Abstract: A combine harvester including an aft portion, a spreader assembly, a monitoring system, and a processing unit. The monitoring system including sensors coupled to the aft portion. The sensors: receiving a plurality of response waves reflected from a portion of the crop residue that is discharged from the spreader assembly toward a discharge area before the portion of crop residue arrives at the discharge area; and sending a response signal representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the portion of the crop residue, the reflected waves comprising a sequence of multiple reflections distributed over time. The processing unit receiving the response signal from the plurality of sensors; and processing the response signal to determine a reflected energy distribution from the portion of the crop residue representative of a distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area substantially perpendicular to a travel direction of the combine harvester.

Abstract: A combine harvester including an aft portion, a spreader assembly, a monitoring system, and a processing unit. The monitoring system including sensors coupled to the aft portion. The sensors: receiving a plurality of response waves reflected from a portion of the crop residue that is discharged from the spreader assembly toward a discharge area before the portion of crop residue arrives at the discharge area; and sending a response signal representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the portion of the crop residue, the reflected waves comprising a sequence of multiple reflections distributed over time. The processing unit receiving the response signal from the plurality of sensors; and processing the response signal to determine a reflected energy distribution from the portion of the crop residue representative of a distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area substantially perpendicular to a travel direction of the combine harvester.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester having a header with a header width for harvesting a crop. The monitoring system includes a plurality of sensors, configured to provide a plurality of measurement waves to a discharge area for crop residue, and receive a plurality of response waves reflected from the discharge area. The system further includes a processing unit comprising an input terminal configured to receive a response signal of the plurality of sensors, the response signal representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the discharge area. The processing unit is configured to process the response signal and determine, based on the response signal, a distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area. The processing unit further comprises an output terminal configured to output a distribution signal representative of the distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester having a header with a header width for harvesting a crop. The monitoring system includes a plurality of sensors, configured to provide a plurality of measurement waves to a discharge area for crop residue, and receive a plurality of response waves reflected from the discharge area. The system further includes a processing unit comprising an input terminal configured to receive a response signal of the plurality of sensors, the response signal representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the discharge area. The processing unit is configured to process the response signal and determine, based on the response signal, a distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area. The processing unit further comprises an output terminal configured to output a distribution signal representative of the distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area.