Systems and Methods for Cloud-Based Agricultural Data Processing and Management

• US 20170257426A1
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agverdict, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agverdict, Inc.
• Inventors: Wilbur, Michael, Ellsworth, Jason, Oommen, Toji, Mohapatra, Adarsha, Thayer, David
• Granted Patent: US 10,171,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

A cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations is provided. The system receives agricultural-related data associated with a given geographic area and transforms the received data into an analysis-ready format. The system processes the received data through one or more algorithms to determine at least one operation to be performed within the given geographic area. The system generates a set of instructions for execution of the at least one operation within the given geographic area as a function of geolocation, where the instructions are coded for direct use by a controller of a specified type of agricultural equipment. The system transmits the instructions over a wireless communication channel to the controller, where the instructions cause the controller to direct operation of the agricultural equipment to perform the at least one operation within the given geographic area as a function of geolocation in an automated manner.

Claims

1. A cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations, comprising:

a data receiving module configured to receive agricultural-related data associated with a given geographic area, the data receiving module stored in a designated portion of computer memory;

a data processing module configured to transform the received data into an analysis-ready format, the data processing module stored in a designated portion of computer memory;

an analysis module configured to process the received data having been transformed into the analysis-ready format through one or more algorithms to determine at least one operation to be performed within the given geographic area, the analysis module stored in a designated portion of computer memory;

a prescription generation module defined to generate a set of instructions for execution of the at least one operation within the given geographic area as a function of geolocation, the instructions for execution of the at least one operation coded for direct use by a controller of a specified type of agricultural equipment, the prescription generation module stored in a designated portion of computer memory; and

a communication module configured to transmit the instructions for execution of the at least one operation over a wireless communication channel to the controller of the specified type of agricultural equipment, wherein the instructions for execution of the at least one operation cause the controller to direct operation of the specified type of agricultural equipment to perform the at least one operation within the given geographic area as a function of geolocation in an automated manner, the communication module stored in a designated portion of computer memory.

2. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, wherein the agricultural-related data includes one or more of soil survey geographic database (SSURGO) data, Veris soil electrical conductivity data, soil sampling data, tissue sampling data, aerial imagery data, satellite imagery data, commodity yield data, moisture data, elevation data, field event data, data from controllers of agricultural equipment, product application data, planting data, scouting data, trap counting data, boundary mapping data, field sensor data including soil moisture data, temperature data, barometric pressure data, humidity data, rainfall data, wind speed data, wind direction data, and sunlight intensity data.

3. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more algorithms include one or more of a threshold value comparison algorithm, a value range comparison algorithm, a numerical interpolation algorithm, a numerical extrapolation algorithm, a statistical zone generation algorithm, and a mathematical operation algorithm.

4. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one operation within the given geographic area as the function of geolocation includes one or more of a planting operation, an operation to apply an agricultural product, a crop maintenance operation, an irrigation operation, a tillage operation, a harvesting operation, a pest control operation, an inspection operation, a scouting operation, a surveying operation, a trap counting operation, a data collection operation, a soil sampling operation, and a tissue sampling operation.

5. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for execution of the at least one operation within the given geographic area as a function of geolocation is defined as a planting map that divides the given geographic area into a raster pattern and that specifies a planting procedure in accordance with the raster pattern.

6. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for execution of the at least one operation within the given geographic area as a function of geolocation is defined as a prescription map that divides the given geographic area into a raster pattern and that specifies performance of the at least one operation in accordance with the raster pattern.

7. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, wherein the specified type of agricultural equipment is one or more of an air seeder, a baler, a chisel plow, a combine, a cultivator, a drill, an electrostatic machine, a harrow, a harvester, a tillage machine, a planter, a plow, a pull-behind sprayer, a seeder, a sprayer, a spreader, a swather, a tractor, a trailer, a truck, and a wagon.

8. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, wherein the analysis module includes a variable rate map generation module configured to determine an amount of the at least one operation to be performed as a function of geolocation within the given geographic area.

9. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an equation generation module configured to provide an interface for defining equations through which the received agricultural-related data can be processed to generate the set of instructions for execution of the at least one operation within the given geographic area as the function of geolocation, the equation generation module providing for use of system variables and for creation of user-defined variables and for implementation of nested data operation arguments and conditional statements for data operation control, the equation generation module stored in a designated portion of computer memory.

10. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a label checking module configured to access one or more sources that provide information regarding manufacturer instructions concerning use of specified agricultural products and that provide information regarding regulations concerning use of specified agricultural products, the label checking module configured to automatically verify that the set of instructions for execution of the at least one operation within the given geographic area as the function of geolocation complies with manufacturer instructions concerning use of specified agricultural products and/or with regulations concerning use of specified agricultural products, the label checking module stored in a designated portion of computer memory.

11. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 10, wherein the prescription module is configured to iterate on the generated set of instructions for execution of the at least one operation within the given geographic area as the function of geolocation until the label checking module provides an indication that a given iteration of the set of instructions is in compliance with manufacturer instructions concerning use of specified agricultural products and with regulations concerning use of specified agricultural products.

12. A cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations, comprising:

a registration module configured to provide an agricultural enterprise control application to a subscriber for installation on a remote subscriber computing device, the registration module stored in a designated portion of computer memory;

a data receiving module configured to receive agricultural-related data associated with a given geographic area, the data receiving module stored in a designated portion of computer memory;

a data processing module configured to transform the received data into an analysis-ready format, the data processing module stored in a designated portion of computer memory;

a zone identification module configured to analyze the received data having been transformed into the analysis-ready format to define separate geographic zones within the given geographic area, wherein each geographic zone has at least one related agricultural characteristic, and wherein each geographic zone is delineated by a boundary defined by a set of geolocation coordinates, the zone identification module stored in a designated portion of computer memory;

a map generation module configured to generate image data that when used to control a display of the remote subscriber computing device causes the display to show a map identifying the separate geographic zones within the geographic area and indicating values of the at least one agricultural characteristic for the separate geographic zones, the map generation module stored in a designated portion of computer memory; and

a communication module configured to transmit map display instructions including the generated image data over a wireless communication channel to the remote subscriber computing device, wherein the map display instructions cause the remote subscriber computing device to process the image data to display the map identifying the separate geographic zones within the geographic area on the display of the remote subscriber computing device, the communication module stored in a designated portion of computer memory.

13. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

a current position display module configured to overlay a position indicator graphic on the map that identifies the separate geographic zones within the geographic area, the position indicator graphic representing a current position of the remote subscriber computing device within the geographic area, the current position display module stored in a designated portion of computer memory.

14. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 13, wherein the current position display module is configured to receive global positioning system (GPS) coordinates from the remote subscriber computing device in real-time and process the received GPS coordinates to position the position indicator graphic on the map.

15. The cloud-based system for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

a prescription generation module defined to generate a set of zone-specific instructions for execution of at least one operation within the given geographic area as a function of geolocation, such that execution of the at least one operation is customized for each separate geographic zone within the given geographic area, the set of zone-specific instructions for execution of the at least one operation coded for direct use by a controller of a specified type of agricultural equipment, the prescription generation module stored in a designated portion of computer memory,

wherein the communication module is configured to transmit the set of zone-specific instructions for execution of the at least one operation over the wireless communication channel to the controller of the specified type of agricultural equipment.

16. A method for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations, comprising:

directing operation of a cloud-based computing system to provide an agricultural enterprise control application to a subscriber for installation on a remote subscriber computing device;

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to receive agricultural-related data associated with a given geographic area;

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to transform the received data into an analysis-ready format;

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to analyze the received data having been transformed into the analysis-ready format to define separate geographic zones within the given geographic area, wherein each geographic zone has at least one related agricultural characteristic, and wherein each geographic zone is delineated by a boundary defined by a set of geolocation coordinates;

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to generate image data that when used to control a display of the remote subscriber computing device causes the display to show a map identifying the separate geographic zones within the geographic area and indicating values of the at least one agricultural characteristic for the separate geographic zones; and

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to transmit map display instructions including the generated image data over a wireless communication channel to the remote subscriber computing device, wherein the map display instructions cause the remote subscriber computing device to process the image data to display the map identifying the separate geographic zones within the geographic area on the display of the remote subscriber computing device.

17. The method for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to overlay a position indicator graphic on the map that identifies the separate geographic zones within the geographic area, the position indicator graphic representing a current position of the remote subscriber computing device within the geographic area.

18. The method for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to receive global positioning system (GPS) coordinates from the remote subscriber computing device in real-time and process the received GPS coordinates to position the position indicator graphic on the map.

19. The method for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to generate a set of zone-specific instructions for execution of at least one operation within the given geographic area as a function of geolocation, such that execution of the at least one operation is customized for each separate geographic zone within the given geographic area, the set of zone-specific instructions for execution of the at least one operation coded for direct use by a controller of a specified type of agricultural equipment; and

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to transmit the set of zone-specific instructions for execution of the at least one operation over the wireless communication channel to the controller of the specified type of agricultural equipment.

20. The method for integration of agricultural data with geolocation-based agricultural operations as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

directing operation of the cloud-based computing system to respectively provide multiple levels of authorization to different levels within an organization, wherein each of the multiple levels of authorization provides a corresponding set of roles and permissions for a set of functions within the cloud-based computing system.