Soil probe and method of obtaining moisture, temperature and root distribution of a soil profile
First Claim
1. A method of determining characteristics of a substance at different locations in the substance comprising the steps of:
- inserting a probe containing a plurality of sensors on it into the substance;
sensing a plurality of characteristics of the substance at a plurality of different locations with said sensors;
collecting the data from said sensors at predetermined locations;
the step of sensing said plurality of characteristics including the step of simultaneously sensing said characteristics with at least two of said sensors;
the step of collecting data from said sensors includes the step of transmitting data from said sensors to a location outside of said substance;
the step of sensing a plurality of characteristics further including the steps of sensing the temperature of said substance;
sensing the moisture of the substance; and
sensing the root growth of plant life in the substance.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To provide a profile of simultaneous moisture, temperature and root density characteristics at different depths of soil, a soil probe is inserted in the soil with a viewing and camera section extending above the soil. Similarly, the probe provides a profile of simultaneous moisture, temperature and presence of molds, insects or other foreign matter in grain or similar media including liquid as well as solid granulated material. The portion of the probe that is in the soil or other media includes a source of light or light conveyance and windows which transmit an image of the soil at various depths along the length of the probe through light conductors for further transmission to the viewing and camera section. Liquid crystals sense the temperature of the soil at different locations and light conductors transmit color changes of the liquid crystals to the surface so that a profile may be compiled of moisture, temperature and root patterns by observation of the transmitted images in the viewing section. Viewed and photographic images can be compared with known color calibration standards to ascertain in situ moisture and temperature conditions of the soil profile.
90 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of determining characteristics of a substance at different locations in the substance comprising the steps of:
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inserting a probe containing a plurality of sensors on it into the substance; sensing a plurality of characteristics of the substance at a plurality of different locations with said sensors; collecting the data from said sensors at predetermined locations; the step of sensing said plurality of characteristics including the step of simultaneously sensing said characteristics with at least two of said sensors; the step of collecting data from said sensors includes the step of transmitting data from said sensors to a location outside of said substance; the step of sensing a plurality of characteristics further including the steps of sensing the temperature of said substance; sensing the moisture of the substance; and sensing the root growth of plant life in the substance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of determining characteristics of a substance at different locations in the substance comprising the steps of:
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inserting a probe containing a plurality of sensors on it into the substance; sensing a plurality of characteristics of the substance at a plurality of different locations with said sensors; collecting the data from said sensors at predetermined locations; the step of sensing said plurality of characteristics including the step of simultaneously sensing said characteristics with at least two of said sensors; the step of collecting data from said sensors including the step of transmitting data from said sensors to a location outside of said substance; the step of sensing a plurality of characteristics further including the steps of sensing the temperature of said substance, sensing the moisture of the substance, sensing the root growth of plant life in the substance, sensing a characteristic of soil, sensing by means of electromagnetic radiation and sensing by means of light; carrying the probe to a site in which the plurality of characteristics of soil are to be measured; the step of measuring temperature including the step of measuring temperature by placing a material, which changes color in accordance with temperature, adjacent to said substance; the step of collecting data including the step of transmitting light through light conductors and the step of calibrating said data against standards which are sensed by said sensors prior to sensing the characteristics of said substance; and photographing said data.
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10. A method of determining characteristics of a substance at different locations in the substance comprising the steps of:
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inserting a probe containing a plurality of sensors on it into the substance; sensing a plurality of characteristics of the substance at a plurality of different locations with said sensors; collecting the data from said sensors at a predetermined location; the step of collecting data from said sensors including the step of transmitting data from said sensors to a location outside of said substance; the step of sensing a plurality of characteristics including the step of sensing the temperature of said substance; and the step of sensing further including the step of sensing the moisture of the substance and the root growth of plant life in the substance. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method of determining characteristics of a substance at different locations in the substance comprising the steps of:
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inserting a probe containing a plurality of sensors on it into the substance; sensing a plurality of characteristics of the substance at a plurality of different locations with said sensors; collecting the data from said sensors at a predetermined location; and the step of sensing a plurality of characteristics including the step of sensing the temperature of said substance, the moisture of the substance, the root growth of plant life in the substance and a characteristic of soil. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of determining characteristics of a substance at different locations in the substance comprising the steps of:
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inserting a probe containing a plurality of sensors on it into the substance; sensing a plurality of characteristics of the substance at a plurality of different locations with said sensors; collecting the data from said sensors at a predetermined location; the step of sensing including the step of sensing by means of light; the step of measuring temperature including the step of measuring temperature by placing a material, which changes color in accordance with temperature, adjacent to said substance; the step of collecting data including the step of transmitting light through light conductors; the step of collecting data including the step of calibrating said data against standards which are sensed by said sensors prior to sensing the characteristics of said substance; and the step of photographing said data.
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18. Apparatus comprising:
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a hollow shell; at least two means for sensing a characteristic of soil mounted to said shell; indicating means for indicating characteristics of said material in response to said signals from said sensing means; means for transmitting signals from said sensing means to said indicating means; at least one of said means for sensing a characteristic including a sensing means for sensing temperature; and said means for sensing temperature including liquid crystals and means for obtaining a signal representing color of said liquid crystals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. Apparatus comprising:
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a hollow shell; at least two means for sensing a characteristic of soil mounted to said shell; indicating means for indicating characteristics of said material in response to said signals from said sensing means; means for transmitting signals from said sensing means to said indicating means; and said means for sensing temperature including liquid crystals and means for obtaining a signal representing color of said liquid crystals. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification