Abstract
Several yield monitors are available for use on cotton harvesters, but none are able to maintain yield measurement accuracy across cultivars and field conditions that vary spatially and/or temporally. Thus, the utility of yield monitors as tools for on-farm research is limited unless steps are taken to calibrate the systems as cultivars and conditions change. This technical note details the man-machine-interface software system design portion of a harvester-based yield monitor calibration system for basket-type cotton strippers. The system was based upon the use of pressure sensors to measure the weight of the basket by monitoring the static pressure in the hydraulic lift cylinder circuit. To ensure accurate weighing, the system automatically lifted the basket to a target lift height, allowed basket time to settle, then weighed the contents of the basket. The software running the system was split into two parts that were run on an embedded low-level micro-controller, and a mobile computer located in the harvester cab. The system was field tested under commercial conditions and found to measure basket load weights within 2.5% of the reference scale. As such, the system was proven to be capable of providing an on-board auto-correction to a yield monitor for use in multi-variety field trials.
Highlights
Introduction and Overview of the Research and Results of System Performance That This Technical Note Is in Support of Several yield monitors are available for use on cotton harvesters, but none are able to maintain yield measurement accuracy across cultivars and field conditions that vary spatially and/or temporally
This technical note details the man-machine interface software design for a harvester-based yield monitor calibration system for basket-type cotton strippers and is one of three technical notes that are in support of a master research paper covering the development and design of the calibration system
In order to reduce the dependence on ancillary equipment and labor, and increase the efficiency of data collection, yield monitors used on grain combines have proven to be reliable tools in on-farm research efforts due to their consistent accuracy and lack of need for variety specific calibration
Summary
The software discussed in this technical note provides the bridge between a hardware micro-controller (machine controller) and the human operator. Upon activation with the serial data, “Read_data_GPS” parses the data and ensures it contains a complete GPS National Marine Electronics Association, (NEMA) 0183 RMC mCre+lee+svscFamFpiaanlniirangagtgodseetnuucsr-derrf[pm“eae2sarscc3ato44ieGa]nc.c.hs-tgeTPsohisThnStffsaurthee_iwtunn-eusiicgcantttsttaritiuttelteofahseu.rrnt”-eefendsans-wccitdathfepiihgooaasarertngosarprslfsmeataeewmttrtshecfhaohriarecnratephmrl.aoraptorkcefftocuaerrfeyftnooistocfrrhsumtnieintno,hcggvnektl.ioeeocglbynaolaoslclflb-iiupnttanoyosl-c,istpdtiahitoeoniesontdihn“tsieiRtoniimnemngci-sanseeiidagniivt-enepselfarl_toitohGterceelme-lPissmtSyasei”st-anitsioefgynumnslnotp,ieocsGmrptoeiP,cooxSenGft,srt,sPsahtieScnehr,tgiameastdlealiorrnsaeio-anclmploedicarvoeacsecfhateeaivtindnhveedeedi-ninthtoe pbottbotTthhhhcurcuheeeeoccfffirruucsffefeeeeurruTTprrisrrninhshreessaaoccenneannittcacsci“i“dcedooeeRRacsdnnarasoaoeeerrppctffcittirshheaaepp“i“iageiidel$$lvvlingineeeRReeee-edts_src_MMca-eGaGraiiiitleltnCCtluPelPltsstd”u”trSStoon,h,i”ri”innnwwnetftffththouuoohhtflfelehnonliiototccelchecehwlwhhttnonefieilo-wdoidiio“cnss“nnwhcigco,ont,tGaGhhfF-Ffg$rcPeeiiPiRtihggtt$SSssMssasuuR_tt_hrraGaruGMCuteoerrtsPtPtwti44iCthlSlhoS,os,snor”afrf”tdwdeethtitcmamnchahwanltltaeteaaoaoFoiss-nvw-NviNusbsbgeelFuoEfuEusdfsuiuuffMfMrgttnfilenhehnuedcAArceredr5t;t;eii-.-wiiwont0co0t5hhan1Oda1na.ete8i8iiOe“ntntcn“33iiRacnRannRpeRtpeggceecaMcaMecoassreraemeaessiCCcirverevcocpiisesoaedoadml_ml_elmtataGhpGtbhbtteppaaeyelyPPel--mltteSmSsmeteseett”tt”sesereree,s,RififsssnFnRmrrFssMaooiggiMaaggegmmggCesululCoeeosrtrwtaomoehhe[[mgk22kaee4e4e33siei.GnGsn.]]sowsWggsWPPaaabaannSSgtffghhsaooddesseiiirrcceenoicichhrrsbestthhiihhdtaafpfeepaeeoo.llccaai--uuknTkppfirfrnisnsseshoorreeddsdrsiriisssfttftt.,, the RMC message for position (latitude, longitude), Coordinated-Universal-Time, UTC-time, travel velocity estimation and direction of travel [23]. This data is saved into short-duration history, for distance tracking purposes and later data-set creation and saving into the data-base. C is angular distance in radians a is the square of half the chord length between the points d is the distance between the two GPS points (m)
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