Management system and method for managing soil treatment systems

• US 10,098,275 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2014
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF Agro BV (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: BASF Agro BV (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Cink, James H., Brown, Kenneth S., Warriner, Richard A., Vannoy, Jeffrey Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US14/912,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/02 Special arrangements for delivering the liquid directly into the soil
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/026 Localised non-continuous injection tools, e.g. pal injectors, spike wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/245 for pesticide application or distribution, e.g. using a network of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 17/002 Injection of toxic gases or fluids into the soil special arrangements for delivering fertilising liquids directly into the soil A01C23/02
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 21/043 by chemicals
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 2200/01 Insects
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 25/006 Poison applicators, i.e. mobile devices for disposing poison wherever required, e.g. into holes, burrows, walls or ground
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions

Abstract

In a system (10) for managing a soil treatment business, an injection apparatus (12) is operable to inject soil treatment under high pressure down into soil. A control system (92) is associated with the injection apparatus (12) and is configured to collect data during operation of the injection apparatus (12). A data management system (801) is configured to receive the data collected by the injection apparatus (12) control system (92). The data management system (801) generally comprises a database for storing the collected data, with the data management system being accessible by the business for reviewing the collected data.

Claims

1. A system for managing a soil treatment business, the system comprising:

an injection apparatus operable to inject soil treatment under pressure down into soil;

a control system associated with the injection apparatus and configured to collect data during operation of the injection apparatus; and

a data management system configured for receiving the data collected by the injection apparatus control system, the data management system comprising a database for storing the collected data, the data management system being accessible by the business for reviewing the collected data, wherein the data management system is further configured to receive data provided by the business and associated with the injection apparatus, the provided data comprising at least one work order associated with a soil treatment to be applied by the injection apparatus at a work site.

2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the data management system is configured for remote communication with the injection apparatus control system.

3. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the data management system further comprises at least one processor configured to determine at least one characteristic of the soil treatment based at least in part on the data collected by the injection apparatus control system.

4. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the collected data comprises one or more of the number of injections performed by the injection apparatus, the amount of active ingredient delivered by the apparatus, the amount of soil treatment delivered by the apparatus, the type of soil into which the apparatus injected the soil treatment, the pressure at which the apparatus was operated to perform the injections, and the time needed to complete a soil treatment using the injection apparatus.

5. The system set forth in claim 1, the control system associated with the injection apparatus is configured to receive the at least one work order and is further configured to inhibit operation of the injection apparatus in the absence of a work order being received by the control system.

6. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the data management system further comprises at least one processor configured to determine based on the collected data, for each apparatus, one or more of:

the total number of injections performed by the apparatus for one or more of a single work order and a plurality of work orders;

the total amount of active ingredient delivered by the apparatus for one or more of a single work order and a plurality of work orders;

the total amount of soil treatment delivered by the apparatus for one or more of a single work order and a plurality of work orders;

the total number of work sites treated by the apparatus;

the operating time for the apparatus for each work order; and

the cumulative operating time for the apparatus for all work orders.

7. The system set forth in claim 6 wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine for the injection apparatus, based on the collected data and provided data, one or more of the average number of injections per work site, the average amount of active ingredient delivered per work site, the average amount of soil treatment delivered per work site, and the average time to complete each work order.

8. The system set forth in claim 7 wherein the provided data further comprises the linear feet of the work site to which the soil treatment is to be applied for each corresponding work order, the at least one processor being further configured to determine one or more of the average number of injections per linear foot, the average amount of active ingredient delivered per linear foot, and the average linear feet per work site.

9. The system set forth in claim 6 wherein the data management system includes data indicative of a time period of interest to the business, the at least one processor being operable to determine, one or more of the following:

the total number of injections performed by the apparatus for one or more of a single work order and a plurality of work orders completed during said time period;

the total amount of active ingredient delivered by the apparatus for one or more of a single work order and a plurality of work orders completed during said time period;

the total amount of soil treatment delivered by the apparatus for one or more of a single work order and a plurality of work orders completed during said time period;

the total number of work sites treated by the apparatus during said time period;

the operating time for the apparatus for each work order completed during said time period; and

the cumulative operating time for the apparatus for all work orders completed during said time period.

10. The system set forth in claim 6 comprising a plurality of the injection apparatus and a plurality of control systems, each control system being associated with a corresponding injection apparatus, the data management system being configured for communication with each control system to receive data collected by each respective control system in response to operation of the corresponding injection apparatus, the at least one processor being configured to determine, based on the collected data, one or more of the total number of injections performed by all apparatus, the total amount of active ingredient delivered by all apparatus, the total amount of soil treatment delivered all apparatus, and the total number of work sites treated by all apparatus.

11. The system set forth in claim 10 wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine, based on the collected data and provided data, one or more of the average number of injections per work site, the average amount of active ingredient delivered per work site, the average amount of soil treatment delivered per work site, and the average time to complete each work order.

12. The system set forth in claim 10 further comprising a pressure application tool separate from the injection apparatus and operable to apply soil treatment one or more of on and in the soil under pressure substantially less than the pressure at which the injection apparatus is operated, the control system being further associated with operation of the pressure application tool and further configured to collect data during operation of the pressure application tool, the at least one processor being configured to determine, based on the collected data and provided data, one or more of the following:

the total number of hours of operation of the injection apparatus and pressure application tool;

the total number of hours of operation of the injection apparatus;

the total number of hours of operation of the pressure application tool; and

the difference between the total number of hours operated and a predetermined number of hours after which one or more of maintenance, inspection, and calibration is recommended.

13. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the data management system is one of 1) hardwire connected to the injection apparatus control system for transferring the collected data from the control system to the data management system, 2) configured for releasable hardwire connection to the injection apparatus control system for transferring the collected data from the control system to the data management system and 3) configured for receiving a transportable data storage media containing the collected data from the control system.

14. A lease management system for managing a lease arrangement pursuant to which a soil treatment system is leased by the owner of the soil treatment system to a soil treatment business, the soil treatment system comprising an application tool operable to apply an active ingredient to soil, the lease management system comprising:

a control system associated with the application tool and configured to collect data during operation of the application tool; and

a data management system configured for receiving

     1) owner provided data including at least the identification of the soil treatment business that is leasing the application tool from the owner, and

     2) business provided data including at least a work order for a soil treatment to be performed at a work site, the data management system being configured for communication with the control system of the application tool to receive the data collected by the application tool in performing the soil treatment at the work site pursuant to the work order, the data management system including at least one processor configured to determine a usage fee to be charged to the business by the owner as a function of one or more of the business provided data and the data collected by the application tool control system.

15. The system set forth in claim 14 wherein the owner provided data received by the data management system further comprises at least a lease fee to be charged to the business by the owner for each of a plurality of lease periods, the at least one processor of the data management system being configured to determine a total fee to be charged to the business by the owner as a function of the lease fee and the usage fee.

16. The system set forth in claim 14 wherein the business provided data received by the data management system includes a plurality of work orders, each work order being for a soil treatment to be performed using the application tool at a work site, the data management system being configured for communication with the control system of the application tool to receive the data collected by the application tool in performing each soil treatment at each respective work site pursuant to each respective work order, the at least one processor of the data management system being configured to determine a total usage fee to be charged to the business by the owner for operating the application tool pursuant to all of the work orders.

17. The system set forth in claim 16 wherein the business provided data comprises a billing period, the at least one processor being configured to determine a total usage fee to be charged to the business by the owner for operating the application pursuant to soil treatments applied pursuant to work orders within the billing period.

18. The system set forth in claim 14 wherein the business provided data further comprises the total linear feet of area treated at a work site pursuant to the work order, the at least one processor of the data management system being configured to determine the usage fee at least in part as a function of the total linear feet of area treated at the work site.

19. The system set forth in claim 14 wherein a plurality of application tools may be leased by the application tool owner to the soil treatment business, the owner provided data further including at least an asset identification for each application tool, the data management system being configured for communication with the control system of each application tool to receive data collected by the respective application tool in performing a respective soil treatment at a respective work site pursuant to a corresponding work order, the data management system being accessible by the business for one or more of viewing the collected data associated with each application tool leased by the business and downloading collected data associated with each application tool leased by the business.

20. The system set forth in claim 14 wherein the owner provided data further includes at least data indicative of maintenance to be performed on the application tool, said data indicative of maintenance comprising one or more of 1) a maintenance schedule, 2) the date of the next scheduled maintenance and 3) the status of maintenance being performed on the application tool, the data management system being accessible by the business for accessing said data indicative of maintenance.