Boom Adjustment System

Abstract

An implement comprising a boom having at least one section, a boom height controller, an actuator in communication with the boom height controller and disposed to adjust a position of the boom, a boom nudge controller in communication with the boom height controller, at least one boom height sensor for measuring a height of the boom in communication with the boom nudge controller, at least one camera in communication with the boom nudge controller. The boom nudge controller compares height measurements from the at least one boom height sensor and the at least one camera and communicates with the boom height controller to adjust the position of the boom to avoid contacting a crop or ground.

1 . An implement comprising:
 a boom having at least one section;   a boom height controller;   an actuator in communication with the boom height controller and disposed to adjust a position of the boom;   a boom nudge controller in communication with the boom height controller;   at least one boom height sensor for measuring a height of the boom in communication with the boom nudge controller;   at least one camera in communication with the boom nudge controller;   wherein the boom nudge controller compares height measurements from the at least one boom height sensor and the at least one camera and communicates with the boom height controller to adjust the position of the boom to avoid contacting a crop or ground.   
     
     
         2 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one section of the boom comprises a left boom portion, a center boom portion, and a right boom portion. 
     
     
         3 . The implement of  claim 2 , wherein the left boom portion, the center boom portion, and the right boom portion each include one or more boom height sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The implement of  claim 2 , wherein the left boom portion, the center boom portion, and the right boom portion each include two or more boom height sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The implement of  claim 4 , wherein each boom height sensor measures a height from a crop or ground to the boom height sensor and the height measurements from each boom portion are weighted to generate a weighted height measurement from each boom portion. 
     
     
         6 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the boom height controller is in signal communication with one or more boom height sensors. 
     
     
         7 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the boom height controller maintains boom height to a desired target distance above the crop or ground. 
     
     
         8 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the boom height controller after receiving height measurements, determines whether to adjust a height position of the boom to maintain the desired target distance. 
     
     
         9 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the boom height sensors comprise ultrasonic, radar, lidar, or microwave sensors. 
     
     
         10 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one boom height sensor measures a first boom height and the at least one camera independently measures a second boom height. 
     
     
         11 . The implement of  claim 10 , wherein the nudge controller compares the first boom height from the at least one boom height sensor and the second boom height from the at least one camera and communicates a signal with a corrected height to the boom height controller to adjust a position of the boom to avoid contacting a crop or ground. 
     
     
         12 . The implement of  claim 10 , wherein the signal corrects the first boom height from the at least one boom height sensor based on the second boom height from the at least one camera. 
     
     
         13 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one camera is disposed to look ahead in a direction of travel of the implement or to look downwards. 
     
     
         14 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one camera comprises multiple cameras with a camera on each boom section. 
     
     
         15 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one camera comprises a stereo vision camera. 
     
     
         16 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one boom height sensor and the at least one camera are in communication with the nudge controller. 
     
     
         17 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one camera is disposed to look ahead in a direction of travel of the implement to view upcoming terrain and crops before the at least boom height sensor measures a height between the boom and the crop or ground to provide a faster response time to avoid the crop or ground.