speed of the tool (16) being set when the tool (16) is in the area (8), and the tool (16) outside the area (8) is operated at a slower speed of movement than the work movement speed or is switched off.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tool (16) is designed in such a way that selected plants (6) which are arranged in the areas (8) can be removed by this.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tool (16) is carried out through a floor.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the speed of movement of the tool (16) outside the areas (8) is at least so high that the tool (16) can be guided through the ground.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the speed of movement is a speed of rotation of the tool (16).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a trajectory (1) of the machine (10) runs along a row of crops (2).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sensor (12) determines at least the position of an area (8) which is arranged closest to the tool (16) in a direction of movement of the tool (16).

8. Control unit for controlling a tool (16) of an agricultural machine (10), which is moved on an agricultural area in order to edit certain areas (8) via the tool (16), the tool (16) with a Arbeitsbewungsge The speed at which the areas (8) can be processed can be operated, the control unit being set up to carry out the following steps: Determining a position of an area to be processed (8) by means of corresponding data from a sensor (12); and

Output of a control signal in such a way that the tool (16) is guided to this position and that the working movement speed of the tool (16) is set when the tool (16) is in the area (8) and the tool (16) outside the area (8) with a slower movement speed than the working movement speed is operated or is switched off.

9. Agricultural machine with a tool (16) and a sensor (12), which is designed to carry out the method according to one of claims 1 to 7, in particular having a control unit according to claim 8.

10. An agricultural machine according to claim 9, wherein the tool (16) is configured such that it is movable at a working movement speed with which selected areas (8) can be machined.

11. An agricultural machine according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the sensor (12) is an imaging sensor (12).

12. Agricultural machine according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein it comprises a manipulator arm (14) which guides the tool.