Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Method for controlling the operation of a machine
for harvesting root crop
The invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of a machine
for har-
vesting root crop and/or for separating root crop from further extraneous
materials
comprising harvested material, and to a correspondingly embodied machine. In
the
method, at least one optical image-capturing unit captures at least one test
image of
at least one part of the harvested material which is moved relative to a
machine
frame by means of at least one conveyor element.
The test image represents harvested material which has been previously picked
up
by the machine for harvesting root crop. As part of the machine, the conveyor
ele-
ment serves here to move the harvested material within the machine. At least
some
of the harvested material is in direct contact with the conveyor element here.
Laid-open patent application US 2018/0047177 Al discloses a method in which a
captured test image is used to calculate a speed of the conveyor element. The
ac-
tual speed of the conveyor element is subsequently adapted on the basis of the
cal-
culated speed.
It is disadvantageous in the known methods of the generic type that, depending
on
the harvesting conditions, significant damage occurs to the root crop or to a
relatively
large quantity of extraneous materials among root crop which are unloaded from
the
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machine. It is therefore also generally proposed in US 2018/0047177 Al to
change
the harvesting rate or one or more configurations of the machine in accordance
with
a server-based evaluation of three-dimensional data of the harvested material
which
is recorded by the sensors of the machine..
The object of the present invention is to provide a method in which the non-
damag-
ing handling of the root crop is improved while at the same time the overall
machine
performance is optimized.
The object is achieved by means of a method as claimed in claim 1 and by means
of
a machine as claimed in claim 33. Further advantages and details of the
invention
can be found in the dependent claims and the following description.
According to the invention, the object is achieved by means of a method of the
ge-
neric type, wherein at least one further, in particular optical, image-
capturing unit,
which is offset in the conveying direction, captures at least one further test
image,
and an evaluation device generates, using a first test data set which is
generated on
the basis of the first test image or formed thereby, and at least one further
test data
set which is generated on the basis of the further test image or formed
thereby, at
least one operating parameter signal which is formed, in particular, as a
separating
device setting signal and the at least one operating parameter of the machine,
in
particular of the separating device, is set by means of said signal.
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An optical image-capturing unit is considered to be offset in the conveying
direction
in particular when it captures a downstream area of the conveying line and
repre-
sents it in the further test image. An image-capturing unit which monitors a
convey-
ing area is also referred to below as a measuring station. The machine
according to
the invention has in particular at least one separating device. Accordingly,
with the
method according to the invention it is possible to control at least one
separating de-
vice of a corresponding machine.
Since the change in operating parameters, in particular of a separating device
or a
conveyor element of the conveying line arranged along the conveying line,
influ-
ences the entire cleaning process, and in particular influences the separating
perfor-
mance of downstream separating devices, according to the invention it is
advanta-
geous for the items of information, contained in the test data sets of the
image-cap-
turing unit, from test images along the conveying line to be considered
together and,
in particular, combined with one another. Such a combination can take the form
of
setting the operating parameter simultaneously or in in such a way that they
are co-
ordinated with one another, and can also in particular take into account
dependen-
cies of individual operating parameters, in particular separating device
settings along
the conveying line. The corresponding control system is stored in a machine-
specific
and correspondingly harvested-material-specific fashion in the respective
evaluation
device of the machine so that, during the operation of the machine, said
evaluation
device can implement the desired settings automatically, i.e. at least largely
and in
particular completely without interaction with the operating personnel. For
example,
when a separating performance of a separating device which is located at the
start
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of the conveying line is reduced, a downstream separating device will, under
certain
circumstances, have to be given a sharper, i.e. more forceful, setting in
order to
bring about more intensive separation, e.g. of earth from root crop. In
addition to the
operating parameters relating to the separating devices, in particular the
grubbing
depth or a velocity can also be an operating parameter or one of the operating
pa-
rameters to be set.
In particular, the operating parameter signal is generated using a comparative
analy-
sis of the test data sets, so that when calculating the operating parameter
signal the
evaluation device takes into account the items of information of the at least
two test
images or test data sets and combines them with one another for evaluation pur-
poses.
In particular it is therefore possible to ensure that the portion of
extraneous materials
decreases to a desired extent and in particular uniformly as the harvested
material
travels through the machine. For example, excessive cleaning off of a
separating de-
vice can cause it to experience overloading and excessive wear. At the same
time,
excessively early and intense cleaning off, in particular of earth, can result
in dam-
age to potatoes, in particular at the end of the screening chain, owing to a
cushion of
soil then no longer being present or being reduced. The same applies to other
root
crop such as for example beets. Excessively late cleaning off of undesired
extrane-
ous materials can also bring about increased wear over the entire conveying
line.
Furthermore, the separating devices which are specifically provided for
specific
types of extraneous materials can, under certain circumstances, not separate
out
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these extraneous materials from the stream of crops in an ideal way. This also
again
leads to an additional loss of efficiency and a reduced overall grubbing
performance
of the machine. The method according to the invention ensures that the
operating
parameters which are suitable for a non-damaging and at the same time optimum
harvesting and cleaning performance are set automatically.
The invention provides that the further test image represents a further area
of the
conveying line, in particular of a further conveyor element, which is offset
in the lon-
gitudinal direction of the conveying line. The at least two test images are
preferably a
test image at the start or entry and at the end or exit of a separating
device. For ex-
ample, these may be a section of a screening belt or roller soil remover, one
which is
at the front, and one which is at the rear, in the conveying direction. Test
images
from an area upstream of a stone separating device and an area downstream of a
stone separating device can also be used particularly satisfactorily.
The machine is in particular a self-propelled or towed vehicle for harvesting
root
crop, in particular potatoes, beets, carrots or chicory. Alternatively, the
machine can
also be an in particular stationary machine for separating root crop from
extraneous
materials of the harvested material, e.g. clods, stones or soil.
While the method is being carried out, the driving or towed machine is moved,
in par-
ticular in the direction of rows, in particular cultivation ridges of the root
crop to be
harvested, and these are picked up from the ground as part of the harvested
mate-
rial in a continuous process. After the harvested material has been picked up,
at
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least some of the harvested material, in particular root crop and/or
extraneous mate-
rials, is at least partially moved along relative to the machine frame by the
at least
one conveyor element. In particular, the conveyor element is embodied in a
circulat-
ing fashion, and as a conveyor belt, preferably as a screening belt or as a
rotating
screening star.
The separating device is, with any individually adjustable separating
elements, part
of the machine and preferably interacts with one or more conveyor elements.
Alter-
natively, the separating device is part of the conveyor element, is at least
also
formed by it (e.g. in the case of screening belts which are provided with
shaking de-
vices) or also forms the one or more conveyor elements (e.g. in the case of
roller soil
removers). During operation, a movement of the harvested material relative to
the
separating device applies impetus to at least one component of the harvested
mate-
rial, in particular to the root crop or to the extraneous materials. The
separating de-
vice is provided, for example, in the form of a roller soil remover, in
particular with ro-
tating separating elements in the form of deflection rollers, wherein
different compo-
nents of the harvested material are at least not moved in the same direction
by the
separating device.
The optical image-capturing unit is arranged in particular above the
respective con-
veyor element in a positionally fixed fashion on the machine and is directed
at the
conveyor element, and therefore during operation at a stream of harvested
material,
or a component thereof, in particular root crop or extraneous materials, which
is lo-
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cated between the image-capturing unit and the conveyor element. The method ac-
cording to the invention is carried out with the machine in particular during
the har-
vesting or separation process, and is preferably repeated here.
The test image is in particular a multidimensional, preferably two-
dimensional, repre-
sentation in which at least part of the harvested material is represented with
root
crop, extraneous materials and/or the conveyor element. The test data set is
either
already generated by the image-capturing unit or by the evaluation device, on
the
basis of the test image captured by the image-capturing unit. Alternatively,
the test
data set can be formed by the test image itself. This applies in particular to
image-
capturing units whose test images are already in a format which is suitable
for the
subsequent analysis in the evaluation device. The test data set is in
particular a data
set which is produced by processing, for example filtering and/or other
representa-
tions and is at least temporarily present in the system and whose information,
e.g.
color information, is evaluated in the evaluation device. Said data set can be
present
e.g. as an image file, table, matrix or vector field. The test image or the
test data set
which is already produced in the image-capturing unit is transmitted to the
evaluation
device by the image-capturing unit. The optical image-capturing unit is
embodied in
particular as a digital photo camera or video camera for the two-dimensional
captur-
ing of the test image. If reference is made below to the test image in
conjunction with
the processing of the image information in the evaluation device, this may
involve
the test data set in this context.
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The evaluation device serves to evaluate the test data set. The evaluation
device
comprises at least one processor and is embodied either as a central computing
unit
or as a decentralized system comprising at least one processor and at least
one
memory with different positions on components of the machine. The system is
there-
fore a local one for carrying out any evaluations directly in situ and making
the re-
sults directly available.
The operating parameter is a variable which relates to the geometry of the
separat-
ing device or a separating element thereof, the position or orientation
relative to the
machine frame or to the conveyor element, a speed of the separating device or
a
drive power level or motor power level. The operating parameter can be used to
set
the way in which or the extent to which the separating device interacts with
the har-
vested material or at least a component thereof. In particular, by varying the
operat-
ing parameter it is possible to vary how much extraneous materials remain with
the
root crop downstream of the separating device, with respect to the conveying
line by
which the root crop are to be conveyed within the machine. The operating
parameter
is in particular independent of a conveying speed of the conveyor element,
which
serves to convey at least the root crop while they are resting on the conveyor
ele-
ment, and to move them in the same direction as the conveyor element.
The operating parameter defines in particular how forcefully the separating
device
behaves during the separation of root crop and extraneous materials. When the
forcefulness is too low, an excessively large portion of the extraneous
materials is
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not separated off from the root crop. When the forcefulness is too high, not
only ex-
traneous materials but also root crop are separated off or damaged and the
yield is
reduced. By generating the separating device setting signal and in particular
by
transmitting it to a separating device control device, the operating parameter
is pref-
erably set on the basis of the parts of the harvested material which are
represented
on the test images. The separating device control device increases or reduces,
in
particular, the operating parameter by means of the separating device setting
signal.
The separating device control device outputs for this purpose in particular an
electri-
cal signal or changes a fluid pressure, wherein the separating device control
device
is in particular part of the same computing unit as the evaluation device.
The method makes it possible to achieve continuous optimization of the
operation of
the machine with the separating devices. In particular, the screening out can
be opti-
mized continuously in accordance with the utilization factor of the conveying
line,
and therefore it is possible to achieve both non-damaging handling of the root
crop
over the entire conveying line and effective separation of extraneous
materials from
the harvested material.
In particular, in order to provide the separating device setting signal ¨ when
setting a
plurality of separating devices in accordance with the plurality of separating
device
signals ¨ the evaluation device evaluates the test data sets locally on the
machine or
on a tractor vehicle which is directly connected thereto. As a result,
virtually instanta-
neous control is possible when an undesired state is detected at a separating
de-
vice, and blockages, damage or underperformance is correspondingly avoided.
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In one advantageous development of the method according to the invention, the
evaluation device calculates at least one first portion of the respective test
image
which is formed by at least one image area. The at least one image area at
least
partially represents a defined component of the harvested material or of the
ma-
chine, and the operating parameter signal or the plurality of operating
parameters
is/are set on the basis of the respective portions of the respective test
images. In
particular the portion of the respective part of the harvested material in the
monitored
area of the conveying line is determined on the basis of the first portion, in
particular
equated therewith.
The respective parts of the harvested material, i.e. portions, resulting from
the indi-
vidual test images, of the monitored conveying line areas which are arranged
in suc-
cession can be easily compared with one another.
The operating parameter or parameters is set in particular in accordance with
the
portions of all the components of the harvested material, or of individual
components
thereof, and values which are derived from this for the individual measuring
points,
i.e. the areas of the conveying line which are captured by the individual
image-cap-
turing units.
Before the first portion is calculated, the component which is represented
statistically
by the first portion is predefined. The test image and/or the test data set
are subdi-
vided in particular into a plurality of image areas of preferably equal size.
The image
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areas which at least partially show the component, together form the first
portion.
The portion is in particular a portion of those image areas of the entire
image areas
which at least partially show the component, wherein the first portion is
formed using
a ratio of numbers of image areas or using their entire surfaces.
The first portion is a measure of the extent of image areas which represent
the com-
ponent and therefore a measure of the density of the component in the field of
vision
of the image-capturing unit or of that portion of the test image which is
being consid-
ered. The part is in particular at least partially a component of a root crop,
as a result
of which the first portion at least approximately indicates a concentration of
root crop.
An image area is assessed as representing the part, and classified as being
associ-
ated with the first portion, in particular when at least 50% to 100% of its
area shows
the part. In particular, the at least one image area can be classified as
being associ-
ated proportionally with the first portion or preferably respectively
classified as being
partially associated with different portions. This is advantageous in
particular if it is
not possible to make an unambiguous assignment of the image area to a corre-
sponding part within the scope of the preferably model-based classification
method.
In this case, probabilities for the assignment to different portions are
preferably de-
termined. The image areas are particularly preferably classified as being
proportion-
ally or partially associated with different portions in accordance with the
probabilities.
As a result, the ratios of the parts to one another is represented more
precisely.
The calculation of at least the first portion characterizes in particular the
composition
of the harvested material. On this basis, a respective operating parameter can
be
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particularly digitally controlled, since the cleaning performance of the
conveyor ele-
ment or of the separating device comprising the conveyor element is highly
depend-
ent on the composition of the harvested material. In particular the first
portion is a
concentration of extraneous materials. In this way the operating parameter of
an as-
sociated separating device with an increasing first portion can be varied in
order to
generate a relatively large separating effect or separating performance, in
order to
relieve downstream separating devices which possibly show critical
concentrations.
The first portion is preferably at least approximately assumed to be the
portion of the
respectively considered part of the harvested material, that is to say is
equated
therewith.
The at least one image area which forms the first portion is preferably
identified, in
particular on the basis of a test data subset generated using the image area,
as
showing the defined part. In particular, the image area is identified on the
basis of a
test value contained in the test image and/or in the test data subset,
preferably color
information. The color information comprises in particular black values, white
values,
gray values and/or color channel values of a color space.
The test data subset, the test value and the color information are preferably
classi-
fied by a, in particular model-based, statistical classification method. An
image area
is accordingly classified as being associated with the first portion in
particular when
the result of the classification method is assigned to the defined part of the
harvested
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material or of the machine. The classification method uses in particular a
neural net-
work, a random forest, a Bayesian classifier, a support vector machine and/or
a deci-
sion tree. Applying the classification method makes the result of the
calculation of
the first portion, in particular of different portions, particularly robust
and informative
in respect of the composition of the harvested material.
The test value or the color information is particularly preferably compared
with one or
more reference values or reference ranges and on this basis an image area is
either
classified as being associated with the first portion or not. The reference
image is
preferably to be captured, like the test image, by means of the optical image-
captur-
ing unit, wherein a user has to mark in particular different parts of the
reference im-
age as showing different components. This form of differentiation permits
particularly
reliable identification of a respective component in the test image. At least
one of the
test values of the test data subset, which in particular includes the color
information,
is particularly preferably compared with at least one reference value, and an
image
area is added to the first portion in particular when at least the at least
one test value
of the test data subset lies within an assigned reference value range. This
reference
value range is limited in particular by a maximum value and by a minimum
value,
wherein, in order to classify the image area as being associated with the
first portion,
different test values must preferably lie in respectively assigned reference
value
ranges.
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In one advantageous refinement of the invention, when exemplary image areas,
which can be classified as being associated with the first portion, of the
reference im-
age are input, the evaluation device automatically develops, or automatically
further
develops, a model on which the classification method is based. Alternatively
or addi-
tionally, the evaluation device automatically calculates or changes the at
least one
reference value range when exemplary image areas, which can be classified as
be-
ing associated with the first portion, of a reference image are input. In
particular, the
reference values, the reference value ranges and the model or model parameters
thereof therefore at least do not have to be completely manually predefined by
the
user. Instead, to activate the evaluation device it is sufficient to input at
least one ex-
emplary image area which shows the component. By using the image area, the
eval-
uation device determines the at least one reference value, the at least one
reference
value range and the model or model parameters thereof automatically. The
evalua-
tion device therefore sets itself largely automatically to different
application cases.
The higher the number of image areas which are input here, the more precisely
the
reference values, the reference value ranges and the model or model parameters
thereof can be determined.
The method is pretty robust when the image areas which are input show the
compo-
nent under different brightness conditions and/or soil conditions. The method
can
therefore also be used reliably under different application conditions. The
evaluation
device particularly preferably adapts the initial reference value or the
reference value
ranges during the repeated execution of the method, if appropriate with
exemplary
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identification of relevant components by the operator, on the basis of which
training
data for the algorithm can be represented.
In particular, using further sensors such as brightness sensors for measuring
the
ambient brightness, which the evaluation device assigns essentially
simultaneously
to the recorded test data sets, the evaluation device automatically expands
the
scope of the reference data. Alternatively or additionally, the user of the
method, i.e.
in particular the driver or operator of the machine or of a machine coupled
thereto,
has the possibility of manually marking the at least one component on
visualized test
images, in order to expand the scope of the reference data of the evaluation
device.
Therefore, on the basis of the details specified by the user or on the basis
of data
stored in the valuation device, said device can differentiate e.g. potatoes,
weeds,
stones, earth and clods and calculate respective portions.
The method according to the invention is, with the exception of the inputting
of any
training data present in the form of the marking of components, executed
automati-
cally after its start. This facilitates control of the machine for the driver
or operator.
In the evaluation of the respective test images, the image areas which form
the first
portion are preferably additionally identified on the basis of image data
subsets
which are generated using respectively adjacent image areas or formed by means
thereof. In particular, color information, in particular comprising black
values, white
values and/or gray values, in turn included in the test data subsets, are used
for this.
The assessments of the image areas are therefore not carried out solely using
the
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data assigned thereto, but rather additionally use further data which is
assigned to
the surrounding image areas. As a result, brightness profiles and/or color
profiles
can be determined, and thus the identification can be carried out on a wider
data ba-
sis.
The different image areas are preferably weighted differently in the
calculation of the
first portion. The contribution of the image areas which from the first
portion is there-
fore different. This makes it possible for the first portion not to be
calculated solely
using the perspective representations of the test image but rather in
particular to give
a higher weighting to image areas which show a component of the harvested mate-
rial which is further away from the image-capturing unit as image areas which
show
a component which is closer to the image-capturing unit. As a result, a first
part from
which perspectives are removed can be formed, and therefore an image of the
com-
position of the harvested material on the conveyor element which is
particularly close
to reality can be obtained. This is advantageous in particular for the
comparison of
the test images which are captured from different perspectives along the
conveying
line.
In each case the entire test image or a coherent test image part is preferably
divided
into partial image areas. The partial image areas in particular each comprise
the
same number of pixels of the test image, preferably precisely one pixel. The
test im-
age part is a part or excerpt of the test image which comprises a plurality of
partial
image areas. For the calculation of the first portion, in particular only the
image areas
which show this portion and are associated with the test image part are taken
into
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account. For this purpose, the test image part is in particular defined in
such a way
that it represents sensitive zones, which are to be monitored, within the
machine.
The image area which forms the first portion therefore comprises in particular
a plu-
rality of partial image areas of a test image part.
The test image or the test image part is in particular divided into a grid of
a plurality
of partial image areas, which are each preferably rectangular. When the
partial im-
age areas are formed by precisely one pixel, a particularly large database is
pro-
vided for the assessment of the state of the harvested material with respect
to its in-
dividual components, and particularly sensitive control of the respective
operating
parameter is therefore made possible. At the same time, the data quantities
which
are usually supplied by conventional 2D digital cameras with a maximum of
several
million pixels can readily be processed in close to real-time conditions by an
evalua-
tion device which is equipped with one or more current processors
The respective test image of the image-capturing units which capture passages
which follow one another along the conveying line preferably comprises a
plurality of
test image parts for which the evaluation device respectively calculates a
first por-
tion, in particular a plurality of portions of image areas, wherein the test
image parts
(8A, 8B) preferably represent harvested material from different conveyor
elements
which convey away from a separating device. The test image parts show in
particu-
lar different sections of the same conveyor element or different conveyor
elements.
In particular, the test image parts show sections of a conveyor element, one
of which
is arranged upstream of a separating device or of a separating element thereof
in the
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conveying direction, and a further one of which is arranged downstream of the
sepa-
rating device or of a separating element thereof. Alternatively, the test
image parts
show different conveyor elements which represent alternative conveying paths
for
different components of the harvested material (for example one conveyor
element
for a stream of harvested material with preferably cleaned root crop, one
conveyor
element for extracted extraneous materials). Therefore, in each case the
composi-
tion of the harvested material of the conveyor elements which adjoin a
separating
device and therefore convey away from it is preferably determined once for
sepa-
rated-out harvested material and once for harvested material which is to be
con-
veyed onward. The cleaning performance or separating performance along the en-
tire conveying line can be evaluated particularly comprehensively through the
calcu-
lation of the first portion and of further portions for these different test
image parts.
Likewise, the test image parts which are represented or present in respective
test
data sets can show part of a conveyor element upstream of a separating element
or
deflection element of the separating device and part of the conveyor element
down-
stream of the separating element or deflection element. Insofar as the image
analy-
sis reveals that excessively large portions of e.g. root crop appear
downstream of a
deflection element in an undesired area, this deflection element can be
positioned
differently, e.g. at a lower point above the conveyor element, which improves
the de-
flection performance. In order to optimize the entire machine, downstream
separat-
ing devices can then be given a more intensive, i.e. more forceful or sharper,
setting
in accordance with the further settings of the operating parameters along the
con-
veying line, in order to process increased quantities of root crop.
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In a further embodiment of the invention, the test image parts preferably show
differ-
ent conveyor elements downstream of a separating element, in particular one
con-
veyor element for carrying away a mixture of root crop and one conveyor
element for
carrying away extraneous materials downstream of the same separating device.
Re-
spective portions of a component of root crop and of extraneous materials are
pref-
erably determined for both test image parts. Alternatively, different portions
are cal-
culated for the different test image parts. In this way, for example one
portion of ex-
traneous materials in the outgoing stream of root crop mixture or stream of
har-
vested material can be compared with a portion of root crop in a stream of
extracted
extraneous materials, and on the basis thereof a separating element which is
in-
cluded in the separating device can be set e.g. with respect to its position
in relation
to the conveyor element and/or with respect to its speed.
The image areas which form the first portion show root crop or parts thereof
and im-
age areas which form a second portion show extraneous materials or parts
thereof.
Therefore, the evaluation device calculates at least two different portions
for the re-
spective test images. The evaluation device particularly preferably calculates
at least
four portions, a first portion for root crop, a second portion for earth, a
third portion
for weeds and a fourth portion for damaged root crop. If appropriate, at least
one fur-
ther portion can also be determined for stones and/or clods. The sum of the
portions
is in particular 1. Alternatively, the first portion can also be a portion of
extraneous
materials, the second portion a portion of root crop etc.
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Alternatively or additionally, in a further development according to the
invention at
least two image-capturing units and at least two conveyor elements are
provided,
wherein the first image-capturing unit captures a first test image of a part
of the har-
vested material which is conveyed away from a separating device by means of
the
first conveyor element, the second image-capturing unit captures a further
test im-
age of a part of the harvested material which is conveyed away from the
separating
device by means of the second conveyor element, and the separating device
setting
signal is generated on the basis of at least one of the test data sets which
are
formed on the basis of at least one of the two test images, and preferably on
the ba-
sis of both test images, or which are generated on the basis of said images.
The test
data sets are evaluated here in particular in relation to the respective
portions, as re-
spectively described above or below.
A plurality of portions in the calculation of the evaluation device make it
possible to
obtain a more precise picture of the composition of the harvested material
and/or the
allocation of the conveyor element. This results in a precise representation
of the
composition of the harvested material for the various areas of the conveying
line, so
that the evaluation device can carry out precise adaptation of the respective
operat-
ing parameters in such a way that they are matched to one another.
As an alternative to identifying image areas using limiting values, all the
image areas
of the respective test image or of a part of the test image are necessarily
assigned to
a portion. In this context, preferably a degree of correspondence between test
data
subsets calculated using the image areas and reference data subsets is
assessed,
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and each image area is assigned to the portion for which the correspondence is
greatest.
In one advantageous refinement of the invention, the respective operating
parameter
signal, in particular a separating device setting signal, is calculated using
a plurality
of portions which are, in particular, calculated in chronological succession,
or at least
one previously calculated portion is also input into the calculation or
control process
of the operating parameters. In the method according to the invention, the
setting of
the operating parameters is carried out by means of these measures in a
predictive
fashion and in a learning fashion during operation.
In one advantageous refinement of the invention, at least one sensor transmits
sen-
sor data to the evaluation device, which data is input into the calculation of
the oper-
ating parameter signal. The sensor is in particular a sensor, preferably a
tactile sen-
sor or an ultrasonic sensor, for measuring a layer thickness of the harvested
material
on the conveyor element, a sensor for measuring a drive power level, for
example a
pressure sensor for measuring a hydraulic oil pressure, and/or a rotational
speed
sensor in particular for measuring a rotational speed of a conveyor element
drive. In
particular, slip of the conveyor element is determined using the rotational
speed sen-
sor and transmitted in the form of sensor data to the evaluation device.
Further infor-
mation can be input into the calculation of the separating device setting
signal or op-
erating parameter signal by means of a moisture sensor.
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By virtue of this further information which is present in the sensor data and
goes be-
yond that which is made available on the basis of the test image, the
evaluation de-
vice is provided with a significantly more precise picture of the cleaning
situation
along the respective conveyor elements, as a result of which the respective
operat-
ing parameters can in turn be influenced in a way which is matched better
thereto.
The evaluation device preferably either triggers an increase or a reduction
in, in par-
ticular, a plurality of the operating parameters by means of different
separating de-
vice setting signals. In particular, the evaluation device or the separating
device con-
trol device, or possible control devices for setting further operating
parameters, com-
prises a three-point controller, a fuzzy controller and/or a PID controller,
as a result
of which it is possible to trigger, as alternatives to one another, processes
of increas-
ing, reducing or retaining the value of the at least one current operating
parameter.
An increase is triggered in particular when any portions exceed a predefined
first
threshold value, and in particular the evaluation of the further test images
does not
argue against a further increase, possibly with further adaptation of an
operating pa-
rameter, if the respective portion undershoots a predefined second threshold
value.
The operating parameter is preferably a distance between two conveyor elements
or
a distance between a separating element of the separating device and a
conveyor
element or between the separating device and a conveyor element. In
particular, the
operating parameter is a distance between two conveying rollers of a roller
table
which are rotating during operation. Alternatively, the operating parameter is
a dis-
tance between a conveyor element which is embodied as a screening belt and a
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separating element which is embodied as a deflection roller, wherein the
separating
element extends transversely over the conveyor element and brings about
lateral de-
flection of the root crop from the conveyor element. In this context, during
operation,
the deflection roller rotates about a rotational axis which, in a plan view of
the con-
veyor element, is at an angle of less than 900 with respect to the conveying
direction
of the conveyor element. The separating element is alternatively embodied as a
fin-
ger web which circulates during operation and is located above the conveyor
ele-
ment and whose outwardly projecting fingers mesh during operation through the
har-
vested material arranged on the conveyor element. Again alternatively, the
separat-
ing element is embodied as a stripping device which does not rotate during
operation
and which is arranged above a coarse weed belt which interacts with the
screening
belt and causes root crop to be stripped from weeds which have accumulated on
the
coarse weed belt. The distance can be respectively set in particular by a
hydrau-
lically or mechanically actuated adjustment device, which permits the
forcefulness of
the separating element of the separating device in its interaction with the
conveyor
element or the separating performance of the conveyor elements to be changed
par-
ticularly easily.
Alternatively, the operating parameter or one of the operating parameters is a
pene-
tration depth of at least one grubbing coulter of the machine into the ground.
As a re-
sult, the quantity of extraneous materials in the harvested material can be
easily in-
fluenced.
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As an alternative to or in addition to the above, the operating parameter or
one of the
operating parameters is/are a velocity of the machine or a separating speed,
in par-
ticular a circulating speed or rotational speed, of the separating device or
of a sepa-
rating element of the separating device. In particular, the separating speed
is a circu-
lating speed of the finger web described above or a rotational speed of the
deflection
roller described above. Alternatively, the separating speed is a circulating
speed of a
separating device e.g. in the form of a fine weed belt, which is positioned at
an angle
and conveys extraneous materials upward during operation and is operated in
such
a way that as far as possible extraneous materials are conveyed upward and
root
crop are moved down counter to the direction of movement of the section of the
sep-
arating device which faces them.
The operating parameter or one of the operating parameters is preferably
alterna-
tively embodied as an attitude angle of the conveyor element and/or of the
separat-
ing device, i.e. of at least one separating element of the separating device.
In partic-
ular, the operating parameter is the attitude angle of the separating device
which is
referred to as a fine weed elevator. The attitude angle changes the
inclination of the
conveying plane of a fine weed belt of the separating device relative to a
horizontal
and therefore sets the forcefulness of the separating device.
In an alternative advantageous refinement of the invention, the operating
parameter
brings about a change in an air flow speed or in an air mass throughput rate
over
time. In this context, a motor power level, e.g. represented by a motor
rotational
speed, can be the corresponding operating parameter of a separating device
which
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separates on the basis of air flow. The air in turn brings about the
separation of root
crop and extraneous materials, in particular weeds are blown out from a stream
of
harvested material and therefore removed. The operating parameter in the case
of
such an air separating device which can also be used in particular in a
stationary
fashion can be a rotational speed of an associated blower or the attitude
angle of an
associated assembly in the form of an air deflector, which e.g. divides an air
stream
into a main air stream and a transverse air stream.
In one advantageous refinement of the method according to the invention, in
particu-
lar a plurality of the above-mentioned operating parameters are set by the
same op-
erating parameter signal or different operating parameter signals. A control
system
for this can be stored in the evaluation device, which system produces
correspond-
ing signals for the desired increased or reduced separating performance of the
re-
spective separating device for the respective adjustable variables.
Preferably, after the triggering of a change in an operating parameter, no
further
change in an operating parameter is triggered for a defined time period or a
defined
conveying distance of the conveyor element. This relates in particular only to
the
same operating parameter and/or at least one operating parameter of at least
one
separating device which is arranged downstream during operation. This ensures
that
over-regulation of the respective operating parameter, e.g. of a separating
element,
does not occur, and each change in an operating parameter is based on a sound
data basis which already takes into account a preceding change in an operating
pa-
rameter.
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The separating element-setting signal is preferably transmitted in a wired
fashion,
particular by means of CAN bus or ethernet, or in a wireless fashion, to the
separat-
ing element control device, wherein the separating device setting is
preferably to be
enabled in advance by an operator by means of an input at an interface. As a
result,
already existing or at least established systems can be used for transmitting
commu-
nications for setting the separating element, and the reliability of the
method can be
increased in particular by virtue of the fact that a resulting setting or the
setting which
is to be made for the separating device is displayed to an operator in
particular in the
driver's cab and said operator has to enable it at an interface (referred to
as a hu-
man interface device (HID)) using a corresponding input.
In order to carry out the method according to the invention, preferably more
than
two, preferably three to twelve, image-capturing units are arranged along the
con-
veying line of the machine, said units each capturing one or more test images.
The
associated test data sets are evaluated in the evaluation device which is, if
appropri-
ate, constructed in a decentralized fashion with a plurality of units, and
said data sets
are used to set the at least one operating parameter, but in particular a
plurality of
operating parameters. In this way, the respective separating devices or
grubbing
depth can be set to an optimum machine performance over the entire conveying
line.
Of course, the evaluation device can be composed of a plurality of evaluation
units,
in particular in order to evaluate in good time the data supplied by the image-
captur-
ing unit. In order to avoid overloading the operator, the at least one
operating param-
eter is preferably set automatically. When there are relatively short
conveying lines, it
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may also be advantageous that the operating parameter signal for an operator
to be
represented in an understandable format, and for a change in an operating
parame-
ter to then be performed by the operating personnel themselves, but such a
repre-
sentation preferably merely serves to inform the operating personnel.
The method according to the invention can be implemented particularly well if
one or
more optical image-capturing units, preferably all the image-capturing units,
capture
only 1D or 2D information. For example, this therefore involves a line scan
camera
or a digital camera which is provided with a two-dimensional sensor. It has
been
found with extensive testing that the test images captured in two dimensions
com-
prise, in particular when the use of information originating from depth
sensors is dis-
pensed with, sufficient information for setting the corresponding operating
parame-
ters. Therefore, the algorithms which can be used to evaluate the test image
data
sets are sufficiently fast to evaluate the captured data in situ even while
dispensing
with external servers which are arranged remotely from the self-propelled
machine
or towed machines or the tractor vehicle thereof. It is correspondingly
advantageous
that the evaluation device evaluates the test data sets locally on the machine
or on a
directly connected tractor vehicle. The communication within the machine
between
the image-capturing units and the evaluation device can take place in a wired
fash-
ion. The communication can take place via the often already present CAN bus
sys-
tem, a similar machine network or else with a dedicated connection between the
im-
age-capturing units and the evaluation device. If necessary it is also
possible to use
wireless transmissions from one part of the system to a further part of the
system on
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a local basis, wherein, owing to the short distances, a multiplicity of
different technol-
ogies can be used. These (e.g. Bluetooth, W-LAN, ZigBee, NFC, Wibree or WiMAX,
IDA, FSO) can also be used together with cable-bound transmissions.
For a robust means of control which is of comparatively simple design in one
method
according to the invention the evaluation device is constructed in such a way
that it
compares the portions or values derived therefrom for components of the
harvested
material along the conveying line of conveyor elements which are arranged in
suc-
cession with respectively associated setpoint values and generates the at
least one
operating parameter signal on the basis thereof. Optimum values or bandwidths
of
optimum values for the individual portions of harvested material under
different con-
ditions in the system can therefore be stored for the individual conveying
line areas
which are represented by the test images.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the
individual por-
tions or values derived therefrom, determined as described above or below, for
com-
ponents of the harvested material along the conveying line of conveyor
elements
which are arranged in succession can be represented with respectively
associated
setpoint values as described above or below, preferably firstly without
generating the
operating parameter signal or at least without automatically changing the
operating
parameter on a display unit for an operator. If the at least one operating
parameter
signal has already been generated, the setting of the operating parameter can
be
enabled by an operator or alternatively performed directly by an operator.
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Setpoint values for components of the harvested material, in particular
portions of
root crop or portions of extraneous materials can be determined at individual
convey-
ing positions along the conveying line for individual machine types on the
basis of
e.g. a multiplicity of collected data items. Accordingly, an optimum setpoint
value can
be determined empirically and specified for a bandwidth of portions at a
specific po-
sition along the conveying line for an optimum machine throughput rate in
accord-
ance with different grubbing conditions. In particular, the setpoint values
are embod-
ied specifically with respect to root crop and extraneous materials and can be
se-
lected or specified in advance of operation by the operating personnel, for
example.
It is also possible to specify different grubbing conditions, e.g. dry, wet,
stony, loamy
soils or the like for the selection of a setpoint value for a specific
separating device or
the composition on a conveying line which is embodied, for example, as a
screening
belt.
Given the customary plurality of operating parameters which can be adjusted,
it is
therefore preferably possible to specify an optimum separating performance
and/or
correspondingly appropriate portions of extraneous materials automatically
over the
conveying line during operation and work toward them. The individual operating
pa-
rameter signals for the respective separating devices or the machine can be
deter-
mined here in accordance with one another using simple and sufficiently
intelligent
algorithms. For example, it would also be possible for such a control system
to store
information indicating that, if very intensive cleaning of the product flow in
compari-
son is already brought about between the inflow and outlet at a separating
device
which is positioned early in the conveying line, the cleaning module in the
separating
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device specifies that more extraneous materials may be carried along there.
Con-
versely, in the case of a separating device for which it is recognized that no
appre-
ciable cleaning off is taking place between the inlet and the outlet, the
superordinate
cleaning means can specify that slight losses of root crop can/must be
accepted
here in order to improve the overall cleaning performance of the machine.
Further-
more, the control system can alternatively or additionally ensure that
specific crop
stream ratios are set selectively at specific crop flow points in the machine.
Thus, for
example it is possible to achieve an increase in the cushion of soil on the
screening
chains by increasing the grubbing depth or increasing the velocity. The at
least one
operating parameter, preferably the plurality of operating parameters, for the
respec-
tive adjustable elements of the machine is/are preferably determined, in
particular,
by means of a neural network, a random forest, a Bayesian classifier, a
support vec-
tor machine or a decision tree.
In particular, in such a control system it is also possible to store
information indicat-
ing the degree to which extraneous materials may be carried along in the
respective
separating device or product losses, e.g. in the form of potatoes or beets,
can be ac-
cepted. These variables are important input variables for the control of the
specific
individual separating performance control and therefore the calculation of the
operat-
ing parameter signal.
In order to avoid dynamics which leads to large loads on the adjustable
devices and
correspondingly abrupt or frequent changes in the separating assemblies, the
re-
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spective setpoint values can be assigned areas within which a portion or a
value de-
rived therefrom can be considered acceptable depending on the difference from
the
setpoint value. In this respect, a reasonable algorithm will find just one
point of bal-
ance between the optimum cleaning performance at a device and the associated
in-
fluencing of downstream separating devices and, if appropriate, also sorting
devices.
Correspondingly, the separating devices which are positioned upstream in the
con-
veying line and the portions which are assigned to said devices and originate
from
the test images or values derived therefrom have different weightings for the
deter-
mination of the respective parameters.
According to a further advantageous refinement of the invention, different
parameter
sets of setpoint values are therefore stored in the valuation device, in
particular in or-
der to satisfy the different conditions described above and/or different
parameter
sets can be specified for the evaluation device so that setpoint values which
are
adapted for the corresponding grubbing situation or separating situation are
present.
In order to check the machine (cleaning) performance, it is advantageous if
the oper-
ating parameter signal is saved with the at least one portion, resulting
during the
subsequent operation, or with a value derived therefrom, and in particular
with the
associated operating parameter, and stored in a database. This applies in
particular
to any operating parameters which are recorded so that a picture of the effect
of the
change in the operating parameters can still be captured even retrospectively.
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Generally, the control algorithm can be provided with a specified or even
adaptable
rest value so that the machine does continuously carry out control operations.
Such
a rest value can also be selected in accordance with the speed of the
transported
harvested material. In particular, after the triggering of a change in an
operating pa-
rameter, no further change in an operating parameter is triggered until the
harvested
material which is picked up from the ground when the machine is triggered is
shown
at least partially by a test image which is captured thereafter along the
conveying
line.
The object which was defined at the beginning is also achieved according to
the in-
vention by means of a machine for harvesting root crop and/or for separating
root
crop from further extraneous materials in the harvested material. The machine
has a
machine frame, a conveyor element, at least two, in particular optical, image-
captur-
ing units which are arranged in succession along a conveying line which has,
in par-
ticular, a separating device, a separating device and an evaluation device.
The ma-
chine is designed to carry out the method as described above or below. An
optical
image-capturing unit is considered to be offset in the conveying direction in
particular
when it captures a downstream area of the conveying line and represents it in
the
further test image.
The evaluation device preferably comprises a graphic processor unit, in
particular a
GPU- (Graphical Processing Unit) or GPGPU- ( General Purpose Graphical Pro-
cessing Unit) and/or an FPGA- (Field Programmable Gate Array) based processor
unit. This embodiment of the evaluation device makes it possible to evaluate
the test
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data set in a way which is particularly economical in terms of resources and,
in par-
ticular on a local basis. Of course, the evaluation device which is embodied
as an
EDP device has further customary means e.g. for the power supply, interfaces
and
working memory.
In one advantageous refinement of the invention, the machine has at least one
sen-
sor which is coupled to the evaluation device, in particular a tactile sensor
or ultra-
sonic sensor for measuring a layer thickness of the harvested material on the
con-
veyor element, a sensor for measuring a drive power level, for example a
pressure
sensor for measuring a hydraulic oil pressure, and/or a rotational speed
sensor ar-
ranged on a conveyor element. By means of this sensor it is also possible to
calcu-
late both the conveying speed signal and the movement characteristic data sets
on
the basis of measured physical variables, which significantly increases the
informa-
tive power of the variables calculated with the evaluation device and reduces
the
susceptibility to faults of said device. Likewise, a moisture sensor can
additionally
provide information which contributes to setting one or more of the separating
de-
vices within the scope of the analysis of the evaluation device.
According to the method which is described above or below, an analysis of the
con-
veying line areas which are acquired by the respective test images is carried
out in
the at least one evaluation device. While just one central evaluation device
is prefer-
ably provided for the evaluation of the data of the image-capturing units, the
respec-
tive image-capturing units can also be assigned separate evaluation devices.
These
devices can then actuate the respectively assigned separating devices, in
particular
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in accordance with further evaluation devices. In this case, a plurality of
individual
units such as e.g. processors are present. Alternatively or additionally, a
central
evaluation device is responsible for the production of the separating device
setting
signals and passes them on to a machine controller.
At least one of the image-sensing units is preferably arranged in such a way
that the
test image shows at least two alternative conveying paths for different
components
of the harvested material. As a result, two conveyor elements can be monitored
us-
ing one image-capturing unit, wherein in each case one test image part of the
test
image represents a section of the different conveyor elements or of harvested
mate-
rial thereon. In particular, one of the conveyor elements is designed to
convey ex-
tracted extraneous materials and a further conveyor element of the conveyor
ele-
ments is designed to convey cleaned root crop. As a result, a particularly
compre-
hensive picture of the cleaning performance of an associated separating device
can
be obtained.
One of the image-capturing units can preferably be arranged in such a way
that, dur-
ing operation, the test image respectively at least partially represents at
least two
conveyor element sections which are separated by a separating element. The con-
veyor element sections are separated only by the dividing element in the
representa-
tion by the test image and are each included in the conveyor element. The
separat-
ing element is closer to the image-capturing unit than the conveyor element
and as a
result in the test image the latter is covered by the separating element.
Through this
positioning of the image-capturing unit it is possible to calculate in each
case at least
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one first portion for two individual test image parts, and therefore to assess
the effec-
tiveness of the separating element or separating device directly. In
particular, for this
purpose the composition of harvested material before it reaches the separating
ele-
ment is compared with the composition of at least one portion of the harvested
mate-
rial after it passes the separating element.
The at least one conveyor element is preferably embodied as a screening belt
or
hedgehog web which, during operation, runs in particular under at least one
deflec-
tion roller which extends transversely over the conveyor element and deflects
har-
vested material therefrom in a lateral direction. Alternatively, the conveyor
element is
embodied as a screening star or conveyor roller, wherein the conveyor roller
is in
particular included in a roller table.
As an alternative to or in addition to the above, the machine is embodied as a
ma-
chine for cleaning and/or sorting root crop. In this context, the machine is
operated in
particular in a stationary fashion, that is to say without continuous local
advancing of
the machine during operation.
Further details and advantages of the invention can be found in the
schematically il-
lustrated exemplary embodiments which are described below. In the drawing:
Fig. 1 shows a program flow diagram of a method according to the invention,
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Fig. 2 shows a view of a detail relating to the determination of
components of
the harvested material at a monitored conveying line area,
Fig. 3 shows a view of a detail relating to the determination of the
operating
parameter signals,
Fig. 4 shows setpoint curves of the relative composition of the
harvested ma-
terial along the conveying line,
Fig. 5 shows a view of a test image and its partial evaluation,
Fig. 6 shows an exemplary illustration of the relative composition of
the har-
vested material over the monitored conveying line,
Fig. 7 shows an exemplary illustration of the relative composition of
the har-
vested material over the monitored conveying line which results from
the method according to the invention,
Fig. 8 shows a subject matter according to the invention,
Figs. 9 and 10 shows the subject matter according to fig. 8 in different
side
views,
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Fig. 11 shows a partial view of the subject matter according to fig. 8
with a con-
veyor element,
Fig. 12 shows a view of a detail of an area of the device according to
fig. 8
which is partially illustrated in fig. 11,
Fig. 13 shows the subject matter according to fig. 12 from a different
perspec-
tive,
Fig. 14 shows an illustration of the test image of the image-capturing
unit ac-
cording to fig. 12,
Fig. 15 shows a separating device of the machine according to fig. 8 with
an
image-capturing unit,
Fig. 16 shows a schematic test image captured from the perspective of the
im-
age-capturing unit shown in fig. 15,
Fig. 17 shows a further separating device of the machine according to
fig. 8
with an image-capturing unit,
Fig. 18 shows a schematically illustrated test image captured from the
perspec-
tive of the image-capturing unit shown in fig. 17,
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Fig. 19 shows a further view of a detail of a machine according to fig. 8
with a
further image-capturing unit,
Fig. 20 shows a schematic illustration of a test image considered from
the per-
spective of the image-capturing unit according to fig. 19, and
Fig. 21 shows a view of a detail of a further device according to the
invention..
Identically or similarly acting parts are, where expedient, provided with
identical ref-
erence symbols. Individual technical features of the exemplary embodiments de-
scribed below can also be combined with the features of the exemplary embodi-
ments described above to form developments according to the invention, but
always
at least in combination with the features of one of the independent claims.
The subject matters specified in the list of the figures are in some cases
only illus-
trated partially in individual figures.
The method according to the invention serves to control the operation of a
machine
2 for harvesting root crop 4 (cf. figs 6 to 8). In the method, at least one,
in particular
optical, image-capturing unit 6 captures at least one test image 8 which shows
har-
vested material comprising root crop 4 which is moved along relative to a
machine
frame 12 of the machine 2 by means of at least one conveyor element which is
firstly
designated generally by 10. Furthermore, at least one further, in particular
optical,
image-capturing unit 6, which is offset in the conveying direction, captures
at least
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one further test image 8, and an evaluation device generates, using a first
test data
set which is generated on the basis of the first test image 8 and at least one
further
test data set which is generated on the basis of the further test image, at
least one
operating parameter signal which is formed, in particular, as a separating
device set-
ting signal and the at least one operating parameter of the machine 2, in
particular of
the separating device, is set by means of said signal.
The representations according to fig. 5 illustrated as test images 8 merely
show
schematically the parts which are relevant for the invention without any
borders or
limitations. Images, in particular digital images, which are captured by an
image-cap-
turing unit 6, comprise, under certain circumstances, information which is not
illus-
trated in the representations. Furthermore, for the purposes of the
visualization the
representations show any details which already originate from the analysis of
an
evaluation device.
In one exemplary embodiment according to the invention, by means of the method
which is described above, an evaluation of the composition of the harvested
material
is carried out on the basis of a crop flow 1.1 which is produced by a grubbing
device
and varies during a conveying line, upstream of a first separating element,
and alter-
natively already during a first separation directly after the harvested
material is
picked up, e.g. on a first screening belt or a roller soil remover (block 1.2)
(fig. 1).
Moreover, the composition of the stream of harvested material is also
calculated
again at further locations, in particular upstream of the inlet and downstream
of the
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outlet of further separating devices (blocks 1.3 to 1.n). Capturing units are
preferably
present at the start and at the end of the conveying line, at least for the
root crop 4.
In the evaluation, the following respective portions are obtained: A1_1 to
A1_n, A2_1
to A2_n, A3_1 to A3_n and A4_1 to A4_n of root crop 4 and extraneous materials
5
in in the form of weeds, earth and stones (blocks 1.4, 1.5, 1.6) at the
respective
measuring points 1 to n, i.e. areas of the conveying line which are captured
by the
image-capturing units. Depending on desired separating performances at the
individ-
ual separating devices, the portions of root crop 4 or extraneous materials 5
are
combined with one another in the evaluation device (block 1.7) and preferably
checked for deviations on the basis of setpoint values. This results in
control varia-
bles for the individual operating parameters which are determined in block
1.8. This
is followed by the setting of the operating parameters, e.g. of the velocity,
the grub-
bing depth and/or the separating devices (block 1.9). This results in a new
crop flow
(block 1.1).
The determination of the composition of the crop stream is illustrated in fig.
2 with a
higher level of detail. The test image 8 is firstly captured starting from a
crop flow or
crop stream (block 1.1) at a measuring point. For the purpose of producing the
test
data set, the relevant test image parts are then extracted (block 2.1). For
this pur-
pose, a mask or region of interest (ROI) can be predefined on the basis of the
posi-
tion of the image-capturing unit (block 2.2) and used to differentiate
distances in the
test image 8 which are to be taken into account and ones which are not to be
taken
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into account. The calculation of portions of the individual image areas
showing com-
ponents of the individual components of the harvested material is now
performed on
the basis of the relevant image section of the test image 8 and of the test
data set
which is now provided for processing (block 2.3). For this purpose, in
particular the
color information, in particular comprising black values, white values and/or
gray val-
ues can be evaluated. These values can be obtained from a reference table or
else
specified by an operator (block 2.4). This results in the respectively
considered por-
tions Al for root crop, A2 for earth, A3 for weeds and A4 for clods (block
2.5).
By means of the method according to the invention the ratios between the
products
present in a flow of harvested material and extraneous materials are first
detected
separately for respective measuring points along the conveying line. The
ratios are
then compared with setpoint values which are stored in the evaluation device
specifi-
cally for the respective measuring point so that deviations from the desired
setpoint
values can be determined in the respectively monitored conveying line areas
(fig. 3,
Block 3.1). The setpoint values or setpoint curves are also formed
specifically for the
respective grubbing conditions and in accordance with how the machine 2 is to
be
operated (cf. fig. 4).
In addition to the determination of the deviations from the setpoint value, in
block
3.2, for conveying lines which are respectively located between successive
measur-
ing points and which comprise in particular a separating device or separating
ele-
ment of a separating device, it is assessed how the components of the crop
stream
develop in accordance with a respective separating device setting. On this
basis, the
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respective operating parameter signals are generated for the entire conveying
line
under consideration, while taking into account the interactions between the
respec-
tive setting variables (block 3.3). This brings about the setting of the
operating pa-
rameters (block 3.4). In this way, e.g. a cushion of soil which is optimum for
non-
damaging treatment of the root crop 4 can be implemented over the entire
conveying
line with a maximum conveying performance.
The aimed-at setpoint values can be specified in a variety of ways, for
example as
table values, function curves or matrices. Fig. 4 shows a schematic and
exemplary
view of the scenarios which are possible for any harvesting process and which
can
be selected by the operating personnel. The relative composition of the crop
stream
is indicated on the Y axis, and the X axis represents the conveying line. The
differ-
ence between 100% and the value of the curve corresponds to the relative
portion of
root crop. The dot-dash curve corresponds to balanced operation. The machine 2
carries out uniform cleaning off, so that good non-damaging treatment of the
product
is achieved by the cushion of soil which decreases uniformly over the
conveying line.
The lower, dashed line corresponds to a setting scenario, in which the
extraneous
materials are separated off as early as possible and the relative portions of
root crop
already rise markedly at the start of the conveying line. The
screening/separating
performance is increased in accordance with the specification in the
evaluation unit,
at the expense of a higher driving speed/harvesting performance. Accordingly,
the
evaluation device would reduce the velocity and e.g. increase the separating
perfor-
mance of a first separating device.
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The continuous curve is a setting for a maximum grubbing performance in which
so
much harvested material is picked up at the start of the conveying line that
separa-
tion occurs more intensively by downstream separating devices than passively
by
screening belts. With such maximum flows of harvested material the wear of the
ma-
chine 2 is increased.
The measuring points which are distributed along the conveying line, with the
optical
image-capturing units 6, each show conveying line sections, and discreet
sections of
the conveying line are monitored, for which sections discreet setpoint values
are also
specified, if appropriate derived from curves according to fig. 4.
Fig. 5 shows by way of example a test image 8 in the upper part of the figure,
which
image shows the transition from one conveyor element 10a to a conveyor element
10b. Root crop 4 and extraneous materials 5 which comprise stones and weeds
are
located in this conveying line area. According to the classifiers which are
defined in
the training of the algorithm or specified by means of a database, for example
a table
with color information, comprising in particular black values, white values
and/or gray
values, individual partial image areas 16 are checked for the presence of
identical
components. Therefore, the assignment of the respective image areas to the
individ-
ual portions, illustrated by way of example at the bottom left in fig. 5,
results in a por-
tion distribution of individual portions of root crop and extraneous materials
in the
test image 8. Al therefore shows the portion of the root crop 4 in the test
image or
the corresponding test data set, A2 shows the portion of earth, A3 shows the
portion
of weeds and A4 shows the portion of stones (not illustrated). This assignment
is
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preferably made on the basis of the color information of the individual
pixels, i.e. an
image area 19 which is assigned to a portion corresponds in particular to an
area of
a pixel. The values determined at the individual conveying line areas can be
repre-
sented in a way analogous to fig. 4 along the conveying line (fig. 6) . Using
the
measured values, the operating parameters are adapted, for example on the
basis of
the respective compositions of the crop stream at the individual measuring
points
MS1 to MS5, with the objective of treating the root crop 4 in a more gentle
way over
the conveying line by means of a relatively large cushion of soil.
Corresponding con-
trol, which specifies less screening out at the beginning of the conveying
line, pro-
duces, for example, the distribution of the components of the harvested
material ac-
cording to fig. 6. The control in the evaluation device preferably takes into
account
the fact that the specified values cannot all be obtained precisely and
simultane-
ously, so that deviations A (=Delta) from the desired values are tolerated.
An arrangement of the optical image-capturing units 6 is disclosed in fig. 8.
The ma-
chine 2 according to the invention is embodied as a towed potato harvester,
wherein
a multiplicity of conveyor elements 10 and their associated separating devices
are
secured by means of a machine frame 12, which is only partially designated.
Along
the conveying line there are a plurality of image-capturing units 6 which
capture im-
ages of the harvested material which is transported on the conveyor elements
10
and comprises root crop 4. The optical image-capturing units 6 form the
individual
measuring points. The positions of the image-capturing units 6 which are
indicated in
fig. 8 are an area directly after a grubbing device 29 (measuring point MS1),
a transi-
tion from a first conveyor element 10A in the form of a screening belt to a
second
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conveyor element 10B in the form of a screening belt which is additionally sur-
rounded by a coarse weed belt (measuring point MS2), and the transition from
this
second screening belt 10B to a further conveyor element 10C comprising a
further
separating device (measuring point MS3). Moreover, on the output side of this
sepa-
rating device a conveyor element 10E which leads to the sorting table and has
a fur-
ther image-capturing unit 6 is monitored (measuring point MS4), wherein at the
same time images of a further conveyor element 1OF which is provided for
residues
of extraneous materials 5, in particular stones, are captured. Finally, a
further optical
image-capturing unit 6 is present at the sorting table 45 (measuring point
MS5).
An evaluation device can be positioned at any desired centrally accessible
location,
but preferably in the vicinity of the sorting table. A velocity signal or
information relat-
ing to the setting of the separating devices can be sent to a towing vehicle
from the
evaluation device, for example via a cable 12.1 which can be seen in fig. 8.
The machine 2 which is illustrated in a side view in figs 9 and 10 clarifies
the posi-
tions of the optical image-capturing units 6. In particular, the image-
capturing unit 6
which is located at the sorting table 45 can be arranged directly at a drop
step lead-
ing to a bunker 33.
Figs 11 and 12 show the arrangement of an optical image-capturing unit 6 which
is
arranged on the frame side above a first drop step between a conveyor element
10A
and a conveyor element 10B and whose field of vision is directed downward
(meas-
uring point 2). A light source 7 ensures that the field of vision is
illuminated in order
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to capture a sufficiently lit test image 8. The conveyor element 10A is a
screening
belt which already screens out some of the extraneous materials 5, in
particular
earth and/or clods, coming from a grubbing device 29 and transfers them to a
further
conveyor element 10B, embodied as a screening belt, via a drop step. This con-
veyor element 10B additionally has a coarse weed belt which is provided for
separat-
ing off the weeds present with the potatoes or in the harvested material.
Stripping
devices 32 are correspondingly arranged over the width of the conveyor
elements
10B.
A height H of the stripping device 32 above the conveying plane of the
conveyor ele-
ment 10B can be adjusted by means of the operating parameter signal which is
em-
bodied as a separating device setting signal. This constitutes a possible way
of influ-
encing the separating performance of the separating device which is embodied
as a
weed belt. Moreover, a relative speed of the screening belt to the coarse weed
belt
43 can be set. Fig. 12 illustrates only the coarse we'd belt 43, and not the
actual con-
veyor element 10B (cf. fig. 14), embodied in the form of a screening belt, for
pur-
poses of clarity.
A test image 8 which is obtained from the field of vision of the optical image-
captur-
ing unit 6, which is shown by means of dashes in fig. 13, is illustrated in
detail in fig.
14. The evaluations described above are made on the basis of the portions of
the
captured and classified objects, using a test data set produced from this test
image.
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The harvested material which is still present is transferred from the conveyor
ele-
ment 10B to a further conveyor element 10C with a conveying direction 1C. A
sepa-
rating device in the form of a plurality of rotating deflection rollers 24
which are posi-
tioned one above the other is assigned to said further conveyor element 10C.
The
harvested material is transported in the direction of the conveyor element 10D
by
means of a pulse which is applied by said separating device (fig. 15).
A distance H between the conveyor element 10C and the lower deflection roller
24
can be set for the purpose of varying a separating performance and it
therefore con-
stitutes the adjustable operating parameter. Under certain circumstances,
further dis-
tances between the individual deflection rollers 24 can be varied in respect
of the
distance from one another for the purpose of intensity of the deflection or
any sepa-
rating function in which weeds are drawn in between the deflection rollers 24.
Alter-
natively or additionally, a variation in the separating performance or
deflection arises
from the adjustability of the circulating speeds of the deflection rollers 24.
Likewise, a height of each of the lower ends of fingers 26 of a separation
device
which is embodied as a finger web 26.1, which is associated with the conveyor
ele-
ment 10D, can be set as one of a plurality of operating parameters. The height
H de-
scribes the distance between the fingers 26 and the upper edge of the conveyor
ele-
ment which is embodied as a hedgehog web. Moreover, an attitude angle of the
fin-
ger web 26.1 is configured in such a way that it can be set with respect to a
vertical
to the conveying plane of the conveyor element. The same applies to the
circulating
speed of the finger web 26.1.
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The image-capturing unit 6 illustrated in fig. 15 (measuring point MS3)
generates the
test image which is illustrated in fig. 16 and in which a test image 8A which
is rele-
vant in the present exemplary embodiment is defined by means of filtering or
mask-
ing. A test image part 8B which is located behind the deflection rollers 24
when
viewed from a conveying direction 1C can additionally be selected in order to
moni-
tor a separating device performance, in this case a separating performance of
the
deflection rollers 24. In particular, the area upstream of the deflection
rollers 24 is
monitored for the setting of the velocity. The test data set is obtained from
the corre-
sponding test image part 8A.
Insofar as an associated setpoint value for the test image part 8A produces an
ex-
cessively low separating performance of a separating device which is arranged
up-
stream or illustrated, the separating device can be given a more forceful
setting in
accordance with the further specifications for upstream and downstream
separating
devices. Alternatively, if respective portions or values derived therefrom in
the test
image part 8B indicate an excessively large separating performance, for
example
owing to excessively large portions of extraneous materials 5 in the form of
clods be-
hind the deflection rollers 24, which can still be required at least partially
to prevent
damaging handling of the potatoes on the following conveying line, a distance
H be-
tween the deflection rollers 24 and the conveyor element can be reduced, and
the
separating device can therefore be given a less forceful setting.
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A further optical image-capturing unit 6, which is arranged in the vicinity of
the con-
veyor belts 10C and 10D is illustrated in fig. 17 and fig. 18. This image-
capturing unit
6 can be used in addition to or as an alternative to the image-capturing unit
accord-
ing to fig. 6. In particular, said image-capturing unit 6 serves to monitor
the effect of
the separating and deflection device embodied by the deflection rollers 24. A
light
source 7 for better illumination of the monitored area is also assigned to
this monitor-
ing unit.
A further optical image-capturing unit 6 is arranged with an associated light
source 7
above a sorting table with a view of a conveyor element 10E and a conveyor ele-
ment 1OF (fig. 19). By means of masking, the test image parts 8A and 8A which
are
represented in the test image 8 according to fig 20 are selected, and, on the
one
hand, monitor the conveyor element 10E, as a conveyor path, with a conveying
di-
rection lE for transporting away root crop 4 and, on the other hand, monitor
the con-
veyor element 10F, as a further conveyor path, with a conveying direction 1F
for
transporting away extraneous materials 5 in the form of stones and clods. By
means
of the evaluation described above it is checked whether the portions of root
crop on
the conveyor element 1OF are too large. If this is the case, by means of the
method
according to the invention the separating device located upstream is given a
sharper
or more forceful setting in accordance with the control specifications for the
entire
conveying line This separating device is located above the conveyor element
10D
which is embodied as a hedgehog web, and said separating device is provided,
in
particular as a finger web, with fingers 26 which are illustrated by way of
example
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and by means of dashes, even though in the representation shown they are ar-
ranged behind the cover 40 located in front of them. For example, the distance
be-
tween the fingers 26 and the conveyor element 10D is reduced in order to
convey
away a greater amount of harvested material, in the form of root crop, onto
the con-
veyor element 10E via an associated chute 41. If too many extraneous materials
in
the form of stones are detected on the conveyor elements 10E, for example the
cir-
culating speed of deflection rollers 24 can be changed so that there is a
smaller
pulse applied to extraneous materials, thus bringing about better deflection
of any
stones in the direction of the conveyor element 10F. Extraneous materials then
slide
onto the conveyor element 1OF in an improved way via a chute 42.
Fig. 21 illustrates the arrangement of measuring points MS1 to MSS on a
schemati-
cally illustrated conveying line of a machine 2 embodied as a beet lifter.
Optical im-
age-capturing units are arranged downstream of a grubbing device above a
roller ta-
ble 10M and at the end of a conveyor element 10N which is embodied as a screen-
ing belt (measuring points MS1 and MS2). A further optical image-capturing
unit 6
monitors in particular a conveyor element 10P which is embodied as a screening
star (measuring point MS3). The subsequent conveyor element 10Q which is em-
bodied as a screening star is also monitored in precisely the same way as a
con-
veyor element 1OR which is embodied as a ring elevator (measuring points MS4
and
MSS).
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-05
