Method and system for automated tracing of an agricultural product

• US 20030182144A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Pickett, Terence Daniel, Nelson, Frederick William, Faivre, Stephen Michael, Beck, Andy Dwayne, Wagner, Thomas Kent, Larscheid, Georg, Sommer, Mark Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/904 Manufacturing or machine, e.g. agricultural machinery, machine tool

Abstract

Crop information related to a particular crop is collected and stored in data storage during the performance of an agricultural operation. A harvested particular crop is segregated from all other genetically distinct crops by storing the particular harvested crops in one or more segregated storage volumes for storing the particular crop. Each segregated storage volume has a corresponding storage identifier. An electronically accessible data profile, associated with the particular crop, is provided or made available to a user. The data profile includes the collected crop information.

Claims

1. A method of tracing a crop, the method comprising:

harvesting a particular crop in a defined geographic area;

collecting crop information regarding crop characteristics and electronically storing the crop information in data storage during or after the harvesting;

segregating and maintaining the purity and integrity of the harvested particular crop from all other crops by storing the harvested particular crop in one or more segregated storage means for storing crop in a segregated manner, each segregated storage means having a storage identifier; and

providing an electronically accessible data profile associated with the harvested particular crop and a corresponding storage identifier, the data profile including the collected crop information.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

combining the crop information with previously stored seed or seed stock planting information to create a collective data profile in the data storage for the harvested particular crop.

3. The method as defined by claim 2 wherein the previously stored seed or seed stock planting information was recorded contemporaneous with planting of the seed or stock.

4. The method as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

appending the collected crop information with the planting information to provide the data profile based on a common geographic area common to the planting location information and harvesting location information.

5. The method as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing the harvested particular crop to identify one or more crop characteristics; and

appending the analyzed crop characteristic information into the data profile.

6. The method as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting at least a portion of the data profile to a crop recipient, where the crop recipient receives at least one of the one or more segregated storage means with the harvested particular crop therein.

7. The method as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

collecting in a database processing information regarding one or more processing steps performed on the harvested particular crop by a crop recipient and combining the processing information into the collective data profile.

8. The method of tracing a crop as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

electronically transmitting the data profile to one or more potential users of the harvested particular crop.

9. A method of tracing a crop comprising:

collecting planting information of seed or seed stock and crop characteristics during or after planting of a particular crop and electronically storing the collected planting information in data storage;

segregating and maintaining the purity and integrity of the particular crop from all other crops by storing the particular crop in one or more segregated storage means for storing crop in a segregated manner, each segregated storage means having a storage identifier; and

providing an electronically accessible data profile associated with the particular crop and a corresponding storage identifier, the data profile including the collected planting information.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the segregating comprises:

maintaining the purity and integrity of the particular crop from all other crops by, contemporaneously with harvesting the particular crop, placing the harvested particular crop in one or more inter-modal freight containers as the segregated storage means, each inter-modal freight container having a corresponding storage identifier.

11. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

electronically collecting the storage identifier contemporaneously with filling of a container, as the segregated storage means, with the harvested particular crop and electronically storing the storage identifier in the data storage.

12. The method as defined by claim 9 further comprising:

collecting crop information during harvesting of the particular crop;

combining the planting information and crop information to form the data profile, the planting information and the crop information including common location data during planting of the seed and harvesting of the particular crop.

13. The method as defined by claim 9 further comprising:

delivering at least one or more containers, as the segregated storage means, with the harvested particular crop therein to a crop user and making at least a portion of the data profile available to the user.

14. The method as defined by claim 9 further comprising:

delivering at least a portion of the data profile to a crop processor that receives at least one of the one or more containers, as the segregated storage means, with the harvested particular crop therein.

15. The method as defined by claim 14 further comprising:

appending processing information to the data profile, the processing information regarding one or more processing steps performed by the crop processor;

recording a container identifier for one or more containers into which the processed crop is placed; and

associating the container identifier with the data profile.

16. The method as defined by claim 15 further comprising:

delivering at least a portion of the data profile to a processor that receives at least one of the one or more containers of the harvested crop and produces a final crop product therefrom.

17. The method of tracing a crop as defined by claim 14 further comprising:

appending production information to the data profile, the production information regarding the production of a final crop product; and

appending a packaging identifier for the final crop product to the data profile.

18. The method as defined by claim 14 further comprising:

providing at least a portion of the data profile to a consumer of the final crop product.

19. A system of tracing a crop the system comprising:

a location-determining receiver adapted to be used during one of a planting and harvesting operation to receive signals for determining planting location data and a harvesting location data for the particular crop to define a defined geographic area for the particular crop;

a data storage device for storing, in a data storage, at least one of crop information, planting information, planting location data, growing information, harvesting information, harvesting location data, chemical information, weather information, processing information, manufacturing information, and retail information related to the particular crop;

an arranger for arranging the stored information for the particular crop associated with the defined geographic area to provide a data profile for the particular crop; and

an assignment module for associating a storage identifier with the data profile for the particular crop, where the storage identifier identifies at least one of a container and a segregated storage bin for holding the particular crop for a tracked time duration.

20. The system according to claim 19 further comprising:

a data management system for making available at least a portion of the data profile to a crop recipient that receives the particular crop; and

a transmitter for transmitting the data profile and its associated storage identifier to the data management system.

21. The system according to claim 19 further comprising:

a planting information input device for gathering the planting information, the planting information comprising at least seed or seed stock information about seed or seed stock planted at the planting location.

22. The system according to claim 19 further comprising:

at least one sensor for the collecting at least one of the harvesting information and the crop information about the particular crop during or after harvesting.

23. The system according to claim 19 further comprising:

a container identification device for obtaining a storage identifier of a storage volume that receives harvested crop.

24. The system according to claim 19 further comprising:

an information transfer device for transferring one or more of the following to a data processing system remote from the arranger;

the planting location data, the harvesting location data, the planting information, the harvesting information, the crop information, and the storage identifier.

25. A system for tracing a crop, the system comprising:

an agricultural machine for performing agricultural work associated with a particular crop in a defined geographic area;

a data storage device;

a data collection interface for collecting crop information regarding crop characteristics of the particular crop and a storage identifier of a storage volume for storing the particular crop;

the data collection interface electronically storing the crop information in the data storage device during or after performance of the agricultural work;

an information transfer device for facilitating transfer of an electronic data profile associated with the particular crop, the data profile including the collected crop information; and

a location-determining receiver adapted to be mounted to the agricultural machine to receive one or more electromagnetic signals for determining a geographic location of the receiver to facilitate collection of at least one of planting location data and harvesting location data associated with the collected crop information.

26. The system according to claim 25 further comprising:

a data input device for collecting crop information, the crop information comprising at least one of planting information, growing information, harvesting information, adjacent crop information, and weather information,

27. The system according to claim 25 wherein the information transfer device comprises a transmitter for transmitting the electronic data profile to a data management system.

28. The system according to claim 25 wherein the agricultural machine comprises a machine selected from the group consisting of a harvester, a tractor, a planter, a planting machine, a harvesting machine, a picker, mower, a combine and a thresher.

29. The system according to claim 25 further comprising:

at least one sensor adapted to be mounted to the agricultural machine to collect harvesting information including one of harvested crop information and agricultural machine component settings.

30. The system according to claim 25 wherein the data collection interface is further configured for collecting seed information and harvesting information associated with the particular crop and wherein information transfer device is arranged to transfer the collected seed information and collected harvesting information to a data processing system remotely situated from the agricultural machine.

31. The system according to claim 25 further comprising:

a container identification device for obtaining a storage identifier of at least one of a storage volume, a container, and a segregated storage bin that receives crop harvested by the agricultural machine.

32. The system as defined by claim 31 wherein the information transfer device is a wireless transmitter.

33. The system as defined by claim 25 wherein the information transfer device is a portable storage medium for storing data.

34. The system as defined by claim 25 where the location-determining receiver comprises a global positioning receiver with differential correction for guiding the agricultural machine in a generally linear manner in a series of substantially parallel rows.

35. A data management system for tracing a crop, the data management comprising:

a data manager for storing data profiles of particular crops associated with corresponding geographic areas;

a data receiver for receiving a storage identifier and a request for data profile information related to a particular crop associated with the corresponding storage identifier;

a data retriever for retrieving at least a portion of the requested information; and

a data transmitter for outputting the at least a portion of the requested information.

36. The data management system according to claim 35 wherein the data retriever uses location data associated with the storage identifier to find related planting data and related harvesting data for the particular crop from a defined geographic area.

37. The system as defined by claim 35 wherein the request requests at least one of production information, processing information, manufacturing information, retail information, and packaging information related to the particular crop associated with corresponding storage identifier;

the retriever retrieving at least a portion of the information for submission to the transmitter for transmission to a requester.