US-20260123580-A1 - AUTOMATED OPERATIONAL STATE OF A HARVESTING MACHINE HEADER

US20260123580A1US 20260123580 A1US20260123580 A1US 20260123580A1US-20260123580-A1

Abstract

A method comprising: determining when a header of a harvesting machine has raised; selectively deactivating one or more header components while the header has raised; determining when a header has lowered; and activating the one or more previously deactivated header components when the header has lowered. A system comprising: a harvesting machine with a header for generating harvested crop; a header sensor configured to determine when the operational state of the header of the has been changed; a forward looking sensor configured to determine when the header has been sufficiently unloaded of harvested crop; and a controller configured to selectively deactivate or activate one or more components of the header when the operational state of the header is changed.

Inventors

Jeremy J. Faust

Assignees

DEERE & COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250825

Claims (20)

1 . A method comprising: determining when a header of a harvesting machine has been raised; selectively deactivating one or more header components while the header has raised; determining when a header has lowered; and activating one or more header components when the header has lowered.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using one or more sensors to determine when header has been lifted and lowered.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the sensor is a forward-looking camera mounted to the harvesting machine.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the camera and an associated controller detect the position of the header by measuring the height of one or more header components from the ground.
5 . The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more sensor is a sensor on the feeder house, a sensor associated with a hydraulic solenoid and a switch.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of selectively deactivating one or more header components using a sensor configured to detect when the header is empty of harvested crop or no longer harvesting crop.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the step of detecting when header is empty of harvested crop is performed by sensing property of a header component.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the header component is a draper belt, and the property crop sensed is a measured weight of one or more draper belts.
9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising raising a header when the harvesting machine is entering at least one of a headland, a previously harvested area, a terrace, or a waterway.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising lowering a header when the harvesting machine is leaving at least one of a headland, a previously harvested area, a terrace, or a waterway.
11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising deactivating header components of the harvesting machine using a coverage map to determine when the harvesting machine is in or approaching a region that has already been harvested.
12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising activating header components of the harvesting machine using a coverage map to determine when the harvesting machine is in or approaching a region that has not been harvested.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the header component is at least one of a draper belt, a reel and a cutter bar associated with the header.
14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the header component is at least one of a gathering chain and a central auger associated with the header.
15 . The method of claim 1 further comprising during the lowering of the header changing at least one of the time, rate, and speed at which the header components activate.
16 . The method of claim 1 further comprising during the raising of the header changing at least one of the time, rate, and speed at which the header components deactivate.
17 . The method of claim 1 wherein header is a draper head, corn head or windrower with a draper head.
18 . A method comprising: determining when a header of a harvesting machine has been raised; determining when the header has been sufficiently unloaded of harvested crop; and selectively deactivating one or more components of the header.
19 . A system comprising: a harvesting machine with a header for generating harvested crop; a header sensor configured to determine when the operational state of the header has been changed; a forward-looking sensor configured to determine when the header has been sufficiently unloaded of harvested crop; and a controller configured to selectively deactivate or activate one or more components of the header when the operational state of the header is changed.
20 . The system of claim 19 wherein header is a draper head, corn head or windrower with a draper head.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/715,267, filed on 1 Nov. 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure generally relates to the field of a harvesting machine, and more particularly relates to the automated operational state of a harvesting machine header. BACKGROUND A harvesting machine may include a header (e.g., corn header, draper head, windrower with draper head) to perform a harvesting operation. Typically, the harvesting machine has a location sensor (e.g., global positioning system sensor) that determines the location of the harvesting machine. As the harvesting machine moves, the location sensor collects location data and a heading (e.g., an orientation of the harvesting machine) of the harvesting machine is calculated based on changes in location data corresponding to the motion of the harvesting machine. The harvesting machine turns around after harvesting one or more rows in an area referred to as a headland during which the header often remains running even though the header is relatively empty of harvested material. Thus, the header may unnecessarily operate in a portion of the headland, which may result in unnecessary cost, time, or damage to the header. SUMMARY A method comprising: determining when a header of a harvesting machine has raised; selectively deactivating one or more header components while the header has raised; determining when a header has lowered; and activating the one or more previously deactivated header components when the header has lowered. A method comprising: determining when a header of a harvesting machine has been raised; determining when the header has been sufficiently unloaded of harvested crop; and selectively deactivating one or more components of the header. A system comprising: a harvesting machine with a header for generating harvested crop; a header sensor configured to determine when the operational state of the header of the harvesting machine has been changed; a forward looking sensor configured to determine when the header has been sufficiently unloaded of harvested crop; and a controller configured to selectively deactivate or activate one or more components of the header when the operational state of the header is changed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The disclosed examples have other advantages and features which will be more readily apparent from the detailed description, the appended claims, and the accompanying figures (or drawings). A brief introduction to the figures is below. FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system environment for a harvest management system, according to an example. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of modules and databases used by a harvest management system, according to an example. FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a harvesting machine and header with the header in a lowered position, according to an example. FIG. 4A illustrates a top view of a harvesting machine with a header in a lowered position and full of harvested crop, according to an example. FIG. 4B illustrates a side view of a harvesting machine with a header in a lowered position and full of harvested crop, according to an example. FIG. 4C illustrates a front view of a harvesting machine with a header in a raised position and empty of harvested crop, according to an example. FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of a harvesting machine and header entering a headland, according to an example. FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of a harvesting machine and header exiting a headland, according to an example. FIG. 7 illustrates a screenshot of a control interface for controlling a harvesting machine, according to an example. FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart of a method for automatically deactivating and activating header components for a harvesting machine, according to an example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION With advances in technology, including electrification of harvesting machine 130 and header 325 technology, it is desirable for a header 325 and header 325 components to be selectively activated and/or deactivated in certain areas of a field. In the present disclosure, a harvesting machine 130 is provided which automates deactivation of the header 325 when entering the headland or other area and activation of the header 325 when exiting the headland or other area. The Figures (FIGS.) and the following description relate to preferred examples by way of illustration only. It should be noted that from the following discussion, alternative examples of the structures and methods disclosed herein will be readily recognized as viable alternatives that may be employed without departing from the principles of what is claimed. When harvesting fields with a harvesting machine 130, specifically fields with terraces, waterways or headlands, the header 325 is frequently lifted to move between areas including areas of harvested and unharvested crop. This happens to