Search

JP-7854613-B2 - Methods for adjusting and/or calibrating agricultural machinery

JP7854613B2JP 7854613 B2JP7854613 B2JP 7854613B2JP-7854613-B2

Inventors

  • ジャラジエール，ベヌワ
  • ラブリー，クエンティン
  • ポティエ，フィリッブ

Assignees

  • クーン エスアーエス

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20220420
Priority Date
20210422

Claims (10)

  1. A method for adjusting and/or calibrating a mobile and driven agricultural machine or hitch (hereinafter referred to as an agricultural robot) equipped with at least one tool (2) capable of autonomously working in an agricultural plot (3), When starting a work phase in a new agricultural plot, or when resuming a work phase that was interrupted in a predetermined agricultural plot that has already been partially worked on, if the characteristics of the agricultural plot have changed significantly during autonomous work and/or if the quality of work performed by the agricultural robot (1) during autonomous work has significantly deteriorated, the robot (1) will be temporarily operated in semi-autonomous mode after a request from the operator (5) or verification of the operator's (5) request, and at that time, at least one operating parameter of the robot (1) and/or at least one tool (2) will be managed and adjusted by the operator (5), the robot (1), the tool (2), or a combination of these three, after verification by the operator (5) in order to adjust or calibrate the next autonomous work phase. Depending on the type of tool (2), the characteristics of the agricultural plot (3), and/or the type of agricultural work to be performed, the length of the route (4) to be performed by the agricultural robot (1) in the semi-autonomous mode operation phase is determined. A method characterized by the following:
  2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion of the agricultural plot (3') that was worked on during the operation phase of the semi -autonomous mode is not to be worked on again during the next autonomous operation phase.
  3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during the semi-autonomous operation phase described above , at least one operating parameter of the agricultural robot (1) and/or at least one tool (2), which is managed and adjusted by the operator (5) or the robot (1) or the tool (2) or a combination of these three, is selected from the group consisting of generating power, travel speed, travel direction, shape of the work path on the agricultural plot (3), the configuration of the robot (1) and the position and/or direction and/or configuration and/or operating parameters of at least one tool (2).
  4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two different operating parameters are adjusted and/or calibrated during the semi-autonomous operating mode by simultaneously managing and adjusting at least two different operating parameters, or by independently managing and adjusting them in at least two consecutive phases.
  5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the operation phase in the semi-autonomous mode includes at least two consecutive cycles, in which the same operation parameters are adjusted and/or calibrated in the second cycle and/or subsequent cycles, and after each cycle there is a phase for verifying the work performed by the agricultural robot (1).
  6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the operation phase in the semi-autonomous mode described above includes at least two consecutive cycles, in at least one cycle of the second cycle and/or subsequent cycles at least two different operating parameters from those of the first cycle, and each cycle is followed by a verification phase in which the work performed by the agricultural robot (1) is verified.
  7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, at the end of the operation phase in the semi-autonomous mode described above , a profile of the adjustment and/or calibration of a predetermined agricultural robot (1) is saved, and after a short verification phase in autonomous operation mode as necessary, it is reused in similar situations thereafter and/or transmitted to at least one other similar agricultural robot (1≡) that is to perform work in the same agricultural plot (3) which is part of the same robot group as the predetermined agricultural robot (1) described above.
  8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a portable interface means capable of communicating with an agricultural robot (1) is provided, enabling adjustment and/or calibration of at least one parameter during the operation phase in the semi -autonomous mode, and the interface can indicate to the operator the operation to be performed, the parameter to be adjusted and/or calibrated and the occurrence of the new operation phase in semi-autonomous mode.
  9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after an interruption of the autonomous work phase or after observing a decrease in the quality of work performed by the robot (1), at least one second operation phase of the semi-autonomous mode is performed on a predetermined plot (3) and a predetermined agricultural robot (1) after the work phase in autonomous mode, in accordance with a prescription map (carte de preconisation) for a predetermined agricultural plot, with the setting and/or calibration of at least one operating parameter being changed.
  10. A method for performing work in an agricultural plot (3) using at least one agricultural robot (1) capable of autonomously working in an agricultural plot (3), comprising a mobile and driven agricultural machine or combination thereof equipped with at least one tool (2), the machine having at least one phase of positioning the robot (1) under the control of an operator at the starting position of a work route in a predetermined agricultural plot (3), at least one phase of setting up and/or calibrating the agricultural robot (1) and, if applicable, its tool (2), and at least one autonomous work phase, A method characterized in that each of the above-mentioned phases of setting up and/or calibrating the agricultural robot (1) and/or tool (2) is performed in a semi-autonomous work mode by performing the method according to claim 1.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of agricultural machinery, and more particularly to agricultural machinery that works on the soil or plants of an agricultural parcel by autonomous operation, i.e., agricultural machinery that can work (travail) in an agricultural parcel without the assistance of an operator. Such machinery is commonly called an agricultural robot and corresponds to a mobile and driven agricultural machine or hitch equipped with at least one tool (integrated, attached, semi-attached, or towed) and means (control, communication, localization, and other means) that enable it to work independently in an agricultural parcel. The present invention relates to methods for reglaging and/or calibrating agricultural robots and methods for operating such robots. The agricultural robots described above can be used individually to work on a single plot or as part of a group of at least two robots assigned to a single plot. Each robot can operate completely independently (using a recommended map, GPS, etc.), or, for example, as part of a group of robots (une flotte The robots can also be remotely controlled by a central remote control system. Each robot in the robot swarm may or may not communicate with one another, and in some cases, they may be assigned to work in a designated area of a single section. When using autonomous agricultural machinery to perform agricultural work or part of work in a single plot, it generally involves three main steps, similar to the conventional agricultural process, i.e., the agricultural process with non-autonomous machinery, which is generally performed entirely under the control of the operator. The first step is performed by an operator who moves the agricultural robot and its tools to the farm plot to be processed, performs any necessary mounting or assembly work to enable the robot to perform its tasks, and positions it at the starting point of the route. The second step involves adjusting (reglage) and/or calibrating the robot and its tools. This means adjusting (setting) the robot and its tools' operating parameters to match as closely as possible to the actual working conditions of the day and the characteristics of the work area (humidity, temperature, wind, soil type and condition, density, soil state, type of plant being treated, type and intensity of agricultural work being performed, etc.). Since these parameters cannot be adjusted in advance , they must be adjusted through trial and error testing in the field under actual conditions. Generally, multiple test cycles are required depending on the complexity of the adjustment and calibration and the number of related parameters, with each test cycle involving having the robot perform short-distance work in autonomous mode using the adjusted set. At the end of this cycle or after repeating it, the operator verifies (visually inspects) whether the adjustments were made correctly according to the quality of the work performed. The visual inspection of the quality of the work performed can be done by the operator directly observing the agricultural plot or indirectly using at least one camera mounted on the robot and/or at least one tool. Images captured by the cameras can be analyzed by the operator using a portable monitoring device. If the quality of the work is deemed insufficient, a new test cycle is performed with the new settings, and if the quality of the work is deemed satisfactory, work on that agricultural plot is continued or resumed. This third step is performed in fully autonomous mode, and the robot performs agricultural work independently or guided by a remote control system, following a pre-set route, using the last verified settings. A conceptual plan view of an agricultural plot showing the state in which the agricultural robot works in semi-automatic mode with the operator on the initial portion of the agricultural plot during the step of adjusting and/or calibrating at least one operating parameter according to the method of the present invention. Figure 1 shows the agricultural plot in the next step where the agricultural robot works autonomously using the adjusted and calibrated parameters after the completion of the steps shown in Figure 1, and Figure 2 shows a different part of the same agricultural plot (on the right) where a second robot, similar to the one in Figure 1, is working autonomously, having been adjusted and calibrated with the same work parameters. and This represents a single agricultural plot divided into two zones having different characteristics or being worked on at different times, where the first smaller zone is worked on with a first adjustment and calibration of work parameters, and the second larger zone is worked on autonomously by the agricultural robot after a new operation phase in semi-autonomous mode corresponding to the new adjustment and calibration phase ([Figure 3A]) ([Figure 3B]). A flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the method of the prese