1. A method of determining whether an analog form of an object is an original analog form, the method comprising:
comparing at least a portion of a digital recording made from the analog form, the analog form having an authentication pattern, with an original digital representation of the portion to determine a degree of dissimilarity between the recorded portion and the original digital representation of the portion; and
using the degree of dissimilarity to determine whether the analog form is an original analog form;
wherein the authentication pattern depends on a key and other information, the other information being displayed on the analog form; and
reading a bar code or reading a watermark or using OCR to extract the other information from the analog form, the key is generated on which the authentication pattern depends from the extracted other information, and the original digital representation is generated in dependence on the key.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the other information is a serial number.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the other information is a serial number, the serial number is applied to a database, a copy of the original digital representation is retrieved from the database and said copy is compared with the recorded portion of the authentication pattern.
4. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the method is practiced in a node in a network and the method further comprises receiving the digital recording from another node in the network.
5. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the method is practiced in a node in a network and the method further comprises returning an indication to another node whether the analog form has been determined to be an original analog form.
6. A method of determining whether an analog form of an object is an original analog form, the method comprising:
comparing at least a portion of a digital recording made from the analog form, the analog form having an authentication pattern, with an original digital representation of the portion to determine a degree of dissimilarity between the recorded portion and the original digital representation of the portion;
using the degree of dissimilarity to determine whether the analog form is an original analog form; and
using another pattern displayed on the analog form to locate the authentication pattern;
wherein the authentication pattern depends on a key and other information, the other information being displayed on the analog form; and
reading a bar code or reading a watermark or using OCR to extract the other information from the analog form, the key being generated on which the authentication pattern depends from the extracted other information, and the original digital representation being generated in dependence on the key.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the other pattern is a visible pattern or a UV mark.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the other pattern is at least one of a frame, and black dots.
9. The method according to claim 6, wherein a back box or a watermark is provided as registration for the authentication pattern.
10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the other information is a serial number.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the authentication pattern includes areas that are reserved for holding information and that are not used to verify authenticity.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the watermark is embedded into said areas in the authentication pattern that are reserved for holding information.
13. The method according to claim 6, wherein the other information is a serial number, the serial number is applied to a database, a copy of the original digital representation is retrieved from the database and said copy is compared with the recorded portion of the authentication pattern.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement for a combine, comprising a straw chopper (60) equipped with chopping blades (96), and two distribution blowers (100) arranged laterally alongside one another downstream of straw chopper (60), which rotate in opposite directions about axes of rotation (108) in operation, with their areas facing straw chopper (60) moving toward one another, and on the periphery of which is provided a respective first shield (144), adjustable about axis of rotation (108) for modifying the distribution characteristics of distribution blower (100), that can be brought into an active position, wherein the first shields (144) are respectively mounted on a rotary holder (176) rotatable about axis of rotation (84) of the associated distribution blower (100), and additionally carrying a second shield (146), which has a smaller dimension in the circumferential direction than first shield (144), so that second shield (146) can selectively be brought into an active position instead of first shield (144).
2. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that in the active position, shields (144, 146) are in the tapered area between distribution blowers (100) and behind the rotational axes (108) of the latter.
3. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that in the active position, shields (144, 146) adjoin a partial casing (134, 140) enclosing a part of the periphery of distribution blowers (100).
4. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that each rotary holder (176) is rotated by an associated externally driven drive mechanism (148) about axis of rotation (108).
5. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that drives (148) are coupled in terms of control to a flap (80) serving to switch between a swath-laying mode and a chopping mode, so that first shield (144) can be brought automatically into the active condition in swath-laying mode in order to deposit the chaff laterally separated from the straw swath.
6. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that drives (148) can displace their second shield (146) in the active position independently of one another in order to compensate for side wind or side slope influences.
7. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that shields (144, 146) are at least approximately diametrically opposite one another on rotary holder (176).
8. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that rotary holders (176) have a center area (178) with an opening concentric to axis of rotation (108).
9. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that a hydraulic motor (106) arranged in the center of the paddles (102) of distribution blower (100) for driving distribution blower (100), andor its supply line, extends through the opening.
10. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that center region (178) is axially seated between a cover (132) of the distribution blower and a mounting disk (180) connected to cover (132), and the center opening radially contacts mounting elements (186) connected to cover (132) andor mounting disk (180), and is therefore fixed in the radial direction.
11. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that center region (178) is furnished with teeth (182) on the outside that extend over a part of its periphery and mesh with a gear (184) coupled to the drive.
12. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that first shields (144) are higher than second shields (146).
13. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that, in their active position, first shields (144) can be positioned on the inside of a respective adjacent partial casing (140).
14. The crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that, in their active position, second shields (146) can be positioned on the outside of a respective adjacent partial casing (140).
15. A combine (10) having a crop residue chopping-and-distributing arrangement according to claim 1.