SYSTEM FOR MONITORING SOIL CONDITIONS BASED ON ACOUSTIC DATA AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR ADJUSTING OPERATING PARAMETERS OF A SEED-PLANTING IMPLEMENT BASED ON MONITORED SOIL CONDITIONS

• US 20200132654A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Pomedli, Barry M.
• Granted Patent: US 11,215,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/1112 using a non-tactile ground distance measurement, e.g. using reflection of waves
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/32 operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means without automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/007 Determining fertilization requirements
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/06 Machines for making or covering drills or furrows for sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/24 Earth materials G01N33/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/245 for agricultural purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

In one aspect, a system for monitoring soil conditions within an agricultural field may include a furrow forming tool. The system may also include an acoustic sensor configured to detect a sound associated with movement of the furrow forming tool through the soil. Furthermore, the system may include a controller communicatively coupled to the acoustic sensor. The controller may be configured to monitor a soil condition associated with soil within the field based on acoustic data received from the acoustic sensor.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring soil conditions, the system comprising:

a furrow forming tool;

an acoustic sensor configured to detect a sound associated with movement of the furrow forming tool through the soil; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the acoustic sensor, the controller configured to monitor a soil condition associated with soil within the field based on acoustic data received from the acoustic sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the furrow forming tool forms part of a seed-planting implement, the acoustic sensor is installed on the seed-planting implement at a position adjacent to the furrow forming tool.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an acceleration sensor configured to detect a parameter associated with movement of the furrow forming tool relative to a frame supporting the furrow forming tool, the controller further configured to monitor the soil condition based on both the acoustic data and acceleration data received from the acceleration sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the soil condition comprises at least one of soil roughness, a presence of soil impediments within the field, or a variation of soil material properties.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to create a field map that identifies the monitored soil condition at locations within the field based on the received acoustic data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensor is further configured to detect a sound associated with delivery of an agricultural product to a furrow formed by the furrow forming tool, the controller further configured create a field map that identifies locations of the agricultural product within the field based on the acoustic data received from the acoustic sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensor comprises a microphone.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the furrow forming tool forms part of a seed-planting implement, the controller further configured to initiate a control action associated with adjusting an operating parameter of the seed-planting implement when it is determined that the soil condition has fallen outside of a predetermined soil condition range.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control action is associated with notifying an operator of the seed-planting implement that the soil condition has fallen outside of the predetermined soil condition range.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the control action is associated with at least one of adjusting a down pressure applied on the furrow forming tool or adjusting a rate at which an agricultural product is dispensed by the seed-planting implement.

11. A seed-planting implement, comprising:

a frame;

a furrow forming tool mounted on the frame and configured to form a furrow within the soil;

an acoustic sensor configured to detect a sound associated with movement of the furrow forming tool through the soil;

an acceleration sensor configured to detect a parameter associated with movement of the furrow forming tool relative to the frame; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the acoustic sensor and the acceleration sensor, the controller configured to monitor a soil condition associated with soil within the field based on data received from the acoustic sensor and the acceleration sensor.

12. A method for controlling operating parameters of a seed-planting implement based on monitored soil conditions, the seed-planting implement including a furrow forming tool, the method comprising:

receiving, with a computing device, acoustic data indicative of a sound associated with movement of the furrow forming tool through soil within a field;

determining, with the computing device, a soil condition of the soil within the field based on the received acoustic data; and

initiating, with the computing device, a control action associated with adjusting an operating parameter of the seed-planting implement based on the determined soil condition.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the acoustic sensor is installed on the seed-planting implement at a position adjacent to the furrow forming tool.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, with the computing device, acceleration data associated with movement of the furrow forming tool relative to a frame of the seed-planting implement, wherein determining the soil condition further comprises determining, with the computing device, the soil condition of the soil within the field based on both the received acoustic data and the received acceleration data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the soil condition comprises at least one of soil roughness or a presence of soil impediments within the field.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

creating, with the computing device, a field map that identifies the soil condition at location within the field based on the received acoustic data.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the acoustic data received from the acoustic sensor is further indicative of a sound associated with delivery of agricultural product to a furrow formed by the furrow forming tool, the method further comprising:

creating, with the computing device, a field map that identifies locations of the agricultural product within the field based on the received acoustic data.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

when the soil condition has fallen outside of a predetermined soil condition range, initiating, with the computing device, the control action.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the control action is associated with notifying an operator of the seed-planting implement that the soil condition has fallen outside of the predetermined soil condition range.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the control action is associated with at least one of adjusting a down pressure applied to the furrow forming tool or adjusting a rate at which an agricultural product is dispensed by the seed-planting implement.