Patent ID: 8924097
Filing Date: 2014-12-30
Classification: A01D,A01F,A23K

Abstract:
1. A method for creating feed material using at least one harvesting vehicle configured with a fieldwork computer connected to a sensor, a compression vehicle configured with a camera and a central control unit, comprising steps of: transporting plant material harvested from a field to a silo using the at least one harvesting vehicle; using the sensor and fieldwork computer to detect a mass flow of plant material in the harvesting vehicle; using the camera to record images of a pile with harvested plant material to be compressed and compressing the plant material in the silo using the compression vehicle; using the central control unit, estimating a quantity of plant material to be compressed at the silo by calculating a three dimensional shape or volume of the pile based on the images of the pile recorded by the camera, prior to delivery of a new load of plant material; using the fieldwork computer, calculating a weight of the harvested plant material as a harvesting output and sending the calculated weight to the central control unit; comparing the quantity of plant material to be compressed at the silo to the weight of the harvested plant material; and adapting the harvesting output of the at least one harvesting vehicle to the quantity of the plant material to be compressed at the silo by sending a command from the central control unit to the harvesting vehicle or the compression vehicle and vice versa.