GNSS optimized control system and method

• US 9,173,337 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EFC Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EFC Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Guyette, Greg S., Dearborn, Jeffrey Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US14/043,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20140032020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/50, 239/1, 239/11, 239/171, 239/668, 239/672, 298/8.H, 460/114, 460/119, 56/101, 56/102.R, 562/28, 111/170, 111/200, 111/171, 111/93
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/54 using carrier phase measurements; using long or short baseline interferometry
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft

Abstract

A GNSS system in combination with a hydraulically-actuated, airborne dispenser for a dry material crop dusting system to optimize the distribution of dry materials over a particular tract of land. A GNSS subsystem is included using at least one GNSS antenna and one GNSS receiver located on the aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with an electronic/hydraulic crop dusting subsystem connected to a GNSS CPU. The GNSS ranging signals received by the antennas are processed by a receiver and processor system for determining the vehicle'"'"'s position and dynamic attitude in three dimensions (3D). The system is adapted for operation in a differential GNSS (DGNSS) mode utilizing a base station at a fixed location.

Claims

1. A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based material distribution control system for a vehicle, which system comprises:

a material hopper associated with the vehicle and adapted for containing a material to be distributed;

a spreader mechanism adapted for spreading the material along a travel path of the vehicle;

a gate box assembly connected to the hopper and the spreader mechanism;

said gate box assembly being adapted for selectively controlling a flow of material from the hopper to the spreader mechanism;

a GNSS subsystem mounted on the vehicle and including an antenna, a graphical user interface (GUI) and a GNSS receiver, said GNSS subsystem being adapted for providing GNSS-based positioning information for said vehicle;

a gate box control subsystem including a controller connected to the GNSS subsystem and the gate box assembly and adapted for controlling said gate box assembly using said GNSS-based positioning information;

a first computer having a processor and data storage;

a second computer located at a remote location from the first computer, said second computer having a processor and data storage;

said first computer being configured for storing field data from at least one predetermined location in said first computer data storage;

said first computer being configured for analyzing said field data;

said first computer being configured for generating a prescription plan for said predetermined location based upon the combination of said analysis and said field data;

said first computer being configured for transmitting said prescription plan to said second computer; and

said controller being configured to receive instructions from said second computer based upon said prescription plan.