Robotic platform and method for performing multiple functions in agricultural systems
First Claim
1. An autonomous vehicle platform system for selectively applying fertilizer in an agricultural field having adjacent rows of annual crops planted so as to provide a conventional annual crop row spacing between said adjacent rows of planted annual crops of not more than 36 inches, while self-navigating entirely within the space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops, comprising:
- one or more unmanned, autonomous vehicle platforms, wherein each autonomous vehicle platform includes a base operably coupled to a plurality of ground engaging wheels, each autonomous vehicle platform having a first lateral side and a second lateral side, wherein the first and second lateral sides oppose one another and are separated by a distance defining the width of the autonomous vehicle platform, the width so dimensioned as to be receivable within said space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops as the autonomous vehicle platform transits along the space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops, wherein each autonomous vehicle platform is programmed with a self-direction program to autonomously navigate the autonomous vehicle platform between a pair of adjacent rows of annual crops, and to avoid other autonomous vehicle platforms, while selectively applying fertilizer within the agricultural field.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous vehicle platform system and method configured to perform various in-season management tasks, including selectively applying fertilizer, mapping growth zones and seeding cover crop within an agricultural field, while self-navigating between rows of planted crops and beneath the canopy of the planted crops on the uneven terrain of an agricultural field, allowing for an ideal in-season application of fertilizer to occur once the planted crop is well established and growing rapidly, in an effort to limit the loss of fertilizer.
137 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An autonomous vehicle platform system for selectively applying fertilizer in an agricultural field having adjacent rows of annual crops planted so as to provide a conventional annual crop row spacing between said adjacent rows of planted annual crops of not more than 36 inches, while self-navigating entirely within the space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops, comprising:
one or more unmanned, autonomous vehicle platforms, wherein each autonomous vehicle platform includes a base operably coupled to a plurality of ground engaging wheels, each autonomous vehicle platform having a first lateral side and a second lateral side, wherein the first and second lateral sides oppose one another and are separated by a distance defining the width of the autonomous vehicle platform, the width so dimensioned as to be receivable within said space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops as the autonomous vehicle platform transits along the space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops, wherein each autonomous vehicle platform is programmed with a self-direction program to autonomously navigate the autonomous vehicle platform between a pair of adjacent rows of annual crops, and to avoid other autonomous vehicle platforms, while selectively applying fertilizer within the agricultural field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for fertilizing within an agricultural field having adjacent rows of annual crops planted so as to provide a conventional annual crop row spacing between said adjacent rows of planted annual crops of not more than 36-inches, with one or more autonomous vehicle platforms, comprising:
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positioning one or more refilling stations proximate to the agricultural field; delivering the one or more unmanned, autonomous vehicle platforms to the agricultural field, wherein each autonomous vehicle platform is programmed with a self-direction program; orienting the one or more autonomous vehicle platforms to the one or more refilling stations; and activating the self-direction program of each autonomous vehicle platform to autonomously navigate the entire autonomous vehicle platform entirely within said space between the adjacent rows of planted annual crops, and to avoid other autonomous vehicle platforms, while selectively applying fertilizer within the agricultural field, and to compare the status of autonomous vehicle platform criteria to a programmed threshold and to navigate to the one or more refilling stations for servicing based on said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An unmanned, autonomous vehicle platform for selectively applying fertilizer to the soil of an agricultural field having adjacent rows of annual crops planted so as to provide a conventional annual crop row in between said adjacent rows of planted annual crop of not more than 36 inches, while self-navigating entirely within the space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops, comprising:
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a vehicle base having a first lateral side and a second lateral side, wherein the first and second lateral sides oppose one another and are separated by a distance defining the width of the autonomous vehicle platform, the width so dimensioned as to be insertable through said space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops as the autonomous vehicle platform transits along the space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops; a plurality of wheels; at least one powertrain fixedly coupled to the vehicle base and operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of wheels; a fertilization module; a navigation module communicatively coupled to a crop row locating mechanism for gauging the location of the autonomous vehicle platform with respect to each of said adjacent rows of planted annual crops as said autonomous vehicle platform transits along said space between adjacent rows of planted annual crops; a microprocessor in communication with the fertilization module and the navigation module, programmed with a self-direction program to autonomously navigate the autonomous vehicle platform while selectively applying fertilizer based in part on data communicated from the crop row locating mechanism; and a user interface in communication with the microprocessor, configured to transmit microprocessor data to a user of the autonomous vehicle platform, and further configured to receive command data from the user of the autonomous vehicle platform for selectively overriding the self-direction program.
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Specification