Patent · US Active

Vision guidance system and method for identifying the position of crop rows in a field

US8121345B2 · kind B2 · utility

20Cited by
13References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 23, 2007
Grant dateFeb 21, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 26, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V20/588
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method of identifying a position of a crop row in a field, where an image of two or more crop rows is transmitted to a vision data processor. The vision data processor defines a candidate scan line profile for a corresponding heading and pitch associated with a directional movement of a vehicle, for example, traversing the two or more crop rows. The candidate scan line profile comprises an array of vector quantities, where each vector quantity comprises an intensity value and a corresponding position datum. A preferential scan line profile in a search space about the candidate scan line profile is determined, and the candidate scan line profile is identified as a preferential scan line profile for estimating a position (e.g., peak variation) of one or more crop rows if a variation in the intensity level of the candidate scan line profile exceeds a threshold variation value. In addition, a template scan line profile may be utilized, where a candidate scan line profile is identified to be a preferential scan line profile if it is consistent with the template scan line profile.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.