Abstract: An agricultural sprayer arrangement includes a chassis, at least one ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis, a liquid tank carried by the chassis, a boom carried by the chassis, a fluid conduit associated with the boom that is fluidly connected to the liquid tank, a spray nozzle that is fluidly connected to the fluid conduit and includes a nozzle body, a differential pressure sensor with a first pressure sensor in the fluid conduit associated with the spray nozzle and a second pressure sensor in the nozzle body, and an electrical processing circuit coupled to the differential pressure sensor. The differential pressure sensor is configured to output a pressure difference signal and the electrical processing circuit is configured to report a blocked nozzle when the pressure difference signal is less than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer arrangement includes a chassis, at least one ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis, a liquid tank carried by the chassis, a boom carried by the chassis, a fluid conduit associated with the boom that is fluidly connected to the liquid tank, a spray nozzle that is fluidly connected to the fluid conduit and includes a nozzle body, a differential pressure sensor with a first pressure sensor in the fluid conduit associated with the spray nozzle and a second pressure sensor in the nozzle body, and an electrical processing circuit coupled to the differential pressure sensor. The differential pressure sensor is configured to output a pressure difference signal and the electrical processing circuit is configured to report a blocked nozzle when the pressure difference signal is less than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer arrangement includes a chassis, at least one ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis, a liquid tank carried by the chassis, a boom carried by the chassis, a fluid conduit associated with the boom that is fluidly connected to the liquid tank, a spray nozzle that is fluidly connected to the fluid conduit and includes a nozzle body, a differential pressure sensor with a first pressure sensor in the fluid conduit associated with the spray nozzle and a second pressure sensor in the nozzle body, and an electrical processing circuit coupled to the differential pressure sensor. The differential pressure sensor is configured to output a pressure difference signal and the electrical processing circuit is configured to report a blocked nozzle when the pressure difference signal is less than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer arrangement includes a chassis; a ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis; a liquid tank carried by the chassis; a boom carried by the chassis; a conduit associated with the boom in fluid communication with the liquid tank that acts as a fluid flow path; a nozzle having an inlet in fluid communication with the conduit; a first flow sensor placed upstream of the inlet in the fluid flow path that provides a first flow signal; a second flow sensor placed downstream of the inlet in the fluid flow path that provides a second flow signal; and an electrical processing circuit coupled to the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor that is configured to compare the first and second flow signals to determine a flow rate decrease and issue an alarm if the flow rate decrease is less than a predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer arrangement includes a chassis; a ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis; a liquid tank carried by the chassis; a boom carried by the chassis; a conduit associated with the boom in fluid communication with the liquid tank that acts as a fluid flow path; a nozzle having an inlet in fluid communication with the conduit; a first flow sensor placed upstream of the inlet in the fluid flow path that provides a first flow signal; a second flow sensor placed downstream of the inlet in the fluid flow path that provides a second flow signal; and an electrical processing circuit coupled to the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor that is configured to compare the first and second flow signals to determine a flow rate decrease and issue an alarm if the flow rate decrease is less than a predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer arrangement includes a chassis; a ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis; a liquid tank carried by the chassis; a boom carried by the chassis; a conduit associated with the boom in fluid communication with the liquid tank that acts as a fluid flow path; a nozzle having an inlet in fluid communication with the conduit; a first flow sensor placed upstream of the inlet in the fluid flow path that provides a first flow signal; a second flow sensor placed downstream of the inlet in the fluid flow path that provides a second flow signal; and an electrical processing circuit coupled to the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor that is configured to compare the first and second flow signals to determine a flow rate decrease and issue an alarm if the flow rate decrease is less than a predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: A harvester for agricultural products such as fruits such as grapes, berries, vegetables, and the like, and method of harvesting, using an RFID system capable of detecting and interrogating RFID tags associated with objects or conditions along a path of the harvester in a manner to determine both presence and location of the associated object or condition, to enable responsively adapting or altering the operation of harvesting apparatus in a predetermined manner, such as by reducing or interrupting forces exerted thereby when about or proximate the object or condition.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer arrangement includes a chassis; a ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis; a liquid tank carried by the chassis; a boom carried by the chassis; a conduit associated with the boom in fluid communication with the liquid tank that acts as a fluid flow path; a nozzle having an inlet in fluid communication with the conduit; a first flow sensor placed upstream of the inlet in the fluid flow path that provides a first flow signal; a second flow sensor placed downstream of the inlet in the fluid flow path that provides a second flow signal; and an electrical processing circuit coupled to the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor that is configured to compare the first and second flow signals to determine a flow rate decrease and issue an alarm if the flow rate decrease is less than a predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer arrangement includes a chassis, at least one ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis, a liquid tank carried by the chassis, a boom carried by the chassis, a fluid conduit associated with the boom that is fluidly connected to the liquid tank, a spray nozzle that is fluidly connected to the fluid conduit and includes a nozzle body, a differential pressure sensor with a first pressure sensor in the fluid conduit associated with the spray nozzle and a second pressure sensor in the nozzle body, and an electrical processing circuit coupled to the differential pressure sensor. The differential pressure sensor is configured to output a pressure difference signal and the electrical processing circuit is configured to report a blocked nozzle when the pressure difference signal is less than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A harvester for agricultural products such as fruits such as grapes, berries, vegetables, and the like, and method of harvesting, using an RFID system capable of detecting and interrogating RFID tags associated with objects or conditions along a path of the harvester in a manner to determine both presence and location of the associated object or condition, to enable responsively adapting or altering the operation of harvesting apparatus in a predetermined manner, such as by reducing or interrupting forces exerted thereby when about or proximate the object or condition.

Abstract: The orientation of a self-propelled vehicle or a towed vehicle relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle can be determined by mounting two ground speed sensors on the vehicle. The orientation of the vehicle relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle can be used to correct the error in the location of an implement mounted on the vehicle determined by a GPS system mounted on the vehicle or the vehicle towing the implement due to crabbing of the vehicle as the vehicle travels substantially perpendicular to a significant slope.

Abstract: A method for defining, using, and adjusting curved swath patterns and a swath generation apparatus implementing said method for use in an automated vehicle guidance system.

Abstract: The orientation of a self-propelled vehicle or a towed vehicle relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle can be determined by mounting two ground speed sensors on the vehicle. The orientation of the vehicle relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle can be used to correct the error in the location of an implement mounted on the vehicle determined by a GPS system mounted on the vehicle or the vehicle towing the implement due to crabbing of the vehicle as the vehicle travels substantially perpendicular to a significant slope.

Abstract: A method for defining, using, and adjusting curved swath patterns and a swath generation apparatus implementing said method for use in an automated vehicle guidance system.

Abstract: An automatic vision guidance system for an agricultural vehicle is disclosed and described. The vision guidance system uses a K-means clustering algorithm in image processing to distinguish between crop and non-crop features. The vision guidance system utilizes moment algorithms to determine the location and orientation of crop rows, from which desired wheel angles are determined and steering is commanded. The vision guidance system may adjust the location and orientation of visually determined crop rows according to a predetermined distance between crop rows. Further, the vision guidance system may utilize a redundant number of regions of interest in determining crop row locations and orientations.

Abstract: An automatic vision guidance system for an agricultural vehicle is disclosed and described. The vision guidance system uses a K-means clustering algorithm in image processing to distinguish between crop and non-crop features. The vision guidance system utilizes moment algorithms to determine the location and orientation of crop rows, from which desired wheel angles are determined and steering is commanded. The vision guidance system may adjust the location and orientation of visually determined crop rows according to a predetermined distance between crop rows. Further, the vision guidance system may utilize a redundant number of regions of interest in determining crop row locations and orientations.

Abstract: An automatic vision guidance system for an agricultural vehicle is disclosed and described. The vision guidance system uses a K-means clustering algorithm in image processing to distinguish between crop and non-crop features. The vision guidance system utilizes moment algorithms to determine the location and orientation of crop rows, from which desired wheel angles are determined and steering is commanded. The vision guidance system may adjust the location and orientation of visually determined crop rows according to a predetermined distance between crop rows. Further, the vision guidance system may utilize a redundant number of regions of interest in determining crop row locations and orientations.

Abstract: An automatic vision guidance system for an agricultural vehicle is disclosed and described. The vision guidance system uses a K-means clustering algorithm in image processing to distinguish between crop and non-crop features. The vision guidance system utilizes moment algorithms to determine the location and orientation of crop rows, from which desired wheel angles are determined and steering is commanded. The vision guidance system may adjust the location and orientation of visually determined crop rows according to a predetermined distance between crop rows. Further, the vision guidance system may utilize a redundant number of regions of interest in determining crop row locations and orientations.

Abstract: An automatic vision guidance system for an agricultural vehicle is disclosed and described. The vision guidance system uses a K-means clustering algorithm in image processing to distinguish between crop and non-crop features. The vision guidance system utilizes moment algorithms to determine the location and orientation of crop rows, from which desired wheel angles are determined and steering is commanded. The vision guidance system may adjust the location and orientation of visually determined crop rows according to a predetermined distance between crop rows. Further, the vision guidance system may utilize a redundant number of regions of interest in determining crop row locations and orientations.