User modifiable geographical zones for the variable application of substances thereto

• US 20010048755A1
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Centrak Incorporated (Halma PLC)
• Original Assignee: Centrak Incorporated (Halma PLC)
• Inventors: Wiens, Daniel W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,434,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/903 Monitor

Abstract

A method and system for applying substance formulations to a land area is disclosed. A flexible, easily modifiable graphical representation of subareas of the area is provided, wherein to each subarea it is desired to apply a combination of one or more substance formulations uniformly throughout the subarea. A user (e.g., a farmer) needs only to specify a boundary for each subarea on a graphical image of the land area for computationally defining the subarea. Subsequently, since the land area image and the subarea boundaries thereon are geographically referenced to latitude and longitude coordinates, when applying such formulations to the land area, the present invention utilizes global positioning system (GPS) signals to thereby determine when such a subarea boundary has been traversed so that a corresponding change in the applied formulation(s) can be performed.

Claims

1. A method for determining formulations of one or more substances to apply to a geographic area, comprising:

displaying an electronic image of the geographic area;

receiving input from a user for specifying a representation of substantially only a boundary portion of a first subarea of the geographic area, wherein said first subarea has an interior portion different from and bounded by said boundary portion;

generating a representation of said first subarea from said input;

associating with said first subarea representation, first data representing a first formulation of said one or more substances so that during an application of said one or more substances, said first formulation of said substances is applied to said first subarea, and a different formulation of said substances is applied to a second subarea of said area.

2. A method as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein said step of receiving includes obtaining one or more manual inputs representative of one or more locations for determining said boundary portion representation without the user manually identifying a representation of said interior portion of the first subarea.

3. A method as claimed in

claim 2

, wherein said step of obtaining includes identifying one or more pixels selected by the user for generating said boundary portion.

4. A method as claimed in

claim 2

, wherein said interior portion includes at least one pixel not manually identified by the user.

5. A method as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein said boundary portion representation is included within a closed curve representation of a closed boundary distinguishing said interior of said first subarea from an exterior of said first subarea.

6. A method as claimed in

claim 5

, wherein said boundary portion representation is defined by a minority of pixels on said boundary portion representation.

7. A method as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein said step of displaying includes amplifying a characteristic of said image to further distinguish subareas of the geographic area on said image.

8. A method as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein said step of displaying includes identifying, with each of one or more graphical points, a geographical location identifiable on said image, and a corresponding latitude and longitude.

9. A method as claimed in

claim 1

, further including a step of applying one or more of a fertilizer, a pesticide, and a herbicide to the geographic area in varying formulations depending on said subareas encountered during an application thereof.

10. A method for determining where to apply a formulation of one or more substances to a geographic area, comprising:

obtaining an electronic image of the geographic area;

displaying, on said image, one or more representations of subareas of the geographic area, wherein at least a first and second of said subareas are distinguishable from one another by a predetermined characteristic identifiable on said image;

recording a first formulation of said one or more substances to be applied to said first subarea, and a different second formulation of said one or more substances to be applied to said second subarea;

receiving, from a user, input identifying one or more geographic locations for specifying an area change in said first subarea, wherein at least a portion of an interior of said area change is not provided in said input;

generating, with said input, a representation of said area change;

associating with said representation of the area change, first data indicating that said first formulation of said one or more substances is to be applied to said area change.

11. A method as claimed in

claim 10

, wherein said step of generating includes representing of said area change with substantially only a representation of a boundary of said area change.

12. A method as claimed in

claim 10

further including displaying a representation of a boundary of said area change that is visibly different from said interior, wherein said boundary representation displays as connected to a boundary representation of said first subarea for forming a closed curve.

13. An apparatus for determining formulations of one or more substances to apply to a geographic area, comprising:

an image processor for receiving image data of the geographic area, wherein said image processor generates an image of the image data, said image being a view of the geographic area from substantially directly overhead;

a first collection of one or more programs for partitioning the geographical area into subareas, wherein for at least a first of the subareas, said first collection determines at least one of;

(a) a formulation of said one or more substances to apply to said first area; and

(b) a measurement related to an application of said one or more substances;

a data representation of a boundary of said first area, wherein said boundary separates an interior of said first area from an exterior of said first area;

a second collection of one or more programs for use by a user for modifying said data representation, wherein said second collection controls a modification of said data representation when supplied with information for changing said interior of said first subarea, said information being substantially indicative of only a change in said boundary.

14. An apparatus as claimed in

claim 13

, wherein said data representation includes a graphical display of said boundary.

15. An apparatus as claimed in

claim 14

, wherein said graphical display is different from a graphical display of said interior.

16. A method as claimed in

claim 13

, wherein said image processor includes a means for geographically referencing said image so that a latitude and longitude pair are determined for some pixels of said image.

17. An apparatus as claimed in

claim 13

, wherein said second collection of programs includes one or more programs for changing a data representation of a second of said subareas when said information for changing said first subarea is supplied.

18. An apparatus as claimed in

claim 13

, wherein said second collection of programs includes one or more programs for changing a measurement indicative of one of:

(a) a size of said first subarea, and (b) an amount of a formulation of said one or more substances for applying to said first subarea.

19. An apparatus as claimed in

claim 13

, wherein at least one of said first and second program collections activates an artificial neural network for determining at least one of said subareas.

20. An apparatus as claimed in

claim 13

, wherein said image data is obtained using a plurality of images of the geographic area, wherein at least some of said images are obtained from one or more of:

(a) reflectance and absorption, wherein said reflectance and absorption relates to one of visible light, infrared light, multispectral light, and hyperspectral light;

(b) a themed nutrient plan;

(c) a yield map; and

(d) remotely sensed data.

21. An apparatus as claimed in

claim 13

, wherein said second collection of programs is activatable from substantially any location in said geographic area.

22. An apparatus as claimed in

claim 13

, further including a receiver for receiving a satellite signal for determining a location of the user when the user supplies said information for changing said first subarea.

23. A method for variably applying one or more substances to a geographic area, comprising:

traversing said geographic area one or more times;

during one of said times for performing said step of traversing, the following steps (A1) through (A4) are performed;

(A1) first displaying an electronic image of the geographic area;

(A2) determining repeatedly a current location;

(A3) receiving, from a user, data indicative of a boundary of a subarea of the geographic area, wherein said subarea has an interior portion bounded by said boundary, and wherein it is desired to apply a first of one or more formulations of the one or more substances to said subarea;

(A4) second displaying said boundary on said electronic image;

during one of the times of said step of traversing, the following steps (B1) through (B3) are performed;

(B1) applying one or more formulations of the substances to said geographic area;

(B2) detecting a traversal of said boundary;

(B3) modifying an amount of said first formulation when said boundary is traversed.

24. A method as claimed in

claim 23

, wherein said modifying step includes applying said first formulation according to a predetermined value when said subarea is entered.

25. A method as claimed in

claim 24

, wherein said modifying step includes ceasing to apply said first formulation according to said predetermined value when said subarea is exited.

26. A method as claimed in

claim 23

, wherein said step of receiving includes determining geographic locations related to said boundary by identifying pixels of said electronic image.

27. A method as claimed in

claim 26

, wherein said second displaying step includes determining said boundary as a replacement for a previous boundary portion of the subarea.

28. A method as claimed in

claim 23

, wherein said second displaying step includes generating a representation of said boundary as one or more:

lines, splines, arcs, polynomial interpolation functions, b-splines and non-uniform rational b-splines.

29. A method for variably applying one or more substances to a geographic area, comprising:

displaying an electronic image of the geographic area, wherein geographic location data for each of one or more pixels of the images is used for determining a corresponding formulation of substances for applying to a portion of the geographic area represented by the pixels;

for each of a plurality of different locations in the geographic area, perform steps (A1) and (A2);

(A1) receiving user input for determining a modification of a representation of a subarea of said geographic area while the user is substantially at the location;

(A2) redisplaying said image with a graphical representation of the modification to said subarea, while the user is substantially at the location;

identifying a traversal of a boundary of said subarea by using said modification; and

changing an application rate of at least one of said substances.