Systems and methods for detecting soil characteristics

• US 10,006,994 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2017
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Duncan, William David, Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US15/661,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20170336507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 701 50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/00 Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/04 Distributing under pressure; Distributing mud; Adaptation of watering systems for fertilising-liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/085 Broadcast seeders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/18 by spraying, e.g. insecticides spraying apparatus per se B05B
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/887 for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values

Abstract

A soil detection and planting apparatus. The apparatus includes a vehicle and a controller coupled to the vehicle. The apparatus further includes a planting device coupled to the vehicle, the planting device configured to plant seeds or plants into a soil material. The apparatus includes a ground penetrating radar sensor coupled to the vehicle. The ground penetrating radar soil sensor is configured to scan the soil material up to a designated depth beneath a surface of the soil material, wherein the ground penetrating radar soil sensor is further configured to provide a sensor feedback signal to the controller with respect to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material. The controller is configured to instruct placement of a seed or a plant into the soil material based on the feedback signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a ground penetrating radar configured to scan soil material beneath a land-traversing vehicle up to a designated depth, the scan including receiving a radar return signal responsive to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material;

a controller including a processing circuit configured to

(i) determine a suitability of the soil material at a specific location for a particular type of seed or plant in response to the received radar return signal responsive to the intrinsic characteristic of the soil material; and

(ii) select an optimal depth or density for the particular type of seed or plant in response to the determined suitability; and

a planting device configured to plant in the soil material at the specific location the particular type of seed or plant using the selected optimal depth or density,

wherein the ground penetrating radar, the controller, and the planting device are all configured to be carried by the land-traversing vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the intrinsic soil characteristic comprises at least one of a composition of the soil material, a moisture property of the soil material, a presence of humus in the soil material, a density of the soil material, or a soil material porosity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determine a suitability of the soil includes determine a depth of water beneath the surface of the soil material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein determine a suitability of the soil includes determine a quantity of water beneath the surface of the soil material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground penetrating radar unit is a non-insertion ground penetrating radar unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ground penetrating radar unit is an insertion ground penetrating radar unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to (iii) create a map indicative of at least two specific locations, the map including the respective selected optimal depth or density of the planting of the particular seed or plant of each specific location of the at least two locations.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the map includes a correlation of a GPS-based location with each specific location of the at least two locations.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus includes a GPS-based location sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radar return signal is further responsive to an extrinsic characteristic of the soil material.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radar return signal is further responsive to a presence of an irrigation system below the surface of the soil material.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the land-traversing vehicle.

13. A method implemented in a land-traversing vehicle, the method comprising:

scanning soil material beneath the land-traversing vehicle up to a designated depth with a ground penetrating radar, the scanning including receiving a radar return signal responsive to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material;

determining a suitability of the soil material at a specific location for a particular type of seed or plant in response to the received radar return signal;

selecting an optimal depth or density for the particular type of seed or plant in response to the determined suitability; and

planting in the soil material at the specific location the particular type of seed or plant using the selected optimal depth or density.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising traveling over the soil material in the land-traversing vehicle.

15. A soil mapping system comprising:

a ground penetrating radar configured to scan soil material beneath a land-traversing vehicle up to a designated depth, the scan including receiving a radar return signal responsive to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material;

a location sensor configured to output a signal tracking a location of the ground penetrating radar;

a controller including a processing circuit configured to

(i) determine a characteristic of the soil material in response to the received radar return signal responsive to the intrinsic characteristic of the soil material;

(ii) determine a location of the determined soil characteristic in response to the signal tracking the location of the ground penetrating radar;

(iii) create a map of the soil material responsive to a correlation of the determined soil characteristic and the determined location of the soil characteristic; and

(iv) store the map of the soil material.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to (v) output the map of the soil material.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the (i) determine a soil characteristic includes determine a depth of a water property of the soil material.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the radar return signal is responsive to an intrinsic and an extrinsic characteristic of the soil material.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the extrinsic characteristic includes a presence of moisture in the soil material.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the extrinsic characteristic includes a depth of the soil material.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the extrinsic characteristic includes a presence of an object beneath the surface of the soil material.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the soil characteristic includes a soil characteristic facilitating growing of a seed or plant.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the soil characteristic includes a soil characteristic facilitating watering of a seed or plant.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the soil map includes a three dimensional map of the soil material.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the location sensor is a GPS receiver.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller exports the map to an external computing device through a network interface.

27. A method comprising:

scanning soil material beneath a land-traversing vehicle up to a designated depth using a ground penetrating radar, the scan including receiving a radar return signal responsive to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material;

tracking a location of the ground penetrating radar;

determining a characteristic of the soil material in response to the received radar return signal;

determining a location of the determined soil characteristic in response to the signal tracking the location of the ground penetrating radar;

creating a map of the soil material responsive to a correlation of the determined soil characteristic and the determined location of the soil characteristic; and

storing the map of the soil material.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising outputting the map of the soil material.

29. A soil mapping system comprising:

means for scanning soil material beneath a land-traversing vehicle up to a designated depth using a ground penetrating radar, the scan including receiving a radar return signal responsive to an intrinsic characteristic of the soil material;

means for tracking a location of the ground penetrating radar;

means for determining a characteristic of the soil material in response to the received radar return signal;

means for determining a location of the determined soil characteristic in response to the signal tracking the location of the ground penetrating radar;

means for creating a map of the soil material responsive to a correlation of the determined soil characteristic and the determined location of the soil characteristic; and

means for storing the map of the soil material.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for outputting the map of the soil material.