US-12622353-B2 - Predictive speed map generation and control system

US12622353B2US 12622353 B2US12622353 B2US 12622353B2US-12622353-B2

Abstract

One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.

Inventors

Nathan R. Vandike
Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla
FEDERICO PARDINA-MALBRAN
Noel W. Anderson

Assignees

DEERE & COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231212

Claims (20)

1 . An agricultural system comprising: a communication system that receives an information map that includes values of a first agricultural characteristic corresponding to a plurality of different geographic locations in a field; a geographic position sensor that detects a geographic location of an agricultural work machine; an in-situ sensor that detects a value of a second agricultural characteristic corresponding to a first geographic location, of the plurality of different geographic locations, in the field; one or more processors; and a data store that stores computer executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to: predict a respective predictive machine speed value corresponding to each geographic location, of a set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, based on a value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to the first geographic location in the field, based on the value of the second agricultural characteristic detected by the in-situ sensor corresponding to the first geographic location in the field, and based on a respective value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to each respective geographic location, of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, wherein each respective geographic location, of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, is different than the first geographic location in the field, and wherein each respective predictive machine speed value is indicative of a respective predictive travel speed of the agricultural work machine; and control a controllable subsystem on the agricultural work machine based on the respective predictive machine speed value corresponding to at least one geographic location of the set of geographic locations.
2 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further configure the one or more processors to: identify a relationship between the first agricultural characteristic and the second agricultural characteristic based on the value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to the first geographic location and based on the value of the second agricultural characteristic detected by the in-situ sensor corresponding to the first geographic location; and predict the respective predictive machine speed value corresponding to each geographic location of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field based on the identified relationship and based on the value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to each geographic location, of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field.
3 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a propulsion subsystem on the agricultural work machine.
4 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a draper belt on the agricultural work machine.
5 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a reel on the agricultural work machine.
6 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a header on the agricultural work machine.
7 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a residue subsystem on the agricultural work machine.
8 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable subsystem comprises a cleaning subsystem on the agricultural work machine.
9 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the information map comprises one of: a vegetative index map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, vegetative index (VI) values corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a biomass map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, biomass values corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a topographic map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, values of a topographic characteristic corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a yield map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, yield values corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a soil property map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, values of a soil property corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a seeding characteristic map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, values of a seeding characteristic corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; or a crop state map that includes, as values of the first agricultural characteristic, crop state values corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field.
10 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the second agricultural characteristic comprises a speed characteristic indicative of a travel speed of the agricultural work machine, and the in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine is configured to detect, as the value of the second agricultural characteristic, a value of the speed characteristic indicative of the travel speed of the agricultural work machine corresponding to the first geographic location in the field.
11 . A computer implemented method of controlling an agricultural work machine, the computer implemented method comprising: obtaining an information map that indicates values of a first agricultural characteristic corresponding to a plurality of different geographic locations in a field; detecting a geographic location of the agricultural work machine; detecting, with an in-situ sensor, a value of a second agricultural characteristic corresponding to a first geographic location, of the plurality of different geographic locations, in the field; predicting a respective predictive machine travel speed value corresponding to each geographic location, of a set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, based on a value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to the first geographic location in the field, based on the value of the second agricultural characteristic detected by the in-situ sensor corresponding to the first geographic location in the field, and based on a respective value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to each respective geographic location of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, wherein each respective geographic location, of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations, is different from the first geographic location in the field; and controlling a controllable subsystem on the agricultural work machine based on the respective predictive machine travel speed value corresponding to at least one geographic location of the set of geographic locations.
12 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 , and further comprising: identifying a relationship between the first agricultural characteristic and the second agricultural characteristic based on the value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to the first geographic location and based on the value of the second agricultural characteristic detected by the in-situ sensor corresponding to the first geographic location, wherein predicting the respective predictive machine travel speed value corresponding to each geographic location, of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, comprises predicting the respective predictive machine travel speed value corresponding to each geographic location, of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, based on the identified relationship between the first agricultural characteristic and the second agricultural characteristic and based on the value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to each geographic location, of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field.
13 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the controllable subsystem comprises controlling, as the controllable subsystem, a propulsion subsystem of the agricultural work machine.
14 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the controllable subsystem comprises controlling, as the controllable subsystem, an actuator of the agricultural work machine to control a header of the agricultural work machine or to control a component of the header of the agricultural work machine.
15 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the controllable subsystem comprises controlling, as the controllable subsystem, a residue subsystem of the agricultural work machine.
16 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the controllable subsystem comprises controlling, as the controllable subsystem, a cleaning subsystem of the agricultural work machine.
17 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the second agricultural characteristic comprises a speed characteristic indicative of a travel speed of the agricultural work machine, and the in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine is configured to detect, as the value of the second agricultural characteristic, a value of the speed characteristic indicative of the travel speed of the agricultural work machine corresponding to the first geographic location in the field.
18 . An agricultural work machine configured to perform an operation at a field comprising: a communication system that receives an information map that includes values of a first agricultural characteristic corresponding to a plurality of different geographic locations in the field, the information map generated based on data collected prior to the operation at the field; a geographic position sensor that detects a geographic location of the agricultural work machine; an in-situ sensor that detects a value of a second agricultural characteristic corresponding to a first geographic location, of the plurality of different geographic locations, in the field; one or more processors; and a data store that stores computer executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to: identify a relationship between the first agricultural characteristic and the second agricultural characteristic based on the value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to the first geographic location and based on the value of the second agricultural characteristic detected by the in-situ sensor corresponding to the first geographic location; and predict a respective predictive machine speed value corresponding to each geographic location, of a set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, based on the identified relationship and based on a respective value of the first agricultural characteristic in the information map corresponding to each geographic location, of the set of geographic locations of the plurality of different geographic locations in the field, wherein each respective geographic location of the plurality of different geographic locations is different from the first geographic location in the field, and wherein each respective predictive machine speed value is indicative of a respective predictive travel speed of the agricultural work machine; and control a controllable subsystem on the agricultural work machine during the operation at the field.
19 . The agricultural work machine of claim 18 , wherein the second agricultural characteristic comprises a speed characteristic indicative of a travel speed of the agricultural work machine, and the in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine is configured to detect, as the value of the second agricultural characteristic, a value of the speed characteristic indicative of the travel speed of the agricultural work machine corresponding to the first geographic location in the field.
20 . The agricultural work machine of claim 19 , wherein the information map comprises one of: a vegetative index map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, vegetative index (VI) values corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a biomass map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, biomass values corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a topographic map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, values of a topographic characteristic corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a yield map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, yield values corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a soil property map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, values of a soil property corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; a seeding characteristic map that includes, as the values of the first agricultural characteristic, values of a seeding characteristic corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field; or a crop state map that includes, as values of the first agricultural characteristic, crop state values corresponding to the plurality of different geographic locations in the field.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application is a continuation of and claims priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/067,183, filed Oct. 9, 2020, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE DESCRIPTION The present description relates to agricultural machines, forestry machines, construction machines and turf management machines. BACKGROUND There are a wide variety of different types of agricultural machines. Some agricultural machines include harvesters, such as combine harvesters, sugar cane harvesters, cotton harvesters, self-propelled forage harvesters, and windrowers. Some harvester can also be fitted with different types of heads to harvest different types of crops. A variety of different conditions in fields have a number of deleterious effects on the harvesting operation. Therefore, an operator may attempt to modify control of the harvester, upon encountering such conditions during the harvesting operation. The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. SUMMARY One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to examples that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial pictorial, partial schematic illustration of one example of a combine harvester. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing some portions of an agricultural harvester in more detail, according to some examples of the present disclosure. FIGS. 3A-3B (collectively referred to herein as FIG. 3) show a flow diagram illustrating an example of operation of an agricultural harvester in generating a map. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing one example of a predictive model generator and a predictive map generator. FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing an example of operation of an agricultural harvester in receiving an information map, detecting a speed characteristic, and generating a functional predictive speed map for use in controlling the agricultural harvester during a harvesting operation. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing one example of an agricultural harvester in communication with a remote server environment. FIGS. 7-9 show examples of mobile devices that can be used in an agricultural harvester. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing one example of a computing environment that can be used in an agricultural harvester and the architectures illustrated in previous figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the examples illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is intended. Any alterations and further modifications to the described devices, systems, methods, and any further application of the principles of the present disclosure are fully contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates. In particular, it is fully contemplated that the features, components, and/or steps described with respect to one example may be combined with the features, components, and/or steps described with respect to other examples of the present disclosure. The present description relates to using in-situ data taken concurrently with an agricultural operation, in combination with prior data, to generate a predictive map and, more particularly, a predictive speed map. In some examples, the predictive speed map can be used to control an agricultural work machine, such as an agricultural harvester. As discussed above, it may improve the performance of the agricultural harvester to control the speed of the agricultural harvester when the agricultural harvester engages different conditions in the field. For instance