System and method for residue detection and implement control

Abstract

A residue detection and implement control system and method are disclosed for an agricultural implement. The system includes a source of environment data and image data of an imaged area of a crop field containing residue. The system includes a data store containing a plurality of image processing methods and at least one controller that processes the image data according to one or more image processing instruction sets. The controller selects one or more of the image processing methods based on the environment data, and processes the image data using the selected image processing instruction(s) to determine a value corresponding to residue coverage in the imaged area of the field. The controller adjusts the configuration of the agricultural implement to respond to the amount and type of residue detected.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for residue detection and implement control, the system comprising:
 an agricultural implement with access to a source of environmental data having an indication of environmental factors;   a sensor that obtains image data of a field;   a data store containing image processing methods to detect residue;   a controller operatively coupled to the sensor and to the source of environmental data and to the data store, the controller processing the image data according to one or more of the image processing methods;   wherein the controller:
 selects one or more of the image processing methods based on the environmental data; 
 processes the image data using the selected one or more of the image processing methods to determine a value of residue coverage in the imaged area of the field; and 
 generates one or more control signals that includes an adjustment to the agricultural implement based on the value of residue coverage. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is at least one of a portable electronic device, a camera, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a ground scout. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the camera mounted to at least one of a frame of the agricultural implement and a cab of a tractor towing the agricultural implement. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental data includes one or more of:
 a time of day, an ambient light, a geographical location, a residue coverage density, a ground type and a crop type.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller determines an environmental contrast based on the environmental data, and the controller selects the one or more of the image processing methods based on the environmental contrast. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the image processing methods include a thresholding image processor, and the controller selects the thresholding image processor based on the environmental contrast being past a threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the image processing methods include a color based classification image process, and the controller selects the color based classification image process based on the environmental contrast being past a threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of image processing instructions includes a watershed segmentation image process, and the controller selects the watershed segmentation image process based on the environmental contrast being past a threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of image processing instructions includes an automatic marker color classification image process, and the controller selects the automatic marker color classification image process based on the environmental contrast being past a threshold. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of image processing instructions includes a morphological image process, and the controller selects the morphological image process based on the environmental contrast being past a threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the environmental data includes a ground type and a crop type, and the controller determines the environmental contrast based on the ground type and the crop type. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental data includes a geographical location associated with the implement, and the controller determines a ground type for the field based on the geographical location. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising circuits to send the value of residue coverage to a remote human-machine interface;
 wherein the circuits receive instructions from the remote human-machine interface to adjust a physical tool on the agricultural implement based on the value of residue coverage.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment includes changing at least one of a level of the agricultural implement, a gang angle of the agricultural implement, an angle of ground engaging tools of the agricultural implement, a depth of ground engaging tools of the agricultural implement, a distance between ground engaging tools of the agricultural implement, and a speed of a vehicle towing the agricultural implement. 
     
     
         15 . A method to detect residue and control an implement, the method comprising:
 receiving environmental data having an indication of environmental factors;   receiving image data having an imaged area of a field containing residue;   selecting, by a controller, one or more of image processing methods for processing the image data based on the environmental data;   processing, by the controller, the image data based on the selected one or more of the image processing methods;   determining, by the controller, a value corresponding to residue coverage in the imaged area of the field based on the processing; and   performing at least one of:
 generating one or more control signals to adjust the implement based on the value; 
 displaying an indication of the value on a hand-held interface device; and 
 displaying an indication of the value on a computer console in an agricultural vehicle. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving a portion of the environmental data from a human-machine interface operably coupled to the controller; and receiving the image data from at least one of a portable electronic device, a camera, a drone and a ground scout.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller, an environmental contrast based on the environmental data, and wherein the selecting of the one or more of the image processing methods is based on the environmental contrast.   
     
     
         18 . A system for residue detection and implement control, the system comprising:
 a source of environmental data having an indication of environmental factors, the environmental data including at least a crop type associated with a field and a geographical location;   a sensor that captures image data having an imaged area of the field containing residue;   a data store containing image processing instruction sets; and   a controller operatively coupled to the source of environmental data and to the sensor and the data store, the controller processing the image data according to one or more of the image processing instruction sets;   wherein the controller that:
 determines of a ground type based on the geographical location; 
 determines an environmental contrast based on the crop type and the ground type; 
 selects one or more of the image processing instruction sets based at least in part on the environmental contrast; 
 analyzes the image data using the selected one or more of the image processing instruction sets to determine a value corresponding to residue coverage in the imaged area of the field; and 
 generates a command to adjust a configuration of an agricultural implement. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the agricultural implement is a harrow including a harrow tool coupled to an actuator in communication with the controller; and
 wherein the controller generates one or more control signals for the implement based on the value, and wherein the harrow tool is movable by the actuator based on the command.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the image processing instruction sets include a thresholding method, a color based classification, a watershed segmentation, an automatic marker color classification, and a morphological image process.