Abstract:
RFID tags pre-installed on bale wrap segments provide location information for a specific area of the bale wrap. RFID tag readers located on the cotton harvester provide signals for use by the module wrapping apparatus for initiating a cutting or separating operation, once a module has been wrapped, and for warning an operator of a situation where the wrapping function has not proceeded in an orderly fashion after a signal for starting the wrapping function has been received. A wrapped module carries the pre-installed RFID tags which are readable by RFID readers carried by module handlers in the field and/or at the gin input which identify the modules and establish a position to which the module may be automatically oriented so that an ideal module wrap cutting location is easily calculated. The RFID tag reading taken in the field or at the gin thus senses the number on the tag as well as the location of the tag, and the module identification is input to an electronic database.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to wrapped bales or modules and, more specifically, to identification of cotton or similar crop modules and orientation of the modules relative to a specific location on the wrapper. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is known in the process of harvesting seed cotton, corn stover, hay or other products to use a module forming apparatus, such as a baler, to produce wrapped cylindrical modules or bales of the harvested product. U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,650, granted on Jul. 24, 2001 discloses a cotton harvester which embodies a module forming apparatus equipped with a module wrapping apparatus. 
         [0003]    It is desired to be able to automatically trace the harvested product as it is produced along with associated information which might include customer name, field number, weight, average yield where module is produced, moisture content, module diameter, seed variety, and GPS location and associated mapping data. 
         [0004]    Another desire is to for a combined round module forming and wrapping apparatus to have the capability of separating a predetermined length of wrapping material from a wrapping material supply roll for applying a desired number of wraps to the circumference of a module having a pre-selected diameter. This would include separating pre-partitioned lengths of wrapping material from the supply roll (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,787,209, granted on Sep. 7, 2004 for an example of wrapping material supply rolls including pre-partitioned lengths of wrapping material), or would include defining at what point to cut the predetermined length of wrapping material from the supply roll. A related desired feature is to be able to know how many predetermined or pre-partitioned lengths of wrapping material remain on the supply roll once a bale is wrapped. 
         [0005]    In conjunction with the wrapping apparatus, it is also desired that there be confirmation that the bale or module has been successfully wrapped before it is ejected from the baling or module forming apparatus. 
         [0006]    Once the bale or module is ejected onto the ground from the baling or module forming arrangement, there may be a need for reliably determining the orientation of the bale if there is a need to position the bale in a particular orientation relative to a wrap location, such as when a particular wrap area on the bale provides added protection against moisture (U.S. Pat. No. 7,093,407, granted Aug. 22, 2006 discloses a way of marking a wrapped bale so that it can later be properly oriented for maximum protection against ground moisture. 
         [0007]    In the case of wrapped cotton bales or modules arriving at a gin, the wrapper must be cut at a specific location to prevent formation of a loose inner tail that can become separated from the remainder of the removed wrap and can enter into the gin system. The first length of wrapping material entering the bale chamber on the harvester or processor typically does not bond well with the next adjoining layer of wrap. After about six feet (two meters) of wrapping material are applied to the circumference of the module or bale, the tension and tackiness of one side of the wrapping material helps bond the inner layer to the second layer. Although it is known to provide apparatus for removing wrappers from modules at the cotton gin (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,928, granted Jan. 23, 2007), a reliable method and apparatus for determining the location of the loose inner tail and cutting the wrap at a location offset from the tail is necessary to avoid gin contamination with plastic tail material. If the bales vary in size, the positioning process becomes more difficult. 
         [0008]    Another need at the gin is automatic identification of the order that modules are passing down the gin feeder floor. An identification system used today requires a worker to physically place identification tags on modules in the field, and to remove the tag from a given module and maintain it in order with other prior and post tags for grower quality identification and payment purposes. 
         [0009]    There is a need then to automatically place an identification marker on a cotton bale or module so that the module may be identified and tracked from the time it leaves the bale or module forming and wrapping arrangements until the time it enters the gin. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    According to the present invention, there is provided a control arrangement for a combined module forming apparatus and module wrapping apparatus. 
         [0011]    A broad object of the invention is to provide such a control arrangement that includes a wrap material separating device for automatically separating pre-partitioned or predetermined lengths of wrapping material from a material supply roll during the process of wrapping a cylindrical module or bale in the module or bale forming chamber. 
         [0012]    This object is achieved by resorting to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology including RFID transponders, which are sometimes referred to as tags, and RFID tag readers. As applied here, a plurality of low cost RFID tags, including a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) and an antenna are each positioned on a substrate that is affixed, as by an adhesive, at strategic locations on each predetermined or pre-partitioned length of wrapping material before the wrapping process is begun in the bale chamber. In one embodiment of the invention, tags are placed strategically at three locations on each predetermined or pre-partitioned length of wrapping material to allow RFID reading capability under various conditions or functions. A duplicate tag, with the same identification number as the first, may be placed at each of the three location to guarantee a reading at those locations even if one tag were to fail. Considered when the predetermined or pre-partitioned length of wrapping material is applied to a bale or module, a first RFID tag is located near an outer tail end of, and offset to one side of, the length of wrapping material in a position for being read by a first RFID tag reader located on either the module forming apparatus or module wrapping apparatus. A second RFID tag is centrally located in an inner tail region for being read by a second RFID tag reader located on the baling apparatus near the entrance to the baling chamber, with the orientation and power level of the second reader being such that it will detect the second RFID tag only after one complete wrap of material has been applied to the bale. An absence of such a reading after the wrapping cycle has begun would be an indicator that something is amiss in the operation and the operator could be apprised of this fact by a warning so that a bale is not ejected before being properly wrapped. The second RFID tag reader could be provided at an alternate location adjacent an upper region of the baling chamber. A third RFID tag is provided at a location spaced a fixed amount from the first location chosen such that there is no chance that all three of the RFID tags applied to the bale would be in ground contact at the same time so as to prevent at least one of the tags from being read by a hand-held or machine borne reader once the bale is discharged onto the ground. 
         [0013]    An RFID reader at the gin input determines the inner tail location from the tag location as the module is rotated during processing. Such rotation may be performed by a loader for loading the module onto the gin inlet conveyor floor having the capability for supporting and rotating the module about its axis so that a wrap location offset approximately 180 degrees from the inner tail is aligned with the cutting device, the loader being equipped with an RFID tag reader which senses the number and other information contained on the tag as well as the location of the tag, and the module identification is input to an electronic database of an on-board computer that is coupled to the RFID tag reader. 
         [0014]    Thus, it will be appreciated that the use of RFID technology has several advantages for logistics and inventory control of cotton modules during the entire cycle from module creation to lint bale creation. By pre-installing RFID tags into the predetermined or pre-partitioned lengths of wrap material ahead of actual creation of the round bales or modules, an RFID reader on-board the round module forming machine can be used to determine when a module has been created. In addition, the RFID tags can be used to angularly position round wrapped modules on the ground to take advantage of the overlapping wrap areas or special non-pervious areas on the wrap for improved module protection. 
         [0015]    The ideal cut location for the wrapper can be easily determined for any wrapping orientation and diameter of a module going down a feeder floor. The manual operation of removing a physical tag is eliminated. By using RFID technology, the chance of human error in keeping track of the order of modules going down the feeder floor is significantly reduced, and the module order is now in an electronic database form available for other post-processing. 
         [0016]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description below in view of the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a schematic left side view of a seed cotton harvesting machine incorporating a baling device equipped with a wrapping apparatus for wrapping a cylindrical cotton module formed in the baling chamber. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic top view showing a section of wrapping material including several interconnected predetermined or pre-partitioned lengths of wrapping material, to each of which three RFID tag assemblies have been attached. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing that part of the control for module forming machine and the wrapping apparatus used in effecting separation of the predetermined or pre-partitioned lengths of the wrapping material from the wrapping material supply roll during the module wrapping operation. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a wrapped cotton module showing the location of the three RFID tag assemblies incorporated into the plastic wrapping material. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a self-propelled cotton harvester  10  including a main frame  12  supported for movement by forward drive wheels  14  and rear steerable wheels  16 . An operator&#39;s station or cab  18  is supported at a forward location on an elevated region of the frame so as to provide an operator a clear view of a cotton harvesting head  20  mounted to a forward end of the frame  12 , which removes cotton from plants and directs the removed cotton into an air conveying system including an air duct arrangement  22 . 
         [0022]    An upright cotton accumulator arrangement  30  with an upper inlet structure  32  and a metering floor  34  is supported on the frame  12  behind the cab  18  for receiving the cotton from the air duct arrangement  22 . A selectively operable cotton processor which, as shown, is a large cylindrical module- or bale-forming apparatus or arrangement  36  supported rearward of the accumulator arrangement  30 . The accumulator arrangement  30  stores cotton as necessary, and the metering floor  34  uniformly distributes the cotton into a module-forming chamber  38 , by way of a chamber inlet  40 . 
         [0023]    The module-forming chamber  38  is broadly similar to the bale-forming arrangement of the large round baler disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,141, granted 9 Nov. 1999, in that it includes opposite sides having a forward region defined by a pair fixed, transversely spaced side walls  42 , which are joined to the main frame  12 , and a rear region defined by a pair of transversely spaced side walls  44  that form opposite sides of a discharge gate  46 , which is mounted to an upper rear location of the fixed side walls  42  for pivoting vertically about a horizontal axis defined by a pivot assembly  48 , between a lowered, module-forming position, as shown, and a raised module-discharge position. The circumference of the module-forming chamber  38  is defined by a module-forming arrangement including a plurality of endless belts  50  supported in side-by-side relationship across a support roll arrangement comprising a plurality of fixed rolls and a plurality of movable rolls. Specifically, proceeding clockwise from an upper boundary of the chamber inlet  40 , the fixed rolls include a bottom front roll  51 , a lower front roll  52 , an upper front roll  54 , and a top front roll  56  all extending between and having opposite ends rotatably mounted to the fixed side walls  42 . Continuing on, the fixed rolls further include a top front gate roll  58 , an upper rear gate roll  60  a bottom rear gate roll  62  and a bottom front gate roll  64  all extending between and having opposite ends rotatably mounted to the gate side walls  44 . A belt tensioning arm arrangement  66  comprises a pair of transversely spaced arms  68  having forward ends joined to a transverse tube that extends between, and is pivotally mounted, as at a pivot arrangement  70 , to a middle front region of the fixed side walls  42 . The plurality of movable rolls comprise three rolls  72 ,  74  and  76 , which extend between and have opposite ends respectively rotatably mounted to the arms  68  of the tensioning arm arrangement  66 . The roll  72  is located at a rear end of the arms  68 , the roll  74  positioned in adjacent spaced relationship to the roll  72 , and the roll  76  is spaced toward the pivot arrangement  70  from the roll  74 . 
         [0024]    Beginning at the bottom front roll  51 , the endless, module-forming belts  50  are looped under the roll  51  and include an outer run which is engaged serially with the lower front roll  52 , the upper front roll  54 , the movable roll  76 , the top front roll  56 , the top front gate roll  58 , the upper rear gate roll  60 , the lower rear gate roll  62 , and the lower front gate roll  64 . An inner run of the belts  50  includes a loop engaged over a top rear fixed roll  78 , which extends between an upper rear region of the fixed side walls  42 , with the loop being positioned between the movable rolls  72  and  74 . As shown, the tensioning arm arrangement  66  is in an initial, lowered position corresponding to when the module-forming chamber  38  is in an empty condition, with the module-forming belts defining a generally triangular shape, as viewed from the side. The tensioning arm arrangement  66  normally includes tensioning elements such hydraulic cylinders and/or springs (not shown, but well known) which are mounted between the fixed walls  42  and the arms  68  so as to yieldably resist their upward movement as the module-forming chamber  38  becomes filled with cotton. As shown, one or more of the fixed rolls are driven so as to cause the belts  50  to be driven, with the drive direction being such as to cause the incoming cotton to travel counterclockwise as it is added as a spiral layer to the growing cotton module. As the module grows within the chamber  38 , the arms  68  of the tensioning arm arrangement  66  rotate counterclockwise until a module having a predetermined diameter has been formed in the chamber  38 , this diameter being sensed by a module size sensor  69 , having a purpose explained below. 
         [0025]    A module or bale wrapping apparatus or arrangement  80  is mounted to a rear wall of the discharge gate  46  and includes a cover  82  hinged at its top and covering an active wrapping material supply roll  84  consisting of wrapping material  86 . The wrapping material  86  used here is preferably, but not necessarily, formed from semi-permeable plastic sheet. An end section of the wrapping material  86  extends downwardly from a forward side of the supply roll  84  and is fed between upper and lower wrap material feed rolls  88  and  90 , respectively. With reference also to  FIG. 3 , it can be understood that the upper roll  88  has its opposite ends mounted for rotation in brackets  91  that are mounted for sliding and are spring biased so that the upper roll  88  is yieldably biased downwardly into engagement with the lower roll  90 . The upper roll  88  is positioned slightly to the rear of the lower roll  90  so that a common tangent to the rolls, at their line of contact, extends upwardly and forwardly toward a vertical run of the module-forming belts  50 . Upon driving the feed rolls  88  and  90 , in a manner described below, the wrapping material  86  exiting the feed rolls  88  and  90  is delivered against the vertical run of the belts  50  and carried to a wrapping material guide structure  92  which extends beneath a lower run of the belts  50 , the belts  50  acting to carry the wrapping material  86  along the guide structure  92 , and then around the lower front gate roll  64  and into the module-forming chamber  38 , by way of the chamber inlet  40 , the wrapping material  86  then being trapped between the module-forming belts  50  and a completed cotton module  94  located in the expanded baling chamber  38 . The speed at which the wrapping material  86  is moved by the belts  50  and rotating module  94  is greater than the speed at which it is delivered by the feed rolls  88  and  90 , causing the wrapping material  86  to be tensioned and stretched as it is wrapped about the module  94 . Once a desired length of the wrapping material (1.5 to 2 wraps, for example) is wrapped about the cotton module  94 , the drive to the feed roll  88  is discontinued and a cutting mechanism, described in more detail below, is actuated so as to separate the material being wrapped about the module  94  from the material supply roll  84 . 
         [0026]    A wrapping material cut-off or separation device  130  is provided for selectively separating the supply roll  84  from a length of wrapping material that is being wrapped about a completely formed module  94  located in the baling chamber  38 . The cut-off or separation device  130  includes an upstanding, horizontal, transverse cutting blade  132  fixed rearward of the lower rear gate roll  62  and having a cutting edge  134  disposed just below a path P extending tangent to an upper front location of the lower feed roll  90  and a lower rear location of the gate roll  62 , and followed by the wrapping material  86  during the wrapping of a bale. A pair of curved arms  136  and  138  have respective rear ends fixed to right- and left-hand end regions of a cross shaft  140  mounted for pivoting about a horizontal, transverse axis located behind the feed rolls  88  and  90 . Respective forward ends of the arms  138  and  140  are joined by a horizontal, transverse, angle-shaped anvil  144  that is disposed above, and on the opposite side of the path P from, the blade cutting edge  134 . This position of the arms  138  and  140  holds the anvil  144  in a stand-by position occupied when a bale is being wrapped, for example. Once wrapping of the bale is substantially completed, the anvil  144  is moved downwardly so as to engage the wrapping material  86  located along the path P and bring it into engagement with the blade cutting edge  134 , with the anvil  144  then being in a cutting position. Movement of the anvil  144  between its stand-by and cutting positions is selectively accomplished by operation of an extensible and retractable actuator, here depicted as an electric linear motor  146  having its output connected between the right side wall  44  and an upper rear location of the right-hand arm  136 . Thus, as viewed in  FIG. 3 , retraction of the linear motor  146  will cause the arms  136  and  138  to be pivoted clockwise. 
         [0027]    A belt drive  150  is provided for driving the upper feed roll  88  and includes a drive pulley  152  coupled to a left end of the lower rear gate roll  62 , a driven pulley  154  coupled to a left end of the feed roll  88 , a drive belt  156  engaged with the pulleys  132  and  134  and a tensioning roll  158  mounted to the end of an arm  160  that is pivotally mounted to the left-hand arm  138  and biased so that the tensioning roll  158  is resiliently biased, as by a torsion spring (not shown) acting between the arms  138  and  160 , into engagement with a lower run of the belt  156  when the arms  136  and  138  are positioned for holding the anvil  144  in its stand-by, position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . When the arms  136  and  140  are pivoted clockwise by retraction of the linear motor  146 , the tensioning roll  158  is moved away from the belt  156  so as to permit the drive belt  156  to become slack, thus, disconnecting the drive between the gate roll  62  and the feed roll  88 . At the same time, a braking force is applied to the feed roll  88  by a braking device comprising an adjustable stop  162 , a pivotally suspended braking arm  164  and a brake pad  166 . Specifically, the stop  162  is carried at an upper rear location of the left-hand arm  138  and is located closely adjacent a rear face of the brake arm  164 , which has the pad  166  affixed to its forward face and is positioned behind the pulley  134 . The stop  162  is positioned so as to cause the arm  164  to pivot towards, and apply the brake pad  166  against, the pulley  154  when the arm  138  is pivoted clockwise, as viewed in  FIG. 3 . This results in a length of the wrapping material  86 , which extends between the feed rolls  88 , 90  and the bale  94  being wrapped being tensioned which aids the cutting action. 
         [0028]    A knife-operation sensor  168  is used for providing a signal to a computer  170 , forming part of a electronic control arrangement  171  for the module forming apparatus  36  and the module wrapping apparatus  80 , located in the cab  18  of the harvester  10  for initiating operation of a pair of hydraulic gate cylinders (not shown), which are coupled between the fixed side walls  42  and the gate side walls  44 , as is well known, for causing the discharge gate  46  to be pivoted to its raised discharge position for permitting the wrapped module  94  to roll onto a cradle-shaped framework  96  of a module discharge arrangement  100 . 
         [0029]    The framework  96  of the module discharge arrangement  100  is pivotally mounted, as at  102 , to a rear end region of the main frame  12  for swinging vertically between a raised, module-receiving position, as shown, and a lowered, module-depositing position for permitting the module  94  to roll off the framework  96  onto the ground. The framework  96  is moved between its raised and lowered positions by a pair of hydraulic actuators  104  mounted between the frame  12  and the framework  96 . The module discharge arrangement  100  may be operated such that two cotton modules  94  are deposited on the ground close to each other for subsequent handling by leaving a first wrapped module  94  on the framework  96  during formation and wrapping of a second module  94 , with the first module  94  being deposited on the ground shortly before the framework  96  is positioned for receiving and then depositing the second wrapped module  94 . For the purpose of generating data for cotton yield mapping, a cotton module weight measuring device (not shown) may be associated with the module discharge arrangement  100  so as to produce a weight signal, when a cotton module is resting on the cradle defined by the framework  96 , with the weight measuring device being coupled to the computer  170 . At the same time, the location in the field where the weighed module was produced is determined by a global positioning system including a signal transmitter (not shown) carried by the harvester  10 . 
         [0030]    In order to aid in the handling and identification of the modules  94  subsequent to their being deposited on the ground, the wrapping material  86  is preferably manufactured to include a plurality of electronic identification tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, for example. Specifically, with reference to  FIG. 2  there is shown a length of the wrapping material  86  including three identical segments  106 , with each segment being a predetermined length sufficient for providing a desired number of wraps about the circumference of a module  94  having a predetermined diameter. Thus, each of the wrapping material supply rolls  84  is manufactured to wrap a given number of modules having a predetermined diameter. As considered when wrapped about a given module  94 , each of the segments  106  includes an inner tail section  108  and an outer tail end  110 , with the section  108  and tail end  110  being joined together prior to being separated by the cut-off or separation device  130  of the module wrapping system  80 . Because of the nature of how the wrapping material  86  enters the module-forming chamber  38  during the wrapping function, the first six feet or so of the inner tail section  108  does not bond well with the next adjacent layer of the wrapping material  86 . After approximately six feet of wrapping material becomes engaged with the module, wrap tension and tackiness of one side of the wrapping material  86  helps bond the inner layer of the wrapping material to the second layer. 
         [0031]    It is possible that adjacent segments  106  of the wrapping material  86  may be joined together at a lapped joint connected together by an adhesive which permits separation of the joint upon the application of a predetermined tensile force to the lapped joint. U.S. Pat. No. 6,787,209 discloses a plastic wrapping material utilizing such lapped joints. When using a wrapping material  86  consisting of a plurality of sections coupled end-to-end at lapped joints, no cutting mechanism is required to separate the segments  106  one from another. Rather, all that is required is to apply a braking force to the wrapping material feed roll  88 , such as with the brake arm  164  and brake pad  166  described above, with the wrapping action of the module  94  and module-forming belts  50  creating the tensile force necessary for separating the joint. Separation of the joint exposes adhesive on the outer end section of the wrapping material segment  106  adjacent the outer tail end  110  which serves to adhere the outer end section to the underlying layer of wrapping material  86 . 
         [0032]    In any event, each of the identical segments  106  of the wrapping material  86  is provided with three RFID tag assemblies  112 ,  114  and  116 , which each include a paper backing into which two RFID tags  118  are incorporated, the purpose of the two tags  118  being to provide a redundancy in the event one of the tags is defective. 
         [0033]    The RFID tag assemblies  112 ,  114  and  116  are strategically placed on each wrapping material segment  106  to allow RFID tag reading capability under various conditions or functions, as is explained below. The tag assembly  112  is fixed to the wrapping material  86  at a location centered within the inner tail section  108 . The RFID tag assembly  114  is attached to the wrapping material  86  at a location adjacent one of its lateral sides and spaced trailing relationship to the outer tail end  110 , as considered in the direction the wrapping material  86  travels during wrapping operation. The RFID tag assembly  116  is attached to the wrapping material  86  at a location adjacent an opposite side from, and in leading relationship to, the location of the RFID tag assembly  114 . The base identification number of each of the six tags of the three tag assemblies  112 ,  114  and  116  is identical. To differentiate the tag assembly  114  from the tag assemblies  112  and  116 , different suffixes are used as part of the numbering scheme, with it being noted that RFID readers can be made to screen for certain suffix locations. 
         [0034]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , an RFID tag reader  120  is provided on an upper rear location of the vehicle frame  12  adjacent a rear underside region of the wrapping material guide structure  92 . During wrapping operation, when the reader  120  identifies the presence of the tag assembly  114 , a signal can be sent to the on board computer  170  to cause operation of the cut-off or separating device  130  for separating the lead wrapping material segment  106  from the adjacent following segment  106 . Another RFID tag reader  122  is provided at a location adjacent the inlet  40  of the module-forming chamber  38 . The reader  122  is positioned such that it will detect the tag assembly  114 , regardless of the diameter of the cotton module  94  being formed. The orientation and power level of the RFID tag reader  122  is such that at least one wrap must be completed during the wrapping process before the reader will identify the tag assembly  114 . In the event that the tag assembly  114  is not identified within a certain time, as determined by a timer  172 , after a signal has been sent to the computer  170  to initiate the wrapping operation, a warning device  174 , that is coupled to the computer  170 , is energized to provide a warning to the operator to help prevent the operator from letting the module  94  exit the machine  10  prior to being wrapped. An alternate RFID tag reader  124  is mounted to a support extending between an upper region of the fixed side walls  42  located beneath an upper horizontal run of the module-forming belts  50 . The tag reader  124  would also be oriented and powered so as to be capable of confirming that tag assembly  114  has made it into the module-forming chamber  38 . 
         [0035]    Wrapping operation may be automatically initiated upon the bale size sensor  69  sending out a size signal which corresponds to a pre-selected size placed in the memory of the computer  170  by an input key  178  coupled to the computer  130 . The computer  170  will then send a feed initiate signal to the linear motor  146 , causing the latter to extend, thereby bringing the tensioning roll  158  into engagement with the drive belt  156  so as to effect the drive connection between the lower rear gate roll  62  and the feed roll  88 . The feed rolls  88  and  90  then counter-rotate so as to feed the leading end of the leading segment  106  of the wrapping material  86  against the vertical run of the belts  50  which carries the wrapping material downwardly and beneath the roll  62  where it is moved along the guide structure  92  and into the baling chamber  38 . At this time the completed module  94  is rotating and the wrapping material  86  is carried along with the module  94  and belts  50 . The leading wrapping material segment  106  is cut-off or separated from the adjacent following segment, in the manner described above, when the tag reader  120  reads the signal emitted by the RFID tag  114 . 
         [0036]    By taking advantage of the hexadecimal system used for RFID tag identification, supply rolls  84  of the wrapping material  86  can be configured so that a given portion of a supply roll  84  can be individually identified, with a segment count-down arrangement  176  of the circuit tracking this information. One possible use of this information is to give notice to an operator, by way of a display  178 , for example, as to how many wrap segments  106  are still left on the supply roll  84  so that the operator knows when a new supply roll  84  of wrapping material  86  must be loaded into the wrapping mechanism  80 . 
         [0037]    Aside from providing information concerning the location of a given segment  106  of the wrapping material  86  during the wrapping operation, the RFID tags  112 ,  114 , and  116  can be set up to correlate a given wrapped module  94  with other information, including the grower&#39;s name, seed variety, field number, module diameter, module weight, module moisture content, average yield where module is produced, and GPS location and associated mapping data. 
         [0038]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown the wrapped cotton module  94  lying on the ground. The wrapping material segment  106  is arranged on the module  94  such that the RFID tag assembly  112  is located against the right-hand side of the cotton module at a location just above the ground line, the RFID tag assembly  114  is located between two adjacent wraps of the wrapping material segment  106  at approximately a 2:00 o&#39;clock location adjacent one end of the module  94 , and the tag assembly  116  is between adjacent wraps of the wrapping material at a location approximately diametrically opposite from, and adjacent the opposite end of the module  94  from, the tag assembly  114 . It can be seen that the module  94  becomes deformed from its cylindrical shape when resting on the ground so as to have a relatively long contact zone C. Because of this, it is possible that the RFID tag assemblies  112  and  114  can both be in ground contact after the module  94  is deposited on the ground by the harvester  10 . The position of the RFID tag assembly  116  relative to the tag assemblies  112  and  114  is selected so that it is ensured that at least one of the tag assemblies  112 ,  114  and  116  is out of ground contact so as to permit it to be read with a hand-held or machine carried tag reader. 
         [0039]    Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.