AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WITH AUTOMATED RECOGNITION OF CHEMICAL TOTE CONTENTS

• US 20140277781A1
• Filed: 04/09/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH America Llc (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Todd T., Mangen, Lyle P., Tollefsrud, Aaron R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,877,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/283
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0042 Field sprayers, e.g. self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0082 Undercarriages, frames, mountings, couplings, tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0092 Adding active material used as well for the introduction of fertilisers in water A01C23/042

Abstract

An agricultural implement for applying an active ingredient to a geographic area includes a chassis, and at least one active ingredient tank. Each active ingredient tank is removably positioned on and carried by the chassis. Each active ingredient tank contains an active ingredient therein which is to be applied to the geographic area. Each active ingredient tank has an identification (ID) tag representing data associated with the active ingredient. An electrical reader carried by the chassis is configured for reading the ID tag and providing an output signal. An electrical processing circuit is coupled with the reader and receives the output signal.

Claims

1. An agricultural implement for applying an active ingredient to a geographic area, said agricultural implement comprising:

a chassis;

at least one active ingredient tank, each said active ingredient tank being removably positioned on and carried by said chassis, each said active ingredient tank containing an active ingredient therein which is to be applied to the geographic area, each said active ingredient tank having an identification (ID) tag representing data associated with said active ingredient;

an electrical reader configured for reading said ID tag and providing an output signal; and

an electrical processing circuit coupled with said reader and receiving said output signal.

2. The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein said electrical processing circuit includes precision farming data associated with the geographic area, and matches said data associated with said active ingredient with the precision farming data to establish an application rate of the active ingredient over at least a portion of the geographic area.

3. The agricultural implement of claim 2, wherein said data associated with said active ingredient includes at least one of:

a quantity of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank;

a type of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank; and

a concentration of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank.

4. The agricultural implement of claim 2, wherein said precision farming data includes at least one of:

a topographical map of the geographic area;

at least one soil type associated with the geographic area;

at least one application rate of the active ingredient associated with the geographic area;

at least one fertility level of soil associated with the geographic area; and

at least one pH level of soil associated with the geographic area.

5. The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein said data associated with said active ingredient includes at least one of:

a quantity of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank;

a type of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank; and

a concentration of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank.

6. The agricultural implement of claim 1, further including an operator cab and a visual display within said operator cab and coupled with said electrical processing circuit, said visual display displaying a visual indication of said data associated with said active ingredient.

7. The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein said ID tag is one of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a bar code.

8. The agricultural implement of claim 7, wherein said reader is one of an RFID reader and a bar code reader.

9. The agricultural implement of claim 8, further including a read trigger for actuating said reader to automatically read said ID tag.

10. The agricultural implement of claim 9, wherein said read trigger is one of a button and a switch.

11. The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein said electrical processing circuit is an electronic controller.

12. The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein said agricultural implement is an agricultural sprayer including a storage area associated with said chassis which is configured for and dedicated to removable storage of each said active ingredient tank.

13. The agricultural implement of claim 12, further including at least one fluid connector associated with said storage area, each said fluid connector forming a sealed connection with a corresponding said active ingredient tank.

14. The agricultural implement of claim 12, wherein said storage area is a tote storage area, and each said active ingredient tank is configured as a tote.

15. A method of applying an active ingredient to a geographic area using an agricultural implement, said method comprising the steps of:

placing an active ingredient tank in a dedicated storage area onboard said agricultural implement, said active ingredient tank including an identification (ID) tag representing data associated with said active ingredient;

reading the ID tag using a reader;

outputting an output signal from the reader to an electrical processing circuit carried onboard the agricultural implement; and

controlling application of the active ingredient to the geographic area using the electrical processing circuit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said electrical processing circuit carries out the sub-step of matching the data associated with the active ingredient with precision farming data to establish an application rate of the active ingredient over at least a portion of the geographic area.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data associated with the active ingredient includes at least one of:

a quantity of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank;

a type of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank; and

a concentration of the active ingredient within the active ingredient tank.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the precision farming data includes at least one of:

a topographical map of the geographic area;

at least one soil type associated with the geographic area;

at least one application rate of the active ingredient associated with the geographic area;

at least one fertility level of soil associated with the geographic area; and

at least one pH level of soil associated with the geographic area.

19. The method of claim 15, including the step of automatically reading the ID tag, upon occurrence of a read trigger event.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said read trigger event is one of:

activation of a button or switch upon placement of said active ingredient tank in said dedicated storage area; and

manual depressing of a button or switch by an operator.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said ID tag is one of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a bar code.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said reading step is carried out using one of an RFID reader and a bar code reader.