Patent Publication Number: US-2022217895-A1

Title: Methods of operating tillage implements and working fields

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/860,991, “Methods of Operating Tillage Implements and Working Fields,” filed Jun. 13, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to working agricultural fields. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for adjusting tillage implements based on maps. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Crop yields are affected by a variety of factors, such as seed placement, soil quality, weather, irrigation, and nutrient applications. Soil quality is affected by the amount of residue left on the surface of the soil at the end of a growing season and after tilling. As used herein, the term “residue” means plant material that is not mixed into soil. Residue may be used to control erosion, moisture in the soil, temperature of the soil, and other properties. 
     In some fields and with some crops, it is desirable to keep the amount of residue in a given area relatively constant. In other circumstances, it may be desirable to vary the amount of residue in a given area (e.g., based on slope, soil type, water table, etc.). However, the amount of residue can vary based on a number of factors, and it is difficult to correct for different factors without making adjustments to tilling parameters in the field, which is difficult for a farmer to do precisely. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     In some embodiments, a method of working a field includes collecting data from a harvester correlated to a map of a field, generating an operating parameter map of an operating parameter of a tillage implement, and adjusting the operating parameter of the tillage implement as the tillage implement traverses the field based on the operating parameter map and a location of the tillage implement within the field. The operating parameter map is correlated to the map of the field and based at least in part on the collected data. 
     Some methods of operating a tillage implement include selecting a variation of an operating parameter of a tillage implement with respect to a position within a field based on information collected by a harvester, propelling the tillage implement through the field, and adjusting the operating parameter of the tillage implement based on the selected variation. 
     Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods disclosed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the present disclosure, various features and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure may be more readily ascertained from the following description of example embodiments of the disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified top view of a map of a field with a combine harvester operating therein; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a map that may be generated and used in methods disclosed herein; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a tractor pulling a tillage implement in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified flow chart illustrating an example method of working a field; 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified flow chart illustrating another example method of working a field; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an example computer-readable storage medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured to embody one or more of the methods of working a field, such as the methods illustrated in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The illustrations presented herein are not actual views of any particular harvester, tillage implement, or portion thereof, but are merely idealized representations that are employed to describe example embodiments of the present disclosure. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation. 
     The following description provides specific details of embodiments of the present disclosure in order to provide a thorough description thereof. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without employing many such specific details. Indeed, the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with conventional techniques employed in the industry. In addition, the description provided below does not include all elements to form a complete structure or assembly. Only those process acts and structures necessary to understand the embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail below. Additional conventional acts and structures may be used. Also note, the drawings accompanying the application are for illustrative purposes only, and are thus not drawn to scale. 
     As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method acts, but also include the more restrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” and grammatical equivalents thereof. 
     As used herein, the term “may” with respect to a material, structure, feature, or method act indicates that such is contemplated for use in implementation of an embodiment of the disclosure, and such term is used in preference to the more restrictive term “is” so as to avoid any implication that other, compatible materials, structures, features, and methods usable in combination therewith should or must be excluded. 
     As used herein, the term “configured” refers to a size, shape, material composition, and arrangement of one or more of at least one structure and at least one apparatus facilitating operation of one or more of the structure and the apparatus in a predetermined way. 
     As used herein, the singular forms following “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
     As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     As used herein, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “bottom,” “above,” “upper,” “top,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” and the like, may be used for ease of description to describe one element&#39;s or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Unless otherwise specified, the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the materials in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. 
     As used herein, the term “about” used in reference to a given parameter is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the given parameter). 
       FIG. 1  is a simplified representation of a map  100  of a field  102 . A combine  104  is illustrated working the field  102  (i.e., by harvesting crops in the field  102 ). The field  102  is depicted as having a harvested area  106  and an unharvested area  108 . 
     As the combine  104  traverses the field  102  (i.e., harvesting a crop), sensors carried thereon may collect data about the conditions of the field  102 . For example, the combine  104  may collect data about the amount of crop harvested, the amount of MOG (material other than grain) expelled from the combine  104  onto the field  102 , or data about the soil conditions, such as water content, color, particle size, etc. The data collected by the combine  104  may be correlated to locations on the map  100 , such as by matching the collected data to information about a location from a GPS receiver carried by the combine  104 . The collected data may be stored after harvesting for use in a subsequent growing season. 
       FIG. 2  is a simplified representation of a map  200  of the field  102 . The map  200  may include different areas  202 - 208  separated by boundaries  210 . The areas  202 - 208  may be defined to have different residue amounts, soil characteristics, topographies, or any other property. The map  200  may include any number of areas  202 - 208  with any selected classifications of properties. The map  200  may be generated based on the data collected by the combine  104  ( FIG. 1 ), and may include operating parameters for a tillage implement to be used to work the field  102 . The areas  202 - 208  may be defined to have different seed varieties or seed populations planted therein. 
     Generation of maps of fields is described generally in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0022929 A1, “System and Method for Creating Field Attribute Maps for Site-Specific Farming,” published Feb. 21, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,606,542, “System and Method for Creating Agricultural Decision and Application Maps for Automated Agricultural Machines,” issued Aug. 12, 2003; and International Patent Publication WO 2018/080979 A1, “Land Mapping and Guidance System,” published May 3, 2018; the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a tractor  300  drawing tillage implement  302 , which includes a draw bar  304  supporting tilling assemblies  306 . A computer  308 , which may include a central processing unit (“CPU”)  310 , memory  312 , implement controller  314 , and graphical user interface (“GUI”) (e.g., a touch-screen interface), is typically located in the cab of the tractor  300 . A global positioning system (“GPS”) receiver  316  may be mounted to the tractor  300  and connected to communicate with the computer  308 . The computer  308  may include an implement controller  314  configured to communicate with the tilling assemblies  306  and/or the GPS receiver  316 , such as by wired or wireless communication. 
     The tilling assemblies  306  may be any of a variety of tools, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0183445, “Rotary Spider Tine for Tillage Implement,” published Jun. 30, 2016; U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0192855, “Interlocking Basket for Strip Tillage Machine,” published Aug. 1, 2013; and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0054051, “Implement with Raisable Soil-Leveling Cylinders,” published Feb. 27, 2014; the entire disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by this reference. 
     The CPU  310  may use the map  200  ( FIG. 2 ), which may be stored in the memory  312 , to determine an operating parameter of the tillage implement  302  at the location of the tillage implement  302  within the field  102 . The implement controller  314  may control the tillage implement  302  such that the tilling assemblies  306  each work the soil in the field  102  at a selected depth at each location within the field  102 . The operating parameter may be adjusted as the tillage implement  302  traverses the field  102  based on the map  200  and the location of the tillage implement  302  within the field  102 . For example, the operating parameter may be adjusted when the tillage implement  302  crosses a boundary  210 . 
     In some embodiments, the depth of the tilling assemblies  306  may be set by the implement controller  314 , though the tilling assemblies  306  may not be individually adjusted by the implement controller  314 . In such embodiments, contours of the ground may prevent the tilling assemblies  306  from all operating at the same depth. In other embodiments, the tilling assemblies  306  may be individually adjusted. The tilling assemblies  306 , the tillage implement  302 , and the tractor  300  may have other parameters that may also be adjusted, such as a gang angle, a gang depth, an implement depth, a shank depth, a time delay, a data-filtering parameter, a finishing tool pressure, a finishing tool angle, a hitch draft load, a wheel load, a vehicle speed, etc. The tilling assemblies  306  may operate to cut, chop, grind, scrape, or otherwise manipulate the soil and residue as the tractor  300  and the tillage implement  302  traverse the field. In some embodiments, the tillage implement  302  may be configured to collect a portion of the residue. In other embodiments, the tilling assemblies  306  may mix a portion of the residue with the soil, such that the residue is under the surface of the ground. The depth of the tilling assemblies  306  may affect the amount of the residue that remains on top of the soil (as opposed to mixed into the soil or collected by the tillage implement  302 . 
     The draw bar  304  may also carry one or more sensors  318  oriented to measure a property of the field  102  in which the tractor  300  operates. The sensors  318  may be configured to measure visible, ultraviolet (UV), and/or infrared (IR) radiation; moisture levels; soil composition; particle size; residue; etc. Each of the sensors  318  may be oriented such that they measure the ground behind the tilling assemblies  306  in the direction of travel of the tractor  300 . 
     Information from the sensors  318  may be transmitted to the computer  308 , which may use the information to determine whether the operating parameters indicated on the map  200  are adequate to achieve a selected result with respect to the soil conditions after the tillage implement  302  works the ground (e.g., a selected amount of residue on the ground surface). 
       FIG. 4  is a simplified flow chart illustrating a method  400  of working a field, such as the field  102  shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . As shown in block  402 , a harvester (e.g., the combine  104 ) collects data correlated to a map a field. The collected data may include, for example, information about the yield (e.g., mass of grain harvested) or the MOG (e.g., mass of material processed by the harvester and returned to the field). 
     In block  404 , an operating parameter map (e.g., the map  200 ) of an operating parameter of a tillage implement is generated. The operating parameter map is correlated to the map of the field and based at least in part on the collected data. The operating parameter map may be generated by a computer associated with the harvester, a computer associated with the tillage implement, or another computer. The harvester may transfer the collected data to a computer associated with the tillage implement, either directly or indirectly, and either before or after generating the operating parameter map. In some embodiments, the operating parameter map may be generated by a computer remote from the field (e.g., a computer on the Internet that receives the collected data from the harvester and transmits the operating parameter map to the tillage implement). 
     In block  406 , the operating parameter of the tillage implement is adjusted as the tillage implement traverses the field based on the operating parameter map and a location of the tillage implement within the field. 
     In block  408 , the tillage implement optionally detects a property of the field after the tillage implement passes. For example, the sensors  318  ( FIG. 3 ) may detect one or more properties as discussed above. The computer  308  may adjust the operating parameter of the tillage implement based on the property detected. That is, the sensors  318  may provide feedback to the computer  308  to assist the computer  308  in adjusting the operating parameter responsive both to actual current field conditions and the operating parameter map generated based on the data collected during harvest. In some embodiments, the tillage implement may capture an image of the field, and may use the captured image to determine the amount of residue on the ground surface. If the amount of residue detected is different than a selected amount, the operating parameter map may be adjusted accordingly (e.g., offset by an amount to correct for the difference and maintain a selected amount of residue). Thus, the sensors  318  may assist the computer  308  in making fine-tune adjustments to the operating parameter to achieve a selected result. 
       FIG. 5  is a simplified flow chart illustrating another method  500  of working a field, such as the field  102  shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
     In block  502 , a variation of an operating parameter of a tillage implement is selected with respect to a position within the field based on information collected by a harvester. Typically, the variation is based on a map of the field (e.g., the map  200 ), and may be selected by a computer program configured to model operation of the tillage implement. 
     In block  504 , the tillage implement is propelled through the field, such as by dragging the tillage implement behind a tractor or another vehicle. In block  506 , the operating parameter of the tillage implement is adjusted based on the selected variation as the tillage implement travels through the field. For example, the operating parameter to be adjusted may be a gang angle, a gang depth, an implement depth, a shank depth, a time delay, a data-filtering parameter, a finishing tool pressure, a finishing tool angle, a hitch draft load, a wheel load, and/or a vehicle speed. 
     In block  508 , a camera carried by the tillage implement may optionally capture an image of the field. The image may be captured at the rear of the tillage implement, and may be an image of the ground surface just after working by the tillage implement. The captured image may depict visible light, ultraviolet radiation, infrared radiation, or any combination thereof. The image may be used to identify residue on the ground surface, such as MOG. For example, a computer associated with the tillage implement may determine an amount of residue on the surface of the field. The computer may then adjust the operating parameter of the tillage implement. In some embodiments, the computer may modify the variation of the operating parameter based on the image (e.g., the computer may apply an offset to the variation based on the map). Though described with respect to capturing an image, the process may be performed with any type of information collected by the tillage implement, including combinations of different types of data (e.g., an image plus a measure of soil moisture). 
     Still other embodiments involve a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) having processor-executable instructions configured to implement one or more of the techniques presented herein. An example computer-readable medium that may be devised is illustrated in  FIG. 6 , wherein an implementation  600  includes a computer-readable storage medium  602  (e.g., a flash drive, CD-R, DVD-R, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a platter of a hard disk drive, etc.), on which is computer-readable data  604 . This computer-readable data  604  in turn includes a set of processor-executable instructions  606  configured to operate according to one or more of the principles set forth herein. In some embodiments, the processor-executable instructions  606  may be configured to cause the computer  308  ( FIG. 3 ) to perform operations  608  when executed via a processing unit, such as at least some of the example method  400  depicted in  FIG. 4  or the method  500  depicted in  FIG. 5 . In other embodiments, the processor-executable instructions  606  may be configured to implement a system, such as at least some of the example tractor  300  and tillage implement  302  of  FIG. 3 . Many such computer-readable media may be devised by those of ordinary skill in the art that are configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the techniques presented herein. 
     The tractor  300  and tillage implement  302  disclosed herein may be used in conjunction with plowing a field in preparation for planting, or at the end of a growing season. By adjusting tilling parameters, the overall yield of the field may be increased because soil may be tilled such that the properties of the soil are conducive to the crop to be grown in the field. For example, the properties of the soil may be selected to protect the soil from erosion, nutrient loss, and moisture loss. 
     Additional non-limiting example embodiments of the disclosure are described below. 
     Embodiment 1 
     A method of working a field, the method comprising collecting data from a harvester correlated to a map of a field, generating an operating parameter map of an operating parameter of a tillage implement, and adjusting the operating parameter of the tillage implement as the tillage implement traverses the field based on the operating parameter map and a location of the tillage implement within the field. The operating parameter map is correlated to the map of the field and based at least in part on the collected data. 
     Embodiment 2 
     The method of Embodiment 1, further comprising transferring the collected data to a computer associated with the tillage implement. 
     Embodiment 3 
     The method of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, further comprising detecting a property of the field at the location after the tillage implement passes the location. 
     Embodiment 4 
     The method of Embodiment 3, further comprising further adjusting the operating parameter of the tillage implement based on the operating parameter map and the detected property of the field at the location. 
     Embodiment 5 
     The method of Embodiment 3 or Embodiment 4, wherein detecting a property of the field comprises capturing an image of the field with a camera carried by the tillage implement. 
     Embodiment 6 
     The method of any one of Embodiments 3 through 5, wherein detecting a property of the field comprises identifying residue over a surface of the field. 
     Embodiment 7 
     The method of any one of Embodiments 3 through 6, further comprising modifying the operating parameter map based on the detected property of the field. 
     Embodiment 8 
     A method of operating a tillage implement, the method comprising selecting a variation of an operating parameter of a tillage implement with respect to a position within a field based on information collected by a harvester, propelling the tillage implement through the field, and adjusting the operating parameter of the tillage implement based on the selected variation. 
     Embodiment 9 
     The method of Embodiment 8, further comprising capturing an image of the field with a camera carried by the tillage implement. 
     Embodiment 10 
     The method of Embodiment 9, wherein capturing an image of the field comprises capturing visible light. 
     Embodiment 11 
     The method of Embodiment 9 or Embodiment 10, wherein capturing an image of the field comprises capturing infrared radiation. 
     Embodiment 12 
     The method of any one of Embodiments 9 through 11, further comprising identifying residue in the image. 
     Embodiment 13 
     The method of Embodiment 12, wherein identifying residue in the image comprises determining an amount of residue on a surface of the field. 
     Embodiment 14 
     The method of Embodiment 12 or Embodiment 13, wherein identifying residue in the image comprises identifying material other than grain. 
     Embodiment 15 
     The method of any one of Embodiments 9 through 14, further comprising further adjusting the operating parameter of the tillage implement based on the image. 
     Embodiment 16 
     The method of any one of Embodiments 9 through 15, further comprising modifying the variation of the operating parameter based on the image. 
     Embodiment 17 
     The method of any one of Embodiments 8 through 16, wherein adjusting an operating parameter of the tillage implement comprises adjusting the operating parameter to maintain a selected amount of residue on a ground surface. 
     Embodiment 18 
     The method of any one of Embodiments 8 through 17, wherein adjusting an operating parameter of the tillage implement comprises adjusting at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a gang angle, a gang depth, an implement depth, a shank depth, a time delay, a data-filtering parameter, a finishing tool pressure, a finishing tool angle, a hitch draft load, a wheel load, and a vehicle speed. 
     Embodiment 19 
     A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to generate an operating parameter map of operating parameters of a tillage implement and adjust the operating parameter of the tillage implement as the tillage implement traverses the field based on the operating parameter map and a location of the tillage implement within the field. The operating parameter map is correlated to a map of the field and based at least in part on data collected from a harvester. 
     Embodiment 20 
     A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to select a variation of an operating parameter of a tillage implement with respect to a position within a field based on information collected by a harvester and adjust the operating parameter of the tillage implement based on the selected variation as the tillage implement is propelled through the field. 
     While the present disclosure has been described herein with respect to certain illustrated embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and appreciate that it is not so limited. Rather, many additions, deletions, and modifications to the illustrated embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure as hereinafter claimed, including legal equivalents thereof. In addition, features from one embodiment may be combined with features of another embodiment while still being encompassed within the scope as contemplated by the inventors. Further, embodiments of the disclosure have utility with different and various implement types and configurations.