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Cedar Rapids, Iowa | From the technical side of this, we have to assume that the network between the combines isn’t going to be up 100% of the time. Thus the coverage data is going to have to be logged, and will be synchronized whenever possible. So when data does get synchronized, the data each machine receives will need to be processed and added to the coverage area. From that point, the combine basically uses swath control to determine what has already been covered. That will give the correct cut with of the combine.
The first problem is receiving a bunch of data of coverage data while auto-steer is running. Let’s say the network has been down for a significant length of time, so there is a lot of data that needs to be processed. That takes time, and a computer only likes to do one thing at a time. If it’s working on processing data, then it isn’t working on auto steer calculations. On a desktop, a 1 second delay isn’t an issue. For a computer that is steering a tractor, a lot can change in 1 second.
The second issue is when data comes in bursts (say they replicate every 1 minute). Now for the sake of example, lets say there are two combines, and one is following the other by 30 seconds. So when a sync happens, the second machine will only get data through the current time, which is only correct for the next 30 seconds of driving distance. The 30 seconds after that won’t show that the ground has already been covered by machine A, so the machine would think it is taking a full header width when it really isn’t.
The concept is awesome, and could easily work in a test lab. It becomes a challenge when you bring in other variables such as an inconsistent network connection, the lag time for replicating the data, or the time it takes to process an excessive amount of data without bogging down the system.
Doing post-processing on a desktop is very possible. All logged data needs to be plotted based on recorded time, regardless of which machine logged the data. That way the first machine to cover an area gets counted as having covered that area. Any other machine that covers the same area will know it doesn’t towards the total area that machine has covered.
As a side note, to get GPS coordinates accurate enough to do this will require a service better than WAAS. If you’re going to pay for a high quality service to get precise yield maps, then why not also run auto-steer on the fleet? If each machine is always cutting the width of the header minus 6 inches, then there is no need to do swath control synchronization on the fly. | |
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Mutliple combines coverage maps
