Patent ID: 7677169

Claim:
A cotton module builder, comprising: structure enclosing and defining a compacting chamber; a compactor frame supported in an upper region of the chamber by at least one compactor driver for downward movement in the chamber for compacting cotton accumulated in a lower region of the chamber, the frame supporting at least one auger operable at least in a first operating mode for moving cotton in contact therewith in a first direction in the chamber and in a second operating mode for moving cotton in contact therewith in a second direction in the chamber, the second direction is opposite from the first direction, at least one imaging device comprises a video camera disposed on the structure and configured for capturing an image of the chamber, including an image of at least an elevation of accumulated cotton in at least one location within the chamber to enable determining an appropriate one of the operating modes for distributing the cotton to achieve a desired elevational distribution of cotton in the chamber; and a controller in operative control of the at least one auger, the controller being operable responsive to the determination of the appropriate one of the operating modes, for controllably operating the at least one auger for moving the cotton to achieve the desired elevational distribution in responsive to the captured image.