Measuring spatial variability in soil characteristics

• US 6,497,153 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC
• Inventors: Hess, John R., Sawyer, J. Wayne, Hoskinson, Reed L., Hess, J. Richard, Svoboda, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US09/677,183
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 737/81, 737/84, 737/63, 737/67, 56/102.A
• US Class Current: 73/784
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/245 for agricultural purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/24 Earth materials G01N33/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/36 Analysing materials by measuring the density or specific gravity, e.g. determining quantity of moisture methods of measurement in general G01N9/02 - G01N9/32

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for measuring a load force associated with pulling a farm implement through soil that is used to generate a spatially variable map that represents the spatial variability of the physical characteristics of the soil. An instrumented hitch pin configured to measure a load force is provided that measures the load force generated by a farm implement when the farm implement is connected with a tractor and pulled through or across soil. Each time a load force is measured, a global positioning system identifies the location of the measurement. This data is stored and analyzed to generate a spatially variable map of the soil. This map is representative of the physical characteristics of the soil, which are inferred from the magnitude of the load force.

Claims

1. In conjunction with a machinery capable of pushing or towing an implement, the implement being connectible with the machinery by way of an attachment device, a system suitable for collecting data concerning various physical characteristics of a soil, the system comprising:

a hitch pin configured to engage at least one of the attachment device and the implement, said hitch pin comprising;

a shank defining at least first and second recesses;

at least a first load sensor and at least a second load sensor, said at least a first load sensor being substantially disposed within said first recess and said at least a second load sensor being substantially disposed within said second recess, and said at least a first load sensor and said at least a second load sensor being arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to each other; and

a load sensor lead attached to each of said load sensors;

a data acquisition module in communication with said load sensors by way of said load sensor leads; and

a positioning module in communication with said data acquisition module and said load sensors.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said data acquisition module comprises a computer.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said positioning module comprises a global positioning system.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said predetermined spatial relationship is such that said at least a first load sensor and said at least a second load sensor are disposed at an angle of about ninety degrees with respect to each other.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said load sensors comprises a strain gauge.

6. A hitch pin suitable for use in facilitating removable attachment of an implement to machinery, wherein the machinery is configured to tow or push the implement, the hitch pin comprising:

a shank defining at least first and second recesses;

at least a first load sensor and at least a second load sensor, said at least a first load sensor being substantially disposed within said first recess and said at least a second load sensor being substantially disposed within said second recess, and said at least a first load sensor and said at least a second load sensor being arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to each other; and

a load sensor lead attached to each of said load sensors.

7. The hitch pin as recited in claim 6, wherein said predetermined spatial relationship is such that said at least a first load sensor and said at least a second load sensor are disposed at an angle of about ninety degrees with respect to each other.

8. The hitch pin as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one of said load sensors comprises a strain gauge.

9. The hitch pin as recited in claim 6, wherein said shank further defines third and fourth recesses wherein are substantially disposed, respectively, at least a third load sensor and at least a fourth load sensor, said at least a third load sensor and said at least a fourth load sensor pairs arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to each other.

10. The hitch pin as recited in claim 9, wherein said predetermined spatial relationship between said at least a first load sensor and said at least a second load sensor is substantially the same as said predetermined spatial relationship between said at least a third load sensor and said at least a fourth load sensor.

11. The hitch pin as recited in claim 9, wherein said predetermined spatial relationship between said at least a third load sensor and said at least a fourth load sensor is such that said at least a third load sensor and said at least a fourth load sensor are disposed at an angle of about ninety degrees with respect to each other.

12. In conjunction with machinery and a plurality of farm implements removably connectible to the machinery, the machinery being configured to push or tow farm implements connected to the machinery, a method suitable for collecting data concerning various physical characteristics of a soil, the method comprising:

measuring, throughout a desired area, at least first and second load forces exerted by the soil on at least one of the farm implements, wherein said first load force comprises a load force measured at a first soil depth and said second load force comprises a load force measured at a second soil depth;

determining three dimensional coordinates of each location at which a load force is measured;

recording said load force measurements and said three dimensional coordinates; and

correlating at least some load force measurements to at least one physical characteristic of the soil.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein correlating at least some load force measurements to at least one physical characteristic of the soil comprises correlating said at least some fore load measurements to at least one physical characteristic of the soil selected from the group consisting of:

hardness, density, and water-holding capacity.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising adjusting a rate at which load force measurements are made.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising using said load force measurements and said three dimensional coordinates to generate a three dimensional map depicting spatial variability, within said desired area, of said at least one physical characteristic of the soil.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said measuring of said load forces occurs substantially continuously.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising implementing at least one action with respect to the soil based upon said load force measurements and said three dimensional coordinates.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein implementing at least one action comprises implementing an action selected from the group consisting of:

planting, fertilizing, watering, and tilling.

19. A system suitable for collecting data concerning various physical characteristics of a soil, the system comprising:

a machinery;

at least one implement removably connectible to said machinery by way of a substantially horizontal draw bar, said substantially horizontal draw bar including at least one opening and sidewalls defining at least one hitch pin connection recess that runs substantially perpendicular to a major plane of said substantially horizontal draw bar;

a hitch pin configured to removably engage said sidewalls of said at least one hitch pin connection recess when inserted therein in a direction substantially perpendicular to said major plane of said substantially horizontal draw bar, said hitch pin comprising;

a shank defining at least first and second recesses;

at least a first load sensor and at least a second load sensor, said at least a first load sensor being substantially disposed within said first recess and said at least a second load sensor being substantially disposed within said second recess, said at least a first load sensor and said at least a second load sensor being arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to each other; and

a load sensor lead attached to each of said load sensors;

a data acquisition module in communication with said load sensors by way of said load sensor leads; and

a positioning module in communication with said data acquisition module and said load sensors.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said at least one hitch pin connection recess is disposed on said substantially horizontal draw bar at a position nearer to a first end thereof than an opposite second nearest to said at least one implement when said at least one implement is removably connected to said substantially horizontal draw bar.

21. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein at least one of said load sensors comprises a strain gauge.

22. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said at least one implement comprises a farm implement.

23. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said positioning module comprises a global positioning system.

24. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said data acquisition module comprises a computer.

25. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said shank further defines a third recess and a fourth recess wherein are substantially disposed, respectively, at least a third load sensor and at least a fourth load sensor, said third and fourth load sensors being arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to each other.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein said predetermined spatial relationship between said at least a first load sensor and said at least a second load sensor is substantially the same as said predetermined spatial relationship between said at least a third load sensor and said at least a fourth load sensor.

27. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said predetermined spatial relationship is such that said at least a first load sensor and said at least a second load sensor are disposed at an angle of about ninety degrees with respect to each other.

28. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said hitch pin further comprises at least a third load sensor and at least a fourth load sensor, said at least a third load sensor being substantially disposed within said first recess and said at least a fourth load sensor being substantially disposed within said second recess.