Multi-variable rate dispensing system for agricultural machine

• US 6,122,581 A
• Filed: 02/09/1999
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AG Chem Equipment Co Inc (AGCO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AG Chem Equipment Co Inc (AGCO Corporation)
• Inventors: McQuinn, Alvin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/247,248
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213, 701/217, 701/23, 701/25, 239/302, 239/1, 239/69, 702/5
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/007 Metering or regulating systems
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0089 Regulating or controlling systems the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06

Abstract

An improved mobile agricultural products application system including a multi-variable rate dispensing system particularly adaptable for use in site-specific farming, wherein selected discrete crop input delivery information unique to selected on-board crop input storage devices, and/or crop input transport systems, and/or crop input dispensing points is combined with anticipated field reference point data obtained with a machine positioning system, e.g. "Dead Reckoning", GPS, and/or radar, and a computer, to direct independent functioning of selected on-board storage devices, material transport systems, crop input release mechanisms and/or dispensing point mechanisms to ensure stored crop inputs are released and combined to vary a prescription of delivered crop inputs in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of machine travel as the crop input applicator machine(s) travels over a predetermined geographic land area. The improved system can selectively and exclusively accommodate precise application of seeds, or can optionally accommodate seed application in combination with other crop inputs. The multi-variable rate dispensing system provides environmental advantages to all through enhanced resource management by more accurately and precisely placing crop inputs resulting in a significant reduction in wasted resources.

Claims

1. An agricultural system for application of seeds to a field, the system comprising:

a vehicle;

a seed dispensing system having a plurality of seed dispensing points associated with the vehicle;

a positioning system for determining position of the vehicle in the field; and

a control system for controlling operation of the seed dispensing system as a function of position of the vehicle in the field and a map which defines desired seed variety and dispensing rate information for specific field reference points, where the control system knows a location of each dispensing point associated with the vehicle such that each dispensing point is controlled independent of other dispensing points and delivers a desired seed variety at a desired dispensing rate that varies based on the location of each dispensing point relative to the field reference points.

2. A planter for dispensing seeds over a desired land area, the planter comprising:

a plurality of seed dispensing points; and

a control system that knows a position of each dispensing point such that the control system individually controls seed variety and seed dispensing rate at each of the plurality of dispensing points based upon the position of each dispensing point with respect to the desired land area.

3. A planter comprising:

a plurality of seed dispensing points;

a plurality of actuators operatively coupled to selected seed dispensing points;

a positioning system for anticipating a field reference point and generating anticipated field reference point data in real time as the planter traverses a field; and

a dispensing control system that knows a position of each seed dispensing point such that the control system controls the actuators as a function of the anticipated field reference point data and position of the respective seed dispensing points on the planter in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the planter so that dispensing of seeds at each seed dispensing point can vary from dispensing of seeds at another dispensing point.

4. The planter of claim 3 wherein the dispensing control system individually controls seed variety dispensed at each dispensing point.

5. The planter of claim 3 wherein the dispensing control system individually controls seed dispensing rate at each dispensing point.

6. A method of dispensing seeds to a predetermined geographic land area, the method comprising:

causing a planter having a plurality of seed dispensing points to travel over a desired surface area of the geographic land area;

inputting a position of each seed dispensing point on the planter;

determining an anticipated field reference point in real time;

individually controlling dispensing of seeds at each dispensing point as a function of digital map data, the anticipated field reference point, and the position of each dispensing point on the planter, such that dispensing of seeds is controlled in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the planter so that dispensing of seeds at each seed dispensing point can vary from dispensing of seeds at another dispensing point.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein individually controlling dispensing of seeds includes individually controlling seed variety dispensed at each dispensing point.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein individually controlling dispensing of seeds includes individually controlling seed dispensing rate at each dispensing point.

9. A method of dispensing seeds to a predetermined geographic land area comprising:

causing a planter having a plurality of seed dispensing points to travel over a desired surface area of the geographic land area;

inputting a location of each seed dispensing point on the planter;

determining an anticipated field reference point in real time;

providing a map of seed dispensing information as a function of location of each dispensing point within said plurality of crop input dispensing points; and

utilizing the seed dispensing information and the anticipated field reference point to individually control selected dispensing points so that dispensing of seed may vary in a direction substantially transverse to a direction of planter travel.

10. A method of dispensing seeds to a predetermined geographic land area, the method comprising:

causing a planter having a plurality of seed dispensing points to travel over a desired surface area of the geographic land area;

inputting a position of each seed dispensing point on the planter;

determining an anticipated field reference point in real time;

individually controlling dispensing of seeds at each dispensing point as a function of digital map data, the anticipated field reference point, and the position of each dispensing point on the planter, such that seed variety and seed dispensing rate are individually controlled at each dispensing point.