Identifying management zones in agricultural fields and generating planting plans for the zones

• US 10,028,451 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2017
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Climate LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: The Climate Corporation (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Rowan, Emily, Ewart, Tracey, Crampton, Stephen, Wimbush, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US15/427,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20180132423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 701 50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 22/00 Cultivation of specific crops or plants not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining

Abstract

In an embodiment, computer processes are programmed to determine planting plans based on planting characteristics data received for an agricultural field and a plurality of management zone delineation options defined for the agricultural field. Each of the planting plans specifies different planting recommendations for the agricultural field. A first graphical representation of the planting plans, and an interactive object is generated and displayed on a computing device. The interactive object is configured to receive input specifying a relative importance ratio between the planting plans for determining a new planting plan for the agricultural field. A particular relative importance ratio is received via the interactive object, and is used to determine the new planting plan, which specifies new planting recommendations for the agricultural field. Information about the new planting plan is displayed on the computer device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using instructions programmed in a computer system comprising one or more processors and computer memory;

determining two planting plans based on, at least in part, planting characteristics data received for an agricultural field and a plurality of management zone delineation options defined for the agricultural field;

wherein each of the two planting plans specifies different planting recommendations for the agricultural field;

using presentation instructions, generating and causing displaying, on a computing device, a first graphical representation of the two planting plans, and generating and causing displaying on the computing device an interactive object that is programmed to receive first input specifying a relative importance ratio between the two planting plans for determining a new planting plan for the agricultural field;

using the instructions, receiving, via the interactive object, second input specifying a particular relative importance ratio between the two planting plans for determining the new planting plan for the agricultural field;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, determining the new planting plan based on the particular relative importance ratio and the two planting plans;

wherein the new planting plan specifies new planting recommendations for the agricultural field;

using the presentation instructions, generating and causing displaying, on the computer device, a second graphical representation of the new planting plan.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, determining a first weight and a second weight based on the particular relative importance ratio;

wherein the first weight specifies a first contribution of a first planting plan of the two planting plans to the new planting plan;

wherein the second weight specifies a second contribution of a second planting plan of the two planting plans to the new planting plan;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, computing new values for the new planting recommendations by averaging first values of the planting recommendations of the first planting plan and second values of the planting recommendations of the second planting plan according to the first weight and the second weight, respectively;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, associating the new values of the new planting recommendations with the new planting plan.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the interactive object is implemented as an interactive graphical slider;

wherein the interactive object is programmed to be repositioned along a path displayed on the computer device;

wherein the path has two ends;

wherein one end of the two ends corresponds to the first planting plan, and another end of the two ends corresponds to the second planting plan.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

using the presentation instructions, generating and causing displaying, on the computing device, a request object that is configured to receive a request to generate the new planting plan for the agricultural field;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, determining whether a request to generate the new planting plan for the agricultural field has been received via the request object;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, generating the new planting plan for the agricultural field in response to determining that the request to generate the new planting plan has been received via the request object.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

using the presentation instructions, generating and causing displaying, on the computer device, one or more additional interactive objects;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, receiving, via the one or more additional interactive objects, one or more modified data values for the new planting recommendations;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, determining an additional planting plan based on at least in part the one or more modified data values and the new planting plan;

using the presentation instructions, generating and causing displaying, on the computer device, a third graphical representation of the additional planting plan.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

using the presentation instructions, generating and causing displaying, on the computer device, help information that includes instructions for generating the new planting plan and instructions for using interactive graphical objects.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, receiving yield data representing yields of crops that have been harvested from the agricultural field, and field characteristics data representing one or more characteristics of the agricultural field;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, determining the plurality of management zone delineation options for the agricultural field based on at least in part the yield data and the field characteristics data;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, receiving the planting characteristics data representing initial planting preferences for the agricultural field;

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, determining the two planting plans based on, at least in part, the planting characteristics data and the plurality of management zone delineation options for the agricultural field.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each option, of the plurality of management zone delineation options, comprises zone layout digital data for an option, wherein the plurality of management delineation options is determined by:

determining a plurality of count values for a management class count;

for each count value, of the plurality of count values, generating a management zone delineation option by clustering, using a count value of the plurality of count values, the yield data and the field characteristics data, assigning zones to clusters, and including the management zone delineation option in the plurality of management zone delineation options.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

using the instructions programmed in the computer system, receiving one or more selection criteria; and

based on, at least in part, the one or more selection criteria, selecting one or more options from the plurality of management zone delineation options, and determining one or more planting plans for each of the one or more options.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

using the instructions, and based upon the one or more options of the plurality of management zone delineation options and the one or more planting plans associated with the one or more options, causing driving one or more of;

a seeding apparatus, an irrigation apparatus, an apparatus for application of fertilizers such as nitrogen, or a harvesting apparatus to perform, respectively, seeding, irrigation, application of fertilizers, and/or harvesting of the agricultural field according to an options from the one or more options.

11. A data processing system comprising

a memory;

one or more processors coupled to the memory and programmed to;

determine two planting plans based on, at least in part, planting characteristics data received for an agricultural field and a plurality of management zone delineation options defined for the agricultural field;

wherein each of the two planting plans specifies different planting recommendations for the agricultural field;

generate and cause displaying, on a computing device, a first graphical representation of the two planting plans;

generate and cause displaying on the computing device an interactive object that is configured to receive first input specifying a relative importance ratio between the two planting plans for determining a new planting plan for the agricultural field;

receive, via the interactive object, a particular relative importance ratio between the two planting plans for determining the new planting plan for the agricultural field;

determine the new planting plan based on the particular relative importance ratio and the two planting plans;

wherein the new planting plan specifies new planting recommendations for the agricultural field;

generate and cause displaying, on the computer device, a second graphical representation of the new planting plan.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

determine a first weight and a second weight based on the particular relative importance ratio;

wherein the first weight specifies a first contribution of a first planting plan of the two planting plans to the new planting plan;

wherein the second weight specifies a second contribution of a second planting plan of the two planting plans to the new planting plan;

compute new values for the new planting recommendations by averaging first values of the planting recommendations of the first planting plan and second values of the planting recommendations of the second planting plan according to the first weight and the second weight, respectively;

associate the new values of the new planting recommendations with the new planting plan.

13. The data processing system of claim 12,

wherein the interactive object is implemented as an interactive graphical slider;

wherein the interactive object is programmed to be repositioned along a path displayed on the computer device;

wherein the path has two ends;

wherein one end of the two ends corresponds to the first planting plan, and another end of the two ends corresponds to the second planting plan.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

generate and cause displaying, on the computing device, a request object that is configured to receive a request to generate the new planting plan for the agricultural field;

determine whether a request to generate the new planting plan for the agricultural field has been received via the request object;

generate the new planting plan for the agricultural field in response to determining that the request to generate the new planting plan has been received via the request object.

15. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

generate and cause displaying, on the computer device, one or more additional interactive objects;

receive, via the one or more additional interactive objects, one or more modified data values for the new planting recommendations;

determine an additional planting plan based on at least in part the one or more modified data values and the new planting plan;

generate and cause displaying, on the computer device, a third graphical representation of the additional planting plan.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

generate and cause displaying, on the computer device, help information that includes instructions for generating the new planting plan and instructions for using interactive graphical objects.

17. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

receive yield data representing yields of crops that have been harvested from the agricultural field, and field characteristics data representing one or more characteristics of the agricultural field;

determine the plurality of management zone delineation options for the agricultural field based on at least in part the yield data and the field characteristics data;

receive the planting characteristics data representing initial planting preferences for the agricultural field;

determine the two planting plans based on, at least in part, the planting characteristics data and the plurality of management zone delineation options for the agricultural field.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein each option, of the plurality of management zone delineation options, comprises zone layout digital data for an option, wherein the plurality of management delineation options is determined by:

determining a plurality of count values for a management class count;

for each count value, of the plurality of count values, generating a management zone delineation option by clustering, using a count value of the plurality of count values, the yield data and the field characteristics data, assigning zones to clusters, and including the management zone delineation option in the plurality of management zone delineation options.

19. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

receive one or more selection criteria; and

based on, at least in part, the one or more selection criteria, selecting one or more options from the plurality of management zone delineation options, and determining one or more planting plans for each of the one or more options.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

based upon the one or more options of the plurality of management zone delineation options and the one or more planting plans associated with the one or more options, cause driving one or more of;

a seeding apparatus, an irrigation apparatus, an apparatus for application of fertilizers such as nitrogen, or a harvesting apparatus to perform, respectively, seeding, irrigation, application of fertilizers, and/or harvesting of the agricultural field according to an options from the one or more options.