Per plant crop sensing resolution

• US 10,178,828 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Hendrickson, Larry L., Dybro, Niels, Anderson, Noel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES, ALICIA M
• Application Number:
  US13/771,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20140230391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,155 Days
• Field of Search: 701 50, 56 102 R, 56 102 B, 56 102 C
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1271 for measuring crop flow
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1272 for measuring grain flow
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1273 for measuring grain loss
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/141 Automatic header control
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 45/021 Cornheaders
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0098 Plants or trees wood G01N33/46

Abstract

At least one sensor carried by a mobile machine senses a sensed forage crop attribute value independent of plant population for an individual forage plant. A processing unit derives a derived forage crop attribute value based on the sensed forage crop attribute value.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor carried by a mobile machine to sense a sensed forage crop attribute value other than the presence or location of an individual forage plant;

a processing unit to derive a derived forage crop attribute value based on the sensed crop attribute value;

a memory, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate a map of the derived forage crop attribute value across a field which is stored in the memory, the map having a resolution of the individual forage plant, wherein the derived forage crop attribute value comprises a value other than plant population, plant presence and plant spacing; and

wherein the mobile machine comprises a harvesting machine and wherein the processing unit is further configured to output control signals based upon the derived forage crop attribute value, the control signals automatically adjusting operational settings of the harvesting machine harvesting the individual forage plant.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to identify at least one field condition based upon at least one of the sensed forage crop attribute value and the derived forage crop attribute value.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to indicate the at least one field condition on the map.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a display, wherein the display is to present information regarding the at least one field condition.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensed forage crop attribute value comprises physical impact of the crop with the harvesting machine.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sensed forage crop attribute value comprises physical impact of an individual ear of corn with the harvesting machine.

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor carried by a mobile machine to sense a sensed forage crop attribute value other than the presence or location of an individual forage plant;

a processing unit to derive a derived forage crop attribute value based on the sensed crop attribute value;

a memory, Wherein the processing unit is configured to generate a map of the derived forage crop attribute value across a field which is stored in the memory, the map having a. resolution of the individual forage plant, wherein the derived forage crop attribute value comprises a value other than plant population, plant presence and plant spacing;

wherein the mobile machine comprises a crop harvesting machine and wherein the sensed forage crop attribute value comprises physical impact of the crop with the harvesting machine; and

wherein the sensed forage crop attribute value comprises physical impact of an individual ear of corn with the harvesting machine.