Abstract: A control system for controlling pivoting of a header of an agricultural harvester. The control system includes first, second, and third header height sensors, each for mounting to a respective point on the header, each configured to provide a respective header height signal representing a respective measured header height of their respective point on the header above a ground plane. The control system further includes a header angle sensor configured to provide a header angle signal indicative of a pivot angle of the header about an axis; and a processor configured to: receive the signals; calculate an estimated first header height based on the pivot angle and the second and third header heights; determine a replacement first header height by selecting the smallest of the estimated and the measured first header height; and generate a control signal based at least on the replacement first header height.

Abstract: A control system for controlling pivoting of a header of an agricultural harvester. The control system includes first, second, and third header height sensors, each for mounting to a respective point on the header, each configured to provide a respective header height signal representing a respective measured header height of their respective point on the header above a ground plane. The control system further includes a header angle sensor configured to provide a header angle signal indicative of a pivot angle of the header about an axis; and a processor configured to: receive the signals; calculate an estimated first header height based on the pivot angle and the second and third header heights; determine a replacement first header height by selecting the smallest of the estimated and the measured first header height; and generate a control signal based at least on the replacement first header height.

Abstract: An unloading apparatus is arranged to direct material to a container. A controller determines a build-up speed of the material in the container; in accordance with the determined build-up speed, determine a rate of change to be applied when setting an attribute of at least one of the unloading apparatus and container; and set an attribute of at least one of the unloading apparatus and container in accordance with the determined rate of change in order to direct the material from the unloading apparatus to the container.

Abstract: An unloading apparatus is arranged to direct material to a container. A controller determines a build-up speed of the material in the container; in accordance with the determined build-up speed, determine a rate of change to be applied when setting an attribute of at least one of the unloading apparatus and container; and set an attribute of at least one of the unloading apparatus and container in accordance with the determined rate of change in order to direct the material from the unloading apparatus to the container.

Abstract: An unloading apparatus is arranged to direct material to a container. A controller determines a build-up speed of the material in the container; in accordance with the determined build-up speed, determine a rate of change to be applied when setting an attribute of at least one of the unloading apparatus and container; and set an attribute of at least one of the unloading apparatus and container in accordance with the determined rate of change in order to direct the material from the unloading apparatus to the container.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method for controlling the rotational speed of an engine operating as the power source of a work machine, preferably an agricultural harvester, wherein a change in the load required from the engine during operation of the machine results in the controlled change of the engine speed towards a target value defined by a control curve, wherein the controlled change takes place according to one of a plurality of active control characteristics, depending on the degree of change in the engine speed detected as a direct consequence of the load change. A faster or slower speed change may for example be selected, and/or the target value may be continuously updated. According to a further embodiment, the control curve is referenced to the crop load, being the part of the load related to crop processing. The invention is related also to a machine equipped with a control mechanism configured to implement the method of the invention.

Abstract: A controller for an unloading system. The unloading system comprises an unloading vehicle having an unloading apparatus and a collection vehicle having a container. The unloading apparatus is configured to direct material to the container driven in the vicinity of the unloading vehicle. The controller is configured to: receive image data representative of at least a portion of the container; receive a path information signal representative of a path that is to be followed by the unloading vehicle or the collection vehicle; and set an attribute of the unloading apparatus, the unloading vehicle, or the collection vehicle in accordance with the image data and the path information signal in order to direct the material from the unloading apparatus to the container.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method for controlling the rotational speed of an engine operating as the power source of a work machine, preferably an agricultural harvester, wherein a change in the load required from the engine during operation of the machine results in the controlled change of the engine speed towards a target value defined by a control curve, wherein the controlled change takes place according to one of a plurality of active control characteristics, depending on the degree of change in the engine speed detected as a direct consequence of the load change. A faster or slower speed change may for example be selected, and/or the target value may be continuously updated. According to a further embodiment, the control curve is referenced to the crop load, being the part of the load related to crop processing. The invention is related also to a machine equipped with a control mechanism configured to implement the method of the invention.

Abstract: A pick-up, an agricultural implement, and a method for ejecting a foreign object by the crop pick-up and the agricultural implement are provided. The agricultural implement comprises a crop inlet to collect picked-up crop. The crop pick-up comprises a reel with pick-up fingers to pick up the crop from the field, an auger to transport the picked-up crop to the crop inlet of the agricultural implement, and a driver. The driver rotates the reel and the auger in a pick-up direction and a collection direction for picking up and transporting the crop, and a retrieval direction for retrieving already collected crop when a foreign object is detected in the collected crop. The crop pick-up further comprises an ejector to actively rotate the reel in an ejection direction for ejecting the retrieved crop.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester has a controller operationally connected to at least the drive mechanism of header and the drive mechanism of the feedrolls to control these drive mechanisms. The controller successively executes a primary and a secondary synchronization procedure, wherein the primary synchronization procedure controls the header and feedroll drive mechanisms such that the header rotating speed and feedroll rotating speed are in a first predetermined ratio range; and the secondary synchronization procedure controls the header and feedroll drive mechanisms such that the header load and the feedroll load approach a second predetermined ratio.

Abstract: A pick-up, an agricultural implement, and a method for ejecting a foreign object by the crop pick-up and the agricultural implement are provided. The agricultural implement comprises a crop inlet to collect picked-up crop. The crop pick-up comprises a reel with pick-up fingers to pick up the crop from the field, an auger to transport the picked-up crop to the crop inlet of the agricultural implement, and drive means. The drive means rotate the reel and the auger in a pick-up direction and a collection direction for picking up and transporting the crop, and a retrieval direction for retrieving already collected crop when a foreign object is detected in the collected crop. The crop pick-up further comprises ejection means to actively rotate the reel in an ejection direction for ejecting the retrieved crop.

Abstract: A controller for an unloading system. The unloading system comprises an unloading vehicle having an unloading apparatus and a collection vehicle having a container. The unloading apparatus is configured to direct material to the container driven in the vicinity of the unloading vehicle. The controller is configured to: receive image data representative of at least a portion of the container; receive a path information signal representative of a path that is to be followed by the unloading vehicle or the collection vehicle; and set an attribute of the unloading apparatus, the unloading vehicle, or the collection vehicle in accordance with the image data and the path information signal in order to direct the material from the unloading apparatus to the container.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester has a controller operationally connected to at least the drive mechanism of header and the drive mechanism of the feedrolls to control these drive mechanisms. The controller successively executes a primary and a secondary synchronization procedure, wherein the primary synchronization procedure controls the header and feedroll drive mechanisms such that the header rotating speed and feedroll rotating speed are in a first predetermined ratio range; and the secondary synchronization procedure controls the header and feedroll drive mechanisms such that the header load and the feedroll load approach a second predetermined ratio.

Abstract: An unloading apparatus is arranged to direct material to a container. A controller determines a build-up speed of the material in the container; in accordance with the determined build-up speed, determine a rate of change to be applied when setting an attribute of at least one of the unloading apparatus and container; and set an attribute of at least one of the unloading apparatus and container in accordance with the determined rate of change in order to direct the material from the unloading apparatus to the container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-propelled agricultural machine, comprising: elements (5) for gathering and/or processing crops; an engine (1) operable to travel the machine through a first driving mechanism (3) and to drive the operation of said elements through a second driving mechanism (4); and a control unit (6) for controlling engine RPM, characterized in that the control unit (6) is configured for controlling the engine RPM (ni) on the basis of a target RPM (ns), which is in turn based on an assessment of the imposed engine load (Ti), wherein in at least in one sub-range between 0% and 100% of the maximum load, the target RPM is a constantly rising function of said engine load. The present invention relates also to a method of controlling the RPM of the engine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for directing a movable unloading apparatus (1) of an agricultural harvesting machine to a container (4) driven adjacent the harvesting machine, the container comprising—as seen from the harvesting machine—near and remote upper borders (6,8). An image of the container is taken by a 3-D camera, in the form of an array of pixels, wherein the camera also generates for each pixel a value of the distance between the camera and the object in the image. The image is analyzed by selecting a number of vertical strips (21,22,23) in the image, determining the filtered distance values for each vertical position along the strips, and determining from these distance values the positions of the near and remote upper borders (6,8).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for directing a movable unloading apparatus (1) of an agricultural harvesting machine to a container (4) driven adjacent the harvesting machine, the container comprising—as seen from the harvesting machine—near and remote upper borders (6,8). An image of the container is taken by a 3-D camera, in the form of an array of pixels, wherein the camera also generates for each pixel a value of the distance between the camera and the object in the image. The image is analysed by selecting a number of vertical strips (21,22,23) in the image, determining the filtered distance values for each vertical position along the strips, and determining from these distance values the positions of the near and remote upper borders (6,8).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-propelled agricultural machine, comprising: elements (5) for gathering and/or processing crops; an engine (1) operable to travel the machine through a first driving mechanism (3) and to drive the operation of said elements through a second driving mechanism (4); and a control unit (6) for controlling engine RPM, characterised in that the control unit (6) is configured for controlling the engine RPM (n,) on the basis of a target RPM (ns), which is in turn based on an assessment of the imposed engine load (Ti), wherein in at least in one sub-range between 0% and 100% of the maximum load, the target RPM is a constantly rising function of said engine load. The present invention relates also to a method of controlling the RPM of the engine.

Abstract: A control system is described for a hydrostatic transmission of an agricultural vehicle comprising a variable displacement hydrostatic pump and a hydrostatic motor. The control system comprises means for determining the prevailing transmission ratio and a controller for applying a demand signal to set the desired ratio of the hydrostatic transmission. The magnitude of the demand signal applied by the controller to the transmission is limited such that the no-load transmission ratio corresponding to the demand signal does not differ from the prevailing measured transmission ratio by more than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A method is described for operating an agricultural vehicle to reduce the time taken for rotating components of the crop processing machinery driven by the vehicle engine to reach a standstill. The method comprises the steps of sensing when a signal is generated by the vehicle operator to disengage the drive from the engine to the rotating components, reducing the engine speed in response to the sensed signal to a minimum value below a steady idling speed of the engine, disengaging the drive to the rotating components after the engine speed has reached the minimum value, and increasing the engine speed to a value equal to or greater than the steady idling speed after the disengagement of the drive to the rotating components.