Crop characteristic estimation

• US 8,855,937 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Lindores, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Riggs, II, Larry D
• Application Number:
  US13/280,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/188 Vegetation

Abstract

A system for estimating a crop characteristic comprises a database, a plant growth model correlator, and a crop characteristic estimator. The database includes plant growth models for a plurality of fields. The plant growth model correlator is communicatively coupled with the database. The plant growth model correlator is configured for determining at least one harvested field with a first plant growth model which correlates with a second plant growth model for at least a portion of an unharvested field. The crop characteristic estimator is configured for estimating a crop characteristic for the unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from the at least one harvested field.

Claims

1. A system for estimating a crop characteristic, said system comprising:

a database containing plant growth models for a plurality of fields;

a plant growth model correlator, implemented by a processor, communicatively coupled with said database and configured for determining at least one harvested field with a first plant growth model which correlates with a second plant growth model for at least a portion of an unharvested field; and

a crop characteristic estimator, implemented by said processor, configured for estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an estimated crop characteristic map generator, implemented by said processor, configured for generating and outputting an estimated crop characteristic map illustrating said estimated crop characteristic relative to locations within said unharvested field.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a harvest path generator, implemented by said processor, configured for generating a harvest path for said unharvested field based on said estimated crop characteristic map.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said harvest path generator is further configured for generating said harvest path based upon said estimated crop characteristic map and a specified crop characteristic value.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said crop characteristic is estimated for said unharvested field from actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field, and wherein said crop characteristic data is selected from the group consisting of yield, test weight, protein content, and moisture content.

6. A method of estimating a crop characteristic, said method comprising:

accessing, with a computer system, a database containing plant growth models for a plurality of fields;

determining at least one harvested field with a first plant growth model which correlates with a second plant growth model for at least a portion of an unharvested field, said determining performed by said computer system; and

estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field, said estimating performed by said computer system.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

generating an estimated crop characteristic map of said unharvested field, said estimated crop characteristic map illustrating said estimated crop characteristic relative to locations within said unharvested field, said map generated and output in a tangible form by said computer system.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

generating a harvest path for said unharvested field based on said estimated crop characteristic map, said generating performed by said computer system.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said generating a harvest path based on said estimated crop characteristic map further comprises:

generating said harvest path based upon said estimated crop characteristic map and a specified crop characteristic value.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said determining at least one harvested field with a first plant growth model which correlates with a second plant growth model for at least a portion of an unharvested field, said determining performed by said computer system further comprises:

correlating said first and second plant growth models based upon commonality of management zones.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said correlating said harvested and unharvested field plant growth models based upon commonality of management zones further comprises:

correlating said first and second plant growth models based upon commonality of normalized difference vegetative index data within in an in common management zone.

12. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field, said estimating performed by said computer system comprises:

estimating test weight data for said unharvested field based on actual test weight data obtained from said at least one harvested field.

13. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field, said estimating performed by said computer system comprises:

estimating protein content data for said unharvested field based on actual protein content data obtained from said at least one harvested field.

14. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field, said estimating performed by said computer system comprises:

estimating moisture content data for said unharvested field based on actual moisture content data obtained from said at least one harvested field.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions thereon, which, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method of estimating a crop characteristic, said method comprising:

accessing a database containing plant growth models for a plurality of fields;

determining at least one harvested field with a first plant growth model which correlates with a second plant growth model for at least a portion of an unharvested field; and

estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

generating an estimated crop characteristic map of said unharvested field, said estimated crop characteristic map illustrating said estimated crop characteristic relative to locations within said unharvested field.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

generating a harvest path for said unharvested field based upon said estimated crop characteristic map and a specified crop characteristic value.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein said estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field comprises instructions for:

estimating test weight data for said unharvested field based on actual test weight data obtained from said at least one harvested field.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein said estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field comprises instructions for:

estimating protein content data for said unharvested field based on actual protein content data obtained from said at least one harvested field.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein said estimating a crop characteristic for said unharvested field based on actual crop characteristic data obtained from said at least one harvested field comprises instructions for:

estimating moisture content data for said unharvested field based on actual moisture content data obtained from said at least one harvested field.