System and Method for Managing Resource Use

• US 20100268562A1
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 9,538,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis

Abstract

Therefore, the illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method and system for determining individual resource needs for each plant in a plurality of plants. Current conditions are identified using a sensor system. A plurality of per plant prescriptions are calculated for the plurality of plants using the individual resource needs and the current conditions. A resource is obtained from a selected resource source in a number of resource sources. The resource is stored in a mobile utility vehicle and applied from the mobile utility vehicle to each plant in the plurality of plants according to the plurality of per plant prescriptions.

Claims

1. A method for managing resource use, the method comprising:

identifying resource needs for each plant in a plurality of plants to form individual resource needs;

identifying conditions in an environment in which the plurality of plants are located using a sensor system to form current conditions;

calculating a plurality of per plant prescriptions for the plurality of plants using the individual resource needs and the current conditions; and

dispensing a mobile utility vehicle to each plant in the plurality of plants to automatically apply a resource to each plant according to each per plant prescription.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the resource needs for the each plant in the plurality of plants utilizes a knowledge base for identifying for the each plant at least one of a plant species, a plant variety, a growth stage, and a life cycle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a resource need for the each plant based on at least one of the plant species, the plant variety, the growth stage, and the life cycle of the each plant.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying current conditions further comprises:

obtaining a current weather and solar forecast.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying current conditions further comprises:

identifying current resource rules, wherein the current resource rules include current water rules, and wherein the current water rules include at least one of an amount of water currently accessible, local water shortage information, and local water restriction information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the plurality of per plant prescriptions for the plurality of plants using the individual resource needs and the current conditions further comprises:

apportioning resource usage according to a utility function in order to maximize benefits and minimize costs according to a set of constraints.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein apportioning resource usage according to the utility function further comprises:

determining an amount of resource based on the individual resource needs;

adjusting the amount of resource based on the current conditions; and

calculating a per plant prescription in the plurality of per plant prescriptions that is distinct from the individual resource needs.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the plurality of per plant prescriptions for the plurality of plants using the individual resource needs and the current conditions further comprises:

determining whether an observed growth stage of an individual plant parallels an expected growth stage of the individual plant; and

responsive to the observed growth stage of the individual plant being different than the expected growth stage of the individual plant, adjusting an amount of resource based on the observed growth stage.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the plurality of per plant prescriptions for the plurality of plants using the individual resource needs and the current conditions further comprises:

detecting soil moisture data associated with the plurality of plants;

analyzing the soil moisture data using a soil moisture model;

determining whether the soil moisture data parallels the soil moisture model for the plurality of plants; and

responsive to the soil moisture data being different than the soil moisture model, adjusting an amount of resource based on the soil moisture data and updating a knowledge base with the soil moisture data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the plurality of per plant prescriptions for the plurality of plants using the individual resource needs and the current conditions further comprises:

determining whether an observed actual resource use of an individual plant parallels an expected resource need of the individual plant, wherein the observed actual resource use of the individual plant includes information received from current weather and solar forecast and information received from soil moisture data; and

responsive to the observed actual resource use of the individual plant being different than the expected resource need of the individual plant, adjusting an amount of resource based on the observed actual resource use.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of per plant prescriptions for the plurality of plants are directed to individual areas containing the plurality of plants, wherein each per plant prescription in the plurality of per plant prescriptions is associated with an individual area containing the plurality of plants.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of per plant prescriptions for the plurality of plants are directed to individual plants in the plurality of plants, wherein each per plant prescription in the plurality of per plant prescriptions is associated with an individual plant in the plurality of plants.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dispensing the mobile utility vehicle to a selected resource from among a number of resource sources, wherein the selected resource is selected based on information from at least one database; and

transferring the resource from the selected resource source into a resource storage unit of the mobile utility vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein to automatically apply the resource to the plurality of plants according to the per plant prescription further comprises:

dispensing the mobile utility vehicle to an area containing the plurality of plants; and

transferring the resource from the resource storage unit onto the plurality of plants.

15. A system for managing resource use, the system comprising:

a communication system for accessing a knowledge base having stored information about a plurality of plants;

a utility function for determining a per plant prescription for the plurality of plants using a number of constraints; and

a machine controller for controlling at least one mobile utility vehicle for executing the per plant prescription.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the stored information about the plurality of plants comprises at least one of information about an operating environment, plant species and varieties located in the operating environment, information about the resource needs, growth stages, and life cycles of the plant species and the varieties located in the operating environment, current weather for the operating environment, weather history for the operating environment, current operating conditions for the operating environment, a soil moisture model, specific environmental features of the operating environment that affect the mobile utility vehicle, a number of constraints, resource rules for the operating environment, resource source authentication information, resource source identification information, and resource source level information.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the communication system further receives current information comprising at least one of soil moisture, precipitation, temperature, wind, ambient light, observed growth stage, plant health, and observed actual resource use.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the utility function uses the number of constraints to determine the per plant prescription based on at least one of a value of applying a resource to a plant, a cost of applying the resource to the plant, and current resource rules.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the machine controller is located on the at least one mobile utility vehicle.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the machine controller is located remote from the at least one mobile utility vehicle and uses the communications system to send commands to the at least one mobile utility vehicle.