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Wireless seed detecting and monitoring apparatus

  • US 4,149,163 A
  • Filed: 05/06/1977
  • Issued: 04/10/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1975
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A detecting and monitoring system particularly adapted for individually and simultaneously detecting the flow of seeds being dispensed in each row of a multi-row planting machine of the type which has a separate seed dispenser for each row and which is towed by a tractor, and for conveying said seed flow information to the operator of the tractor, comprising:

  • a plurality of sensing means respectively associated with each said dispenser and responsive to the passage of seeds through said dispensers for generating asynchronously a corresponding plurality of control signals;

    a corresponding plurality of oscillating means respectively associated with said plurality of sensing means for generating a plurality of unmodulated carrier-wave seed signals, with each said oscillating means having a different frequency of oscillation and respectively responsive to one of said control signals for being energized to generate and wirelessly transmit a unmodulated carrier-wave seed signal corresponding to the flow of seeds passing through the respective one of said dispensers;

    receiving means responsive to said transmitted unmodulated carrier-wave seed signals for individually and simultaneously detecting said seed signals and producing corresponding indicator signals, said receiving means including a single-channel intermediate frequency amplifier circuit having a pass band which encompasses the frequencies of all said transmitted seed signals, and further including a corresponding plurality of frequency detectors coupled to said single-channel intermediate frequency amplifier circuit, with each said frequency detector being tuned to a different one of said transmitted unmodulated carrier-wave seed signal frequencies for detecting said seed signals and producing said indicator signals; and

    display means responsive to said indicator signals for displaying selectively the flow of seeds being dispensed in each row of a multi-row planting machine.

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