AGRICULTURAL DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING SOIL AND SEED CHARACTERISTICS AND ANALYZING THE SAME

• US 20130112122A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kinze Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kinze Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Achen, Courtney N., Blomme, Laura B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/149
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/04 Combinations of soil-working tools with non-soil-working tools, e.g. planting tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/008 Vertical adjustment of tools A01B63/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 71/02 Setting or adjusting mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/062 Devices for making drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/203 comprising depth regulation means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/205 comprising pressure regulation means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/903 Monitor

Abstract

Agricultural seed planting systems are provided. In some aspects, the system includes a processing unit, a frame, a furrow opener coupled to the frame for opening a furrow in soil, and a sensor in communication with the processing unit and adapted to sense a characteristic associated with seed planting. The sensor may generate a signal associated with the sensed characteristic and the processing unit may receive the signal. In some aspects, the sensed characteristic may be either a soil characteristic or a seed characteristic. Information associated with the sensed characteristic can be saved in memory for future use and to assist with more effective planting in the future.

Claims

1. An agricultural seed planting system comprising:

a processing unit;

a frame;

a furrow opener coupled to the frame for opening a furrow in soil; and

a sensor in communication with the processing unit and adapted to sense a characteristic associated with seed planting, wherein the sensor generates a signal associated with the sensed characteristic and the processing unit receives the signal.

2. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a characteristic of the soil.

3. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a soil temperature.

4. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a soil moisture.

5. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a depth of the furrow.

6. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a characteristic of a seed.

7. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is one of a seed temperature and a seed presence.

8. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor communicates with the memory to store information associated with the sensed characteristic for later retrieval.

9. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a first sensor, the characteristic is a first characteristic, and the signal is a first signal, the agricultural seed planting system further comprising a second sensor adapted to sense a second characteristic associated with seed planting, wherein the second sensor generates a second signal associated with the sensed second characteristic and communicates with the processing unit such that the processing unit receives the second signal.

10. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 9, wherein the first characteristic is a soil characteristic and the second characteristic is a seed characteristic.

11. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 9, wherein the first and second characteristics are one of both soil characteristics or both seed characteristics.

12. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, further comprising a protective member coupled to the sensor to protect the sensor.

13. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 12, wherein the protective member is tubular in shape, defines a cavity therein and extends away from the sensor toward the soil, and wherein the sensor is at least partially disposed in the cavity.

14. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 12, wherein the protective member includes an air inlet proximal the sensor and an air outlet distal from the sensor, and wherein air enters the protective member through the air inlet, passes by the sensor, and exits the protective member through the air outlet such that an airflow is created in the protective member and flows away from the sensor.

15. The agricultural seed planting system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processing unit, the user interface adapted to display information associated with the sensed characteristic.

16. An agricultural seed planting system comprising:

a processing unit;

a frame;

a furrow opener coupled to the frame for opening a furrow in soil; and

a sensor in communication with the processing unit and adapted to sense a soil moisture, wherein the sensor generates a signal associated with the soil moisture and the processing unit receives the signal.

17. An agricultural seed planting system comprising:

a processing unit;

a frame;

a furrow opener coupled to the frame for opening a furrow in soil;

a first sensor for sensing a first characteristic associated with seed planting, wherein the first sensor generates a first signal associated with the sensed first characteristic and the processing unit receives the first signal; and

a second sensor adapted to sense a second characteristic associated with seed planting, wherein the second sensor generates a second signal associated with the sensed second characteristic and the processing unit receives the second signal.

18. A method of planting seeds with an agricultural planter, the method comprising:

opening a furrow with a furrow opener;

placing a seed in the furrow with the agricultural planter;

sensing a characteristic of seed planting with a sensor;

generating a signal associated with the sensed characteristic with the sensor;

communicating the signal to a processing unit;

storing information associated with the signal in a memory;

retrieving the information from the memory subsequent to storing the information; and

utilizing the retrieved information prior to placing a second seed in a furrow.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein sensing further includes sensing one of a soil characteristic and a seed characteristic.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

sensing a second characteristic of seed planting with a second sensor;

generating a second signal associated with the sensed second characteristic with the second sensor;

communicating the second signal to the processing unit;

storing information associated with the second signal in the memory;

retrieving the information from the memory associated with both signals subsequent to storing the information; and

utilizing the retrieved information associated with both signals prior to placing a second seed in a furrow.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying information associated with the sensed characteristic on a user interface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein displaying information occurs prior to retrieving information from memory.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein displaying information occurs subsequent to retrieving information from the memory.