Auto-positioning camera for drawn implements

A drawn agricultural implement includes a main frame and a plurality of ground engaging units supporting the main frame from a ground surface. A working unit is supported from the main frame and configured to engage crops as the implement moves in a forward direction across the ground surface. A draft tongue extends from the main frame for attachment to a tractor. A camera having a field of view is mounted on at least one of the draft tongue, the main frame and the working unit. The camera is movable relative to the at least one of the draft tongue, the main frame and the working unit to reposition the field of view.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a camera mounting system for use on drawn implements.

BACKGROUND

Systems for automated control of agricultural equipment depend upon cameras or other sensor systems to visualize the work being done. These sensor systems are typically mounted on the tractor or other towing vehicle, where the human operator and/or automated controller is located. Such systems may not be optimal for many types of working implements used with the tractor.

There is a need for improvements in sensor systems which are designed for the specific implements being used.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one embodiment a drawn agricultural implement includes a main frame and a plurality of ground engaging units supporting the main frame from a ground surface. A working unit is supported from the main frame and configured to engage crops as the implement moves in a forward direction across the ground surface. A draft tongue extends from the main frame for attachment to a tractor. At least one sensor is supported from at least one of the draft tongue, the main frame and the working unit. The sensor may be movable relative to the at least one of the draft tongue, the main frame and the working unit to reposition the field of view.

Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings and particularly toFIG.1, a drawn implement20is schematically shown being towed by a tractor22.

The tractor22includes a tractor frame24carried on a plurality of wheels or other ground engaging units26. An engine28drives the ground engaging units26to move the tractor in a forward direction30. The forward direction30may also be referred to as the heading of the tractor22. Engine28also provides power to a power take off32located at a rear of the tractor22. A draw bar or other hitch34is located at the rear of the tractor22.

The drawn implement20may generally be described as including a main frame36and a plurality of ground engaging units38for supporting the main frame36from the ground surface40. Drawn implement20further includes a working unit42supported from the main frame36and configured to engage crops37as the implement20moves in the forward direction30across the ground surface40. Implement20further includes a draft tongue44extending from the main frame36for attachment to the tractor22.

Depending upon the type of drawn implement20, the working unit may be of different types. As further explained below, for a mower conditioner such as shown inFIGS.1and3the working unit42may be a cutting head. For a side-drawn baler such as shown inFIGS.2,4and5the working unit may include a hay pick up device. However, the invention is by no means limited to implements of these types, but can also be used in other towed implements, e.g., soil conditioning tools, saws, sprayers and the like.

The mower conditioner20shown in more detail inFIG.3, includes an undercarriage or main frame36, wheels38, wheel suspensions92, a spring arrangement94, adjusting devices96and the working unit42.

The mower-conditioner20serves for cutting, processing and depositing stalk crops37on the ground40. While in operation, the mower conditioner20is towed over uneven terrain with a relatively high speed and constantly subjected to shocks that, in addition to the flexibility of the wheels38, need to be absorbed by the spring arrangement94.

The main frame36is essentially constructed in the form of a frame that has the shape of an upside-down “U” with vertical limbs100and a horizontal crossbeam98, in the intermediate space of which the working unit42is at least partially accommodated. The main frame36carries the working unit42in a fashion described in greater detail below, and together with the working unit can be adjusted to different elevations in reference to the ground.

A wheel38, that is conventionally provided with a pneumatic tire, is connected in the lower region of each limb100, such that it can be vertically pivoted, namely by means of the wheel suspension92, which includes a trailing link having its forward end pivotally coupled to the limb100and carrying at its rear end a spindle on which the wheel38is rotatably mounted. Thus, the main frame36is supported on the ground40by the wheels38.

A holder or bracket102is situated in the upper region of each limb100. In addition, a bearing104located in a rear region of an upper longitudinally extending arm106forms part of a pivotal coupling of the arm106to the crossbeam98. Further, a bearing108forms part of a vertical pivotal axis about which a forward section of the tongue44is connected for pivoting horizontal relative to a rear section that is fixed to the cross beam98. Receivers110for springs112are also provided on each side of the crossbeam98. An orientation sensor218is schematically indicated and is associated with the pivotal connection108to detect the angular orientation of the working unit42relative to the draft tongue44.

Each wheel suspension92further includes a connection or bracket114located at the upper rear portion of the trailing link. Extending between the brackets102and114is an extensible and retractable cylinder116of the adjusting device96. The cylinder116, which is constructed in the form of a single-action hydraulic cylinder that is pressurized to effect its extension, can also be considered to form part of the wheel suspension92. A lower suspension link118cooperates with the upper link106to form a four-bar linkage and has its rear end coupled to the trailing link by a pivot pin120, and has its forward end coupled to a lower rear region of the working unit42.

FIG.1schematically illustrates three different positions of the center pivot mower conditioner20relative to the tractor22. In solid lines the center pivot mower conditioner is shown being pulled on the right side of the tractor22. In dashed lines indicated as20′ the center pivot mower conditioner is shown being pulled on the left side of the tractor22. In dashed lines indicated as20″ the center pivot mower conditioner is shown being pulled directly behind the tractor22. The corresponding locations of the draft tongue44are similarly indicated as44′ and44″.

A camera46is mounted on a camera mount48. The camera46may more generally be referred to as a sensor46, and the camera mount may be referred to as a sensor mount48. The sensor46may be of other types, in addition to a camera; for example ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, laser sensors, and others may be used to detect the crops37ahead of the drawn implement20. The discussion below will primarily refer to the use of a camera, but it will be understood that any of these other types of sensors may be substituted for a camera in an appropriate situation. The sensor46may also be referred to as a crop sensor46. It will also be understood that more than one sensor may be used in association with a single implement.

In the embodiment of the mower conditioner20shown inFIGS.1and3the camera mount48may be supported from the draft tongue44. As best seen inFIG.1, the camera mount48is pivotable about at least one primarily vertical first axis50. This allows the orientation of a field of view52of the camera46to be adjusted about the first axis50so that the field of view52can be oriented in a primarily forward facing direction. Orientation of the field of view52is defined as the orientation of a central axis54of the field of view52. For example the central axis54of the field of view may be oriented such that the field of view encompasses or is centered on one or both of the edges37aor37bof the crop37so that the working unit42can be best oriented relative to the edge37aor37b. This orientation may change dependent upon a change in the heading30of the tractor22.

As used herein if an axis is described as “primarily” vertical, this means that the axis is closer to vertical than it is to horizontal, i.e. the axis is within a range of plus or minus 45 degrees from vertical. If an axis is described as “primarily” horizontal, this means that the axis is closer to horizontal than it is to vertical, i.e. the axis is within a range of plus or minus 45 degrees from horizontal. Similarly, if a direction or orientation is described as “primarily” forward, the direction is within a range of plus or minus 45 degrees from the forward direction30. Thus when the field of view52is described as being oriented in a primarily forward facing direction, this means that a horizontal component of the central axis54lies within plus or minus 45 degrees of the forward direction30when the forward direction30is horizontal.

More preferably the field of view52is oriented such that the horizontal component of the central axis54is plus or minus thirty degrees from the forward direction30when the forward direction30is horizontal, and even more preferably the field of view52is oriented such that the horizontal component of the central axis54is plus or minus ten degrees from the forward direction30when the forward direction30is horizontal.

FIGS.6and7show one example of the camera mount48in the form of a crank-rocker type four bar linkage mounting the camera46on the underside of the draft tongue44of the center pivot mower conditioner20ofFIGS.1and3. The camera mount48may include a swivel base56attached to the underside of the draft tongue44. The camera46is pivotable on the swivel base56about the first axis50.

An actuator58including an electric motor60and gear set62rotates a crank link64. The electric motor60may be a reversible stepper motor. The crank link64reciprocates a connecting link66which rocks a rocker link68back and forth through a range of motion designated as angle70. Thus when the draft tongue44is located on the right side of the tractor22as shown in solid lines inFIG.1, the camera46may be pivoted to the right hand extreme of the range of motion70, and when the draft tongue44is located on the left side of the tractor22as shown in dashed lines44′ inFIG.1, the camera46may be pivoted to the left hand extreme of the range of motion70. When the draft tongue44is directly behind the tractor22as shown in dashed lines44″ inFIG.1, the camera46may be pivoted to center of the range of motion70. Also of course the orientation of the camera can be set at any location between the extreme ends of the range of motion70.

The linkage of camera mount48may be described as a four-bar linkage, having an actuator60for automated movement of the four-bar linkage to pivot the camera mount48and the camera46about at least one primarily vertical first axis. It is noted that instead of centering the camera46on one of the pivots of the four-bar linkage, the camera46may be mounted on one of the links64,66,68so that the camera rotates or pivots about multiple primarily vertical axes.

Different types of linkages, other than the crank-rocker linkage, may also be used for the camera mount48, depending upon the range and type of motion which best provides the desired adjustability of orientation of the camera46.

Another suitable arrangement for the camera mount is schematically shown inFIG.8and designated as48a. The camera mount48aofFIG.8includes a gear mechanism72including a larger gear74and a smaller gear76. The larger gear74is rotatably mounted on the draft tongue44and has the camera46mounted on the larger gear74for rotation therewith about the first axis50. The smaller gear76is driven by the electric motor60and meshes with the larger gear74.

Preferably, the camera mount48or48ais also configured to provide a second degree of freedom to allow the camera mount and the camera46to pivot about at least one primarily horizontally extending second axis78to allow the camera46to be tilted up and down about the second axis78. As schematically shown inFIGS.3and9, such an arrangement can be provided, for example, by providing an adjustable horizontally oriented cylindrical pivot joint80mounting the camera46to the four-bar linkage mechanism or to the gear mechanism72described above. Preferably the camera46may be tilted such that the central axis54of its field of view52is either horizontal or downwardly sloped at angle146in the forward direction30as schematically shown in the side elevation view ofFIG.3.

Even more preferably, the camera mount may be configured to provide adjustability of the camera orientation about a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axes. This provides a completely omni-directional adjustability of the orientation of the camera. One example of such a omni-directional form of mounting is a spherical-actuator-magnet manipulator (SAMM) such as that described in Wright, “A Spherical-magnet End-effector for Robotic Magnetic Manipulation”, 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (2015).FIGS.10A and10Bschematically illustrate such a SAMM connection which is generally indicated as82.FIG.10Ais a plan view schematically showing the spherical magnet84and three mutually orthogonally oriented omniwheel rotators86,88and90.FIG.10Bis a right side view of the device ofFIG.10A. This provides rotation of the spherical magnet84about any of the three axes a1, a2and a3.

It is noted that although the camera mounting system disclosed herein is primarily configured to allow an angular repositioning of the field of view52, in its broader aspects the present invention also includes translational repositioning of the field of view. This translational repositioning may include up to three degrees of translational repositioning include adjustment of the position of the camera46in one or more of the x, y and z directions relative to the draft tongue or other component upon which the camera46is mounted.

All of these same camera mount arrangements can be utilized with other types of drawn implements, such as for example the side-drawn baler20ashown inFIGS.2,4and5.

The side-drawn baler20amay generally be described as including a main frame36aand a plurality of ground engaging units38afor supporting the main frame36afrom the ground surface40. Baler20afurther includes a working unit42asupported from the main frame36aand configured to engage crops as the implement20amoves in the forward direction30across the ground surface40. Baler20afurther includes a draft tongue44aextending from the main frame36afor attachment to the tractor22.

The main frame36acarries the working unit or pickup device42afor picking up the windrowed crops37and delivering them rearwardly to a deck or floor122that leads laterally inwardly to a fore-and-aft extending bale case124. The bale case124has an upright inner or right hand wall126in which is formed a feed opening128from which the floor122extends laterally outwardly. The pickup device42ais delineated at its rear by a transverse rear wall130and is further delineated at its outer or right hand end by an outer wall132. A reciprocating baling plunger134is carried in the bale case124for operation on alternate compression and retracting strokes, the plunger being conventionally driven by a pitman136and crank shaft138on which is a flywheel140. Power for driving the crank shaft138is derived from the tractor20by the power takeoff32which drives a propeller shaft142(seeFIG.4) which delivers power to a gear transmission of the baler20a. Located rearwardly behind the crop pickup device42ais an auger144for moving picked up crop into the bale case124.

The camera mounting systems described above may be incorporated in the drawn implements20,20ato provide an optimum camera perspective to allow the imaging systems associated with the camera46to identify uncut, cut, gathered or windrowed crops37in order to optimize machine performance during a harvesting or handling operation. Vision is an integral part of “smart” systems that automate machine control. An optical perspective that is too tall has difficulty establishing the height of uncut crop, the stubble height of cut crop, and any color or shading differences between processed and undisturbed crop. An optical perspective that is too short is also distractive as it may be easily concealed by the crop itself or it may be overwhelmed by the glare of light radiating from the sun.

Not only is vertical position strategic, but an optimized longitudinal camera position also can have an impact on machine control and performance. A camera placed relatively close to a working extremity does not require a large magnification for a detailed view of work to be done. Consequently, resulting imaging is more usable as any vibrations resonating through mounting structures are not magnified. Similarly, control is less complex with a feedback mechanism that is close to the work point. Error is reduced as targets are easily identified because they simply are not magnified across lengthy offset distances extrapolated over sometimes several, non-rigid connections.

Furthermore, because many agricultural and commercial machines have mounted implements that may be oriented differently depending on the job to be performed, such as the center pivot mower conditioner20described above, adjustability in the orientation of any camera or other sensor relative to the implement provides improved functionality.

The camera mounting systems proposed herein take into consideration many of these factors to provide preferred arrangements for various types of drawn implements.

For a side-drawn mower20, such as the center pivot mower conditioner described above with reference toFIGS.1and3, an ideal camera elevation clears the highest points of either processed and/or standing material37and is relatively close to the working location of the cutting head42of the machine. As shown inFIGS.1and3a preferred position for the camera46is location on the draft tongue44just in front of and above the cutting head42, with a viewing angle146about the horizontal axis80that is relative flat to down, and with the viewing angle148about the vertical axis50that is primarily in the forward direction30of the work to be performed.

For a side-drawn baler, such as shown inFIGS.2,4and5, a preferred position for the camera46is to mount the same on the inner wall146of the bale case124ahead of the crop pickup42a.

InFIG.11a control system200is schematically shown. As is explained below, the positioning of the camera46can be controlled remotely manually by a human operator located on the tractor24and/or the positioning of the camera46can be automatically controlled based on various monitored parameters.

The control system200includes a controller202. The controller202may be part of the machine control system of the tractor24, or it may be a separate control module. The controller202may be mounted in the operator's cab of the tractor24. The controller202is configured to receive an input such as an orientation218S signal from the orientation sensor218. The signals transmitted from the various sensors to the controller202are schematically indicated inFIG.11by phantom lines connecting the sensors to the controller with an arrowhead indicating the flow of the signal from the sensor to the controller202.

Similarly, the controller202will generate control signals for controlling the operation of the various actuators, which control signals are indicated schematically inFIG.11by phantom lines connecting the controller202to the various actuators with the arrow indicating the flow of the command signal from the controller202to the respective actuator. For example, a control signal60S is indicated going to the electric motor60of actuator58which drives the rocker crank linkage of camera mount48. It will be understood that the control signal60S from the controller202may activate relays and switches (not shown) to direct electrical power to the electric motor60to drive the motor in a desired direction at a desired speed. Although the actuator60illustrated controls the orientation of the camera46only about the vertical axis, it will be understood that two additional actuators can be provided to control the orientation of the camera46about two orthogonal horizontal axes.

Controller202includes or may be associated with a processor204, a computer readable medium206, a data base208and an input/output module or control panel210having a display212. An input/output device214, such as a keyboard, joystick or other user interface, is provided so that the human operator may input instructions to the controller. It is understood that the controller202described herein may be a single controller having all of the described functionality, or it may include multiple controllers wherein the described functionality is distributed among the multiple controllers.

Various operations, steps or algorithms as described in connection with the controller202can be embodied directly in hardware, in a computer program product216such as a software module executed by the processor204, or in a combination of the two. The computer program product216can reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, or any other form of computer-readable medium206known in the art. An exemplary computer-readable medium206can be coupled to the processor204such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the memory/storage medium. In the alternative, the medium can be integral to the processor. The processor and the medium can reside in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC can reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the medium can reside as discrete components in a user terminal.

The term “processor” as used herein may refer to at least general-purpose or specific-purpose processing devices and/or logic as may be understood by one of skill in the art, including but not limited to a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a state machine, and the like. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

In a remote manually controlled mode of operation the human operator located on the tractor24may observe an image from the camera46displayed on the display212located in the cab of the tractor24. The human operator may input command signals via the input output device214to direct the reorientation of the camera46. The input output device214of the controller202may be described as being configured such that the human operator may manually input orientation instructions to control repositioning of the field of view52.

In an automated mode of operation, the orientation of the camera46may be adjusted in response to one or more monitored parameters. The controller202may be configured to generate a command signal60S to the actuator60to move the camera46at least in part in response to one or more monitored parameters representative of a position of the field of view52.

One example is that of the side drawn mower20, wherein the camera46is mounted on the draft tongue44. In that instance the field of view52of the camera46may be described as being defined relative to the draft tongue44. Because the side drawn mower20is pivotally connected to the draft tongue it may be desirable to reposition the field of view of the sensor46based on an orientation of the side drawn mower20, and particularly its working unit42, relative to the draft tongue44. The controller202may monitor the angular orientation of the working unit42relative to the draft tongue44as detected by the orientation detector218. The location of the orientation detector218is schematically shown inFIGS.1and3at the pivotal connection108of the draft tongue44to the main frame36of the side drawn mower20. Orientation detector218may be any suitable type of angle sensor. With the camera46mounted on the draft tongue44the controller202may be configured to receive the orientation signal218S and to generate the command signal60S to the actuator60to reorient the camera46at least in part in response to the orientation signal218S.

Thus, it is seen that the apparatus and methods of the present disclosure readily achieve the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein. While certain preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been illustrated and described for present purposes, numerous changes in the arrangement and construction of parts and steps may be made by those skilled in the art, which changes are encompassed within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims Each disclosed feature or embodiment may be combined with any of the other disclosed features or embodiments.