Abstract: A method of controlling an agricultural harvester includes a step of receiving past sensor signals from a field sensor of a first agricultural vehicle, the past sensor signals representing a field or crop property at specified locations in an agricultural field. The method further includes a step of, while harvesting, receiving real-time sensor signals from a field sensor of the agricultural harvester, the real-time sensor signals representing the field or crop property at a current location in the agricultural field. Based on the past sensor signals and the real-time sensor signals, a field prediction is determined representing the field or crop property at a future location in the agricultural field. Based on the field prediction, an operational parameter of the agricultural harvester is controlled.

Abstract: In one aspect, a cotton harvester includes a harvesting implement configured to harvest materials from a field. The harvested materials include both cotton and material other than cotton (MOC). The harvester also includes a material processing system configured to receive the harvested materials from the harvesting implement, with the harvested materials being directed through the material processing system along a material transfer path. Additionally, the harvester includes a sensor configured to generate data indicative of an amount of MOC contained within the harvested materials at a location along the material transfer path, and a computing system communicatively coupled to the sensor. The computing system is configured to adjust an operational setting of the cotton harvester based at least in part on the amount of MOC contained within the harvested materials.

Abstract: A system for controlling the aggressiveness of a tailings processor that re-threshes tailings received from the grain cleaning system in an agricultural harvester is provided with at least one imaging device to image a grain sample. At least a portion of the grain sample has at least once passed through the tailings processor. A controller is connected to the imaging device and to an arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on based on the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain determined from the image from the at least one imaging device by comparing the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain to the desired level.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester having a header for harvesting a crop and a residue spreading system for spreading a crop residue. The monitoring system includes a sensing system configured to provide one or more measurement waves that intersect a flow of crop residue discharged by the spreading system and receive a plurality of response waves reflected from the crop residue. The system further includes a processing unit configured to receive a response signal of the sensing system; process the response signal; and determine, based on the response signal, a density and velocity distribution of the crop residue across a two-dimensional measurement area. The response signal is representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the crop residue. The measurement area is at an end of a trajectory of the crop residue towards a deposit area.

Abstract: A combine harvester with a grain tank for storing harvested grain, an unload conveyor for unloading the harvested grain stored in the grain tank into a nearby grain hauling vehicle, a chopper for chopping residue straw, and a spreader system for spreading the chopped residue straw in an area behind the combine harvester. The combine harvester further includes a radar-based residue monitoring system for monitoring a spreading distribution of the chopped residue straw. A controller is configured to receive sensor signals from one or more radar sensors of the radar-based residue monitoring system, and to detect a presence of the nearby grain hauling vehicle based on the received sensor signals.

Abstract: A controller for an agricultural harvester in a fleet of agricultural harvesters is configured to receive crop flow sensor output data from a plurality of on-board harvester sensors, and determine a current value of each of one or more harvesting performance parameters depending on the received crop flow sensor output data. The controller is configured to receive fleet data indicative of one or more operational parameters of at least one further agricultural harvester in the fleet. The controller is configured to determine a ground speed for the agricultural harvester depending on the current value of the one or more harvesting performance parameters relative to respective target values and the received fleet data. The controller is configured to generate an output signal in dependence on the determined ground speed.

Abstract: An automation system is configured to automatically adjust an operational setting of an agricultural vehicle while performing an operation in a field in order to adjust an operational output parameter of the agricultural vehicle. A method of training the automation system comprises receiving operational information including at least a location of the agricultural vehicle and georeferenced field information. The method further comprises, based on the location of the agricultural vehicle and the georeferenced field information, deciding to run a training sequence. The training sequence comprises measuring the operational output parameter, changing the operational setting, monitoring a subsequent change of the operational output parameter, and updating the automation system based on the changing of the operational setting and the subsequent change of the operational parameter.

Abstract: A cleaning system includes cleaning sieves for separating grain kernels from grain chaff, clean grain collectors arranged below respective ones of the at least two cleaning sieves for receiving the separated grain kernels therefrom, and a clean grain transporter coupled to the grain collectors and arranged to receive the separated grain kernels from the grain collectors and transport the grain kernels towards a grain storage. The clean grain transporter is configured to simultaneously facilitate a first crop stream including primarily grain kernels coming from a first one of the clean grain collectors and a second crop stream including primarily grain kernels coming from another one of the clean grain collectors. A camera system captures an image of a sample of the grain kernels in the first crop stream and an image of a sample of the grain kernels in the second crop stream.

Abstract: A controller for a harvester. The controller is configured to receive crop flow information representative of how crop is flowing through the harvester and generate display information for providing a visual display to an operator of the harvester. The visual display includes an animation of crop flowing through the harvester. The controller is further configured to set one or more properties of the animation of the crop flowing through the harvester based on the received crop flow information.

Abstract: An agricultural residue depositing apparatus includes a human-controllable mobile vehicle that is capable of generating agricultural residue and depositing it on a ground surface over which the mobile vehicle is moveable. The vehicle includes an interface device that is capable of generating one or more output that is interpretable by a human operator. The apparatus include sensors of agricultural residue deposited by the mobile vehicle and processors to which the sensors are operatively connected. The processors are additionally operatively connected to the interface device such that the interface device generates one or more outputs, based on one or more signals generated by the one or more sensors, of or relating to agricultural residue deposited by the mobile vehicle. The processors are capable of adding human-interpretable augmentation to the outputs indicating one or more parameters of or relating to the deposition of residue.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for determining a threshing loss in a threshing system. The method includes irradiating a crop sample downstream at least a portion of a threshing system with electromagnetic waves having a frequency in a range of 0.1-10 THz, measuring a reflection and/or a transmission of the electromagnetic waves by the crop sample, establishing, based on the measured reflection and/or transmission, an at least two-dimensional terahertz image of the crop sample, identifying at least one ear in the terahertz image, identifying at least one grain kernel in the identified ear, and determining the threshing loss based on the identified grain kernel.

Abstract: A device for analyzing a grain sample including a light source, an image sensor, and a controller. The light source is configured for illuminating the grain sample. The image sensor is configured for capturing images of the grain sample. The controller is coupled to the image sensor and is configured for receiving the images of the grain sample therefrom and for analyzing the images to detect at least one material other than grain in the grain sample. The light source is configured for illuminating the grain sample with a local light spot having a size that is smaller than a width of an average wheat kernel. The image analysis and the detection of material other than grain may, at least partly, be performed using trained neural networks and other artificial intelligence algorithms.

Abstract: A controller for a harvester. The controller is configured to receive crop flow information representative of how crop is flowing through the harvester and generate display information for providing a visual display to an operator of the harvester. The visual display includes an animation of crop flowing through the harvester. The controller is further configured to set one or more properties of the animation of the crop flowing through the harvester based on the received crop flow information.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a crop material sensor arrangement having a crop material sensor configured to monitor crop material downstream of a threshing and separating system of the combine, and having a sensor window through which the crop material sensor monitors the crop material. The sensor window is arranged adjacent to a flow path of the crop material such that crop material flows past the sensor window as it flows along the flow path, and the sensor window is arranged such that an angle is formed between a plane defined by the sensor window and a tangential projection that extends from a component of the combine harvester that influences the flow path immediately upstream of the sensor window. This ensures that the camera window remains sufficiently clean to allow the crop material sensor to monitor crop material through the window.

Abstract: A device for analyzing a grain sample including a light source, an image sensor, and a controller. The light source is configured for illuminating the grain sample. The image sensor is configured for capturing images of the grain sample. The controller is coupled to the image sensor and is configured for receiving the images of the grain sample therefrom and for analyzing the images to detect at least one material other than grain in the grain sample. The light source is configured for illuminating the grain sample with a local light spot having a size that is smaller than a width of an average wheat kernel. The image analysis and the detection of material other than grain may, at least partly, be performed using trained neural networks and other artificial intelligence algorithms.

Abstract: A controller for a harvester. The controller is configured to receive crop flow information representative of how crop is flowing through the harvester and generate display information for providing a visual display to an operator of the harvester. The visual display includes an animation of crop flowing through the harvester. The controller is further configured to set one or more properties of the animation of the crop flowing through the harvester based on the received crop flow information.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided for controlling a combine harvester. The method includes the steps of: receiving grain flow sensor signals from a plurality of grain flow sensors; based on the received grain flow sensor signals, determining a current load on a straw walker section; and based on the current load, adjusting an aggressiveness setting of a threshing and separation section of the combine harvester. The grain flow sensors are provided underneath and adjacent to a crop transfer surface of the straw walker section of the combine harvester and are distributed over a length of the straw walker section.

Abstract: A controller for controlling a harvesting performance of an agricultural harvester. The controller receives automation settings, selected by an operator via a human-machine interface. The controller also receives data from on-board harvester sensors. The controller defines a target value for quality parameters based on the automation settings, and determines a current value of each of the quality parameters in dependence on the crop sensor data. The controller determines an actuator setting for actuators of the agricultural harvester when the current value of one or more of the plurality of quality parameters differs by greater than an acceptable amount from the associated target value. The actuator setting is determined in dependence on the automation settings and the target value. The controller controls the actuators to achieve the determined actuator setting.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester. The monitoring system includes a sensor configured to provide a measurement wave to a flow of crop residue on the harvester and to receive a response wave from the flow of crop residue. The monitoring system further includes a processor having an input terminal for receiving a response signal of the sensor representative of the response wave. The processor is configured to determine a crop parameter associated with the density of the flow of crop based on the response signal of the sensor. The processor further has an output terminal for outputting a density signal representing the crop parameter.

Abstract: A system for controlling the aggressiveness of a tailings processor that re-threshes tailings received from the grain cleaning system in an agricultural harvester is provided with at least one imaging device to image a grain sample. At least a portion of the grain sample has at least once passed through the tailings processor. A controller is connected to the imaging device and to an arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on based on the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain determined from the image from the at least one imaging device by comparing the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain to the desired level.