Abstract: An agricultural implement includes a frame, a toolbar coupled to the frame and carrying a plurality of row units, the toolbar comprising a center toolbar and wing toolbars, a rockshaft assembly coupled to at least one of the center toolbar and the frame, the rockshaft assembly comprising a rockshaft, and wheel units between neighboring row units, each wheel unit comprising a wheel, the wheel units fixedly coupled to the rockshaft such that rotation of the rockshaft causes uniform rotation of the wheel units. The agricultural implement further includes at least one actuator in operable communication with the rockshaft assembly and configured to cause rotation of the rockshaft assembly. Related including an agricultural implement coupled to a tractor, and related control systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of operating an agricultural implement coupled to a three-point hitch of a towing vehicle comprises lowering the three-point hitch to a lowered position, and determine a position of at least one row unit relative to a toolbar or the ground, and a position of the toolbar relative to the three-point hitch. Based on the position of the at least one row unit and the position of the toolbar, a position of the three-point hitch that would cause the toolbar to move toward a center of a range of travel of the toolbar may be displayed. The method further includes receiving an instruction to adjust the position of the three-point hitch to cause the toolbar to move toward the center of the range of travel of the toolbar. Related agricultural systems and control systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: An agricultural implement includes a main frame having a support bar oriented in a direction generally transverse to a direction of travel when the implement is used to work a field; a plurality of rotating ground-engaging elements aligned along a length of the support bar, and a plurality of bearing caps. Each of the ground-engaging elements is configured to rotate about an axle, and each bearing cap is coupled to one of the ground-engaging elements. Each bearing cap includes an inertial sensor configured to measure an angular motion of the ground-engaging element and a transmitter configured to transmit the angular motion. Each bearing cap is configured to seal an interface between the ground-engaging element and corresponding axle. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An agricultural implement includes a frame having an integrated elongate toolbar carrying at least one row unit, at least one wheel coupled to the frame, a sensor configured to sense a position of the row unit relative to the ground, and an actuator configured to raise or lower the frame relative to the wheel based at least in part on a sensed position of the row unit. Control systems and related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes an agricultural implement and a tractor for pulling the implement. The implement includes a frame supporting at least one ground-engaging tool and at least one image imager system coupled to a longitudinal end of the frame. The tractor includes a central controller, wherein the at least imager system is operably coupled to the central controller. The central controller is configured to receive image data from an imager system, analyze the image data to identify at least one mark formed in a soil surface, and responsive to identifying the at least one mark, cause feedback regarding a current position and orientation of the implement and an ideal position and orientation of the implement to be output via an input/output device.

Abstract: A system includes a tractor comprising a lifting hitch, and an implement comprising an implement frame carried by the lifting hitch. The implement frame has an integrated elongate toolbar carrying at least one row unit. A sensor is configured to sense a position of the at least one row unit relative to the ground. A control system is configured to receive a signal related to the sensed position of the at least one row unit relative to the ground and cause the lifting hitch to raise or lower a portion of the implement frame connected to the lifting hitch relative to the tractor based at least in part on the signal. Control systems and related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes a tractor comprising a lifting hitch, and an implement comprising an implement frame carried by the lifting hitch. The implement frame has an integrated elongate toolbar carrying at least one row unit. A sensor is configured to sense a position of the at least one row unit relative to the ground. A control system is configured to receive a signal related to the sensed position of the at least one row unit relative to the ground and cause the lifting hitch to raise or lower a portion of the implement frame connected to the lifting hitch relative to the tractor based at least in part on the signal. Control systems and related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An agricultural implement includes a frame including a center frame section, an intermediate frame section, and a wing frame section. A first actuator is operably coupled to the center frame section and the intermediate frame section, and a second actuator is operably coupled to the wing frame section and the intermediate frame section. A first sensor is configured to sense a position of the intermediate frame section relative to the center frame section, and a second sensor is configured to sense a position of the wing frame section relative to the intermediate frame section. A control system is configured to control the first actuator and the second actuator to adjust the position of the intermediate frame section based at least in part on the sensed position of the intermediate frame section relative to the center frame section. Related methods and control systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to the control of the operating parameters or other settings of a towed or mounted tractor implement. A control panel is carried by the implement frame, outside the tractor. It receives commands for controlling the implement directly at the vicinity of the implement, including at least the raising and lowering of a toolbar of the implement.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies for mapping measured weights on wheels of an agricultural implement, such as when the implement moves through a crop field. The technologies include a method including (1) measuring a weight applied to a wheel of the implement at a geographic location of the field, while the implement is moving, (2) matching the geographic location of the field with a position in a map of the field corresponding to the geographic location, and (3) associating the measured weight to the position in the map. In some embodiments, the method includes repeating the aforesaid operations for multiple geographic locations of the field and rendering an image of the map to be displayed in a GUI. In some embodiments, the method includes rendering the image of the map with an image of a yield map of the field or generating a topographic map based on the measured wheel weights.

Abstract: An agricultural implement includes a frame having an integrated elongate toolbar carrying at least one row unit, at least one wheel coupled to the frame, a sensor configured to sense a position of the row unit relative to the ground, and an actuator configured to raise or lower the frame relative to the wheel based at least in part on a sensed position of the row unit. Control systems and related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes an agricultural implement and a tractor for pulling the implement. The implement includes a frame supporting at least one ground-engaging tool and at least one image imager system coupled to a longitudinal end of the frame. The tractor includes a central controller, wherein the at least imager system is operably coupled to the central controller. The central controller is configured to receive image data from an imager system, analyze the image data to identify at least one mark formed in a soil surface, and responsive to identifying the at least one mark, cause feedback regarding a current position and orientation of the implement and an ideal position and orientation of the implement to be output via an input/output device.

Abstract: An agricultural implement includes a longitudinally extending frame configured to be coupled to a tractor, a first elongate toolbar extending laterally outward from the frame and carrying a first row unit, a second elongate toolbar extending laterally outward the frame and carrying a second row unit, a first sensor configured to sense a position of the first row unit relative to ground, a second sensor configured to sense a position of the second row unit relative to the ground, a first actuator configured to rotate the first elongate toolbar relative to the frame based at least in part on the sensed position of the first row unit, and an actuator configured to rotate the second elongate toolbar relative to the frame based at least in part on the sensed position of the second row unit. Control systems and related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies for mapping sensed positions of operative rows of an agricultural implement, such as when the implement moves through a crop field. The technologies include a method including (1) sensing a position of an operative row at a geographic location of the field, (2) matching the location of the field with a position in a map of the field corresponding to the location, and (3) associating the sensed position of the row to the position in the map. In some embodiments, the method includes repeating the aforesaid operations for multiple geographic locations of the field and rendering an image of the map to be displayed in a GUI. Also, in some embodiments, the method includes rendering the image of the map with an image of a yield map of the field. In some embodiments, the method includes generating a topographic map based on the sensed row positions.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies for mapping sensed positions of a toolbar of an agricultural implement, such as when the implement moves through a crop field. The technologies include a method including (1) sensing a position of the toolbar at a geographic location of the field, (2) matching the location of the field with a position in a map of the field corresponding to the location, and (3) associating the sensed position of the toolbar to the position in the map. In some embodiments, the method includes repeating the aforesaid operations for multiple geographic locations of the field and rendering an image of the map to be displayed in a GUI. Also, in some embodiments, the method includes rendering the image of the map with an image of a yield map of the field. In some embodiments, the method includes generating a topographic map based on the sensed toolbar positions.

Abstract: A method for assigning information to an identification tag on a bale includes receiving, compressing and shaping crop material into a plurality of formed bales. At least one sensor parameter for the formed bales is detected with at least one sensor. Each bale is wrapped with a binding material and an identification tag is attached to each of the formed bales. A bale ID is created for each of the formed bales. The identification tag on the bale for each bale is assigned to the bale ID. The operator selects to have either the sensor parameter for the tagged bale associated with the bale ID or have a semi-randomized code not containing the sensor parameter associated with the bale ID.

Abstract: A bale identification assembly for use with an agricultural baler (18) includes a first supply roll mounted on the baler providing a binding material (52) used by the knotter system to bind the formed bale, the binding material (52) on the first supply roll comprising identification tags (62) at spaced intervals along the binding material. The bale identification assembly includes a second supply roll mounted on the baler (18) providing a binding material without identification tags, wherein the knotter system combines the binding material with identification tags (62) from the first supply roll with the binding material without identification tags from the second supply roll to bind the formed bale. The bale identification assembly includes a read module with one or more antennas configured to transmit interrogator signals and also receive authentication replies from the identification tags (62).

Abstract: An agricultural crop baler (20) includes a baling chamber (44), a crop pickup (26), and an adjustable partition mechanism (28). The crop pickup (26) is upstream from the baling chamber (44) to collect severed crop material and direct a flow of crop material toward the baling chamber. The partition mechanism is located between the crop pickup and the baling chamber to control the flow of crop material from the crop pickup to the baling chamber. The partition mechanism (28) includes a wall assembly (68) that at least partly defines a crop passage (76) extending along a crop-flow direction between the crop pickup (26) and the baling chamber (44). The wall assembly (68) includes a shiftable wall (74a, b) that is shiftable transversely to the crop-flow direction to adjustably vary the crop passage and thereby the flow of crop material to the baling chamber (44).

Abstract: An implement includes an implement frame having an integrated elongate toolbar carrying at least one row unit, at least one wheel coupled to the implement frame and defining an axis of rotation, a sensor configured to sense a position of the at least one row unit relative to the ground, and a control system. The control system is configured to receive a signal related to the sensed position of the at least one row unit relative to the ground and cause a lift system to raise or lower a portion of the implement frame connected to the lift system to rotate the implement frame about the axis of rotation of the at least one wheel based at least in part on the signal. Control systems and related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes a tractor comprising a lifting hitch, and an implement comprising an implement frame carried by the lifting hitch. The implement frame has an integrated elongate toolbar carrying at least one row unit. A sensor is configured to sense a position of the at least one row unit relative to the ground. A control system is configured to receive a signal related to the sensed position of the at least one row unit relative to the ground and cause the lifting hitch to raise or lower a portion of the implement frame connected to the lifting hitch relative to the tractor based at least in part on the signal. Control systems and related methods are also disclosed.