Method and stereo vision system for facilitating the unloading of agricultural material from a vehicle

摘要

A mode controller determines whether to use an automated control mode of the spout or operator-directed manual control mode of the spout, based on a first operational status of a first location determining receiver associated with the propelling vehicle, a second operational status of a second location determining receiver associated with the harvesting vehicle, a third operational status of the imaging device or devices. In the automated control mode, an image processing module is adapted to facilitate the determination of the relative position of the spout and the storage portion and to generate command data place the storage portion and spout in relative cooperative alignment for transferring of material into the storage portion.

主权项

1. A system for facilitating the transfer of agricultural material from a transferring vehicle to a receiving vehicle, the system comprising:
a receiving vehicle comprising a propelled portion for propelling the receiving vehicle and a storage portion for storing agricultural material; a transferring vehicle having a spout for directing agricultural material toward the storage portion of the receiving vehicle; a first location-determining receiver on or associated with the transferring vehicle; a second location-determining receiver on or associated with the receiving vehicle; a first imaging device facing towards the storage portion of the receiving vehicle, the first imaging device collecting first image data; a mode controller for determining whether to use an automated control mode of the spout position with respect to the storage portion or an operator-directed manual control mode of the spout based on a first operational status of the first location-determining receiver, a second operational status of the second location-determining receiver, and a third operational status of the first imaging device, an image processing module, or both; and the mode controller adapted to authorize operation in the automated control mode if the first, second and third operational statuses are acceptable, the automated control mode comprising an operational mode where an image processing module processes the collected image data to facilitate determination of the relative position of the spout and the storage portion and where the image processing module generates command data to place the storage portion and spout in relative cooperative alignment such that the spout is aligned for transferring of material into storage portion.