AGRICULTURAL PERFORMANCE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20140249893A1
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: FarmLink LLC
• Original Assignee: Machinerylink, Inc.
• Inventors: Lang, Jay, McClure, Robert, Morris, Landon, Mayes, William C.
• Application Number:
  US14/279,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20140249893A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.39
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

Embodiments of agricultural performance information systems are presented and disclosed herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A system for processing aggregate harvest data gathered by a plurality of data gathering mechanism sets for a plurality of harvest fields, the system comprising:

a data processing module configured to;

receive first field harvest data of a first harvest field of the plurality of harvest fields;

receive the aggregate harvest data for the plurality of harvest fields from a database; and

calculate, from the aggregate harvest data, a first subspace yield benchmark for a first subspace of the first harvest field;

wherein;

the aggregate harvest data comprises aggregate subspace datasets from subspaces of the plurality of harvest fields;

each of the aggregate subspace datasets comprises;

an aggregate subspace harvest yield; and

an aggregate subspace environment condition;

the first field harvest data comprises a first subspace dataset of the first subspace of the first harvest field;

the first subspace dataset comprises;

a first subspace harvest yield; and

a first subspace environment condition;

and

the data processing module calculates the first subspace yield benchmark from

the aggregate subspace harvest yields whose respective aggregate subspace environment condition corresponds to the first subspace environment condition of the first harvest field.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to;

calculate a first subspace yield gap for the first subspace harvest yield relative to the first subspace yield benchmark.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to;

calculate, from the aggregate harvest data, a second subspace yield benchmark for a second subspace of the first harvest field;

calculate a second subspace yield gap for the second subspace harvest yield; and

generate a report configured to present a subspace yield gap map showing;

the first subspace in the first harvest field, colored a first yield gap color corresponding to the first subspace yield gap; and

the second subspace in the first harvest field, colored a second yield gap color corresponding to the second subspace yield gap.

4. A system for processing aggregate harvest data gathered by a plurality of data gathering mechanism sets for a plurality of harvest fields, the system comprising:

a data processing module configured to;

receive first field harvest data of a first harvest field of the plurality of harvest fields; and

generate a report for the first harvest field based on the first field harvest data;

wherein;

the first field harvest data comprises a plurality of subspace datasets for a plurality of subspaces of the first harvest field;

the plurality of subspaces comprise;

a first subspace of the first harvest field; and

a second subspace of the first harvest field;

the plurality of subspace datasets comprise;

a first subspace dataset for the first subspace, comprising;

a first subspace location; and

a first subspace harvest yield;

a second subspace dataset for the second subspace, comprising;

a second subspace location; and

a second subspace harvest yield;

the data processing module is configured to calculate, from the plurality of subspace datasets, a first field harvest yield of the first harvest field; and

the report is configured by the data processing module to present the first field harvest yield of the first harvest field.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the report is configured by the data processing module to present;

a subspace yield map showing;

the plurality of subspaces of the first harvest field;

the first subspace harvest yield for the first subspace when the first subspace is selected at the subspace yield map; and

the second subspace harvest yield for the second subspace when the second subspace is selected at the subspace yield map.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the report is configured by the data processing module to present;

the subspace yield map showing the plurality of subspaces colored in accordance with corresponding subspace harvest yields such that, when the first and second subspace harvest yields differ from each other;

the first subspace is presented in a first yield color; and

the second subspace is presented in a second yield color.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of subspace datasets for the first harvest field comprise a plurality of soil-types such that;

the first subspace dataset comprises a first subspace soil-type of the first subspace; and

the second subspace dataset comprises a second subspace soil-type of the second subspace;

the first and second subspace soil-types are received by the data processing module from at least one of;

the first field harvest data of the first harvest field;

or

a database comprising;

the first subspace soil-type correlated to the first subspace location; and

the second subspace soil-type correlated to the second subspace location;

and

the report is configured to present;

the first subspace harvest soil-type when the first subspace is selected; and

the second subspace harvest soil-type when the second subspace is selected.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of subspace datasets for the first harvest field comprise a plurality of soil-types such that;

the first subspace dataset comprises a first subspace soil-type of the first subspace; and

the second subspace dataset comprises a second subspace soil-type of the second subspace;

the data processing module is configured to;

calculate a first soil zone yield for a first soil zone of the first harvest field,

the first soil zone bounding first contiguous subspaces that comprise the first subspace and that share the first subspace soil-type,

the first soil zone yield based on subspace harvest yields of the first contiguous subspaces;

and

calculate a second soil zone yield for a second soil zone of the first harvest field,

the second soil zone bounding second contiguous subspaces that comprise the second subspace and that share the second subspace soil-type,

the second soil zone yield based on subspace harvest yields of the second contiguous subspaces;

the report is configured by the data processing module to present;

a soil-zones yield map that;

demarcates the first and second soil zones in the first harvest field; and

illustrates the first and second soil zone yields.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

when the first and second soil zone yields differ from each other;

the report is configured by the data processing module to;

illustrate the first soil zone yield via a first yield color for the first soil zone; and

illustrate the second soil zone yields via a second yield color for the second soil zone.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to;

receive the aggregate harvest data for the plurality of harvest fields from a database; and

calculate, from the aggregate harvest data, a first subspace yield benchmark for the first subspace of the first harvest field;

the aggregate harvest data comprises aggregate subspace datasets from subspaces of the plurality of harvest fields;

each of the aggregate subspace datasets comprises;

an aggregate subspace harvest yield; and

an aggregate subspace environment condition;

the first subspace dataset of the first subspace of the first harvest field comprises;

the first subspace harvest yield; and

a first subspace environment condition;

and

the data processing module calculates the first subspace yield benchmark from

the aggregate subspace harvest yields whose respective aggregate subspace environment condition corresponds to the first subspace environment condition of the first harvest field.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the first subspace environment condition comprises;

a first subspace soil-type.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the first subspace environment condition comprises one or more of;

a first subspace soil type condition, a first subspace weather condition, a first subspace moisture condition, a first subspace seed type, a first subspace fertilizer type, a first subspace fertilizer amount, a first subspace fertilizer date, a first subspace pesticide type, a first subspace pesticide amount, a first subspace pesticide date, a first subspace planting date, a first subspace planting depth, a first subspace topology, a first subspace seed spacing, a first subspace planting moisture, a first subspace irrigation date, a first subspace irrigation amount, a first subspace growing degree days, a first subspace canopy temperatures, a first subspace wind measurement, or a first subspace soil compaction measurement.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein:

to calculate the first subspace yield benchmark, the data processing module determines a target yield with respect to an average of the aggregate subspace harvest yields whose respective aggregate subspace environment condition corresponds to the first subspace environment condition of the first harvest field.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to;

calculate a first subspace yield gap for the first subspace harvest yield relative to the first subspace yield benchmark.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the report is configured by the data processing module to present;

the first subspace harvest yield of the first subspace;

the first subspace yield benchmark for the first subspace; and

the first subspace yield gap for the first subspace.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to;

calculate, from the aggregate harvest data, a second subspace yield benchmark for the second subspace of the first harvest field; and

calculate a second subspace yield gap for the second subspace harvest yield;

and

the report is configured by the data processing module to present;

a subspace yield gap map showing;

the first subspace in the first harvest field, colored a first yield gap color corresponding to the first subspace yield gap; and

the second subspace in the first harvest field, colored a second yield gap color corresponding to the second subspace yield gap.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to calculate a yield gap for each of the plurality of subspaces of the first harvest field; and

the report is configured by the data processing module to present;

a subspace yield gap map showing;

the plurality of subspaces of the first harvest field;

the first subspace yield gap for the first subspace when the first subspace is selected; and

a second subspace yield gap for the second subspace when the second subspace is selected.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the first field harvest data is received from a first agricultural machine set of the plurality of data gathering mechanisms while harvesting the first harvest field during a present harvest season; and

the aggregate harvest data received in real time from the plurality of data gathering mechanisms harvesting the plurality of harvest fields during the present harvest season.

19. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to;

receive the aggregate harvest data for the plurality of harvest fields from a database;

calculate, from the aggregate harvest data, a first zone yield benchmark for a first zone of the first harvest field; and

calculate a first zone yield gap for the first zone relative to the first zone yield benchmark;

the first zone comprises first zone subspaces of the plurality of subspaces of the first harvest field;

the plurality of subspace datasets of the first harvest field comprises first zone subspace datasets for the first zone;

each of the first zone subspace datasets;

comprises a first zone subspace harvest yield; and

shares a first zone subspace environment condition;

the aggregate harvest data comprises aggregate subspace datasets from subspaces of the plurality of harvest fields;

each of the aggregate subspace datasets comprises;

an aggregate subspace harvest yield; and

an aggregate subspace environment condition;

the data processing module calculates the first zone yield benchmark from

the aggregate subspace harvest yields whose respective aggregate subspace environment condition corresponds to the first zone subspace environment condition;

the data processing module calculates a first zone yield from

the first zone subspace harvest yields of the first zone subspace datasets;

and

the data processing mechanism contrasts the first zone yield relative to the first zone yield benchmark to calculate the first zone yield gap.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to;

calculate, from the aggregate harvest data, a second zone yield benchmark for a second zone of the second harvest field; and

calculate a second zone yield gap for the second zone relative to the second zone yield benchmark;

the first and second zones are defined by soil type, such that;

the first zone subspace environment condition for the first zone comprises a first zone soil-type; and

a second zone subspace environment condition for the second zone comprises a second zone soil-type;

and

the report is configured by the data processing module to present;

a field zone yield gap map showing;

the first zone in the first harvest field, colored a first yield gap color corresponding to the first zone yield gap; and

the second zone in the first harvest field, colored a second yield gap color corresponding to the second zone yield gap.

21. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the data processing module is configured to;

receive the aggregate harvest data for the plurality of harvest fields from a database;

calculate, from the aggregate harvest data, a first field yield benchmark for the first harvest field; and

calculate a first field yield gap for the first harvest field relative to the first field yield benchmark;

the aggregate harvest data comprises aggregate subspace datasets from subspaces of the plurality of harvest fields;

the aggregate subspace datasets comprise;

aggregate subspace harvest yields; and

aggregate subspace environment conditions;

the plurality of subspace datasets for the first harvest field comprise;

a plurality of subspace harvest yields; and

a plurality of subspace environment conditions;

the data processing module calculates the first field yield benchmark via a weighted averaging of the aggregate subspace harvest yields whose respective aggregate subspace environment conditions correspond to the plurality of subspace environment conditions of the first harvest field;

the data processing module calculates, from the plurality of subspace harvest yields of the first harvest field, a first field yield for the first harvest field;

and

the data processing mechanism contrasts the first field yield relative to the first field yield benchmark to calculate the first field yield gap.

22. A method for processing aggregate harvest data gathered by a plurality of data gathering mechanism sets for a plurality of harvest fields, the method comprising:

receiving, at a data processing module, first field harvest data of a first harvest field of the plurality of harvest fields;

receiving, at the data processing module, the aggregate harvest data for the plurality of harvest fields from a database; and

calculating from the aggregate harvest data, with the data processing module, a first subspace yield benchmark for a first subspace of the first harvest field;

wherein;

the aggregate harvest data comprises aggregate subspace datasets from subspaces of the plurality of harvest fields;

each of the aggregate subspace datasets comprises;

an aggregate subspace harvest yield; and

an aggregate subspace environment condition;

the first field harvest data comprises a first subspace dataset of the first subspace of the first harvest field;

the first subspace dataset comprises;

a first subspace harvest yield; and

a first subspace environment condition;

and

calculating the first subspace yield benchmark comprises;

combining the aggregate subspace harvest yields of the subspaces of the plurality of harvest fields whose respective aggregate subspace environment condition corresponds to the first subspace environment condition of the first harvest field.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

calculating, with the data processing module, at least one of;

a first subspace yield gap for the first subspace harvest yield relative to the first subspace yield benchmark;

a first zone yield benchmark for a first zone of the first harvest field,

the first zone demarcated with respect to one or more subfield environment conditions;

a first zone yield gap for the first zone relative to the first zone yield benchmark;

a first field yield benchmark for the first harvest field;

or

a first field yield gap for the first harvest field relative to the first field yield benchmark;

and

generating, with the data processing module, a report comprising at least one of;

the first subspace yield benchmark;

the first subspace yield gap;

the first zone yield benchmark;

the first zone yield gap;

the first field yield benchmark;

or

the first field yield gap.