Soil constituent sensor and precision agrichemical delivery system and method
First Claim
1. A method for sensing substantially instantaneously at least one chemical or physical constituent of a soil while traversing a field of said soil and determining substantially simultaneously therewith an amount of chemical to be applied, comprising the steps of:
- penetrating the soil of a first soil sample while traversing said sample;
applying a voltage differential across said sample and determining at least the complex component of the complex resistivity of said sample; and
determining a parameter related to said soil constituent from at least said resistivity component while traversing said sample.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A real time soil constituent sensor and precision agricultural chemical delivery system may measure simple in situ soil constituents without the aid of externally applied solvents, or such solvents may be utilized intermittently to calibrate the measurements for greater accuracy. A real time complex in situ soil resistivity sensor and prescription agricultural chemical delivery system includes a plurality of ground-engaging tools in association with individual soil electrode arrays which measure complex solute and matrix resistivity levels. Conventional ground-engaging tools may serve as electrodes for impressing a voltage source and serve as a current sink for the purposes of determining complex resistivity values and components thereof in in situ soils. Alternatively, local resistivity measurements in a single tool can also be employed for separation of resistivity contributions of the soil solute and the matrix. For calibration, to enhance the accuracy of in situ measurements of matrix resistivity, a plurality of reference fluids of known conductivity are periodically injected at the interface between electrodes on a single tool and the in situ soil. A real-time soil solute and matrix sensor and controller senses and separates the resistivity contributions of the solute and matrix and compares these components against target levels or schedules and adjusts a servo-controlled delivery system to apply the appropriate amount of agricultural chemical substantially in the location from which a calibrated complex soil resistivity measurement was taken.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for sensing substantially instantaneously at least one chemical or physical constituent of a soil while traversing a field of said soil and determining substantially simultaneously therewith an amount of chemical to be applied, comprising the steps of:
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penetrating the soil of a first soil sample while traversing said sample; applying a voltage differential across said sample and determining at least the complex component of the complex resistivity of said sample; and determining a parameter related to said soil constituent from at least said resistivity component while traversing said sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for sensing substantially instantaneously at least one chemical or physical constituent of a soil while traversing a field of said soil and determining substantially simultaneously therewith an amount of chemical to be applied, comprising:
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means for penetrating the soil of a first soil sample while traversing said sample; means for applying a voltage differential across said sample and determining at least the complex component of the complex resistivity of said sample; and means for determining a parameter related to said soil constituent from at least said resistivity component while traversing said sample. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification