초록 ▼

A self-propelled harvester is provided with apparatus for tracking a crop line and steering the harvester along the crop line without operator assistance. The apparatus includes a video camera for viewing the landscape in front of the harvester and forming an image which may be electronically scanne

A self-propelled harvester is provided with apparatus for tracking a crop line and steering the harvester along the crop line without operator assistance. The apparatus includes a video camera for viewing the landscape in front of the harvester and forming an image which may be electronically scanned pixel-by-pixel and line by line to produce a video signal containing information regarding the spectral characteristics of the image at each pixel. A microprocessor is programmed to act as a discriminator and a segmentor. The discriminator produces discriminant signals D(i,j) where i is the magnitude of a discriminant function and j is the relative position of a pixel on a scan line. The segmentor determines a step function which best fits the magnitudes of the discriminant signals for one scan line. The pixel position j.sub.n corresponding to the step of this step function is taken as a vote on the location of the crop line and thus a vote on the direction the harvester should be steered. The votes are summed for each pixel position j over one full scan of image. The summed votes are then normalized, time-weighted, and averaged with the normalized and time-weighted votes derived from previously scanned images to derive a steering command.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A method of steering an agricultural harvester along a crop line, the harvester having control means for steering wheels to thereby steer the harvester, said method comprising:a) mounting on said harvester a viewing means oriented to view and form an image of a landscape, including

[ We claim:] [1.] A method of steering an agricultural harvester along a crop line, the harvester having control means for steering wheels to thereby steer the harvester, said method comprising:a) mounting on said harvester a viewing means oriented to view and form an image of a landscape, including a crop line, in front of the harvester;b) scanning at least a window of the image pixel-by-pixel and line-by-line to produce information signals representing said image;c) generating, from the information signals, a plurality of discriminant function signals D(i,j) for each scan line, where j is the relative position of a pixel on a scan line and i is the magnitude of a discriminant function for pixel j;d) determining, for each scan line, a pixel position j.sub.n representing the pixel position of a step in a step function which best fits the magnitudes of the discriminant function signals produced for the scan line;e) developing a sum of the number of times the step function occurs at each pixel position during a complete scan of the window to develop, for that window, vote counts indicating steering direction preferences;f) repeating steps b) through e); and,g) applying to the control means a steering signal determined from the vote counts developed for a plurality of windows.