Variety locator

• US 7,194,965 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2005
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Bajc, Michael, Sutton, Craig A., Hickey, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad; Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US11/031,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20060162631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 111/200, 111/900, 111/903, 701/50
• US Class Current: 111/200
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/903 Monitor

Abstract

A system and method for providing an input attribute collected in an area while harvesting a crop from the area is described. The input attribute is collected and the geographic position occupied by a machine for applying materials to the area is measured. The input attribute and the geographic position are transmitted to a central system and associated with a zone including the geographic position at which the input attribute was collected. The zone is stored along with its associated input attribute. As the crop is harvested, the geographic position occupied by the harvesting machine is measured. The measured position of the harvesting machine is compared with the stored zone. If the position of the harvesting machine is determined to be in the stored zone, the input attribute associated with the zone is supplied to the operator of the harvesting machine.

Claims

1. A method for providing an input attribute collected in a tillable area while harvesting a crop from the tillable area, comprising:

collecting the input attribute in the tillable area before the crop is harvested, the input attribute being collected from at least one of a machine for applying materials to the tillable area and an operator of the machine;

measuring a first geographic position for the machine when the input attribute is collected;

associating the input attribute with a zone including the first geographic position, the zone comprised of a plurality of geographic positions in the tillable area;

storing the zone and the associated input attribute;

measuring a second geographic position while harvesting the crop from the tillable area;

comparing the second geographic position with the zone; and

providing the stored input attribute when the second geographic position is in the zone.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of collecting the input attribute includes collecting at least one of a type of seed planted, a variety of seed planted, a chemical treatment applied to the tillable area, and a process performed on the tillable area.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input attribute is for segregating the harvested crop.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the step of measuring the first geographic position and the step of measuring the second geographic position comprises measuring at least one of the first and second geographic positions utilizing a global positioning system (GPS).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of collecting the input attribute comprises collecting the input attribute from a tractor.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of associating the input attribute with the zone comprises associating the input attribute with a grid cell.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of associating the input attribute with the zone comprises associating the input attribute with a polygon.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the polygon describes a planar surface defined by one exterior boundary and zero or more interior boundaries, each interior boundary describing a portion of the zone not included in the polygon.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input attribute is associated with a portion of the crop harvested in the zone.

10. A system for providing an input attribute collected in a tillable area while harvesting a crop from the tillable area, comprising:

a data transfer mechanism for collecting the input attribute in the tillable area before the crop is harvested, the input attribute being collected from at least one of a machine for applying materials to the tillable area and an operator of the machine;

a positioning system for measuring a first geographic position for the machine when the input attribute is collected and for measuring a second geographic position while harvesting the crop from the tillable area;

a memory for storing the input attribute and an associated zone including the first geographic position, the zone comprised of a plurality of geographic positions in the tillable area;

a processing unit for comparing the second geographic position with the zone; and

a user interface for providing the stored input attribute when the second geographic position is in the zone.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the input attribute includes at least one of a type of seed planted, a variety of seed planted, a chemical treatment applied to the tillable area, and a process performed on the tillable area.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the input attribute is for segregating the harvested crop.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the positioning system comprises a global positioning system (GPS).

14. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the input attribute is associated with a portion of the crop harvested in the zone.

15. A program of instructions storable on a medium readable by an information handling system for implementing a method enabling the information handling system to execute a function, the information handling system being configured to communicate with a central system via a data transfer mechanism and a positioning system via a communication link, the steps comprising:

requesting an input attribute via at least one of a machine for applying materials to a tillable area and an operator of the machine, the input attribute being requested in the tillable area before a crop is harvested;

providing communication between the information handling system and the positioning system via the communication link;

determining a first geographic position for the machine via the communication link when the input attribute is collected;

providing communication between the information handling system and the central system via the data transfer mechanism;

providing the input attribute and the first geographic position to the central system via the data transfer mechanism, the central system associating the input attribute with a zone including the first geographic position, the zone comprised of a plurality of geographic positions in the tillable area;

determining a second geographic position via the communication link while harvesting the crop from the tillable area;

requesting the zone and the associated input attribute from the central system via the data transfer mechanism;

comparing the second geographic position with the zone; and

providing the stored input attribute to the operator of the machine when the second geographic position is in the zone.

16. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of requesting the input attribute includes requesting at least one of a type of seed planted, a variety of seed planted, a chemical treatment applied to the tillable area, and a process performed on the tillable area.

17. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 15, wherein the input attribute is for segregating the harvested crop.

18. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one of the step of determining the first geographic position and the step of determining the second geographic position comprises determining at least one of the first and second geographic positions utilizing a global positioning system (GPS).

19. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of comparing the input attribute with the zone comprises comparing the input attribute with a grid cell.

20. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of comparing the input attribute with the zone comprises comparing the input attribute with a polygon.