Published Technical Disclosure Archive

AI-Powered Concave Harvester System: Precision Agriculture

Publication ID: 24-11856893_0010_PTD
Published: October 26, 2025
Category:Future Evolutions & Paradigm Shifts

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “AI-Powered Concave Harvester System: Precision Agriculture,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11856893_0010_PTD, Published October 26, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11856893_0010_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. 11,856,893.

Background and Problem Solved

The original patent disclosed a concave changing system for combine harvesters, but it had limitations in terms of manual adjustments, lack of real-time crop sensing, and limited concave customization options. The present invention addresses these limitations by introducing AI-powered crop sensing, autonomous concave adjustment, and modular design, enabling farmers to optimize threshing performance, reduce waste, and increase overall efficiency.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The invention's novelty lies in the integration of AI-powered crop sensing, autonomous concave adjustment, and modular design, which enables real-time optimization of threshing performance and minimizes waste. The inventive step is the use of machine learning algorithms to determine optimal concave settings and the development of a cloud-based concave optimization platform for personalized configuration recommendations.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments of the invention could include the use of different AI algorithms, varying concave module designs, or integration with other agricultural technologies such as precision farming or autonomous tractors. Variations could also include the application of this technology to other agricultural machines or industries.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The invention has significant commercial potential in the agricultural industry, particularly in the combine harvester market. The system's ability to optimize threshing performance, reduce waste, and increase efficiency could lead to increased adoption by farmers, resulting in increased crop yields and reduced environmental impact. The market for this technology is expected to grow rapidly as the agricultural industry continues to adopt precision agriculture and automation technologies.

CPC Classifications

SectionClassGroup
A A01 A01F12/28
A A01 A01F12/26

Field of Art

Agricultural machinery, specifically combine harvester threshing systems with adjustable concave configurations for crop processing

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A mechanical engineer with expertise in agricultural equipment design, familiar with rotary threshing technologies, sensor integration, and adaptive mechanical systems with knowledge of control mechanisms and agricultural crop processing techniques

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize that integrating AI-powered sensing and autonomous adjustment to existing concave systems represents a predictable technological evolution. The source patent's fundamental concave adjustment mechanism provides a clear technological foundation for implementing more advanced sensing and adaptive control strategies. The proposed variations represent incremental improvements using known technological approaches in sensor integration and machine learning applied to existing mechanical harvesting systems.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element
Frame with movable concaves and driving mechanism for rotation
PTD Variation
AI-powered autonomous concave adjustment with robotic module swapping
Obviousness Reasoning
Predictable extension of existing mechanical adjustment principles using known robotic and sensor technologies
Source Patent Element
Rotary threshing system with multiple concave configurations
PTD Variation
Modular concave system with crop-specific module designs and cloud-based optimization platform
Obviousness Reasoning
Logical progression of existing modular design principles, applying standard machine learning techniques to agricultural equipment optimization
Source Patent Element
Mechanical concave positioning system
PTD Variation
Real-time sensor-driven concave adjustment based on crop condition detection
Obviousness Reasoning
Application of standard control theory and sensor integration techniques to improve existing mechanical adjustment mechanisms
Source Patent Element
Combine harvester threshing mechanism
PTD Variation
Self-sustaining system with integrated solar panels and autonomous operation
Obviousness Reasoning
Predictable technological advancement combining renewable energy and existing agricultural machinery design principles
Source Patent Element
Rotary threshing frame with adjustment capabilities
PTD Variation
Cloud-based performance analytics and predictive maintenance for concave systems
Obviousness Reasoning
Standard IoT and data analytics approach applied to existing mechanical agricultural equipment monitoring
35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on US Patent 11856893's disclosed concave adjustment system, the present publication demonstrates that a person having ordinary skill in agricultural machinery design would find the proposed AI-integrated, sensor-driven, and modularly configurable threshing systems to be obvious variations of existing technological approaches, thereby establishing prior art that would render substantially similar claimed innovations unpatentable under standard obviousness criteria.

Original Patent Information

Patent NumberUS 11,856,893
TitleConcave support and adjusment system for combine harvester
Assignee(s)AGCO Corporation