Methods and systems for analyzing and visualizing spray patterns

• US 10,175,869 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winfield Solutions LLC (Land O'Lakes Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Winfield Solutions LLC (Land O'Lakes Incorporated)
• Inventors: Magidow, Lillian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Ruay
• Application Number:
  US14/755,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 715771, 504118, 111118
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of application , e.g. seed treatment or sequential application; Substances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/38 Outdoor scenes

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods predict behavior of sprays based on receiving a selection of one or more variables affecting spray. Relative amounts of the droplets forming the spray are grouped into various droplet size classes, where each droplet size class represents a range of droplet sizes. The relative amounts of the spray in the classes is visually depicted on a computer display according to a distribution of droplets, a volume of spray falling within the droplet size classes, a chart depicting relative amounts of the spray as a function of droplet size, or according to a spray quality based on environmental factors.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for depicting agricultural spray behavior as a spray distribution, the method comprising:

using a computer processor configured to;

receive a selection of an agricultural spray;

receive a selection of a spray parameter at which the agricultural spray is to be sprayed;

retrieve analyzed spray particulate data using the received selections, the retrieved data comprising a distribution of relative amounts of agricultural spray droplets within droplet size classes where each class corresponds to a range of droplet sizes; and

transmitting for graphical display the distribution of the relative amounts of the spray droplets in the droplet size classes,

wherein the spray droplets are displayed as a series of representative droplets superimposed over an image of an agricultural spray target, each representative droplet associated with one of the droplet size classes, and

wherein the representative droplets within a droplet size class are displayed with droplet size information comprising one or more of the range of droplet sizes represented, drift potential, leaf runoff potential or leaf coverage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the representative droplets displayed are arranged within a distribution curve representing a distribution of size of the representative droplets based on the relative amounts.

3. A computer-implemented method for depicting agricultural spray behavior, the method comprising:

using a computer processor configured to;

receive a selection of an agricultural spray;

receive a selection of one or more spray parameters at which the agricultural spray is to be sprayed;

retrieve analyzed spray particulate data using the received selections, the retrieved analysis data comprising relative amounts of agricultural spray droplets within droplet size classes corresponding to a range of droplet sizes; and

transmitting for graphical display the relative amounts of the spray droplets in the droplet size classes,

wherein the relative amounts of the spray droplets are configured to be displayed as a series of representative droplets superimposed over an image of an agricultural spray target, each representative droplet associated with one of the droplet size classes, and

wherein the representative droplets within a droplet size class are configured to be displayed with droplet size information comprising one or more of the range of droplet sizes represented, drift potential, leaf runoff potential or leaf coverage.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the received selections of the agricultural spray and the one or more spray parameters comprises a set of selections and the computer processor is configured to receive at least two sets of selections; and

the relative amounts of the droplets in the droplet size classes for the sets of selections are relative volumes of the droplets in the droplet size classes and are displayed as a volumetric comparison of the sets of selections.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the received selections of the agricultural spray and the one or more spray parameters comprises a set of selections and the computer processor is configured to receive at least two sets of selections; and

the relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes for the sets of selections are simultaneously displayed as a cumulative distribution chart.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the received spray parameter selections comprise one or more of a boom height or a wind speed; and

transmitting for display the relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes within a plurality of spray quality categories associated with the agricultural spray being sprayed according to the received selections of the one or more of the boom height or wind speed.

7. A computer-implemented method for providing agricultural spray information, the method comprising:

using a computer processor configured to;

identify a droplet size distribution of sprayed agricultural fluids;

group droplets within the droplet size distribution into droplet size classes, each droplet size class representing a range of droplet sizes;

calculate a relative amount of the droplets within the droplet size classes;

receive a selection of an agricultural mixture corresponding to one of the sprayed fluids; and

transmitting for display the calculated relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes for the spray particulate data based on the received selection,

wherein the calculated relative amounts of the droplets are configured to be displayed as a series of representative droplets superimposed over an image of an agricultural spray target, each representative droplet associated with one of the droplet size classes, and

transmitting for display a value representing a span of the droplet size distribution using the computer display, wherein the span is (X₉₀−

X₁₀)/X₅₀.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the representative droplets displayed are arranged within a distribution curve representing a distribution of size of the representative droplets based on the relative amounts.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein droplet size information is displayed for the representative droplets and comprises one or more of a range of droplet sizes represented, drift potential or leaf runoff potential.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein a value representing a volume mean diameter (VMD) of the distribution is displayed, wherein the VMD is a median droplet size of the sprayed fluid.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the droplet size classes are predefined based on droplet sizes that may be at risk for drift, droplet sizes that traditionally reach the intended target, and droplet sizes that contribute to leaf runoff.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the received selection comprises a set of selections of at least one of an active ingredient or an adjuvant in combination with at least one of a rate of spray, a spray pressure or a nozzle type.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the computer processor is configured to receive two sets of selections and transmit for display the calculated relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes as a volumetric comparison of the two sets of selections.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the computer processor is configured to receive two sets of selections and transmit for display the relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes for each of the sets of selections as a cumulative distribution chart.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the received user selection further comprises a selection of at least one of a boom height or a wind speed; and

transmitted for display are the relative amounts of the droplets within the droplet size classes within a plurality of spray quality categories associated with the agricultural spray according to the received selections.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the spray quality categories are based on one or more of leaf runoff, on-target spray, drift potential or evaporation.