Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes an electromagnetic detecting and ranging module for detecting a location of an object relative to the agricultural harvester and a camera for capturing images of an area within a field of view of the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module. One or more computing devices receive first data from the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module, the first data indicating the location of the object relative to the agricultural harvester, receive image data from the camera and use the image data to determine whether the object is a receiving vehicle. If the object is a receiving vehicle, the one or more computing devices use the first data and the second data to generate graphic data defining a graphical representation illustrating the relative positions of the unload conveyor and the receiving vehicle. An electronic device including a graphical user interface presents the graphical representation on the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A system includes an agricultural harvester with an electromagnetic detecting and ranging module and a camera for capturing images of an area within a field of view of the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module. One or more computing devices detect the presence of an object using data from the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module, use image data from the camera to determine whether the object is a receiving vehicle and, if the object is a receiving vehicle, generate automated navigation data to automatically control operation of at least one of the agricultural harvester and the receiving vehicle to align an unload conveyor of the agricultural harvester with a grain bin of the receiving vehicle.

Abstract: A cleaning system for a combine harvester has a chaffer and a blower configured to direct air rearward and upward through the chaffer. The chaffer has a perforated base, a plurality of longitudinal lateral walls, and a plurality of airbags, each of which is disposed adjacent to a lateral wall. An air supply is configured to inflate at least one of the airbags. Another cleaning system for a combine harvester also has a chaffer and a blower configured to direct air rearward and upward through the chaffer. The chaffer has a perforated base, a plurality of longitudinal lateral walls, a plurality of rigid members disposed adjacent to a corresponding lateral wall, and at least one actuator configured to move each rigid member relative to the corresponding lateral wall. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a feederhouse configured to convey a crop material from a harvesting header, a threshing system configured to receive the crop material from the feederhouse and separate straw therefrom, and a cleaning system below the threshing system and configured to separate grain from chaff of the crop material. The cleaning system includes a reversible return system configured to receive the crop material from the threshing system, a grain pan below the return system, at least one oscillating grate configured to receive the crop material from the grain pan, and a blower configured to direct air rearward and upward through the oscillating grate. The return system delivers the crop material to a forward end of the grain pan in a first operating mode, and to a rearward end of the grain pan in a second operating mode. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A combine harvester is provided with a conveyance system for transporting crop material discharged by overhead grain separating apparatus to a grain cleaning shoe. The conveyance system comprises a series of oscillating pans which move the grain in a generally longitudinal direction. A return pan conveys the collected material forwardly to a front discharge edge from where the material falls onto a stratification pan below. The stratification pan conveys the collected material rearwardly to a rear discharge edge from where the material falls into the grain cleaning shoe. At least one of the return pan and the stratification pan is non-rectangular and has a non-transverse discharge edge.

Abstract: A system includes an agricultural crop receiving vehicle with a bin for receiving and holding agricultural crop material and a camera positioned to capture images of an area proximate the receiving vehicle. One or more computing devices receive the image data from the camera, identify one or more features of a harvester in the image data, determine a location of the agricultural harvester relative to the crop receiving vehicle, and use the location of the agricultural harvester to generate control signals for controlling movement of the agricultural crop receiving vehicle to coordinate receiving crop material in the bin from the harvester or for controlling a graphical user interface to present a visual indicator of the relative locations of the agricultural crop receiving vehicle and the agricultural harvester.

Abstract: A system includes an agricultural crop receiving vehicle with a bin for receiving and holding agricultural crop material and an electromagnetic detecting and ranging module for generating data indicating the presence and location of a harvester proximate the agricultural crop receiving vehicle. One or more one or more computing devices are configured to receive the data from the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module, determine a location of the harvester relative to the agricultural crop receiving vehicle, and use the location information to generate control signals for controlling movement of the agricultural crop receiving vehicle to coordinate receiving crop material in the bin from the harvester or for controlling a graphical user interface to present a visual indicator of the relative locations of the agricultural crop receiving vehicle and the harvester.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a crop processor for reducing crop material to processed crop and an unload conveyor for transferring processed crop out of the agricultural harvester. One or more sensors generate data indicating a fill level of processed crop within a receiving vehicle. A camera generates image data including at least a portion of the receiving vehicle. A controller receives the data from the one or more sensors, determines the fill level of the processed crop in the grain bin of the receiving vehicle, receives the image data from the camera and generates a graphical indicator of the fill level. The graphical indicator includes a graphical depiction of the receiving vehicle from the image data and a graphical marker superimposed over at least a portion of the graphical depiction of the receiving vehicle. A graphical user interface presents the graphical indicator of the fill level to a user.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies that use LIDAR and computer vision to detect a location of a receiving vehicle relative to a forage harvester, fill levels of crop material within the receiving vehicle, and path and landing position of material expelled from the forage harvester and received by a bin of the receiving vehicle. The technologies use such information as feedback for operating the harvester or the receiving vehicle. Some embodiments detect ground level in front of the harvester or the receiving vehicle, and such information is used as feedback too. Some embodiments include a link to communicate the feedback to a GUI for user visualization of the feedback and semi-automated operations of the harvester or the receiving vehicle. For example, readings from LIDAR and a camera of the harvester detect a topography of the material deposited in the bin of the receiving vehicle, and a GUI outputs the topography.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies that use LIDAR and computer vision to detect locations of receiving vehicles grouped together relative to a forage harvester and detect fill levels of crop material within each receiving vehicle and path and landing position of material expelled from the harvester into a bin of a receiving vehicle of the group. Such information is used as feedback for operating the harvester or one or more self-propelled vehicles moving the receiving vehicles. Some embodiments detect ground level in front of the harvester or the receiving vehicles and use such information as feedback. Some embodiments include a link to communicate the feedback to a GUI for user visualization of the feedback and semi-automated operations. For example, readings from LIDAR and a camera of the harvester detect a position and a crop material fill level for each receiving vehicle in the group, and the GUI outputs the information.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes threshing apparatus, separating apparatus, a grain cleaning system located downstream of the separating apparatus, and a material conveyance system arranged to convey crop material from the separating apparatus to the grain cleaning system. The grain cleaning system includes screening apparatus, a fan arranged to generate a cleaning airstream through the screening apparatus, and a fan control system configured to control a fan speed. The fan control system includes a proximity sensor mounted above the material conveyance system for sensing a material volume. The fan control system controls the fan speed in dependence upon the material volume.

Abstract: A grain cleaning system for a combine harvester having a transmitter adapted to transmit a base signal at a known frequency and one or more spaced receivers for detecting signals of a different frequency as reflected from airborne grain and other materials within the duct of the grain cleaning system An Electronic Control Unit modulates the base signal and the reflected signals to obtain Doppler signals or frequencies from which an average particle velocity is determined. The particle velocity is used as an input parameter for the generation of control signals for the adjustment of various working units of the combine harvester including, by way of example, the fan and sieves.

Abstract: A cleaning mechanism of a combine harvester, for cleaning threshed and separated crop material, including a grain pan for receiving threshed and separated crop material and transporting the crop material rearwardly; a chaffer installed proximate the grain pan for receiving material from the grain pan where the chaffer includes a plurality of longitudinal channels with non-planar surfaces giving each channel a curved or trapezoidal cross section and at least two of the chaffer channels have an asymmetric non-planar surface with a greater part of the surface area facing the side portions of the chaffer; and a fan that causes an air flow through the chaffer to lift up discardable parts from the crop material and transport the discardable parts out of the combine harvester.

Abstract: A grain cleaning system for a combine harvester having a transmitter adapted to transmit a base signal at a known frequency and one or more spaced receivers for detecting signals of a different frequency as reflected from airborne grain and other materials within the duct of the grain cleaning system. An Electronic Control Unit modulates the base signal and the reflected signals to obtain Doppler signals or frequencies from which an average particle velocity is determined. The particle velocity is used as an input parameter for the generation of control signals for the adjustment of various working units of the combine harvester including, by way of example, the fan and sieves.

Abstract: An impact sensor is mounted in a duct of a grain cleaning system above an upper sieve. The impact sensor has an upstream-facing impact-sensing surface with respect to a cleaning airstream, and is configured to transduce impact events and generate impact signals therefrom. An electronic control unit (ECU) is configured to generate control signals based upon a particle energy value that is determined from the impact signals. The control signals may serve to adjust various working units of a combine harvester including, by way of example, a cleaning fan and sieves.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a cleaning shoe, which has a chaffer, a sieve below the chaffer, a blower configured to direct air rearward and upward through the sieve and the chaffer, and an air channel assembly defining a plurality of longitudinal air channels positioned to receive air from the blower under a forward end of the sieve and deliver the air to a position rearward along a length of the sieve. The air channels are spaced such that the air channel assembly defines free paths between adjacent air channels such that grain falling downward through the sieve does not obstruct rearward air flow through the air channels.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a crop processor for reducing crop material to processed crop, an unload conveyor for transferring a stream of processed crop out of the harvester, and a camera for capturing images of an area proximate the harvester and generating image data from the captured images. One or more computing devices are configured for receiving the image data from the camera, identifying, from the image data, a visual marker corresponding to a receiving vehicle, and determining, from the visual marker, a location of the receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester. An electronic device presents, on a graphical user interface of the device, a graphical representation of the relative locations of the unload conveyor and at least a portion of the receiving vehicle, the graphical representation based on the location of the receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester determined by the one or more computing devices.

Abstract: A system includes an agricultural harvester with an electromagnetic detecting and ranging module and a camera for capturing images of an area within a field of view of the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module. One or more computing devices detect the presence of an object using data from the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module, use image data from the camera to determine whether the object is a receiving vehicle and, if the object is a receiving vehicle, generate automated navigation data to automatically control operation of at least one of the agricultural harvester and the receiving vehicle to align an unload conveyor of the agricultural harvester with a grain bin of the receiving vehicle.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a crop processor for reducing crop material to processed crop, an unload conveyor for transferring a stream of processed crop out of the agricultural harvester, a camera for capturing images of an area proximate the agricultural harvester, and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices receive the image data from the camera, identify, from the image data, a pre-determined visual marker corresponding to a receiving vehicle, determine, from the visual marker, a location of the receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester. The one or more computing devices also generate automated navigation data based on the location of the receiving vehicle relative to the agricultural harvester, the automated navigation data to automatically control operation of at least one of the agricultural harvester and the receiving vehicle to align the unload conveyor with a grain bin of the receiving vehicle.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes an electromagnetic detecting and ranging module for detecting a location of an object relative to the agricultural harvester and a camera for capturing images of an area within a field of view of the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module. One or more computing devices receive first data from the electromagnetic detecting and ranging module, the first data indicating the location of the object relative to the agricultural harvester, receive image data from the camera and use the image data to determine whether the object is a receiving vehicle. If the object is a receiving vehicle, the one or more computing devices use the first data and the second data to generate graphic data defining a graphical representation illustrating the relative positions of the unload conveyor and the receiving vehicle. An electronic device including a graphical user interface presents the graphical representation on the graphical user interface.