METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTIMIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL FIELD OPERATIONS USING WEATHER, PRODUCT AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

• US 20090192654A1
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Wendte, Keith W., Rund, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,924,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/283
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1243 Devices for laying-out or distributing the straw
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0057 with active regulation of the boom position
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49448 Agricultural device making

Abstract

An agricultural system which includes at least one agricultural implement with at least one application device for applying crop inputs, where the agricultural implement includes an agricultural harvester and/or an agricultural planter. A databus is connected to the at least one agricultural implement, and at least one input device is connected to the databus. At least one data storage device is connected to the databus, and an application controller is connected to the at least one application device. A processor is connected to the databus and the application controller, where the processor applies inputs to the application controller to adjust and/or optimize in real time a current operation of the application device(s) in order to efficiently and accurately apply the crop inputs.

Claims

1. An agricultural system, comprising:

at least one agricultural implement having at least one application device for applying crop inputs, the at least one agricultural implement including at least one of an agricultural harvester and an agricultural planter;

a databus connected to the at least one agricultural implement;

at least one input device connected to the databus;

at least one data storage device connected to the databus;

an application controller connected to the at least one application device; and

a processor connected to the databus and the application controller, the processor for applying inputs to the application controller to at least one of adjust and optimize in real time a current operation of the at least one application device in order to efficiently and accurately apply the crop inputs.

2. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein at least one said agricultural implement includes an agricultural spreader for applying the crop inputs, the at least one input device includes a mobile weather station connected said agricultural implement.

3. The agricultural system of claim 2, wherein the mobile weather station provides at least a wind speed information and a wind direction information near the agricultural spreader, the wind speed information and the wind direction information being provided to the databus.

4. The agricultural system of claim 3, wherein the mobile weather station provides at least a temperature information and a humidity information near the agricultural spreader, the temperature information and the humidity information being provided to the databus.

5. The agricultural system of claim 3, wherein the at least one agricultural implement is a combine, and the agricultural spreader includes at least one crop residue flow distributor, the wind speed information and the wind direction information are used by the application controller to automatically adjust a position of at least one said crop residue flow distributor.

6. The agricultural system of claim 3, wherein the at least one agricultural implement is a planter, and the agricultural spreader includes spreader head, the wind speed information and the wind direction information are used by the application controller to automatically adjust a position of the spreader head.

7. The agricultural system of claim 3, wherein the wind speed information and the wind direction information are used by the application controller to automatically control a position of the agricultural spreader to reduce a drift of the crop inputs.

8. The agricultural system of claim 3, wherein the at least one data storage device includes at least one of field characteristics information, chemical product data, and logged data being provided to the databus, the processor using at least one of the field characteristics information, the chemical product data, and the logged data, in combination with the wind speed information and the wind direction information, to determine an optimized path planning for an operation of the agricultural spreader.

9. The agricultural system of claim 8, wherein the optimized path planning allows the agricultural spreader to apply a crop input to a field in a specific direction.

10. The agricultural system of claim 3, wherein the at least one input device includes a wireless communication device providing weather forecast data to the databus and a user interface, the processor providing instructions to the user interface for an operator of the agricultural system based on the weather forecast data.

11. The agricultural system of claim 10, wherein if the weather forecast data indicates at least one of an increasing wind condition and a changing wind direction, the processor provides instructions to the user interface for an operator to one of spray sensitive field areas first and wait until a favorable wind shift.

12. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the input device is at least one of a user interface, an application settings device, a vehicle location sensor, a wireless communication device, and a mobile weather station.

13. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the crop inputs include at least one of a fertilizer, a herbicide, a pesticide, and a crop residue.

14. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes a mobile weather station connected to at least one agricultural implement, the mobile weather station being packaged in a single unit with at least one of a wind speed sensor, a wind direction sensor, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, the mobile weather station being transportably connected to one of the agricultural implements so that it can be easily moved to another of the agricultural implements.

15. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes a mobile weather station connected to at least one agricultural implement, the mobile weather station including at least one of a wind speed sensor, a wind direction sensor, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, the mobile weather station for controlling a temperature and a humidity inside a cab of the agricultural implement for an operator comfort and most efficient use of air conditioning and heating components associated with the cab.

16. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes a mobile weather station connected to at least one agricultural implement, the mobile weather station including at least one of a wind speed sensor, a wind direction sensor, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, the mobile weather station producing at least one of a wind speed data, a wind direction data, a temperature data and a humidity data, where all data is shared on the databus which enables the processor to make automatic adjustments for at least one of threshing and harvesting of at least one of grain, fiber, hay and forage products.

17. The agricultural system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes a mobile weather station connected to at least one agricultural implement, the mobile weather station producing at least one of a wind speed data, a wind direction data, a temperature data and a humidity data, where any of the data is used by the processor to control the at least one application device to optimize a residue spreading quality in a harvesting operation.

18. A method of manufacturing an agricultural implement, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one agricultural implement having at least one application device for applying crop inputs, the at least one agricultural implement including at least one of an agricultural harvester and an agricultural planter;

configuring a combination communication and control system including a databus, at least one input device connected to the databus, at least one data storage device connected to the databus, an application controller connected to the at least one application device, and a processor connected to the databus and the application controller, the processor for applying inputs to the application controller to at least one of adjust and optimize in real time a current operation of the at least one application device in order to efficiently and accurately apply the crop inputs; and

connecting the combination communication and control system to the at least one agricultural implement.

19. A method of operating an agricultural system, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one agricultural implement which includes an agricultural spreader for applying a crop input, a databus connected to the at least one agricultural implement, at least one input device connected to the databus, at least one data storage device connected to the databus, an application controller connected to the at least one application device, and a processor connected to the databus and the application controller, the processor for applying inputs to the application controller;

entering boundaries for a field and other sensitive areas based on one of an operator input and a stored database in the at least one data storage device;

entering the spray crop input on one of an operator input and a stored database;

obtaining current weather data from a mobile weather station;

calculating a time required to apply the crop input to the field; and

determining if weather conditions allow a safe application of the crop input on the field.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining step includes the substep of considering a weather forecasted data provided from one of a wireless communication device and an operator input.

21. The method of claim 19, further including the step of calculating an optimum travel plan with the processor for the agricultural implement wherein the optimum travel plan optimizes the application of the crop input.

22. The method of claim 21, further including the step of adjusting the agricultural spreader with the application controller to at least one of adjust and optimize in real time a current operation of the agricultural spreader to efficiently and accurately apply the crop input.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the calculating an optimum travel plan step includes the substep of calculating an optimum location to begin spreading of the crop input.

24. The method of claim 19, further including the steps of operating the agricultural spreader to apply the crop input, and monitoring the current weather data until the field application is complete, the monitoring step occurring concurrently with the operating step.

25. The method of claim 24, further including the steps of determining if it is safe to continue the field spraying based on the current weather data, and recording the current weather data during the time required to spray the field.