AI-Enhanced Agricultural Harvester Turn Optimization

Publication ID: 24-11856890_0006_PTD

Published: October 26, 2025

Category:Direct Improvements & Enhancements

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “AI-Enhanced Agricultural Harvester Turn Optimization,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11856890_0006_PTD, Published October 26, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11856890_0006_PTD

This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,856,890.

Background and Problem Solved

Existing agricultural harvesters often struggle with inefficient turn patterns, leading to reduced productivity, increased fuel consumption, and potential safety risks. The original patent, 'Automated turn patterns in an agricultural harvester,' provided a foundation for automated guidance systems. However, it did not address the limitations of fixed turn patterns, lack of crop-specific optimization, and inefficient land selection. The present invention addresses these limitations by introducing enhancements that make the harvesting process faster, safer, and more efficient.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The present invention introduces several novel features that distinguish it from the original patent. These include adaptive turn pattern control, crop-specific optimization, automated land selection, and data-driven turn pattern recommendations. These features collectively provide a significant inventive step, as they enable agricultural harvesters to operate more efficiently, safely, and productively.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments of the invention could include integrating the enhancements with existing guidance systems, incorporating additional sensors for real-time field condition monitoring, or developing specialized software for specific crop types. Variations of the invention could also involve adapting the technology for use in other agricultural machines, such as planters or sprayers.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The present invention has significant commercial potential in the agricultural industry, particularly among manufacturers of agricultural harvesters and farmers seeking to improve their harvesting operations. The invention could be marketed as a software upgrade or integrated into new harvester models, providing a competitive advantage in the market. The target industries include agricultural equipment manufacturing, farming, and agricultural services.

CPC Classifications

Section	Class	Group
A	A01	A01D41/1278
G	G05	G05D1/0212
G	G05	G05D2201/0201

Section 103 Obviousness Analysis (PHOSITA)

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Field of Art

Agricultural machinery automation, specifically harvester guidance systems and turn pattern control technologies involving computer-implemented navigation and control methods

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A mechanical or agricultural engineering professional with expertise in precision agriculture, computer-controlled machinery, sensor integration, and agricultural equipment design, typically holding a bachelor's or master's degree with 3-5 years of industry experience

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize that the PTD's variations represent predictable extensions of the source patent's core guidance system technology by introducing incremental improvements in turn pattern optimization through data-driven approaches and sensor-based adaptations. The disclosed enhancements leverage existing computational and sensing capabilities inherent in modern agricultural harvester systems. These modifications represent logical combinations of known techniques within precision agriculture automation that would be readily conceived by a skilled practitioner seeking to improve harvesting efficiency.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element

Detecting a turn pattern of an agricultural harvester in a field using computer executable instructions

PTD Variation

Receiving crop type input and adjusting turn pattern to accommodate specific crop harvesting requirements

Obviousness Reasoning

A PHOSITA would recognize that crop-specific turn pattern modifications represent a predictable variation using known sensor and computational techniques, with a finite set of potential optimization strategies

Source Patent Element

Generating control signals to automatically control agricultural harvester movements

PTD Variation

Implementing a data analytics module that analyzes historical harvesting data to recommend optimized turn patterns

Obviousness Reasoning

Applying machine learning and data analysis techniques to improve automated control systems represents a known method of incremental system enhancement that would be obvious to a skilled practitioner

Source Patent Element

Operator input for defining turn patterns in agricultural harvesting systems

PTD Variation

Automated land selection system analyzing field data to select optimal land size and turn pattern

Obviousness Reasoning

Transitioning from manual to automated input selection represents a predictable design evolution using standard computational decision-making techniques available to a PHOSITA

Source Patent Element

Detecting completion of land harvesting using computational methods

PTD Variation

Implementing sensor modules to detect field condition changes and dynamically adjust turn patterns

Obviousness Reasoning

Integrating additional sensor feedback into existing control systems represents a standard approach to improving automated agricultural machinery performance

Source Patent Element

Agricultural harvester guidance system with path detection capabilities

PTD Variation

Developing a system for reducing turnaround time by automatically generating shortened turn patterns

Obviousness Reasoning

Optimizing machine efficiency through computational path modification represents a predictable solution within the domain of precision agricultural automation

35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on the teachings of US Patent 11856890 and the disclosed technical variations, a person of ordinary skill in the art would find the claimed agricultural harvester turn pattern optimization techniques obvious and therefore unpatentable, as the PTD demonstrates that the proposed innovations represent predictable combinations of known computational control and sensing methodologies within agricultural machinery automation.

Original Patent Information

Patent Number	US 11,856,890
Title	Automated turn patterns in an agricultural harvester
Assignee(s)	Deer & Company